US backing democracy, not individuals: Olson

Ambassador says he was encouraged by the ‘positive outcome’ of the march.

ISLAMABAD:

The United States (US) is only lending its support to democracy not individuals or political parties in Pakistan, the US Ambassador to Pakistan, Richard Olson, said on Friday.

“I can very directly say that we are not supporting any particular party in the Pakistani political process. We are not supporting any individual,” Olson said. “We are backing democracy.”

“We have not been backing specifically Dr Tahirul Qadri or any other political figure,” he added.

Olson was speaking to the media after he had addressed an alumni reunion of the Study in the US Institute (SUSI) exchange programme in Islamabad. The programme sends around 30 Pakistani undergraduate students to the US for six weeks to study at an American university.

The US ambassador said he was encouraged by the “positive outcome” of the long march and sit-in protest.

“We believe, of course, in the right of peaceful assembly and were very glad that everything was resolved peacefully,” he said. “We believe the way forward in Pakistan is free, fair, timely elections in accordance to the Constitution.”

Olson said the ultimate decision about Pakistan’s future rests with its people.

“It is up to the people of Pakistan to decide on the future of Pakistan and on the way forward through elections,” Olson said.

Responding to a question about recent tensions between Pakistan and India over the Line of Control, Olson said: “We are very encouraged by the news that the ceasefire has been resumed. We, of course, encourage both India and Pakistan to work together to prevent incidents in the interests of regional stability.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2013.