Page 11 - Pakistan Link - October 13, 2023

PAKISTAN PAKISTAN LINK - OCTOBER 13, 2023 - P11
Pakistan Adopts Careful Tone on Israel, "We recall our repeated warnings of the
n By Adnan Aamir kingdom's foreign ministry saying,

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has respond- dangers of the situation exploding as a
ed to the Israel-Hamas war with an Experts Read between Lines result of the continued occupation."
unusually measured tone, standing out But some believe Pakistan may con-
among Asia's Muslim-majority coun- sider forging a relationship down the
tries and fueling speculation about the Institute at the Wilson Center, told road.
chances of Islamabad someday nor- Nikkei that Islamist groups in Pakistan "As of now, the government of Paki-
malizing ties with Israel. are under the influence of the powerful stan has no tangible plans to recognize
The Pakistani government is typi- military and have likely been advised Israel," a government official told Nik-
cally a harsh critic of Israel, with which to keep a low profile, to avoid antago- kei Asia on condition of anonymity.
it has no diplomatic relations, and a de- nizing Western governments just when But the official added, "The possibility
fender of Palestinian rights. But while Islamabad badly needs assistance. of recognition can't be ruled out in the
countries such as Indonesia and Ma- The US and many other Western future if it serves Pakistan's national
laysia have pointedly blamed the con- countries have voiced firm support for interests."
flict on Israeli policy, Pakistan has so Israel. Syed said that backdoor discussions
far taken a softer approach. The ruling establishment may also about recognizing Israel have been tak-
As news broke of Hamas militants prefer to avoid burning bridges with ing place for a long time. "The ruling
storming Israel on Saturday, interim the Israelis. elite of Pakistan wants to recognize Is-
Pakistani Prime Minister Anwaar ul Pakistan insists that recognition of rael and they will make the move if and
Haq Kakar posted on X that he was Israel is conditional upon the establish- when the time is opportune," he said.
"heartbroken" by the violence. "We Pakistan’s cautious statements on the Israel-Hamas war have attracted atten- ment of a sovereign Palestinian state. Quraishi, too, believes normaliza-
urge restraint and protection of civil- tion, given the country’s typically strident pro-Palestinian stance - Nikkei But over the years, there has been some tion is a possibility. "When [the gov-
ians. Enduring peace in the Middle montage/Source photos by AP and Reuters quiet interaction. ernment of] Pakistan decides to take a
East lies in a two-state solution with a The first known high-level public course of action in its national interest,
viable, contiguous, sovereign State of Even Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, ments of "Death to Israel" rallies, which contact was in 2005, when Pakistan's things tend to fall into place," he said.
Palestine." chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) -- were common in the past. and Israel's foreign ministers met in Such a move would risk angering a
This was noticeably milder than, the leading Islamist political party in Experts see several factors in play. Turkey. Since then, multiple meet- population of about 240 million that
for example, Malaysian Prime Minis- Pakistan -- asked the Palestinians to Ahmed Quraishi, an Islamabad- ings have been reported in the media, appears to harbor broad anti-Israel sen-
ter Anwar Ibrahim's reaction tweet on respect the human rights of Israelis. based national security expert, ex- although none was officially acknowl- timent. But Quraishi, who met Israeli
Sunday, in which he wrote: "The confis- This was unprecedented, since Islamist pressed hope that Pakistan's response edged. President Isaac Herzog in May last year
cation of land and property belonging leaders in Pakistan are known for their was at least partly due to introspection. While much of the Muslim world in Jerusalem, argued that such feelings
to the Palestinian people is done relent- staunch pro-Palestinian stance. "There is some concern, albeit muted, refuses to establish formal relations in Pakistan are mostly manufactured.
lessly by the Zionists. As a result of this Saturday's Hamas assault on Israel about publicly supporting a brazen at- with Israel, this has been gradually "[Anti-Israel sentiment] is more of
injustice, hundreds of innocent lives left more than 1,200 people dead, while tack on civilians the way Hamas did on changing. Years after Israel made peace a populist political card in domestic
were sacrificed." Pakistan's Foreign Of- Israel's retaliatory strikes on Gaza have Saturday," he told Nikkei. with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994, politics," he told Nikkei.
fice issued its own cautious statement, killed over 1,100 so far, according to lo- Sabookh Syed, a political analyst in it sealed agreements in 2020 with the Not everyone is convinced that nor-
saying: "We are closely monitoring the cal authorities. Islamabad, said that since Hamas start- United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan malization is possible, however. Kugel-
unfolding situation in the Middle East As the war goes on, sentiment may ed the current conflict in Gaza, Paki- and Morocco. man believes it is a nonstarter.
and the eruption of hostilities between harden. Kakar has since lamented the stani religious leaders saw little reason Before the Hamas attack and Israeli "Pakistan links the issue of a Pales-
Israel and Palestinians. We are con- Israeli occupation of the West Bank. to come out forcefully against Israel. retaliation, many were anticipating the tinian state to Kashmir, which means
cerned about the human cost of the And while Pakistan has yet to see ma- Islamists, he said, have so far largely next big step -- an accord between Is- that recognizing Israel in the absence
escalating situation." jor protests against Israel, on Friday, "ignored the reaction of Israel, which rael and Saudi Arabia -- and there was of a Palestinian state would equate to
Rand analyst Derek Grossman not- Rehman's party was planning to ex- has killed many Palestinians." talk that Islamabad might follow Ri- Pakistan abandoning the cause of Kash-
ed on X, "Pakistan, which has been tra- press "solidarity" with the Palestinians. There may be other considerations. yadh. mir," Kugelman said, referring to Islam-
ditionally anti-Israel and pro-Palestine, Jamaat-e-Islami, another Islamist par- Pakistan is mired in an economic crisis, The outbreak of war has raised abad's territorial dispute with India.
interestingly goes easy on Israel, simply ty, declared this week to be "Palestinian relying on a $3 billion bailout from the questions about whether an Israeli- "Taking such a position," he said,
expressing concerns over the escalating Solidarity Week." International Monetary Fund. Michael Saudi deal can be salvaged. The Saudis "would amount to political suicide in
situation." Still, there have been no announce- Kugelman, director of the South Asia have joined Israel's critics, with the Pakistan." – Nikkei Asia

