Pakistan may get C’wealth membership today

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) is scheduled in its meeting in London today (Monday) to restore Pakistan’s membership with full rights to the Commonwealth, the Foreign Office said on Sunday.

Earlier, Foreign Office sources had confirmed that Malaysia, the current chair holder and a key member of the 53-nation Commonwealth grouping, told Pakistan through its Foreign minister, who recently visited Pakistan, about the CMAG intention to reverse Pakistan’s suspension. The nine-member CMAG – comprising the UK, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Namibia, Uganda, New Zealand, Saint Lucia and Papua New Guinea – moved to suspend Pakistan from the grouping following the imposition of emergency rule in the country by President Pervez Musharraf on November 3 last year.