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Commonwealth ratifies Pakistan's suspension

Sheikh Manzoor Ahmed and George Varghese in Durban

In one of its harshest steps, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting today suspended Pakistan from its councils and warned of "further measures" if the military regime in Islamabad does not take steps to restore democracy.

The heads of government, at the end of three days of talks, adopted the Durban Declaration that asked Pakistan's military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, to immediately release deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharief and the others detained with him.

The declaration condemned the unconstitutional overthrow of the democratically elected government in Pakistan and cautioned that CHOGM would resort to harsher steps if Islamabad makes no speedy progress in returning to democracy.

Meanwhile, India refused to become a member of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, which has been mandated by the leaders to closely monitor Sharief's trial and the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.

External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh told reporters that India was approached by a number of member-nations of the 54-member grouping to become a member of the CMAG, but declined.

He made it clear that India's foreign policy is not 'Pakistan-centred'.

The CMAG team will visit Pakistan in the first half of next year to make a spot study of the political situation there and press the military regime to restore democracy.

UNI

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