Sadaqat Ali Abbasi Quits PTI, Blames Report Sought from Punjab IGP

Imran Khan for May 9 Mayhem about Farrukh Habib’s Whereabouts

Islamabad: Former parliamentarian 'Anti-establishment narrative'
Sadaqat Ali Abbasi has become the lat- Abbasi mentioned that for the
est party member to quit the Pakistan past year, Imran Khan's narrative was
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and has held the against the establishment.
former ruling party’s Chairman Imran He added that people who had a
Khan responsible for the May 9 may- similar opinion (anti-establishment)
hem. included current and former leaders
"I announce leaving the PTI, the like Shireen Mazari, Shahbaz Gill, and
office of the PTI's North Punjab presi- Murad Saeed.
dent, and politics," the former member "Sometimes they would make such
of the National Assembly (MNA) said bold statements that even we would be
during an interview on a private televi- worried," the ex-MNA said.
sion channel. Abbasi said Khan — during a meet-
"I also fear the law [...] there are a lot ing on May 4 — had planned a rally for
of FIRs registered against me. I do have Sadaqat Ali Abbasi — X/@Sadaqat_Ali May 6 in Rawalpindi, which was near Dunya News
the pressure of facing cases in court. the military installations.
There is no other pressure on me," the built [...] I cannot continue as a PTI "He wanted to send a message that LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on police chief by Oct 16.
ex-PTI leader said. member. I have no plans of staying in if I'm arrested, then the party's target Wednesday sought a report from IG The petitioner alleged that Punjab
Abbasi's interview comes days after politics anymore," Abbasi said. would be military installations," the Punjab after the city police denied hav- police arrested the former state min-
he reached his home after being "miss- Abbasi has become the latest poli- former PTI leader said, adding that ing arrested Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf ister Habib from his home in Gwadar
ing" for nearly a month. tician to quit the party, joining a long Khan repeatedly stressed that the PTI's leader Farrukh Habib in any case. along with four relatives. He said the
In a video circulating on social me- list of leaders — including Usman Dar, "actual war was against the establish- A law officer filed a report on behalf police had not presented Habib and
dia, Abbasi became emotional during Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, and ment". The now-former PTI leader of the CCPO saying the PTI leader was his companions before any court of law
his reunion with family members. Pervez Khattak — who parted ways added that the events that transpired not in the custody of Lahore police. and has been keeping them in unlawful
He met his family after an anti-ter- with Imran Khan following May 9. on May 9 were due to the narrative- Justice Shakil Ahmad was hearing custody. The petitioner asked the court
rorism court in Rawalpindi approved A crackdown was also launched building of Khan. Talking about where a habeas corpus petition filed by the to recover the PTI leader and others
his pre-arrest bail in a case till October against those involved in the events, he had been in the recent days, Ab- brother of Mr Habib. A counsel for the from the illegal detention of the police
10. The ex-MNA also faces other cases leading to the arrest of hundreds of basi claimed: "I was here. I first stayed petitioner asked the court to summon and set them free. Habib along with
related to attack on military installa- party workers and leaders — includ- with a friend, then I went to GB [Gilgit a report from the IGP. other PTI leaders had been declared
tions. ing Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Baltistan]. When I came back, I sought The judge directed the law officer to a proclaimed offender in the Jinnah
"Due to the narrative that has been Qureshi. bail from the court." submit a report on behalf of the Punjab House attack case. - Dawn
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