London, Nov.12 : The 53-member Commonwealth today told the Government of Pakistan that it must lift the state of emergency and restore constitutional rule before holding elections or risk possible suspension from the global body.

Maltese Foreign Minister Michael Frendo, who chairs the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group or CMAG, expressed disappointment at Musharraf's November 3 decision and said the current situation there was "flawed".

The CMAG, which deals with serious breaches of the 53-nation Commonwealth's key principles, was to meet in London later Monday to decide what action to take against Pakistan.

"The situation in Pakistan at the moment is... flawed because there is an issue where General Musharraf has called a civil emergency outside the parameters of the constitution itself," The News quoted Frendo, as saying.

"So of course we have to discuss this in the context of CMAG, and I don't speak for CMAG... but in my opinion yes, the constitution issue is very important and elections have to take place within the context of the Constitution...

"The return to constitutionality must be accompanied by free and fair elections." Frendo said suspension was part of a "whole spectrum of action" that can be taken by CMAG.

Pakistan was suspended from the Commonwealth for five years after Musharraf seized power in 1999.

Last year, the CMAG suspended Fiji after a military coup there.

Frendo said Musharraf would be "wrong" to ignore the Commmonwealth.

"We want Pakistan to remain a member of the family of nations within the Commonwealth. But we must also ensure that the principles of the Commonwealth are not only respected but CMAG itself and the Commonwealth itself retain their integrity of credibility," he added.

That credibility "is extremely important for the Commonwealth to be able to make a contribution to international relations and to good governance around the world," he said. (ANI)