Islamabad slams CW’s suspension threat
By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—While expressing deep regret over the recent statement issued by Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the statement reflects ignorance to the ground realties and the enormity of the challenges faced by Pakistan and undermines the efforts vital for maintaining political stability and preserving the ongoing political process in the country.
According to a press release issued here on Tuesday, it said the Emergency was imposed in extraordinary circumstances to avert an institutional breakdown and internal crisis that could have paralysed the government causing incalculable harm to the country.
The government said that the international community must also understand that such a situation would have constricted the ability of the government to counter militancy and terrorism that posed a grave threat not just to Pakistan but to the world. It maintained that the government of Pakistan is committed to full democratic rule. The assemblies are shortly completing their tenure, caretaker governments are about to be instituted and the President has announced the elections to be held before January 9, 2008.
Pakistan will follow its own road map to transition to democracy as outlined by the President. Decisions on issues of vital importance will be taken in accordance with our national interests and requirements and not in observance of any artificially set timelines from outside, said the statement.
It further said Pakistan firmly rejects the CMAG announcement that is based on lack of realism and absence of understanding of Pakistan’s domestic situation. The government said that we have asked our High Commission in London to send us a full report on the proceedings of the CMAG and will determine further course of action.
The Commonwealth has given Pakistan a 10-day deadline to restore its constitution and lift other emergency measures or face suspension from the 53-nation grouping. The ultimatum came Monday after emergency talks among the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) in London to decide how to respond to President Pervez Musharraf’s declaration of a state of emergency on November 3.
Following an extraordinary meeting of CMAG, which deals with serious breaches of the grouping’s guiding principles, Secretary-General Don McKinnon said that, if Musharraf fails to meet its demands by a ministers’ meeting on the eve of a November 23-25 Commonwealth summit in Uganda, Pakistan will be suspended as a member.