NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Declaring that the elections would be fair and transparent, General Musharraf said foreign observers would be welcome to oversee them.
"There will be no official intervention," he said, citing as an example the April 30 referendum that 'confirmed' him as president of Pakistan for five more years. Proof of this, he said, was that for the first time the army was not deployed at polling booths for the referendum.
Referring to accusations that the referendum was rigged, the general admitted there had been some malpractices, but attributed that to the 'exuberance' and 'foolishness' of his supporters and many 'first-time voters'.
"Real democracy will begin in December," he promised.
PTI
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