ISLAMABAD: Professor Sami Al-Arian, eminent Palestinian scholar and Director of the Centre for Islamic & Global Affairs (CIGA) at Istanbul, has said that Pakistan is a source of strength for the Palestinian people as a nuclear Muslim state that does not recognise Israel and whom Israel considers a threat for her. “Palestinians are thankful to Pakistan for raising their voice at all forums of the world, including the UN.”
He said this in his special lecture on “Emerging Middle East & Zionist-Hindutva Nexus” hosted by International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC) in collaboration with Pakistan Africa Institute for Development and Research (Paidar) in Islamabad.
Senator Sitara Ayaz, Secretary General IPC and former senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, President Paidar, jointly hosted the lecture and also expressed their views on the topic. Renowned journalist Hamid Mir shared his views about the Palestine issue and Pakistan’s role in support of their cause, especially the close relationship between Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mufti Amin Al Husseini, the then grand mufti of Jerusalem.
Conducting the lecture, Mushahid Hussain shed light on the historic ground realities of the Palestine issue and Pakistan’s national policy on Kashmir. “Kashmir is our jugular vein and Israel not acceptable as it is an illegitimate state.”
He said the national policy of Pakistan regarding Israel was formed by the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah even before the independence.
He shared the first letter to any world leader written by the then governor general of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam to the then US president Harry Truman on 13th December, 1947 about the illegal status of the Israeli state.
The former senator enlightened the participants on Pakistan’s unique and exclusive role in the Palestine-Israel conflict based on pan-Islamic solidarity. He shared that Pakistan happens to be the only non-Arab country that fought two wars against Israel and downed several Israeli fighter jets.
He detailed that in June 1967, PAF pilots flew planes of Jordan and Iraq and in October 1973, Pakistani pilots took part in the Arab-Israel war from the Syrian and Egyptian side.
Mushahid Hussain presented a comparison of Palestine and Kashmir issues and welcomed the attendance of Hurriyat leaders from occupied Kashmir -- Ghulam Mohammad Safi and Hameed Lone -- in the lecture.
He urged upon the Muslim regimes to quit hypocrisy as they were trying to hunt with the hound and run with the hare, and join hands together against the Hindutva-Zionist nexus. He lauded Iran’s heroic resistance to aggression, adding Iran was targeted because of its support to Palestine.
In his lecture, Prof Sami shared his valuable perspectives on evolving geopolitical realities and global challenges with special focus on recent developments in the Middle East, US-Israel war on Iran and Pakistan’s mediation to save the region from any major catastrophe.
The Palestinian-American professor and political analyst expressed his vision to break down the war of aggression against Iran, its causes, and what could come next.
Dr Sami Al-Arian, a longtime scholar and activist on Middle East politics, discussed the regional stakes and the wider implications of the conflict.
He said governments had their own limitations but civil society was free to raise its voice against the global threat of Zionism. “If we want peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond in Muslim world, we have to dismantle the ideology of Zionism.”
The speakers pointed out that two strong moves had been seen in the last two decades to recognise Israel by Pakistan but the firm, popular stand of Pakistanis against Israel as an illegitimate state thwarted the attempts supported by certain quarters.
The speakers said that the reaction from Pakistani society, organisations and opinion makers left Israel and her sympathisers in Pakistan disappointed.
Professor Sami shared what happened to the nuclear programmes of Iraq and Iran, saying Iraqi nuclear weapons were destroyed by Israel. “Now the Iranian programme is under attack. This is why they want no Muslim state to be powerful for defence.”
He mentioned Pakistan as a sole Muslim nuclear state that survived the Zionist conspiracies and became a source of courage for the whole Muslim world.
Hamid Mir said that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Indian PM Narendra Modi happen to be partners in crime with their respective agendas of Zionism and Hindutva.
He said a large number of citizens in their own countries were criticising their policies of jingoism.
The event was attended by prominent people from their respective fields including diplomacy, bureaucracy, parliament, retired generals, civil society and media.
They included Additional Foreign Secretary Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan, Chairman Islamabad Strategic Studies Institute Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, former ambassador Sarwar Naqvi, Major General (retd) Dr Raza and Major General (retd) Ehsan Mahmood.
