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Should Pakistan recognize Israel?
Jul 6th
Israeli citizens were among the victims of the ruthless butchery of the Mumbai attacks. Israel could have very conveniently succumbed to the Indian warmongering against Pakistan. Yet it did not. The Israeli government was really cautious and restrained in blaming any country for this open genocide. A few days after the attacks the Israeli Ambassador to New Delhi Mark Sofar made some very keen observations.
Urging India to employ only pacifist means vis-a-vis, he maintained that there was no comparison between Israel‘s action against Hezbollah hideouts and Indian desire to carry out surgical strikes on Pakistani soil. “It will be wrong to take a response of one part of the world to extrapolate immediately to somewhere else,” he said. Such sane talk is need of the hour for hawks on both sides of the border are egging their governments on, to wage full blown war. This indeed is not the voice of a foe. It has never occurred to any of our anti-Semitic firebrands that Israel and Pakistan have much in common. Need more proof?
Consider this quote from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh bible, We, or, Our Nationhood Defined by M. S. Golwalkar: “To keep up the purity of its race and culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging the country of the Semitic races — the Jews. Race pride at its highest has been manifested here… a good lesson for us in Hindustan to learn and profit by.” In other words India is being advised to take a leaf out of Hitler’s anti-Semitism. Both Israel and Pakistanhave faced huge challenges since their very birth and both want acceptance of their right to exist in hostile regions.
Pakistan Israel relations have never been exemplary. Both countries have tried to keep their interactions hidden from the wider audience. However, Sofar has summed up this relationship in a nutshell: “We have had from time-to-time contacts, here and there with Musharraf, who met, and the previous Pakistani foreign minister who met the previous Israeli foreign minister, but to talk of any meaningful relationship between Israel and Pakistan is really way off the ball and nowhere near where we are… Israel had a lot to offer to Pakistan … the decision is in its court and it clearly has decided to go elsewhere.”
It is astonishing that while Pakistan does not officially recognize the state ofIsrael, the passports of the Pakistani citizens single it out as the only prohibited place and hence recognizing it by default. Again it is beyond my comprehension why at time when Muslim countries like Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar have relations with Israel and even Saudi Arabia is mulling over possibilities of establishing contacts, in Pakistan we have done nothing to build a relationship.
Apparently this boycott of reason stems from the desire to see the resolution of the Palestinian issue. Yet it has quite correctly been pointed out by Israeli leaders that in the absence of bilateral relations between the two statesPakistan has no locus standus on the matter. If Pakistanis want to play a more constructive and proactive role in the matter it logically follows that we do what is due. If recognizing Israel is the logical step to take it is reasonable to ask ourselves what are we bound to lose in case we go ahead and establish formal relationship.
Rationally speaking we hardly have anything to lose. Granted that there can be a backlash from the rightwing elements in the country but that already exists as a permanent feature in this country. It is true that some among the Arab citizens may not consider it too much friendly a gesture but I am sure the Arab states will understand the compulsions.
With our Arab brothers this understanding is mutual. For instance you’ll remember that when King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was the crown princePakistan used to be most hospitable and respectful host. But many in Pakistan were highly disconcerted when despite full understanding of the Indo-Pak tensions after assuming the throne the first thing the Saudi King did was to accept the Indian invitation to be the guest of honour at its national day parade even before visiting our country. But the attitude of Pakistani government was realistic and tolerant.
On the other hand Pakistan is bound to gain a lot from this quite reasonable choice. During the current Indo-Pak standoff we have not heard even a word of reason from any Muslim country. No Muslim country has advised Indiapublicly to show restraint. Pakistan stands today highly isolated on the world stage. One by one we are losing all diplomatic levers and even old friends likeChina find it difficult to come to our rescue. It is time to give up the ridiculously contradictory policy and embrace true diplomacy. In fact when Pakistandecided to a part of the war on terror and inadvertently brought the war to its own soil, any justification or defense for this contradictory mentality were lost.
Pakistan had consciously chosen to be a modern state rather than opting to transform into a medieval polity. While some of the methods of the past government might be wrong this choice was indeed correct.
Pakistan stands today on the same forked path where it stood at its very inception. For sixty three years Pakistan has allowed ideational contradictions and total denial of realities to cloud its judgement. If the correct decision is delayed any further our strained polity may not be able to sustain the weight of denial any further. We need strong modern allies whose relationship can actually benefit us rather than pulling us down the retrogressive path.
And let us see it this way. There is nothing wrong in our collective desire to see the Palestinian issue resolved. However our current state of suspended animation has hardly ever helped the cause of our Palestinian friends. IfPakistan has formal relations with Israel, it can play a more proactive role in the resolution of the Palestinian issue and the protection of the Al Aqsa Mosque. While our recognition of Israel would not mean total adherence to its stand on the Palestinian issue, we need to admit that Israel being a democracy is open to the positive influences of moderation. When we have nothing to lose, what qualms do we have in exploring what Mr Sofar promises when he says, “Israel had a lot to offer to Pakistan“?
