Pak not to allow Commonwealth to monitor polls

Islamabad, Dec 21: The Pakistan Government may not allow the Commonwealth (CW) observers to monitor the January 8 parliamentary elections. According to the Pakistan Foreign Office sources, the Musharraf regime may do so in order to register its protest against the group"s November 22 decision to suspend Pakistan"s membership.

“The Commonwealth took a hasty decision by ignoring the ground realities and pleas made by Pakistan to wait for a few weeks before making any formal response to the emergency rule," the Daily Times quoted them, as saying. They went on to say that the 53-member group had failed to understand that after India, Pakistan was its second largest member, adding that the suspension would cause some sort of “moral pain" to Islamabad.

Sources also said that it has not yet been decided what kind of relationship the country would have with the organisation. “A decision on the issue will be taken by the new government after elections," the sources said.

The Commonwealth would also review its decision on Pakistan"s suspension after the general elections. ANI>