The Commonwealth on Monday lifted its suspension of Pakistan from the 53-nation body, its secretary general said after a meeting of key ministers in London.
"Pakistan is now restored to the councils of the Commonwealth," said Kamalesh Sharma after the 29th meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which deals with violations of the organization's rules on democracy.
According to the concluding statement, the CMAG said, "the government of Pakistan had taken positive steps to fulfill its obligations in accordance with Commonwealth fundamental values and principles."
"It accordingly decided that Pakistan is now restored to the Councils of the Commonwealth," said the CMAG.
The CMAG requested the secretary-general to "continue to offer technical assistance" to Pakistan, and "to support the further strengthening of democratic institutions and processes in the country."
Pakistan was suspended from the Commonwealth on November 22 last year after President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule.
The CMAG comprises the foreign ministers of nine Commonwealth countries, which currently are Britain, Ghana, Malaysia, Namibia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Papua New Guinea and St Lucia.
Source:Xinhua
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