Pakistanis support a moderate vision for the country: US State Departmen

The US State Department has said that there was a broad political consensus in Pakistan to support a moderate vision for countrys future.

Washington, Sep 5 : The US State Department has said that there was a broad political consensus in Pakistan to support a moderate vision for country's future.

Deputy spokesman Tom Casey said that the moderate version of Pakistan's future was one that allowed for economic development, education for all its children, and the ability of the people to express themselves through democratic elections.

He said regardless of what the extremists' intentions were, it was going to have an impact on Pakistan's broader goals in terms of its own development, and that applied to President Musharraf as well as other political leaders in the country.

Commenting on a report that former Pakistan Prime Ministers might not be allowed to contest elections, Casey said that the US certainly wanted to continue to work with the Pakistan Government to confront extremism and help it move forward with Musharraf's stated intentions.

The US expected to see Pakistan holding elections that are "free, fair and transparent, and that allow the Pakistani people to have a choice among all the various legitimate political factions in that country, he added.

Casey condemned the Rawalpindi suicide bombings, and said, "There's no justification, political or otherwise, for attacking civilians, for endangering human life."

He said it is most appropriate for Pakistani institutions dealing with this issue to do so, the Daily Times reported.

"What the US want to see, though, is that all of the legitimate political parties and leaders in Pakistan have an opportunity to be able to express themselves," Casey said.

He said that Pakistani people should vote for legitimate political parties that do not espouse violence, do not support extremism, and are willing to help achieve a moderate, Islamic Pakistan that is a good partner for the international community.

ANI