America not behind Sharif's deportation: US

Islamabad, Sep 21: US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson has said that the Pakistan Government had deported former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and there was no involvement of Washington behind the decision.

Patterson told Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) acting President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi at the Parliament lodges here that the US would support democratic forces in the forthcoming general elections.

She said the general elections should be held in a fair and transparent manner and the people of Pakistan should have the right to elect representatives.

The US supported Musharraf because of his frontline role in the war on terror and his support for the American cause, the Daily Times quoted Patterson, as saying.

Hashmi said that free and transparent elections were impossible as long as Musharraf is in power.

He urged Washington to support democratic forces rather than favouring the dictatorship, so that a real democracy could be established in Pakistan and the negative impression of the US in Pakistan could be dispelled.

Hashmi said that Pakistan had paid a heavy price by playing its role in the war on terror.

ANI>