ISLAMABAD, DEC 24, SPA -- Pakistan is back on democratic track with the restoration of constitutional rule, a spokesman of Pakistan Embassy in Washington said in a statement. He underlined that Pakistan expects support from its friends in the transition period as it moves towards January parliamentary polls. In a letter to The Washington Post, the spokesman repudiated claims in a recent column about the situation in Pakistan, saying the questions thrown up by John F Tierney, a Democratic representative from Massachusetts, and Aitzaz Ahsan, a Supreme Court of Pakistan advocate, ignore ground realities. The column did not reflect what is really happening in Pakistan. Contrary to what has been asserted, the people of Pakistan are with the government. This is evident from the fact that the masses did not pay any heed to the calls by vested interests to agitate and destabilize the country, the spokesman said. He reminded that Pakistan is fully back on track, the President has taken off his military uniform and lifted the state of emergency, as promised, and reiterated the government s pledge that elections will be held as scheduled, on Jan. 8, in a totally free, fair and transparent manner. The spokesman pointed out that all political parties are taking part in the elections and that a large number of independent observers, including representatives of the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, are in Pakistan, and more are on their way to the country to witness the poll. What we expect from our friends at the present juncture is that they express their support for the people of Pakistan as a whole and for their government as the country is heading toward elections, rather than aligning themselves with one or another individual or faction, the spokesman emphasized.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/511818