WASHINGTON: The United States remains concerned about the participation of Lashkar-e-Taibaaffiliated (LeT) individuals in the July 25 elections and has conveyed its concern to Islamabad as well, says the US State Department.

However, in a statement a copy of which is available with Dawn, the department noted with satisfaction that the Pakistan Election Commission had rejected the registration of Milli Muslim League (MML) in June, `citing its linkages to LeT, an internationally-sanc-tioned terrorist organisation?` The statement pointed out that the State Department also amended its Foreign Terrorist Organisation designation of LeT in April to add the MML as a Lashkar alias.

`We have repeatedly expressed our concerns to the Pakistani government about LeT, including the participation of LeT-affiliated individuals in the elections,` the statement added.

In an earlier statement, the State Department had stressed the need to continue the electoral process despite recent terrorist attacks targeting senior Pakistani politicians.

In a similar statement issued in Brussels, the European Union urged Islamabad to ensure that electoral activities in all parts of Pakistan continued in `safe and secure conditions`.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said last week that Japanstrongly hoped the general election would be held this month freely, f airly and peacefully, without giving in` to terrorists who wanted to disturb the democratic process in Pakistan.

In Washington, US State Department`s spokesperson Heather Nauert said that such attacks on political candidates and their supporters were `cowardly attempts to deprive the Pakistani people of their democratic rights`.

The European Union said that it expected Pakistani authorities to `take all the necessary steps to ensure that electoral activities in all parts of the country take place in safe and secure conditions`.

All political contestants and citizens should be able to `exercise their constitutional rights to participate in the forthcoming general elections without intimidation or fear for their security,` it added.