US advises Musharraf’s impeachment must be consistent with rule of law
Washington, Aug 8 : In the wake of the impending Impeachment Motion against Pakistan Pervez Musharraf, the US State Department has advised to all the parties involved in the activity to ensure that their actions were consistent with the rule of law and the Pakistani constitution.
“Any action should be according to the rule of law and consistent with their Constitution. And this is a matter for the Pakistanis to decide,” the Dawn quoted US State Department spokesman Gonzalo R. Gallegos as saying at a regular briefing in Washington last evening.
Indicating that the US was distancing from Musharraf, he declared: “We will continue our close ties with the democratically elected government of Pakistan.” The US official also said the US did not believe the move to impeach the president might have a negative impact on the situation along the Pakistan-Afghan border.
To a question if the US interlocutors had urged Musharraf not to impose a state of emergency in Pakistan, the spokesman said: “I’m very public about the statement that we believe that any actions in Pakistan be consistent with the rule of law and with their constitution.”
Asked if he saw imposing a state of emergency as a possibility, the spokesman said: “I’ve made the comment that I’m going to make about the actions that are going on.”
Asked how the US would react if the move actually led to President Musharraf’s impeachment, Gallegos, who is leaving for Islamabad this week to join the US Embassy as a senior diplomat, said: “We have consistently said the internal politics of Pakistan is an issue for the Pakistani people to decide. Our expectation is that any action will be consistent with the rule of law and the Pakistani constitution. It is the responsibility of Pakistanis’ leaders to decide on a way forward to succeed as a modern and democratic country.”
“Our message to Pakistan has been consistent. We expect that any action will be consistent with their rule of law and the Pakistani constitution,” said the US official. (ANI)