Bhutto8217;s killing shouldn146;t put off polls: Obama

US Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has said that the killing of Pak's ex-PM, Benazir Bhutto should not put off the elections next year.

Former premier Benazir Bhutto8217;s killing should not be used as an excuse to put off elections in Pakistan indefinitely, Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has said, stressing that the US8217; primary interest was to see a 8220;legitimate8221; government in the troubled country.

The Democratic Senator from Illinois who is seeking the party8217;s nomination for the 2008 Presidential elections has said that it did not matter if the elections in Pakistan had to be postponed a little for the bottom line is one of legitimacy of the polls.

8220;8230; the key is to make sure that there8217;s legitimacy to those elections. And given the enormous tragedy that has happened, I think that it is understandable if those elections are delayed slightly.

8220;But it8217;s important that they are not used 8212; that this is not used as an excuse to put off, indefinitely, elections8221; Obama said in Sunday Talk Show.

He said the opposition parties should feel comfortable that they have the opportunity to participate in fair and free elections by reinstating an independent judiciary and making sure that there is a free press.

8220;Because our primary interest is making sure that whatever government emerges in Pakistan is viewed as legitimate,8221; he added.

8220;And one of the things that we haven8217;t focused on is that the vast majority of the Pakistani people are moderate and believe in rule of law. That8217;s who we want as allies in the fight against Islamic extremism,8221; Obama said.

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Asked about his view on security arrangements for Bhutto, Obama stressed that Pakistan government should include opposition figures and people with credibility in a probe to ascertain what had happened.

8220;8230; I think an investigation has to be completed to determine how the suicide bomber got as close to the former prime minister as he did, what exactly happened.

8220;And that8217;s why it8217;s so important for us to ensure that we are providing all the assistance we can to the Pakistani government and that the Pakistani government is pressured to include opposition figures and, people who are credible in the investigation process,8221; Obama said on Meet The Press.

8220;Until we know exactly what happened, I think it would be premature to judge that. What I do know, though, is that, moving forward, we have to have credible elections and we have to continue to pressure the Musharraf government, as I said back in August, to focus on the problem of Islamic extremism in Pakistan,8221; he added.

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Obama said Al Qaida and the Taliban had taken root in the northwest province which was spilling over into the rest of Pakistan.

8220;This poses a grave danger. Benazir Bhutto herself recognized increasingly that this was one of the greatest threats to Pakistan and also to stability in the region and to the United States of America. And we have to ensure that whoever is in power is taking that process seriously,8221; he said.