But the stricken country -- whose membership of the 53-nation group was suspended after President Pervez Musharraf's 1999 bloodless coup and then restored last year -- will not be asking for more money, officials said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will lead the delegation to the November 25-27 gathering, while Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri will attend the ministerial meeting ahead of the summit.

"We will highlight the post-quake situation but it will not be for seeking funds," foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told AFP.

International donors pledged more than 5.8 billion dollars at a conference in Islamabad on Saturday to help relief and reconstruction efforts after the October 8 disaster.

More than 73,000 people were killed by the 7.6-magnitude quake, around the same number were seriously injured, and more than three million people were left homeless and at risk of hunger and disease.

Pakistan's efforts to recover from the earthquake will likely overshadow any controversy lingering on from its enforced absence from the Commonwealth, the association of former British colonial nations.

It was readmitted in May 2004 despite protests by the country's opposition parties and rights groups against President Musharraf's decision to retain his position as head of the powerful army.

Musharraf -- now a key ally of the United States in its "war on terror" -- promised to stand down as military chief by the end of 2004 but then reneged, saying the country needed him in uniform to fight extremism at home.

In February Commonwealth foreign ministers meeting in London criticised Musharraf for keeping the army post.

Pakistan's government, however, played down the issue ahead of the Malta summit and focused on building bridges between Commonwealth members.

"These summits provide a unique forum for consultation at the highest level of government," a foreign ministry statement said.

"The conference will provide an opportunity for leaders and ministers to discuss various issues including peace and development, promoting harmony among peoples of different faiths and cultures, world security, international trade and special attention to Africa."

Analysts said the summit could also provide a good diplomatic opportunity to push forward the slow-moving peace process between Pakistan and neighbouring India, which is also a Commonwealth member.

"Pakistan can appeal to the Commonwealth to support the peace process as well as conflict resolution between India and Pakistan," said political analyst Hasan Askari, former head of political science at Punjab University in Lahore.

"Furthermore, Shaukat Aziz will get an opportunity to talk to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on some bilateral issues. Therefore it is a good opportunity to make a diplomatic case for Pakistan," he added.

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