For more than a month Gaza has been subjected to the worst massacre ever, Pakistan has not

done
anything substantial. Although everyone especially women and youth are very active on various
social networks. There is not any corporeal demonstration by the citizens of Pakistan.
The foreign office gave a formal statement, addressing Tel Aviv to halt its aggression against
Palestine and condemning its actions. In past Pakistan has shown more concern and enthusiasm
about various natural calamities and acts of aggression both on government and civil level. Whether,
it was floods in Bangladesh, earth quakes in China, wars in Somalia and Yugoslavia and even
American action against Iraq. The Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday 15 th July,
condemned the Israeli action and urged the Muslim leaders to stand up against the Israeli war
crimes. He further blamed the intensity of violence on the ineffectiveness of leaders of Muslim Umah.
Rightfully so, but the question is what has Pakistan done for the cause? Not in past only in recent
conflict, not much. Not even close to what various parties like Respect Party, UK is doing for the
Palestinian cause recently. Even the vocal, articulate Imran Khan who wears all his opinions on cuff
waited for a while to make any kind of statement to condemn the Israeli insane massacre of
Palestinians. He wrote a letter to UN secretary general, Ban Ki Mon, the letter was comprehensive
drawing attention to genocide, war crimes, state aggression and responsibilities of UN. The
enthusiasm he shows about criticizing present government is lacking in supporting Gaza. Had he
called of a campaign to collect donation for Palestinians or a combined demonstration all over the
country, everyone despite their political beliefs would have joined him.
Various political parties have staged protests against Israeli aggression but on small scale had they
collaborated the impact would have been greater. On 14th July, PML-N along with, Khyber Sports
Committee, Pakistan Youth Movement and PML (N) Minority wing protested in solidarity with
Palestine in Peshawar. The protesters were demanding Israel to stop its genocide in Gaza. On
16th July, PPP held a protest in front of Karachi Press club. The participants were asking the PM to
take apt action in favour of Gazan and demanding Israel to stop the atrocities. On 12 th August,
Jamaat-e- Islami organized a protest in Karachi in solidarity with Gaza. The demonstration was
joined by hundreds of students from private and public schools and seminaries participated. The
students were showing solidarity with Gaza and wanted an end to Israels insane violence. The
protest should have been more organized and on a larger frequency. The Pakistani media has not
given this issue the coverage it deserves.
In 1998, when Pakistan became the first Muslim nuclear power the Palestinians rejoiced and
celebrated it as they did Saddam Hussains spud missiles few years earlier. In fact Hamas leader
Sheik Ahmed Yassin, was the first one to welcome the success of Pakistans nuclear adventure. He
believed that it was the Islamic bomb and would address the Israeli supremacy of being a nuclear
power. He even thought that the stalled peace talk were because of Israeli nuclear attributes. Kamal
Kharrazi, Irans foreign minister was the first one to visit Pakistan after the tests. He spoke on the
behalf of more than 1 million Muslims, saying that it was a source of security for Muslim nations. It
would not be wrong to say that Palestine looked up to Pakistan from the times of Yasir Arfat the
iconic PLO leader.
Due to the socio-geographic position we occupy or our diplomatic skills, Pakistan was always
considered to be one Muslim country that was considered important by all Islamic states. Maybe it
was the ideology Pakistan was founded on; we always were there to initiate the Islamic cause.
Pakistan has maintained excellent diplomatic ties with most countries yet never acknowledged Israel
as a state. So for a country with such staunch beliefs the effort to support Gaza is simply not
enough.

Pakistan at the moment is surrounded with its own domestic issues, so the focus is too inward
looking. The army is engaged for over more than a decade with dealing Talibans, the issue of
internally displaced people is huge, the energy crisis is mammoth, the opposition is giving
government tough time from the day one. But there are certain issues that require aggressive
immediate response preferably from both opposition and the ruling party; the insane massacre in
Gaza is such an issue. As for the people of Pakistan they have simply forgotten about the esteem
needs, they are so occupied either by social pressures or demands of daily life that they simply
could not imagine the dire situation their brothers are in. Or maybe they have become insensitive
and they can only think about their next vacation or designer outfit. Whatever it is I hope we rise to
the occasion and revive our former glory as a resilient, conscious nation. What Palestinians teach us
today; to live and to keep on believing in their ideology.