Commonwealth suspends Pakistan
Friday, 23 Nov 2007 08:14
The country's president was given 10 days to lift emergency rule or face suspension
Pakistan has been suspended from the Commonwealth over the maintenance of a state of emergency in the country.
The organisation previously gave the nation ten days to restore normalcy and civil liberties and has now decided to bar it from membership after the passing of the deadline.
Commonwealth secretary Don McKinnon announced that the body's ministerial action group, which is currently meeting in Uganda, had made the decision - which will ban the south
Asian country from attending its meetings and participating in the Commonwealth games.
He said: "CMAG [Commonwealth ministerial action group] suspended Pakistan forthwith from the councils of the Commonwealth, pending the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in that country."
Mr McKinnon explained that even though "some progress" had been made in the country the present situation was contrary to the "fundamental values" of the organisation of 53 states.
Pakistani president General Pervez Musharraf, who is also chief of the army, announced the extraordinary measures - citing an over-powerful judiciary and the threat of terrorism as reasons for the move.
Upon introducing the emergency rule he arrested hundreds of opposition activists and sacked judges who were unwilling to approve the order that suspended ordinary civil liberties in the country.
Since then thousands of activists have been freed and a date for parliamentary elections in January has been set.
A new bench of the country's supreme court also approved Gen Musharraf's nomination as president. Previously Pakistan's leader had vowed to leave his military post and to rule the country as an elected civilian if the supreme court approved his nomination.
The Commonwealth said it would remain engaged with the country and review its progress towards the restoration of democracy in light of the general elections.
Pakistan was previously suspended from the Commonwealth in 1999, soon after Gen Musharraf came to power in a military coup.