Pakistan challenges Commonwealth

Pakistan's military took over in 1999

By the BBC's Zaffar Abbas in Islamabad

Pakistan says the Commonwealth should monitor member countries more closely to ensure that those with elected governments are really practising democracy.

In an interview with the BBC, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said Islamabad understood why the organisation had suspended its membership after the military coup more than two years ago.

We know the Commonwealth has its own set of principles and one of them is to take action against countries that have non-elected governments

Abdul Sattar

But he said democracy on paper was not enough.

Mr Sattar also pointed out that after Pakistan had played such a key role in the US-led war on terror, President Pervez Musharraf had been praised by many world leaders, including those of Commonwealth countries.

"We are not bothered about the suspension," he said.

"We can wait for another few months because our membership is fully restored after elections take place in October this year."

Mr Sattar said Pakistan believed the Commonwealth had become too formal.

Rampant corruption

He said: "We know the Commonwealth has its own set of principles and one of them is to take action against countries that have non-elected governments."

But he called on the Commonwealth to try harder to ensure that member countries not only had elected governments, but that they practised democracy in its true spirit.

He said that democracy which led to rampant corruption did nothing to help a nation's development.

Abdul Sattar says Pakistan has won international praise

Mr Sattar said that the Commonwealth could do more to help member countries ensure that normal democratic standards were followed.

Pakistan's membership of Commonwealth councils was suspended after the military coup in 1999.

General Musharraf's military government expressed its disappointment at the move but since then, things have changed for the Pakistani leader.

As well as playing a vital role in the war on terror, President Musharraf has been praised for taking action against religious extremists in his country.

On specific regional issues, Mr Sattar said the Commonwealth could help defuse tensions between India and Pakistan and make the two countries begin a process of dialogue to address their disputes.

However, he doubted that India would agree to any Commonwealth role - or the help of a member state - in what it insisted was a bilateral issue.