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Pak. remains suspended from C'wealth

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON MAY 20. Pakistan would remain suspended from the Commonwealth until the deadlock over the status of President Pervez Musharraf's controversial constitutional amendments is resolved.

This was decided by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) after a two-day meeting which, according to the Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, had a "long and hard debate'' on the issue of Pakistan's readmission.

He said a "wide range'' of views were expressed during the discussion but declined to disclose the details. The External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, who had led the opposition to Pakistan's reinstatement at the last meeting of CMAG, was clearly pleased with the outcome and, in answer to a question, said: "I agree with it''.

It is well-known that there is considerable opinion in the Commonwealth in favour of readmitting Pakistan and even Mr. McKinnon did not pretend that it was a unanimous decision. But in their public remarks, the CMAG members sought to put up a united face.

The Group welcomed the "progress'' made by Pakistan in the establishment of democratic institutions including the elections to the National Assembly, the Senate and Provincial Assemblies and the formation of "democratic governments at the national and provincial levels.'' It also pointedly welcomed the "positive measures'' taken by Pakistan for representation to women and the minorities in Parliament, and Islamabad's "determination'' to increase public accountability and end corruption.

But Pakistan's case was spoilt by the "deadlock'' over the status of Gen. Musharraf's Legal Framework Orders (LFO), a series of contentious Constitutional amendments which give him sweeping powers over democratically elected representatives.

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