New Delhi
5 November 2007
New Delhi may not have the luxury of responding cautiously to the
developments in Pakistan when the 53-member Commonwealth meets in Uganda later
this month.
The Ministry of External Affairs issued a brief statement within hours of the imposition of
martial law on Saturday, which was less categorical than the remarks of the Left parties
and the Opposition BJP.
The statement read: "We regret the difficult times that Pakistan is passing through. We
trust that conditions of normalcy will soon return permitting Pakistan's transition to
stability and democracy to continue."
The Commonwealth's statement adopted a markedly shriller tone. It expressed grave
concern at the declaration of emergency and said that the suspension of the country's
Constitution is "a serious setback to democracy."
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon has said that Pakistan will be on the
agenda of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in
Ugandan capital Kampala from November 23 to 25.
In a strongly-worded statement, McKinnon said: "It is essential that the Constitution and
the rule of law be restored and the judiciary respected. The Commonwealth also expects
that the elections due to be held in January 2008 will not be postponed and that
President Musharraf will abide by his undertaking to relinquish his military office before
taking the oath as President for a second term."
At their last meeting in Malta in 2005, the CHOGM noted that the holding by the same
person of the offices of Head of State and Chief of Army Staff is incompatible with the
basic principles of democracy and the spirit of the Harare Commonwealth principles.
They reiterated that until the two offices are separated, the process of democratisation in
Pakistan will not be irreversible.
Pakistan was suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth in October 1999 and
restored to full membership only in May 2004. However, it has since remained on the
agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).
The CMAG will report to the CHOGM on Pakistan at the forthcoming summit and the
heads of government are expected to address the issue later. The CMAG is composed of
the foreign ministers of nine Commonwealth member-countries.
India has fielded Kamalesh Sharma for Commonwealth Secretary General. Sharma is
currently India's High Commissioner to London. He could succeed McKinnon, whose
term ends in March next year.
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