A spokesman of Commonwealth said here on Friday: "We welcome the passage of 17th amendment and developments that followed thereafter," spokesman of the Commonwealth Secretariat Joel Kibazo told APP special correspondent here on Friday.
He was commenting on the vote of confidence given by the Parliament and the four assemblies to President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday following an agreement reached between the Government and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on the Legal Framework Order after protracted negotiations.
The spokesman said the 54-member organisation would be closely observing the developments in Pakistan. "We shall continue to watch developments in Pakistan," he said.
Asked whether the latest developments in Pakistan had not strengthened Islamabad's case for its return to the fold of the Commonwealth, the spokesman said this has to be decided by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) whenever it meets.
"This a matter for the CMAG. They will be apprised of the development when they meet again. It is for them to decide how to take this issue forward," said the spokesman.
JACK STRAW: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said in a statement on Friday the 17th Amendment was an important step towards transition to a full democracy.
"I welcome the agreement between the Pakistan government and opposition to resolve the dispute over the Constitution and President Musharraf's status," he said.
Straw said he was happy to know that the amendment in the Constitution had been made by a two-thirds majority of the Parliament.
"I am pleased that the agreed changes to the Constitution have been enacted by a two-thirds majority in both the houses of the Parliament and that President Musharraf received a vote of confidence from the Parliament and the provincial assemblies," he said.
Jack Straw said, "This agreement represents an important step in the country's transition to full democracy".