The party also cautiously backed appeals for the republic's independence.

The party backed Herter to run for attorney general.

In the end all major political parties backed the referendum, considering it most important to send a strong signal to the world.

Another, more likely possibility would allow all parties to back out of their commitment to keep the track open.

But the party never officially backed any candidate in public, something it had always done in past years.

The party subsequently backed away from its threat of legal action.

To date, the party is backing more than 200 candidates of various parties for the Sept. 10 primary.

But the parties are jointly backing candidates in some provincial races.

All major parties in Pakistan have at one time or another backed a nuclear arms program.

Both parties backed civil service reform and an end to Reconstruction.