Asking the Pakistan government to create a level-playing field for a credible and transparent elections next month, Britain has said Islamabad should use the period to "build confidence in the democratic process".

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the House of Commons last evening that it was "regrettable" the elections were delayed by six weeks to February 18 following the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto [Images], but advised that the period "needs to be used to build confidence in the democratic process."

Miliband welcomed Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf's [Images] decision to quit as army chief, to lift the state of emergency, to release political detainees and to rescind most media restrictions.

"But more needs to be done, and we have continued to stress the Pakistani government's responsibility to create a level playing field under which credible and transparent elections can take place. This means that all remaining political detainees need to be released and the remaining restrictions on the media must be lifted," he said.

Referring to the talks, Prime Minister Gordon Brown had with President Musharraf on holding free and fair elections in Pakistan, Miliband said: "We continue to call on the government of Pakistan to improve the prospects for credible elections, particularly by increasing transparency, both now and on election day itself."

"This includes setting out clearly and early where all the 54,000 polling stations will be, posting the results for each station publicly immediately after the count, and ensuring that the media's ability to report is untrammeled," Miliband said.
The British foreign secretary noted the EU is now working to put together a full-scale election observation mission and "the American International Republican Institution mission may also be reinstated".

"And I believe that the Commonwealth can make an important, positive contribution and I hope that Pakistan will decide to invite an observer mission," he said.

Pakistan, which has been suspended from the Commonwealth, said that it would not allow an observer team from the 53-nations group to supervise the elections.

For further improving counter-terrorism cooperation, Miliband said a team of cross-government UK experts would travel to Pakistan next week for further consultations.

"This will be a precursor to a further British visit to deepen our counter-terrorism relationship," he said.

Paying tributes to Bhutto, Miliband said: "Ms Bhutto showed in her words and actions a deep commitment to her country. She knew the risks of her return to campaign for election but was convinced that her country needed her."

"The target of her assassins is all those committed to democracy in Pakistan, and it is vital that they do not succeed. The courage shown by Bhutto is now required of others as they take forward the drive for democracy and modernisation."