Pakistan on Friday denounced an international organization's suspension of its membership, while an opposition party said its exiled leader was taking steps to return to the emergency-ruled country.

The government condemned the banishment from the Commonwealth as "unreasonable and unjustified" and said the 53-nation body, comprising Britain and its former colonies, had failed to appreciate Pakistan's "serious internal crisis" in demanding that it immediately restore democracy.

Meanwhile, the return of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from Saudi Arabia could bolster opponents of President General Pervez Musharraf before January 8 parliamentary elections.