The United States on Monday urged all political parties in Pakistan to participate in the upcoming general election even as it pressed President Pervez Musharraf [Images] to lift emergency and release all political prisoners.

US Ambassador Anne Patterson, who met former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and rights activist Asma Jehangir in Lahore [Images], said it was up to the parties whether to contest the January 8 poll or not.

However, she said the US hoped that the parties will participate and that it will work hard to ensure that the elections are free and fair.

Patterson also went to the home of top lawyer and Pakistan People's Party leader Aitzaz Ahsan, who is under house arrest after leading an anti-Musharraf demonstration, but was not allowed to meet him by police officials. She met Ahsan's wife and spent some time with her.

"We hope very much that the polls are free, fair and transparent because that's the only way that Pakistan can move forward," Patterson said.

"Our policy is clear that we have called for lifting of curbs on the media, release of all detainees and lifting of the Provisional Constitutional Order and state of emergency as quickly as possible," she said after meeting Sharif.

Sharif, who travelled to Islamabad later in the day to meet former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, said, "We appreciate the stand taken by the western countries and the US, and they have strongly held that Musharraf should doff his uniform and the emergency should be lifted. But we very strongly feel that the most important thing is that the judiciary must be restored to the position before the imposition of emergency," Sharif said.

"The US has taken a strong stand on the doffing of Mr Musharraf's uniform and also lifting of emergency and the PCO. But lifting of the PCO will be meaningless if the judges are not reinstated," he said.

Patterson said that it was up to the parties whether to contest the January 8 poll or not, but added that the US hoped they will participate and that it will work hard to ensure that the elections are free and fair.