Pakistan denounces Commonwealth suspension as 'unreasonable'

Source: CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/11/23/pakistan-musharraf.html

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry is denouncing the Commonwealth's suspension of its membership as "unreasonable and unjustified" and defending the state of emergency imposed by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

The Pakistani government said on Friday that the 53-member body, composed mainly of Britain and its former colonies, failed to understand Pakistan's "serious internal crisis" in demanding an immediate restoration of democracy.

The statement came as an exiled former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, appeared poised to return to Pakistan, a move that could bolster opponents of the embattled Musharraf.

Sharif's party announced the planned return on Thursday, hours after the Supreme Court cleared the final legal hurdles to Musharraf's disputed re-election last month over his dual role as army chief and president.

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