London: Asking the Commonwealth to leave Pakistan alone in adopting the form of Democracy it suits, President Pervez Musharraf has said the decisions in this regard would be taken in accordance with his country's dictates and not on the basis of the grouping's orders.

"We will take our decisions in accordance with Pakistan's dictates, not according to the Commonwealth's dictates," Musharraf said in an interview published in the 'Sunday Telegraph' today (June 20, 2004).

"They (Commonwealth Ministers) should leave Pakistan alone in deciding on what is the best form of Democracy for us, and they should not base our inclusion in the Commonwealth on any future actions of mine," Musharraf said.

His pledge to remove his uniform by the year-end was part of a deal to end a stand-off with hardline Islamist Opposition politicians who refused to support Constitutional changes he had made since 1999 - most important of which was the President's authority to sack the Prime Minister and the national and provincial assemblies. The agreement, he admitted, was made out of expedience.

Indicating that he has second thoughts on the issue, he said, "I will cross that bridge when it needs to be crossed."

He said he had received "many letters and telephone calls from ordinary Pakistanis" alarmed by suggestions that he would surrender his military status.

Emphasising that Commonwealth should acknowledge that greater Democracy has been introduced in Pakistan than previously existed, Musharraf said, "I may be a military man, but there is Parliamentary procedure, a National Assembly, a Senate."