Democracy can't be restored overnight

BEIJING, Jan 17: On his first visit to China since he seized power, Pakistan's military ruler said in an interview published today that he did not want to "worry too much" about when to restore his nation to civilian rule, reports AP.

"Such a daunting task cannot be accomplished overnight," the official newspaper China Daily quoted Gen. Pervez Musharraf as saying in an interview. Musharraf arrived Monday in Beijing on a two-day visit.

"We must fix our vision on the realisation of the agenda at hand and not worry too much about the time frame," Musharraf was quoted as saying. "The armed forces have no intention of staying in charge any longer than is absolutely necessary."

By choosing China as his first non-Islamic country to visit since his Oct. 12 coup, Musharraf appeared to be seeking greater international acceptance of his rule. He was traveling with his ministers of foreign affairs, finance and commerce, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said.

China has refrained from publicly criticising the coup, and last week it said that the fate of Nawaz Sharif, the deposed prime minister charged with treason and hijacking by the army-led government, was Pakistan's international affair.

"We believe that Pakistan will properly handle this matter," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said.

China and Pakistan are traditional allies, and Beijing is one of Pakistan's biggest suppliers of modern weapons and defense technology.

In an arrival statement, Musharraf said China was Pakistan's "most reliable and trusted friend," and he expressed confidence that his visit would strengthen ties. "China has stood by Pakistan in difficult times."

Musharraf was to meet Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Prime Minister Zhu Rongji and the head of China's legislature, Li Peng, for talks on bilateral ties, as well as regional and international issues.