WASHINGTON: US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel on Monday said the focus of United States continued to be on ensuring and supporting that there were free and fair elections in Pakistan, Bol News reported.

Addressing press conference in Washington, Vedant Patel said, “(We) don’t have an assessment on the makeup of candidates or the representation of any specific political party. That is for the people of Pakistan to decide. Our focus continues to be on ensuring and supporting that there are free and fair elections that are conducted in a way for the benefit of the Pakistani people.”

The US State Department deputy spokesperson was asked about his thoughts on Pakistani analysts’ doubts on holding of free and fair elections in the country because the elections were happening without the most popular leader, former prime minister Imran Khan.

On November 6, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had announced its full participation in the national and provincial assembly elections.

In the announcement made after the meeting of the core committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. It had been said that the PTI would nominate its candidate in every constituency across the country. Chairman PTI will be released from jail and lead the nation in elections. “If he remained in prison then he will lead the nation from jail”.