“Israel-Palestine War: Challenges for Pakistan’s Foreign Policy”
NIPP has taken a timely step to gather the experts to discuss a very delicate and important issue of Israel-Palestine War, held on 13th December, 2023. Dr. Sumreen Khalil presented Content Analysis of Newspaper Articles and Government of Pakistan’s Stance on Israel-Palestine War. Panelists Lt-Gen (R) Asad Durrani, Former ISI Chief & Author, Dr. Musadik Masood Malik, Minister Petroleum, Former Senater, Mr. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Former Foreign Secretary, Dr. Hasan Askari Rizvi, Defense Analyst, Mr. Javed Husain, Former Ambassador, Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Senator, and Ms. Nasim Zehra, Anchor & Analyst expressed pertinent and penetrating views and comments. Based on the roundtable discussion, following recommendations have been made:
Pakistan should uphold its principled stance against the use of force in geopolitical conflicts, emphasizing diplomatic consistency and commitment to certain values. This includes maintaining a strong stance on the Israel-Palestine issue in alignment with major Arab and Muslim countries.
Pakistan must adopt a confident and assertive approach to call for an urgent ceasefire, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of Israeli actions and advocating for the right to self-determination for both Palestinians and Kashmiris.
A well-articulated policy statement on the Israel-Palestine issue should be developed, balancing economic dependencies and complex geopolitical considerations while reminding the international community of the humanitarian consequences of Israeli actions.
Pakistan should leverage the current global solidarity with Palestine to draw attention to the Kashmir issue, emphasizing the need for a strong economic and political environment to have relevance in international affairs.
To address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and highlight the Kashmir issue, a coordinated media strategy should be formulated, including the observance of ‘Palestine Day’ and efforts to convene an Islamic Summit Conference on the Israel-Palestine war.
