'Norway will 'push and assist' for holding credible polls'

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Monday said his country would 'push and assist' Pakistan government for holding credible parliamentary polls next month. "Elections here must be as transparent that they could be taken pride of," he told journalists at Pakistan People's Party (PPP) central secretariat here.
There is skepticism about the fairness of general elections in Pakistan that have once been delayed for several weeks due to unrest triggered by the murder of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto. Gahr Store said Norway, an important European Union member, would like to see Pakistan return to normalcy through credible polls followed by a peaceful transition of power.
But PPP leaders, whom Gahr met to offer condolence from Norwegian President and people on the last month's assassination of Benazir, sounded apprehensions that polls would never be transparent. They apprised the diplomat about what was called a covert plan by the government to rig the parliamentary elections due February 18.
Gahr later conveyed his country's support for holding free, fair and peaceful elections in a meeting with Pakistan Foreign Minister Inamul Haque. Haque expressed appreciation for the show of solidarity, a statement from the foreign ministry said.
Gahr Store also assured Pakistan Foreign Minister that Norway would continue supporting Pakistan in war on terror. Haque underlined Islamabad's resolve to continue on the path of democracy and to defeat terrorism.
The Foreign Ministers expressed confidence that the strong bonds of friendship between Pakistan and Norway and the co-operation between the two countries for promoting development, bilaterally, as well as in the UN, would continue and strengthen.
International issues of mutual interest were also discussed in the meeting. Gahr Store emphasised Norway's keen interest in promoting stability in Afghanistan. Haque said that stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan was interconnected and Islamabad had and would continue to work for enhancing peace and development in neighbouring country.