Commonwealth to suspend Pak

The 54-member association, which held an emergency meeting here, also decided to sent a mission to Islamabad in the last week of this month to hold discussions with Pakistan authorities for early restoration of civilian rule.

The action group, however, recommended no punitive measures like economic sanctions against the military regime of General Pervez Musharraf, who seized power by overthrowing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last Tuesday.

But the group urged Gen Musharraf to set a time-frame without delay for restoration of democracy inPakistan.

Commonwealth heads of government are likely to ratify Monday8217;s decision of the action group soon thereby barring Islamabad from attending the next months8217;s head of government summit in Durban.