NEW DELHI, Feb 20: India on Wednesday welcomed the general election in Pakistan in which the people “had been able to express themselves clearly” and said it was ready to resume the composite dialogue process as soon as a new government was in place.

“The recent elections in Pakistan are Pakistan’s internal affair,” a foreign ministry spokesman pointed out in response to a question.

“Since you have asked, the government of India welcome the fact that the people of Pakistan have been able to express themselves clearly and in a democratic manner on their own future.”

India’s wider ovation at the electoral verdict was expressed heartily in the main newspapers though the spokesman refrained from making any specific observations about the outcome. New Delhi has made tart comments in the past on issues such as Nawab Akbar Bugti’s killing, and its cautious appreciation of Monday’s polls appeared to be meant to avoid embarrassing President Pervez Musharraf. “It remains our hope that we will be able to resolve outstanding issues and build a mutually beneficial relationship with Pakistan in an atmosphere free of violence and terrorism,” the spokesman said.

He said India wished to see Pakistan develop and prosper within a stable democratic order. The composite dialogue, which was initiated in January 2004, witnessed a pause when President Musharraf imposed emergency.

The Hindu lauded the “inspiring outcome” of the polls in which the “people of Pakistan have done themselves proud by voting decisively against military rule as well as religious extremism.”

There is also a good chance that the formation of a PPP-PML-N coalition will not lead to a situation where parties representing extremist tendencies take up much of the space left for the opposition, The Hindu said.

“Pakistan had been so fearful about how election day this week would turn out that it is dangerously easy now to slip into a countdown to the country’s immense challenges,” The Indian Express said.

The Express described the polls as “by all accounts one of Pakistan’s freest and fairest elections.”

The Asian Age said elections had produced a “decisive verdict”.

It said the principal reason to celebrate the verdict was “not the victory of PPP or PML-N, but the shattering defeat of President Musharraf. He may cling to office, but his credibility is in shreds.”

The Asian Age did not see any chances of President Musharraf’s impeachment as demanded by Mr Nawaz Sharif. “This is an unlikely scenario as US President George W. Bush could be expected to rescue his fight-against-terror ally and convince Mr Sharif to flush out bitter memories for a better tomorrow.”