Abdullah Ahmad Badawi revealed that the Commonwealth Heads of Government gathered in Uganda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) have unanimously endorsed Pakistan's suspension from the grouping until Islamabad restored democracy and rule of law in the sub-continent nation.

The premier said CHOGM accepted the decision by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) after an all-night meeting on Thursday.

"The CMAG made the decision after considering all the stiplated criteria. Before the decision was made, the CMAG considered all the established criteria in the grouping that has been violated, hence action has to be taken," he told Malaysian journalists covering CHOGM in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.

According to Bernama, Pak Lah said although Malaysia appealed for the suspension to be deferred until January next year when Pakistan holds its presidential election, other CMAG members felt Islamabad had been given adequate time to hold elections and to restore democracy.

Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf was also given several years to give up his post as army chief before running for the presidency, he said.

With the suspension, Pakistan is not allowed to participate in any inter-governmental Commonwealth meetings and activities including the ongoing CHOGM opened by Queen Elizabeth II yesterday.

Pakistan had earlier informed Commonwealth secretary-general Don Mckinnon that it would not be attending the leaders' meeting here.

Musharraf should quit army post

Asked whether the indefinite suspension would change the political climate in Pakistan, Abdullah said the London-based Commonwealth secretariat and CMAG members must liaise with Pakistan from time to time to gauge the situation and help improve the political scenario to return to democracy, restore peace and justice.

"Musharraf has been asked not to use his positions as the president and military chief. This should not be allowed.

"If Musharraf wants to continue as president, he should resign as the armed forces' chief.

"Musharraf has always promised he will step down as military chief but has not done so until today. According to established practice, if something not right happens in a member state, the Commonwealth will take action... that's normal.

"Can we ask to just ignore, that's no right," he said.

Asked on Malaysia's stand to defend Pakistan at the CMAG meeting on Friday, Abdullah said although it was Malaysia's stand to defer the suspension, the views of seven other members of CMAG cannot be ignored.

He added that Pakistan's suspension from the Commonwealth would not strain Malaysia-Pakistan bilateral relations.