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Shyam Bhatia in London
Pakistan will remain suspended from the Commonwealth, ministers of the world body decided after a meeting on Friday in London.
The decision is a diplomatic setback for Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, who orchestrated the recently-concluded national and provincial assemblies elections in a bid to win greater international and domestic respectability.
Last month Pakistan used the backing of the Islamic bloc to win election to the Security Council of the United Nations.
But Friday's decision taken by members of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group shows there is still deep scepticism within the international community about what kind of democracy would Musharraf allow to function in Pakistan.
The Commonwealth Observer Group had earlier made known its concerns about restrictive measures that were evident in the period leading up to the elections in Pakistan.
Commonwealth diplomats in London have also noted that two former Pakistani prime ministers -- Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto -- were not allowed to participate in the elections.
India is a member of CMAG and one of the Commonwealth countries that expressed deep reservations about Islamabad's flawed electoral process.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer led the arguments to bring Musharraf back into the fold, but he was outmaneuvered by the quiet but persistent diplomacy of Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, who managed to galvanise sufficient backing for his point of view from other CMAG members.
During the discussions, Sinha was able to mobilise support from the CMAG chairman Botswanan Foreign Minister Lt General Mompati Merafhe, who told the media this afternoon: "It would be premature to conclude that democracy has been restored in Pakistan."
Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon added: "Let us see what happens when the government is formed and the prime minister and ministers are appointed."
McKinnon read out CMAG's concluding statement, saying: "CMAG received and noted a report from the secretary general on recent developments in Pakistan, in particular the national and provincial assembly elections held on October 10, 2002, which were observed by a Commonwealth Observer Group. CMAG looks forward to the early formation of a democratic government with full executive powers and the establishment of elected legislatures with full constitutional and legislative authority.
"The group noted the conclusions and recommendations of the COG report, including its assessment that certain measures introduced in the period preceding the elections have had a limiting effect on the process of restoring democracy. CMAG called upon the Government of Pakistan to take necessary steps to implement the recommendations of the report related to institutional and procedural issues. The group expressed concern over the continued promulgation of new laws, even after the elections, which follow extra-constitutional measures introduced through the Legal Framework Order, 2002.
"CMAG requested the Commonwealth secretary-general to remain fully engaged in monitoring the development of democratic processes and institutions in Pakistan. It agreed that in accordance with the Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme on the Harare Declaration, the secretary-general should continue to offer and make available such advice, training and other forms of technical assistance in support of processes and institutions in Pakistan as might be required for the development of democracy."
ALSO SEE: Serious flaws in Pakistan general election: EU team Pro-Taliban alliance makes major gains in Pak election
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