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Commonwealth threatens Pakistan with suspension |
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Updated at:
0115
PST, Monday, November 12, 2007 |
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LONDON: The Commonwealth on Monday gave Pakistan ten days to restore its constitution and ease curbs on judiciary and media or face suspension from the 53-nation bloc.
It demanded President Pervez Musharraf step down as army chief and release those arrested since he suspended the constitution on November 3, as well as ease media curbs.
Secretary-General Don McKinnon said that if the president does not meet its demands by November 22, when Commonwealth ministers (CMAG) meet on the eve of a summit of the bloc in Uganda, then Pakistan will be suspended.
"CMAG agreed that at its next meeting on 22 November, if after review of progress Pakistan has failed to implement these necessary measures, it will suspend Pakistan from the councils of the Commonwealth," he told reporters.
Reading from a joint statement, he said: "CMAG welcomed the announcement by General Musharraf that parliamentary elections will be held before January 9 2008 but stressed that such elections would not be credible unless the state of emergency is removed and constitutional rights of the people, political parties and independence of the judiciary are restored."
He added: "The group expressed its concern at the dismissal of the chief justice and several other judges and their placement under house arrest which are deemed constitute a severe breach" of Commonwealth principles.
The statement came after a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which deals with serious breaches of the Commonwealth's guiding principles, in London. |
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ISSN 1563-9479 
