Daily Times

Only last year, a Taliban spokesperson had confidently stood before a line of cameras and very straightforwardly ruled out any relations with Israel. Nothing out of the ordinary, because no Afghan government had ever shown any inclination towards recognition of the country.

However, another face on Kabul’s team has now decided to go in another direction by proclaiming, “What problem do we have with Israel?” This openness to consider establishing relations comes as a great shock to the much-talked-about unwavering stance of the Muslim brotherhood on the Palestine dispute.

However, the decades-old Arab League position has long been kicked out of the park because of changing landscape in the Middle East. Countries like the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco already enjoy diplomatic relations and US President Joe Biden is very publicly trying to build linkages to other members of the lot.

The multi-million dollar question for Pakistan, therefore, remains the same as has been in the last few years. Where does Islamabad stand in the Abraham Club passionately pandering to all our Arab friends? It was only a few months ago that speculations about a possible thawing of the ice had led to an uproar across the nation. Pakistan would soon follow suit and warm up to Tel Aviv was a heated mantra that had everyone from the ruling party jump forward with clarifications.

Earlier in 2005, another similar attempt was quickly shelved by General Musharraf out of fear of the public’s reaction. What transpired in Afghanistan has more to do with Kabul’s own desperation for recognition. After all, a country suffering from strictly enforced sanctions and billions of its funds frozen by Washington is fast running out of options as it fishes for even a semblance of a lifeline. But that Islamabad would, sooner or later, be forced to stare in the eyes of its foreign policy and take a stand, either way, is a ground reality.

The coming days might bring with them pressure from our friends. Ergo, it would be wise to deliberate upon the issue at length in the parliament as well as take stock of what the masses want. The Palestinian cause might have lost support in the Middle East, but nearly all of Pakistan is just as passionate about the righteousness of its claims and the determination of its struggle.

However, so choppy are our own waters and so fragile our own share of the global roundtable that our support has largely been reduced to colourful banners and yearly rallies. Meanwhile, the stronger party continues with its grabs for more members from this side of the divide. In stark contrast to what famous reformer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, had emphasised, morality is, clearly, slipping out of the grooves of the celestial wheels. *