Leaders of the 53-nation Commonwealth today warned Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf that retaining his role as leader of Army ‘‘is incompatible with the basic principles of democracy’’. They said that until he gives up his military role, Pakistan remained in the danger of sliding into repression, despite its recent progress.In a statement at the end of a three-day summit here, they welcomed Pakistan’s progress in restoring democracy since its reinstatement to the Commonwealth in 2004, and gave it two years to resolve the issue of Musharraf’s dual role. Pakistan was suspended from the club of mainly former British colonies in 1999 when Musharraf grabbed power in a military coup, and he has reneged on a pledge to give up his military role. Commonwealth leaders said that “until the two offices are separated, democratisation in Pakistan will not be irreversible’’. The statement ‘‘noted that the same person holding offices of head of state and Chief of Army staff is incompatible with the basic principles of democracy’’. The Commonwealth ‘‘urged Pakistan to resolve this issue as early as possible, and not beyond the end of the current presidential term in 2007 at the latest’’. Pending resolution of the issue, Pakistan would remain on the agenda of the body’s democracy watchdog, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group.
