Shahbaz welcomes Commonwealth position on Nawaz Sharif

Former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif met Commonwealth Secretary-General Donald McKinnon, and is said to have welcomed the principled position taken by the Commonwealth Secretariat on the forced abduction and deportation of former Premier Nawaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia on September 10.

London, Sep 18 : Former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif met Commonwealth Secretary-General Donald McKinnon, and is said to have welcomed the principled position taken by the Commonwealth Secretariat on the forced abduction and deportation of former Premier Nawaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia on September 10.

The Commonwealth had taken the position that rule of law and due process must be protected and Sharif should be allowed to defend himself in the Pakistani courts.

He thanked McKinnon and the Commonwealth for taking a position that had reinforced the confidence of the 160 million people of Pakistan, in international institutions and their leadership.

The meeting was significant because the Secretary-General is due to visit Pakistan on Wednesday where he will meet President Pervez Musharraf and his associates, The Nation reported.

Shahbaz reiterated that Musharraf action was a clear violation of the orders of the Supreme Court, which had affirmed former Prime Minister's right to return and participate in the politics of his country.

He handed over select editorials and columns from the key Pakistani English papers, to point out the reactions that exist in Pakistan against the forced abduction and deportation of Nawaz Sharif.

Shahbaz expressed his grave concerns about the recent and sudden unilateral amendment in the election rules by the Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday, enabling Musharraf to file his papers, which makes the whole exercise a farce and Pakistan a banana republic.

He pointed out that Pakistan is a key western ally in the war against a protracted long struggle against terrorism, which cannot succeed without bringing the Pakistani people, political parties, civil society, legal community and judiciary on board.

Shahbaz said that there is a growing perception among Pakistanis that western allies are trying to create a facade of elections rather than a real transparent exercise.

Thus making an ultimate mockery of Pakistani people, civil society, institutions and thus the whole concept of sovereignty, Shahbaz added.

ANI