Let Geo English work please!
May 19th
The issue of license is becoming only too onerous now. Geo Network is failing to launch its 24×7 English news channel called Geo English aka Geo International. While one can understand the legal issues concerning the matter, the government should also take into cognizance the matter of the product of some of country’s best brains. The team for Geo English was hired more than one year ago and since then it is busy in producing news content which remains off air owing to the legal bottlenecks. While I work for the same project, my this submission has nothing to do with my own working with it. My issue is simple. If you are allowing so many channels already what damage can an English news channel do? Also I have seen some of the country’s best minds being hired for the project and yet they are not being allowed to deliver their content to the people.
Why is it happening? Well it is in the cross media laws that any organization cannot open more than one news and five other channels. Now since a similar law governs the issuance of FM radio station licenses too, it cannot escape the attention of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) that the anti trust law has already been made a mockery of. Does the PEMRA want the television channels to do the same? I think not. Also it must be remembered that Geo Network has already endured huge losses owing to the state’s vendetta which closed it from Dubai and pressed the advertisers not to hire airtime from the network. The new government should not forget its promises on media freedom.
The government has already shown its readiness to allow the channel by amending the laws. Yet the PEMRA states that this may take a while. Unfortunately the morale of the Geo English team is on its ebb owing to this prolonged drag. The government would do good to accelerate the process. And if this has to take sometime and yet the government is committed to allowing the channel, it is my personal opinion, that the government should grant the channel a temporary license till the time the changes in the law are introduced, just like the previous government had allowed Aaj TV to operate on a temporary license.
Whatever the government’s differences with the owners of the channels, their services in raising consciousness of the masses should not be ignored. Nor should the government forget the career development of perhaps some of the country’s most englightened minded young journalists.
Progress in Benazir Bhutto UN probe issue – News Most Welcome!
May 11th
I have just returned from a press talk of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi and while the talks are still deadlocked on the issue of the judges’ restoration there is heartening signs of progress elsewhere. The Foreign Minister told us that not only has the Foreign Office sent its deliberations to the Prime Minister with the summary for requesting the UN to probe Benazir Bhutto’s assassination and the premier has signed it also. The request will be formally forwarded to the UN for deliberation and the FM would travel to the UN to press the matter further. It is good news. Great news actually. It implies that the government despite impasse on a few important issues has moved forward on matters that may define our future history. As I have said it earlier this matter is not only critical to the future of democracy in the country but also vital because in the coming days blame game could engulf the entire state and even Mohtarma’s own party. Now it is evident that the party is not playing a puppet of the establishment. If the request is finally forwarded to the UN it would be an evident defeat of the establishment.
There are other indications that the party is actually bolstering its stance in the foreign policy arena and asserting itself. A clear example is the US decision not to send General Hood to Pakistan as its military representative. It is strange that while the establishment had such great reservations on sending the probe request to the UN, it had no objections on Hood’s placement in Pakistan. Hood is know for his human rights track record at Gitmo. When we have the right to be critical of the government’s performance on matters, it is also our responsibility to applaud whenever some improvement takes place in policy matters. I believe that if the government keeps improving its position on such matters all lingering issues like that of the judges restoration would quite soon be resolved. The party’s allies would have to watch these developments closely for their decision to quit coalition may not damage democracy. I am glad that the political class is now reminding the establishment that it will not tolerate the blood of national leaders any further.
The Taliban-Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman coalition
Apr 30th
Coalition politics is one of the most difficult of products of democracy. To win over and and take a huge number of differing parties along is quite an onerous task. While in most cases the coalitions that are formed prove welcome news for the masses, sometimes urgency of government formation also leads you to align with a person or a party which plays a crucial role in undermining your political goals. There is no better example of this than the JUI-F and its leader Maulana Falur Rehman.
Maulana Fazl is an ambitious man who has always been ready with any group which promises him the seat of the Prime Minister. This makes him quite an untrustworthy ally. If you do not make him the premier and yet he sits with you on the treasury benches the odds are that he may ditch you or conspire against you whenever there is a tempting offer. Then why was he made an ally this time? As I have pointed out earlier formation of a coalition government is no child’s play. Government formation in Balochistan was indeed very difficult so he was taken on board. But it is a decision that should be seriously reflected upon.
In fact Maulana started working against the coalition the very day the prime minister took vote of confidence and delivered his speech in which he also talked of the religious seminary reform. We remember that Maulana spoke in response expressing his reservations on the abolition of the dark laws of FCR and the prospects of Madrassah reform. It should be remembered here that these religious seminaries is the most important source of power and money for the Maulana and his party. While a huge sum of unaccounted money comes from uncountable local and foreign sources comes to his party in the name of these Madaris, the students here are so brainwashed that it becomes impossible for them to appreciate any perspective other than that of their leader.
