Pakistan: Information relating to the Canadian Foreign Minister's visit to Pakistan in 1999; newspaper reports from Islamabad relating to the Foreign Minister's intention of meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 18 October 2002 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | PAK39944.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Pakistan: Information relating to the Canadian Foreign Minister's visit to Pakistan in 1999; newspaper reports from Islamabad relating to the Foreign Minister's intention of meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, 18 October 2002, PAK39944.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4dea1c.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
On 12 October 1999, General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, overthrew the elected government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (HRW 2000; Dawn 2000). The coup was regarded as a violation of the "good governance" principle established by the Harare Declaration (ibid.). As a result, on 18 October 1999, the Commonwealth banned Pakistan from attending inter-governmental Commonwealth meetings, and also prohibits new Commonwealth technical assistance to the military government in Pakistan, with the exception of assistance that is "aimed at the restoration of democratic rule" (The Hindu 20 Oct. 1999).
On 27 October 1999, a Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (C-MAG) delegation, lead by the Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, and including the foreign ministers of Barbados, Ghana and Malaysia, visited the country's leaders to engage in a two-day dialogue with Pakistan, and conduct a "fact-finding" mission (Rediff 28 Oct. 1999). The delegation was sent to Pakistan to acquire the necessary information to "prepare a report for a summit meeting in Durban, South Africa, on Nov. 12 to decide whether or not to suspend Pakistan's membership of the Commonwealth" (APN 1 Nov. 1999).
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation,
the team landed in Islamabad with a list of clear imperatives for the new military regime, urging a firm timetable for a return to democracy and the holding of fresh elections.
The four foreign ministers also want to see a start on creating an independent judiciary and media. They're also looking for a commitment that the legal rights of those arrested during the coup over a fortnight ago be respected (ABC 30 Oct. 1999).
To meet these imperatives, the delegation had plans to meet with President Mohammad Rafiq Tarar, General Musharraf, opposition parties, the head of the independent Human Rights Commission and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Rediff 28 Oct. 1999). Musharraf however, indicated that a visit with Sharif was not possible, although a telephone conversation could be arranged (AP 29 Oct. 1999). According to the Associated Press,
Sources close to the delegation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Axworthy waited an hour for the call but never received it.
Axworthy said the delegation was later told Sharif did not want to talk by phone (ibid.).
In respect of providing a timeframe for establishing democracy, General Musharraf stated that
a civil government would be restored once the objectives of his seven-point agenda were achieved. He said that no timetable had been fixed for the return of a civil government and that unless national security was guaranteed, economy revived, and accountability completed, civil rule could not be restored (Nawa-I-Waqt 28 Oct. 1999).
According to delegation officials, by the end of the visit the delegation had "softened their tone" and indicated that they "would urge [the] summit of Commonwealth leaders [in November 1999] to give Islamabad six months to prove it was serious about returning the country to civilian rule or face further sanctions" (Rediff 30 Oct. 1999). The Times of India reported that "[o]ne reason for the Commonwealth ministerial team's softening stand on the coup in Islamabad was the apparent public support in Pakistan for the army takeover" (13 Nov. 1999).
Although Pakistan was suspended from the Commonwealth councils, it remained a member of the Commonwealth (Commonwealth Secretariat n.d.).
Newspaper reports published in Islamabad or Rawalpindi relating to the Canadian Foreign Minister's intention to meet with former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to BBC,
There has been little interest in the Commonwealth visit, despite its threat to suspend Pakistan from the organisation.
The foreign secretary, Shamshad Ahmed, said that the members of the Commonwealth didn't offer each other much in economic terms.
That is probably why Pakistani newspapers haven't given prominent coverage to the trip - some preferring to concentrate instead on the recent visit by a senior Japanese government envoy (29 Oct. 1999).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Asian Political News (APN). 1 November 1999. "Musharraf Says He Has to Fulfill Objectives." (NEXIS)
The Associated Press (AP). 29 October 1999. Kathy Gannon. "Military Chief Refuses to Give Time Frame for Elections. " (NEXIS)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 30 October 1999. "No Outcome for Democracy from Pakistan Meeting." (NEXIS)
BBC. 29 October 1999. Jannat Jalil. "Analysis: Little Concern Over Commonwealth." _____. 28 October 1999. "Pakistan Pressed on Democracy." Commonwealth Secretariat. n.d. "Country: Pakistan." Dawn [Karachi]. 2000. Victoria Schofield. "In Again, Out Again." The Hindu [Chennai]. 20 October 1999. Thomas Abraham. "C'wealth Acts Against Pak." (NEXIS)
Human Rights Watch (HRW). 2000. Human Rights Watch World Report 2000. Nawa-I-Waqt [Rawalpindi, in Urdu]. 28 October 1999. "Urdu Daily Wants Timeframe for Civil Rule." (FBIS-NES-1999-1101 28 Oct. 1999/WNC)
Rediff. 30 October 1999. David Ljunggren. "Commonwealth Unlikely to Suspend Pak." _____. 28 October 1999. David Ljunggren. "Commonwealth Team to Start Pak Coup Talks." The Times of India []. 13 November 1999. Seema Guha. "India Raises Pitch for Democracy in Pakistan." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
Daily Millat. Daily Nation [Lahore]. The Friday Times [Lahore]. Frontier Post [Peshawar]. The Internet News Network. Network News International. Pakistan News. Spider [Karachi].