US Senators says Pak polls credible

Islamabad, Feb.20 : American Senators visiting Pakistan have described Monday's general elections as credible and an expression of the will of Pakistan's moderate majority.

"The bottom line is that the will of the moderate people became a reality," Senator John Kerry, one of the senators, said.

Kerry is presently in New Delhi meeting with the Indian leadership.

Senator Joseph Biden, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Pakistan's transition to a civilian government gave the United States a chance to adopt a foreign policy based on an alliance with the nation as a whole and not just with President Pervez Musharraf.

He said the non-military assistance to Pakistan should be increased to strengthen democracy.

"We should be tripling our non-military assistance for building new schools, roads and health services. We are also required to have more accountability of military assistance," the Daily Times quoted him, as saying.

Asked if they took up the issue of the sacked judges with the president, Biden said, "Musharraf opined that the new parliament will address the issue. It will be up to the parliament to decide."

ANI