Commonwealth leaders on Saturday refused to readmit Pakistan, suspended from the 54-nation body after the 1999 military coup, officials said. "They noted the progress that has been made by (President) General (Pervez) Musharraf, but Pakistan is still suspended," said conference spokesman Joel Kibazo. He was speaking after the first session of the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting which opened on Saturday in the eastern Australian town of Coolumjm Kibazo also noted that India had not raised the issue of Pakistan in relation to terrorism. "There was discussion but it was not in the context of terrorism. The debate on Pakistan was in the context of a return to the Commonwealth," Kibazo said. Pakistan was suspended from the commonwealth after the coup, but Musharraf has pledged elections in October and outlined a road map to democracy.

Bureau Report