Washington, October 29
Gen Pervez Musharraf is a person who tries to project a Pakistan that is free of militancy but there is room for doubt if he can really deliver it, according to Ms Benazir Bhutto.
As such, she is of the firm view that the USA must reassess its support to the General, now a crucial American ally in South Asia in the war on terrorism.
Speaking to the US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Christina Rocca, during a closed-door meeting at the State Department office, the Pakistan People’s Party chairperson said that Musharraf’s articulation of a vision for militancy-free country had to be taken with a pinch of salt, “given the militancy that I see within Pakistan itself. So, yes, Washington for the time is placing its bets on General Musharraf, but there are people - like myself - who would like to take a look at that.”
However, she denied that she came under pressure from Washington to go easy on the Pakistani leader. “My experience with the US officials is that they’re very careful not to meddle,” Ms Bhutto clarified. “ “Not to say anything that could be misconstrued as interference.”
Ms Benazir Bhutto went to the US State Department to brief the American officials about the recent elections and to stress on the need for electoral reforms in the country. She echoed the concerns of some observers on the conduct of polling. “In my view, very little happened during the day of polling. It was after the polling closed that the votes were changed and my party wants to make sure that next time the people of Pakistan get their say through a fair vote count,” she said.
The visit was low key, with no special arrangements made for press coverage.
