By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS
London : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday told Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in clear terms to ensure that planned general elections in his country next month are free and fair as pro-democracy protesters criticised the government for according Musharraf a red carpet welcome.
“Credible elections are essential,” Brown told Musharraf at a joint press conference, where the visiting Pakistani leader repeatedly thanked his host for pledging financial assistance to Pakistan.
“The priority now for the international community and the government of Pakistan must be to ensure that the democratic process remains on track,” Brown said.
Musharraf, who is on a charm offensive of Europe, met with Brown as more than 1,000 pro-democracy protesters held a noisy demonstration nearby, criticising Brown for playing hosts to a man they hold responsible for sacking a democratic government through a military coup and clinging to power.
“We have never seen a demonstration like this in London for a Pakistani leader. People here are angry,” said Lord Ahmed, a member of the ruling Labour party and Britain’s upper house of parliament.
“This man is being given a red carpet treatment by this government. He is a retired general – he needs to go,” he added.
Lord Ahmed, a leading Muslim member of Labour, said he did not expect the elections to be free and fair.
Musharraf said the two leaders had an “excellent interaction” and thanked Brown for “his desire to enhance assistance to Pakistan, especially in the socio-economic sector and within that specially education. We are grateful for that.
“I did inform the prime minister our strong desire to ensure that the elections will be free, fair and transparent,” Musharraf said, adding that they were on track for Feb 18 as scheduled.
Brown and Musharraf also discussed the problem of terrorism in detail, with the Pakistani president declaring, “We are succeeding against the Al Qaeda.”
Musharraf also said there had been a 42 percent decline in the movement of terrorists from Pakistan to Afghanistan, according to NATO forces in Afghanistan.
This, he said, was the result of Pakistani authorities sealing the border with Afghanistan, erecting 1,000 border posts and imposing a curfew along a three-km-belt.
Brown said a team of British experts would visit Pakistan soon to help with counter-terrorism efforts.