C'wealth restores Pak membership

The Group welcomed the fact that President Pervez Musharraf had given up his role as Chief of Army Staff on November 28, 2007. The separation of the offices of the Head of State and COAS in Pakistan had met a long-standing requirement of Commonwealth leaders.

CMAG noted that the state of emergency imposed on November 3, 2007 was lifted on December 15, 2007. The Constitution had been subsequently restored along with the fundamental rights of the people that had been suspended during the period of the emergency.

The Group commended the holding of parliamentary elections in Pakistan on February 18 and the transition to a democratically elected government. It noted that while most observers of the polls had found them to be reasonably credible and the results accepted by all parties, there was need for reform. In this regard, it welcomed the new Government's stated intention to reform the Election Commission and enhance its independence.

CMAG welcomed the recent removal of curbs on private media broadcasts and other restrictions on the press that had continued to be in place even after the Emergency was lifted on 15 December 2007. It also noted that political detainees and activists arrested under the proclamation of emergency had now been released.