New Zealand welcomes Pakistan back into Commonwealth

13/05/2008 18:14:11

New Zealand has welcomed the Commonwealth's decision to readmit Pakistan into the grouping, saying Islamabad has demonstrated its commitment to a return to democracy.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters says Pakistan has shown it wants to return to democratic governance, by removing emergency provisions that had violated constitutional freedoms.

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma announced the end to Pakistan's suspension on Monday at a meeting in London, calling it a great day for the organisation.

Commonwealth ministers also applauded Pakistan's democratically-elected government, the return of media freedoms and the commitment to restore an independent judiciary.

Pakistan had its membership suspended last November, after President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency, placed the chief justice under house arrest, and detained lawyers, human rights activists and opposition members.

President Musharraf quit the army in November, and ended emergency rule the following month.

General elections were held in February and were won by the opposition.

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