UK: Pakistan threatened with suspension from the Commonwealth unless country restores democratic processes

The Commonwealth of 53 nations, mostly former British colonies, threatened Pakistan with suspension on Monday (November 12) unless President Pervez Musharraf repealed emergency laws and took other steps by November 22. "If after a review of progress Pakistan has failed to implement these necessary measures, it (the Commonwealth) will suspend Pakistan from the councils of the Commonwealth," the group's secretary-general, Don McKinnon, told reporters. Among the measures demanded were the immediate repeal of emergency laws introduced 10 days ago, the restoration of the constitution, for Musharraf to step down as chief of the army, for political prisoners to be released and for work to progress immediately on holding free and fair elections. "So the message is you've got about ten days. We believe you can achieve this. It will mean you stay within the full ambit of the Commonwealth. But on the other hand if you ignore and continue to violate those Commonwealth principles, you know the consequences," McKinnon added. Earlier, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) chairman said President needed to listen to the voice which will come out of the meeting. "It is not meant to be a message of aggression, it's a message of a friend. We are, within the Commonwealth, members of the Commonwealth, and one is among a family of friends. It's very important that this message, however, is listened to because I think it is an expression of international public opinion," Frendo said as he arrived for the meeting. In 2005, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) warned General Musharraf he could not continue as both president and head of the army.

ITN Source | November 13, 2007

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