The United States has said that the decision by Pakistan's two major parties, the Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, to reinstate judges dismissed by President Prevez Musharraf during 2007's emergency was for the country's political system to resolve.
"I think it is completely their prerogative to put forward a political initiative. I think they're on the pathway to forming a government now and likely discussing the platform for that government," spokesman Sean McCormack said.
"And that is - those decisions, what's in the platform and who's in the government and what sort of power-sharing arrangements there are within the Pakistani political system, entirely up to Pakistanis within the confines of their laws and their constitution," Cormack added.
"Those are entirely their decisions to make. Our stated and unstated reason concerning this has entirely to do with the fact that this is Pakistani democracy and these are Pakistani laws and the Pakistani constitution, and we're not in the business of interpreting their laws or their constitution for them," he said.
"Any of the actions that they take within their political system and any of the outcomes of those actions are going to be generated entirely by Pakistanis, not by us," McCormack added.
The PPP and PML-N had on Sunday agreed to reinstate all the judges sacked by Musharraf within a month of assuming power.
McCormack also said that the US was ready to work with the new government in Pakistan on issues of mutual concern.
"Certainly we are going to continue to pursue our national interest with respect to Pakistan and it's no secret that those involved, in large part, working on fighting the war on terror," McCormack added.
He said the US was of the view that success in fighting extremists in Pakistan and regions bordering Afghanistan would be furthered with a 'more democratic Pakistan', in which the people will have confidence in their government and the institutions, including judiciary.
When asked whether he thought it was a good idea to have an independent judiciary, however it was 'erected or resurrected' in Pakistan, he said, "There are two sides - if you are in Pakistan, there are two sides to that question. As a general matter, an independent judiciary that upholds the application of the rule of law, absolutely. But, again, you will get within the Pakistani political system, as I have read about it in the newspapers, a dispute as to the interpretation of Pakistani laws and the Pakistani constitution," he said.
"I'm not here to be a lawyer for either side. That's not my job. My job is to talk about what US policies are. And it is our view that these are issues that need to be handled solely by the Pakistanis. They need to be decided on only by the Pakistanis. We don't have a vote in this, nor should we," McCormack said.
