Daily Times

In an unprecedented development, visuals of Pakistani dates, dry fruits and spices on display in a Jerusalem market have been making rounds on social media for several days. International media outlets and Jewish advocacy groups were quick to pick up the buzz as a rare trade opening, which could have “wider implications” for both economy and the region. Our side of the world responded just as instantaneously; dusting off cloaks and daggers to stir fury in all corners. Following their own footprints of last year, the opposition again decried this as an opening gambit that would go against Pakistan’s official boycott of Israel.

Despite diplomatic recognition by prominent Gulf countries, Islamabad refuses to budge from its decades-old position reasserting its perception as the flag-bearer of Islam. Even today, when the treasury is flatlining in the intensive care unit, we are more invested in keeping the old rationale of nationalism alive, no matter what the cost may be. Political differences aside, the reluctance in reading the tea leaves reigns the roost on both sides of the divide. The sitting government was just as passionate in sending its message across. As the commerce ministry rubbished claims as “sheer propoganda,” the special representative on interfaith harmony jumped to the front with his thumbs down and official mouthpieces dug through the archives to pass the responsibility to their rivals, no one believes in even a faint-hearted attempt to sort out the foreign policy priorities. With Israel busy making inroads in all key members of the Muslim world, Pakistan would be forced to consider the normalisation debate sooner rather than later. Had we realised that our brethren had already lost their appetite for leveraging to secure the Palestinian crusade, the authorities could have done a far better job at going back to the whiteboard and chalking out their new strategy. A while ago, a retired army chief had caused a furore over declaring a shift from geopolitics to geoeconomics. He might have learned the trick from his controversial predecessor, who used to take great delight in antagonising the religious elite by smugly asking, “Pakistan-Israel, why not?” But fears of diluting our basic identity and the widespread reservations about bowing down to the western demands become a spanner in the realistic works of every administration. Then again, many speculate how opening doors to the Jewish lobby would translate into our advocacy for the Kashmiri cause.

The usual fantastical players throwing a few lowballs can, however, not do much to erase the writing on the wall: the salvation lies in making new bridges, not being proud of burned connections. Maybe now would be a good time to consider the miles Pakistan can willingly go for its own sake while staying true to the promises to its Palestinian brothers and their fight for their homeland. *