US will only support a democratically elected Pak government: Holbrooke

KARACHI - US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, has said that his country is completely against martial law and favours continuation of the democratic process in Pakistan.

Responding to a question that US had always supported martial laws in the past, Holbrooke said that what happened in the past were mistakes.

“We will only support a civilian, democratically elected government,” The BBC quoted Holbrooke, as saying.

“I think the Pakistan government has done a fantastic job [handling the floods] so far - and we are here to help in any way we can,” he added.

However, he added that the US was happy to work with the Pakistani Army, “which is a part of this government”.

The Pakistan government has been widely criticized for its handling of the country’s flood crisis, while the army has been widely praised for its response.

The floods, triggered by torrential rains that started in July, have claimed the lives of over 1600 people and affected the lives of over 20 million.

It first struck the western province of Baluchistan before inundating the worst-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and then entering Punjab and Sindh.

In addition to causing major human loses, it has destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, washed away crops and livestock. (ANI)