Interestingly in the same speech the premier also vowed to resolve the Tribal Areas issue through dialogue which was immediately well received even by the Taliban who showed their readiness to enter in unconditional dialog.
We must remember that the word Taliban literally means students of the religious seminaries. And it is not a coincidence that the Taliban belong to the same sect and creed as that of the Maulana. It was after about twenty four hours that the Taliban started changing their position and demanded the introduction of the Shariat law. It is otherwise clear that such a course of action was not in their own interest for there has been a lot bloodshed in the tribal areas and the Taliban also want some kind of peace. Why would the Taliban then start showing rigidity. It seems that the Maulana’s agents convinced them to take a maximalist position.
It certainly suits him that the issue of religious activism is not resolved and the coalition dominated primarily by secular parties is viewed as a hostile regime in the tribal areas. That would mean that while more human beings are killed and then coalition unravels, he remains in the good books of all. Now this position suits two other groups namely the opponents of peace in the tribal areas and Musharraf. The former is a class of foreign dignitaries, intelligence operatives and military men. It seems that the world has decided to finally dismantle Pakistan that is exactly why no one wants peace in the country. Meanwhile the latter (ie Musharraf) does not want anything that enhances the prestige of the ruling coalition to succeed. And the sooner the new government fails the better position he will be in to bring back his own clique. Unfortunately people like Maulana also do not care about the country’s future. What matters to them the most is that their own interests are preserved.
Another aspect of this sordid tale is the punishment of the Karzai regime. Karzai, some say tired of the never ending bloodshed, had welcomed the talks between the Taliban and neighboring Pakistan. This did not go down well with the neocons. That is why they wanted to create an environment where Karzai government feels it is being threatened by the Taliban. Through what appears to be a nexus between Fazlur Rehman and Musharraf’s appointed ISI chief the neo-cons are using the Taliban to step up their militant activities in Afghanistan and by doing so sealed the fate of peace in our tribal areas and in Afghanistan. In fact people like Jim Hoagland have already started arguing again for an invasion of Pakistan. If the coalition government fails, Musharraf and his allies may win a momentary win but the country’s fate would be sealed. Our religious politicians like Fazl and militants like the Taliban in their sheer stupidity are only serving the cause of those who want them and us the citizens of Pakistan dead.
Panda and the goblet of fire (breathing space – April 18, 2008)
Apr 18th
As the Olympic torch was brought in public in Islamabad I was wondering how many of the participants know of the Mount Olympus, the Olympian gods, Hercules’ mythical contributions to the origins of the game. Again had anyone there heard of Coroebus (a cook from Elis) who had won the lone sport in the first Olympics ceremony of the recorded history running naked?
This particular point on Coroebus’ dress code is seldom emphasised or else next you will find the nudist nutters doing the cha cha on the Olympics grounds. Just do not forget that there have already been uncountable incidents of streaking during Olympics. Not to mention there is also such a thing as ‘Nude Olympics’.
But let us come back to our emphasis on history and civilisation instead of nudity, no matter how tempting. I know, I know many of you would say that the nudity found today is an inextricable part of the post-modern civilisation. But right now only history please. Does it not astonish you that when such a historic event has come to the land of such an old civilisation, the poor torch has to face such extra-adventurous ordeals as the odds of being snatched or stolen?
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Sinophobia: Tibet, Energy, Olympics and Musharraf in China
Apr 15th
I believe now that Musharraf has failed in the basic foreign policy test set forth by the Western democracies in recognizing Israel as a state, he is bound to try and charm China. Indeed in his first assassination of Ms Bhutto when the western press was challenging him eyeball to eyeball, he thundered at the journalists berating them for their gossip mongering and eulogized the Chinese journalists for reporting the truth. China and Pakistan, it must be remembered have stayed for long what qualifies in international relations as great pals. Indeed a number of Chinese friends invested their energies in learning Urdu when Pakistan was otherwise little known in the world for its culture. Chinese journalists naturally have been far more generous in their dealing with Pakistani matters than what they actually deserved. It was then the beginning of what should go down in history as Musharraf’s desperate charm China policy. In short when you are strong you cannot see any city except Washington, yet when you start losing power you all of a sudden realize that you are sitting next to Beijing. I have no illusions that this new policy like the “recognize Israel” policy, in which he never recognized Israel but always used his meetings with the Israeli leadership to project an image of moderation in the west. (Read my previous post ‘Should Pakistan Recognize Israel?’). Why do I believe it won’t succeed this time? Because I know that the Chinese leaders have enough vision and foresight not to associate them with a dying order which has only turned to China after being rejected from everywhere else and did nothing substantial for the country. China is very conscious about the sentiments of the Pakistani people and is aware of Musharraf’s standing in Pakistan. (To Read This Article in Chinese Click Here) More >
