KAMPALA, Nov 22: The 53-nation Commonwealth suspended Pakistan on Thursday, after President Gen Pervez Musharraf failed to meet a deadline to lift emergency rule and resign as Chief of the Army Staff.

The Commonwealth had given Gen Musharraf until Thursday to lift the state of emergency he imposed on Nov 3, a move met by international condemnation.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), charged with reviewing Pakistan’s membership, said that Gen Musharraf had not yet lifted the emergency rule and had failed to stand down as army chief.

CMAG had therefore “suspended Pakistan forthwith from the Commonwealth ... for its violations,” Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said.

CMAG’s extraordinary meeting on Nov 12 had set a 10-day deadline for Pakistan to lift emergency rule.—Reuters