Key US Senator sees pivotal moment in Pakistan democratic transition

WASHINGTON: Senator Robert Menendez, who recently returned from his first visit to Pakistan as chairman of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says the country will witness a unique moment in terms of first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power through upcoming national elections.

"It is a unique moment in 60 years of Pakistani history," the senator said in a conference call with reporters upon his return from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"This hopefully will be the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power, one that also relies upon an honest transparent election process, he stated.

He explained his observation by referring to transitions this year in the top leadership that will also include election to the presidency and changes in leadership of institutions including Pakistan Army and the Supreme Court.

"So a pivotal moment in Pakistan's history," Menendez noted.

The New Jersey Democrat, who recently took over as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from the current Secretary of State John Kerry, met top Pakistani civilian and military leaders on his first visit to Islamabad, whose supporting role is seen as critical to a smooth drawdown of US forces from neighboring landlocked Afghanistan and end to the Afghan war by 2014.

"Afghans and Pakistanis don't want us to stay as an occupier, which we have no intention or desire, but they also don't want us to abandon them," Menendez said.

"We need to make clear to our Afghan and Pakistani partners that the United States will be committed in Afghanistan even as we draw our forces and leave behind a residual presence," he added.