Benazir, Sharif should be allowed to return

His remarks came close on the heels of recent assertions by US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice that President Pervez Musharraf should ensure free and fair polls and that the international community would monitor all aspects of polls including the right of the candidates to assemble and campaign.

Both Benazir and Sharif have a democratic right to come back, Crocker was quoted as saying in Lahore on Thursday by Pakistani daily The Post.

There was no elaboration or confirmation of what Crocker said.

However, 'Online' news agency reported that Crocker termed the issue of return of Benazir and Sharif as an internal matter of Pakistan.