Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will seek support from the European Union and Nato today as he begins a four-country trip to Europe.
Mr Musharraf, whose popularity at home has slumped over recent months, leaves a country racked by militant attacks and uncertain over an election on February 18th that is meant to complete a transition to civilian rule.
The president said on Sunday that the election would be democratic and that the goal of his trip was "correcting perspectives" in Europe.
Fears over Pakistan's stability were aggravated recently by the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in a bomb and gun attack on December 27th.
A surge of attacks by militants based on the Afghan border have also raised concerns over Pakistan's ability to support Nato and US forces battling Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.
