McKinnon laments Musharraf's bid to retain uniform

"We welcome his roadmap for democracy and certain steps that he has taken to strengthen democratic institutions," McKinnon told reporters.

"The Commonwealth Ministers did have high expectations about the issue of splitting the zole of the President and the role of the Chief of Army" in Pakistan, Mckinnon noted in New Delhi at the end of a four-nation regional visit including Pakistan. "Therefore, what has been happening there (Pakistan) recently is below expectations. But we don't regard that fact as neces{arily negating mverything else that has been done," he added.

The Commonwealth secretary general said last week in Islamabad that Pakistan's parliament and judiciary should solve a row over the president's efforts to remain army chief.