Clegg's questions over Musharraf

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Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has told the BBC that there are "major strategic questions" about the West's support for Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

"Short-circuiting democracy" to back a regime purely to tackle extremism would "rebound" in the long-term, he said.

Mr Clegg, who became leader of the UK's third largest party last month, called for democracy to be restored "in full".

A decision is due on whether elections will go ahead in the wake of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto's assassination.

Mr Clegg told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that removing President Musharraf had to be a matter for Pakistan's voters, once democracy was restored.

Terrorism 'bulwark'

He said it was clear the elections would not be able to go ahead as planned, but should take place as soon as possible, according to a timetable agreed by everybody involved.

He was asked whether Western governments were wrong to back President Musharraf - who was criticised for imposing emergency rule in November.

I don't accept that anything we have ever said could have encouraged President Musharraf to impose the state of emergency David MilibandForeign Secretary <a class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7167372.stm">Pakistan poll decision due</a><a class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7167461.stm">Envoy appeals for Kenya calm</a>

Mr Clegg told the BBC there were "major strategic questions" about the US and UK's policy of supporting President Musharraf just because "he claimed he acted as a bulwark against terrorism and extremism".

He said the president had since become a "roadblock" to further democracy in Pakistan.

"The politics of expediency in foreign policy, of legitimising certain figures and certain regimes to meet certain aims in dealing with terrorism and extremism will always rebound in the long term against you, if in doing so you are short-circuiting democracy," Mr Clegg said.

"I think now there can be absolutely no ambiguity at all in the messages communicated from London and Washington, that Musharraf has now run out of excuses."

'Clock is ticking'

He said President Musharraf had twice suspended Pakistan's constitution and played "cat and mouse" with its supreme court to make himself both leader of the army and president of the country.

"The clock is ticking. Democracy must be restored in full."

We can't afford to allow Kenya to go the way of Zimbabwe Nick CleggLib Dem leader

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he did not regret the UK's support for President Musharraf on counter terrorism - and said the government had condemned the imposition of media restrictions in Pakistan.

"I don't accept that anything we have ever said could have encouraged President Musharraf to impose the state of emergency," he said.

"We have always been clear that we support the development of strong systems in Pakistan, not just strong leaders.

"The history of Pakistan shows that it has a strong military. It needs to build up a strong political system, but also strong institutions in civic society, in the judiciary and the media and elsewhere."

Mr Clegg also said Britain needed to be firm with the ruling party in Kenya - where disputed presidential election results have sparked violence which has claimed at least 250 lives.

He said Kenya should be given two weeks to carry out a full recount of votes or face EU and Commonwealth sanctions.

"We can't afford to allow Kenya to go the way of Zimbabwe," he said.

"If the international community has learnt anything, it is this - one needs to be extremely clear about the consequences of a democratic process that has gone awry, if we are to avoid what appears to be the risk now of real ethnic bloodshed taking place."