ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to terminate its membership of the Commonwealth, it was officially announced here this afternoon [Jan 30]. A statement … lists the … reasons… . According to the statement, the decision … has been taken in view of the information that Britain proposes to recognise Bangla Desh soon and that Australia and New Zealand have announced their decision to recognise it tomorrow. … The statement regrets that the countries in the vanguard of Commonwealth association have decided to strike at the very roots of principles of their association and respect for sovereignty of its members. The statement continues that “the British Crown, which is the symbol of the Commonwealth and signified freedom and emancipation, is now being made into a symbol of military occupation and involvement of a part of Commonwealth country by another member of the Commonwealth”.

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies in Rawalpindi,] President Bhutto said … that the decision to quit Commonwealth had been forced upon Pakistan. It had, however, not been taken in haste as all aspects of the question had been fully weighed and examined beforehand. … [I]n any case the Commonwealth was on the way to disintegration… .

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2022