LONDON, Nov 23: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has termed the Commonwealth’s decision to suspend the membership of Pakistan as “clear and necessary” and significantly termed the emergency rule in Pakistan as ‘Martial Law’.

The statement released here on Friday said: “Pakistan was suspended from the multi-national group last night due to recent political developments, including the introduction of martial law and the imprisonment of opposition activists”.

Meanwhile, in a response to Dawn’s query on Friday as to how the projects of Department for International Development (DFID) which has promised a billion dollar worth of assistance to Pakistan over the next three years would be affected by the suspension, a DFID spokesperson said the department wanted to strike a balance between sending a signal to the Government of Pakistan and not penalising poor people – “40 million of whom are in extreme poverty.”

He said the DFID’s initial response has been to delay sending officials to Pakistan, recall international consultants to safe locations as a precaution in the event of public unrest, “and announce that we are reviewing our development programmes.”

He said the UK aid was playing a valuable role to help cut extreme poverty in Pakistan “along with other donors we are considering how to respond to the fast changing political situation in Pakistan without penalising the poorest and most vulnerable people.”

Informed sources said the Pakistani students studying in the UK and non-resident Pakistani workers would not be affected by the suspension. Pakistan would also be playing test and ODIs with Commonwealth countries but there is a big question on whether it would be able take part in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India if by that time the suspension is not withdrawn.

Stephen Moss of the Guardian in his piece in the Guardian I (What is good about being in the Commonwealth?) last week had jokingly said if suspended Pakistan would be deprived of the visits from the Queen, the opportunity to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph, a much better chance of winning a gold medal in the shot put because Russia, Germany and the US don’t compete in the Commonwealth Games.

Adding, he said, the only practical effects would be an end to the funding of projects designed to encourage economic liberalisation and good governance – “a perverse response to bad government - and a ban on Pakistan attending meetings of Commonwealth heads of government.”

He said the Commonwealth is a club based on shared values - peace, democracy, egalitarianism. When it suspends a member it is, in effect, saying that country no longer shares its values.

David Blair of the Daily Telegraph in an analytical piece (Commonwealth ‘important for its values’) on Friday said Commonwealth leaders have routinely rigged elections and jailed opponents. Among those attending the summit will be President Umaru Yar’Adua of Nigeria, who won an election in April riddled with corruption and every form of malpractice.

“President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe remained in the Commonwealth’s fold even after he rigged his way to victory in parliamentary polls in 2000, during which 37 people were murdered. Zimbabwe’s membership was not suspended until two years later.

“Mr Museveni has been accorded the honour of hosting this week’s gathering despite having won a flawed election last year.

“For some former Commonwealth leaders, the organisation is of little use because it can boast so few tangible achievements. Paul Keating attended Commonwealth summits in Cyprus and New Zealand while serving as Australia’s prime minister between 1993 and 1996.

“Other than for good causes, like branding Mugabe the shocking old crook that he is, it’s of little relevance,” said Mr Keating.

The Times on Friday, however, said the renewed suspension could have severe impact on Pakistan’s economy.

Mohan Kaul, the Secretary-General of the bloc’s business arm, the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) has been quoted by the newspaper as saying that the CBC had been forced to postpone a business conference with potential investors last year because of the instability of the country and the growing threat posed by Islamist extremists. The conference is now tentatively rearranged to take place early next year, but only if the state of emergency is lifted.

“One year back or even six months back, Pakistan was seen to be a very fast-growing economy. The investing business community was given confidence, at the time, about Pakistan’s growth and economic stability,” Dr Kaul told The Times. “Now suddenly, due to the instability caused by rising extremism, that confidence has been drastically reduced. Because of the emergency of the last few weeks the position has been worsened considerably again.

“Investors tend to operate in a herd mentality, and the suspension outcome is likely to have very severe consequences for investment in the Pakistani economy,” Dr Kaul said.