U.K. hails Musharraf's poll schedule

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, AUG. 15. Britain has welcomed the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf's ``road map'' for return to democracy while seeking details and ``clarity'' on the constitutional aspects.

The Foreign Office Minister, Mr. Ben Bradshaw, in a statement, said Gen. Musharraf's four-phase timetable for provincial, national and senate elections provided the ``people of Pakistan and the international community with a clear timetable for the transition to democracy in Pakistan by 12 October 2002. I look forward shortly to seeing the details, including clarity on the constitutional aspects of this roadmap to democracy.''

Asked if Britain would press Pakistan for details, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said it was expected that the issue would be raised at various levels, including the Commonwealth summit in Brisbane in October. For now, the Government was sticking to Mr. Bradshaw's statement which must please Islamabad, after a somewhat frosty phase in its relations with London. Britain has been pressing Pakistan for setting out a timetable for the transition to democracy and repeatedly expressed its disappointment at lack of progress.

There was no official reaction from the Commonwealth but it was reported to be not too excited by Gen. Musharraf's announcement. The issue is likely to come up when the Commonwealth Secretary- General, Mr. Don McKinnon, visits Pakistan later this month. The Pakistan People's Party of the former Prime Minister, Ms. Benazir Bhutto, saw nothing new in the announcement describing it as a rehash of the ``harangues of military dictatorships in the past.'' It was particularly unhappy over the proposed constitutional amendments before the elections.

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