The European Union is putting pressure on Pakistan to help curb militant violence in Afghanistan ahead of parliamentary polls in September, EU lawmakers said on Saturday.
The comments by a panel of touring EU parliamentarians came amid rising guerrilla violence in Afghanistan which has seen dozens killed in the run up to the September 18 polls - the next big step in the country's difficult path to stability.
Taleban and their militant allies, including al Qaeda, are opposed to the elections and Afghan officials and the US-led military force fear the insurgents will launch more attacks.
"I believe the enemies of democracy in the country want to use now their last moment to interfere," Elmar Brok, head of the European Parliament panel on foreign relations, told a news conference at the end of a three-day visit to Afghanistan.
"They know that the president is democratically elected and if there is a democratically elected parliament, they have lost their case," he said.
"We will also ask the neighbours of Afghanistan to play their role to make it for the insurgents difficult to cause any problems," Brok said.
He said he had held talks with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and had been assured of Islamabad's co-operation in cracking down on militants who operate in areas to the south and east of Afghanistan, bordering Pakistan.
Asked if the Afghan elections would be free and fair, Brok replied: "I believe so ... it will be successful, there will be parliamentary elections and this parliament will work."
"The people are fed up. They want to live peacefully and make their way in their life."
The EU is one of Afghanistan's largest donors and has granted 11.5 million euros to help hold the elections.
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