CW will review Pak membership at UN moot

UNITED NATIONS: The Commonwealth, in its meetings at the United Nations (UN), will review the democratic situation in Pakistan after restoring its membership to the organisation in January 2004.

The three-day Commonwealth meetings at the UN Headquarters will start on September 23. The first meeting is scheduled to be held in the Economic and Social council’s (ECOSOC) chambers at 6pm. The second meeting and third meetings are on September 24 and 25. The venue and time for the other two meetings has not been finalised.

Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group chairman and foreign minister will discuss the Pakistan issue.

The Commonwealth recognised democratic realities in Pakistan, and restored its membership on May 22, which had been suspended in 1999 following General Pervez Musharraf’s dismissal of Nawaz Sharif’s government in a bloodless coup.

The 17th Amendment in January prompted the Commonwealth to lift sanctions and restore Pakistan’s membership and the Commonwealth will now review events after January 2004. Pakistan High Commissioner Dr Maleeha Lodhi and Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri will attend the three-day meetings. online

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