Pakistan's powerful Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has said the military will accept the results of the upcoming polls "wholeheartedly" and assured complete support for the holding a "free, fair and transparent" election for a peaceful transfer of power.
"We will accept election results wholeheartedly. If the people elect good or bad people, it is not our responsibility. It is our constitutional responsibility to support whoever forms government," Gen Kayani said during an interaction with senior journalists and columnists.
Senior columnist Ifran Siddiqui, who writes for the Urdu-language daily 'Jang', quoted the army chief as saying that he has assured the Chief Election Commissioner of the army's complete support and assistance in holding the election.
Kayani said that independent, transparent and fair election is his dream and he is happy that he is now close to the accomplishment that dream.
"I had tried my best that there should be no interference in elections when I took the charge as the chief of the army staff in 2007," he said.
Kayani was quoted as saying that the armed forces supported the democratic system in line with the spirit of the constitution for five years.
"We support transparent elections and peaceful transfer of power. People have the right and power to elect their representatives," the army chief told journalists on Sunday, according to the columnist.
General Kayani also referred to impression in the media that the security agencies are supporting a particular person.
"Some said we want a caretaker set up of technocrats for a long period. We have been hearing all this. But you are witness that there is no such thing. You are the judge of our actions and ground realities," he told journalists.
He said he wishes the elections should take place in Balochistan, the restive southwestern province marred by sectarian violence, and the whole country simultaneously and the people should trust the process.
"We had stopped intervention in 2008 and it is our mission today," he added.
Pakistan government on February 17 has said it will hold general election by May 16 after the national and provincial Assemblies are dissolved on completing their five-year term.
