Ground Report

A shaken US government has recovered at least some of its faith in President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, believing he still has a chance to promote democracy and defeat terrorism. Conceding that Al-Qaeda has turned its focus from Afghanistan to Pakistan, US officials argue that pushing for democracy is the central Asian Muslim nation’s best long-term hope of keeping extremists at bay. To be sure, top officials say, Musharraf has reversed course since he imposed emergency rule November 3, which prompted both a review of US aid to Pakistan and a broader debate on his status as ally in the war on terror. However, they insist, he must pass further tests on the way to and during parliamentary elections he has set for January 8. "He has been a good ally in the war on terror… (but) it was not a good decision to impose a state of emergency," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Agencies in an exclusive interview last week on Pakistan and other topics. "They need to have free and fair elections," Rice said, adding that the test does not begin the day of elections but "when opposition can gather" and all media can air views freely. Rice did not give a direct reply when asked if it was premature to say whether Musharraf had Washington’s full confidence.