British foreign secretary says transfer of power is important moment for democracy in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Jul 27 (APP):British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Friday while congratulating the millions of voters who participated in Pakistan’s elections on July 25 said Jinnah’s vision of a tolerant, pluralist Pakistan remains central to a stable and cohesive society.
“This is an important moment for democracy in Pakistan, marking an unprecedented second successive transfer of power from one full-term civilian government to another,” he said in his statement following the election in Pakistan.
He said the people of Pakistan have shown they would not be cowed by the terrorists who seek to disrupt the democratic process and extended his deepest condolences to those affected by recent attacks
The British foreign secretary welcomed the initial findings from international and domestic observers. He said running elections in a country of 208 million people was a challenging and complex task and added that the Election Commission of Pakistan should be commended for its work to improve accountability, transparency and inclusiveness.
He said it was now for Pakistan’s elected representatives to work together to ensure a successful transition and expressed the hope that all sides would resolve any disputed results peacefully and in accordance with Pakistan’s electoral laws.
The British foreign secretary said the UK and Pakistan enjoyed a longstanding partnership, underpinned by strong links between our people. He said the UK government was looking forward to continuing its work with the new federal and provincial governments, adding that the people of Pakistan could be certain of UK support to build the democratic, secure and prosperous future they deserve