The United States has welcomed President Pervez Musharraf's decision to lift emergency rule on December 16, calling it a positive and significant step to steer Pakistan back towards democracy.
"It's a positive and significant step. We look forward to the elections taking place in early January," US State department spokesman Sean McCormack said in his briefing.
He also said that this announcement, combined with the fact that President Musharraf has taken off his uniform and has been sworn in as civilian president of Pakistan, are all positive steps that will help get the country back on the path to democratic and constitutional rule.
"It is in the best interests of the Pakistani people and in the best interest of Pakistan and its future," he added.
The senior administration official added, "Ultimately, it will be the Pakistani people who decide who to lead them, who to elect as members of parliament, and the people will determine how Pakistan comes through this political transition."
Asking Pakistani authorities to create a conducive environment to conduct elections, he stressed that it would be particularly important now, given where Pakistan has been over the past month, that Pakistani authorities ensure that those proper conditions are created.
"Forget about the views of the international community and what it thinks about these elections. More importantly, those things are important for the Pakistani people so that they can have faith that those elections are free, fair and transparent," the spokesman said.