Pak suspended from Commonwealth

DURBAN, Nov 14 (PTI, UNI) — Mounting severe pressure on the military regime in Islamabad, the Commonwealth Heads of Government tonight formally suspended Pakistan indefinitely from the councils of the 54-nation group in view of the military take-over there and warned of tougher measures if return to democracy in that country was not expedited.

A strongly-worded terse decision of CHOGM issued by Commonwealth Secretary Emeka Anyaoku said: "We condemn the unconstitutional overthrow of the democratically elected government in Pakistan" and asserted "no legitimacy should be accorded to the military regime there".

Endorsing the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) decision to suspend Pakistan indefinitely, it asked CMAG to be ready to recommend "further measures to be taken by the Commonwealth if progress to democracy is not made speedily".

The decision demanded immediate release of Mr Nawaz Sharif and others detained with him by the military regime and "rule of law in Pakistan be duly observed".

External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh told reporters here that the Commonwealth had decided that CMAG would monitor the trial of Mr Sharif and press for early return of civilian rule in Pakistan.

The CMAG, which had visited Pakistan last month, would again go to that country next year to assess the developments there, he said.

Giving a broad outline of the CHOGM's joint declaration to be released tomorrow, Mr Singh said it would endorse India's stand and "strongly condemn" terrorism of any kind in any part of the world.

Mr Jaswant Singh said India’s viewpoints on all major issues had been accepted by the CHOGM as evidenced in the Durban declaration which was finalised at the end of the two-day retreat of the leaders tonight.

The strong condemnation of the military rule in Pakistan and the stress on the restoration of democracy instead of "movement towards restoration" of democracy in the declaration were exactly what it had suggested, he said.

India’s approach was not centred upon Pakistan alone, he said. The Commonwealth had evolved a mechanism as stated in the Harare Declaration and the Milbrook action programme and this was reflected in the expression of great concern and condemnation of the developments in Pakistan, he said.

The Commonwealth’s collective position on economic issues in the light of the forthcoming Seattle conference on World Trade Organisation assumed special significance, he said. There were exchange of contrary views of developed and less developed countries on this subject and their collective position was reflected in the declaration.

India’s views on international terrorism had found place in the final declaration. The document condemned international terrorism and the nexus between terrorism and narcotics and arms trade.

The stand in the declaration on the role of CMAG and the statement as how it should approach responsibilities taking into account global transformations also were in tune with India’s position, he said. India only insisted that there should not be any deviation from the norms under the Milbrook action programme in dealing with military regimes, he said.

Mr Jaswant Singh, meanwhile, termed as "overstated" the concern voiced by the USA over India's draft nuclear doctrine and said it "does not purport to be the nuclear doctrine".

"The concerns and apprehensions expressed by President Bill Clinton in his report to the US Congress is overstated. India has explained that it does not purport to be the nuclear doctrine", he said.

Meanwhile, Commonwealth leaders at George, South Africa, adopted a declaration calling for greater access by developing countries to world markets which should be approved of by the coming round of World Trade Organisation talks at Seattle.

"The Fancourt Commonwealth Declaration on Globalisation and people-oriented development" adopted by the summit said the meeting in Seattle later this month should have a "pronounced developmental dimension with the aim of achieving better market access in agriculture, industrial products and services in a way that provides benefits to all members, particularly developing countries."

Sharif to appear before magistrate

ISLAMABAD, Nov 14 (PTI) — Nearly a month after his ouster, Pakistan’s deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been formally arrested and shifted to Karachi to stand trial on charges of conspiring to kill military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf, treason and kidnapping which carry death penalty or life imprisonment, if convicted.

Mr Sharif, who was in army custody in an undisclosed location since his government was toppled by General Musharraf on October 12, was flown to Karachi by a military C-130 plane, the domestic ‘‘Online’’ news agency said, quoting official sources.

The Karachi police has taken custody of Mr Sharif and four other co-accused on the basis of an FIR filed by the military authorities, accusing them of a criminal conspiracy to kill General Musharraf and attempting to hijack a plane carrying him from Colombo to Islamabad, Pakistan Observer said.

It was not immediately clear when Mr Sharif’s trial would begin but officials said he would appear before a magistrate within the next 24 hours to hear the charges formally read out.

The military authorities were tightlipped about when exactly Mr Sharif was taken to Karachi but unconfirmed reports said the transfer took place in a cloak of secrecy either late Thursday or early Friday.

The C-130 plane, carrying Mr Sharif, landed at a military airfield near Shahrah-e-Faisal in Karachi instead of Jinnah Airport, the paper said quoting ‘‘reliable’’ sources.

It is reported Mr Sharif was not kept at any normal jail in Karachi but was whisked away to a government hostel after declaring it as a sub-jail. He was lodged there along with other co-accused in the case.

The other accused in the case are Mr Sharif’s former Adviser on Sindh Affairs Ghaus Ali Shah, former Chairman of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority Aminullah Choudhury and former Inspector General of Sindh Police Rana Maqbool.

The FIR against Mr Sharif and others, filed last week by army authorities, was produced before an administrative judge of the anti-terrorism court in Karachi, Rehmat Hussain Jafrey, yesterday.

Submitting the FIR, the SHO airport police station Waqar Malhan informed the court that the accused were not in his custody.

Former Advocate General of Sindh and head of Mr Sharif’s defence team Iqbal Raad had earlier moved the court requesting it to direct the SHO to produce the accused.

Media reports said Mr Sharif was expected to be produced before the court on November 17, while the other four might be produced tomorrow.

Pakistan Observer said the Karachi police has already begun questioning the co-accused and some ‘substantive evidences’ have been gathered against Mr Sharif during their interrogation.

Confusion over his whereabouts

KARACHI, Nov 14 (DPA) — Confusion prevailed in Pakistan today over the whereabouts of deposed Premier Nawaz Sharif who has been charged by the army with endangering the life of its chief, Gen Pervez Musharraf, and 200 other persons. Army sources said Mr Sharif had been shifted to this port city today on a special military aircraft to face trial. But confusion later arose when the Karachi police denied that he was here.