Islamabad, May 1 (IANS): General elections will be held May 11, said Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani while asking people not to harbour any suspicions or misgivings about it.

The powerful army chief said Tuesday in Rawalpindi that general elections would be held in the country May 11, reported Associated Press of Pakistan.

"We must not harbour any suspicions or misgivings about it," Kayani said while addressing the ‘Yaum-e-Shuhada’ (Martyrs Day) ceremony at GHQ.

He said the elections were a golden opportunity that could usher in an era of true democratic values in the country.

He added that in his opinion, it is not merely retribution, but awareness and participation of the masses that can truly end this game of hide and seek between democracy and dictatorship.

“If we succeed in rising above all ethnic, linguistic and sectarian biases to vote solely on the basis of honesty, sincerity, merit and competence, there would be no reason to fear dictatorship or to grudge the inadequacies of our present democratic system,” he stressed.

He went on to say that the country's salvation resides in transforming the government into a true platform of public representation.

“This would come to pass once the construct of public representation in Pakistan is oriented towards affording primacy and precedence to larger public interest over personal interests.

“Otherwise, may it be democracy or dictatorship; governance would continue to remain a means of self aggrandizement and that of plundering national wealth and resources,” he was quoted as saying.

He assured that the military stands committed towards wholeheartedly assisting and supporting the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections to the best of their capabilities and remaining within the confines of the Constitution.

He added that this support was solely aimed at strengthening democracy and rule of law in the country.