Protest for Palestinian: PM Imran should weigh cost of populist politics for FP



Protest for Palestinian: PM Imran should weigh cost of populist politics for FP

Jan Achakzai 

As there seems to be still no diplomatic solution to the conflict  between Hamas in  Gaza and Isreal,  Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has launched public relation moves to express solidarity with Palestine  asking for a state level protest against Isreal this week.

Since the ordinary population is enraged over the plight of Palestinians and are looking for emotional catharsis, this is why from right wing to left wing political persuasions besides PM are in race to weaponise the conflict. 


Prime Minister in the backdrop do not want to be seen to be behind them though he may not genuinely belive in it. 


Yes It is a populist move. But PM is better advised to be careful as to how far he wants to be populist and what could be the opportunity cost in terms of diplomatic fall out. 


Pime Minister did the same thing last time against France by raising a campaign of Islamophobia and he tried to rally the supporter of some Arab and non Arab countries but failed. However, the campaign stirred a strong reaction of EU culminating in anti-Pakistan resolution in European Parliament and threat of withdrawing GSP Plus status. 

Worse was relations with Saudi Arabia when Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qaurashi publicly humiliated the KSA on Kashmir. The government could not mange the negative consequence, i. e, cancelation of loan deferment. Then the Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa intervened and managed to calm soothing anger of the KSA. 


Emotions, feelings well and good are all good  but no capicty to turn them operationally something tangable or mitigate the negative ramifications in international geo-politics should infome policy decisions. Brash acts will damage Pakistan's standing further when it has weak economic, diplomatic and political heft. 


Provoking public may lead to  violent backlash. Too much pandering to the right wing suits politically but may have strong geo-political impact. 


The government needs to weigh the fact that almost all the cabinet including CIA head of the Biden admin are Jews so Pakistan needs to recalibrate. Afterwards we have to hire big pr firms and pay dollars to carve out a space for our interests to be safeguarded. 


Looking from here, India very cleverly  de-hyphenated  Isreal and Palestinian policies supporting Palestanians as ( "the right Palestanian cause" in UNSC) vs keeping a balancing act with Isreal, so is the case with Turkey and Egypt trying to broker a ceasfire with Hamas and Isreal. Equally UAE was also smart to articulate Palestinian interests in front of Isreal and is pressuring PM Natanyaho. 


Understandably Pakistan  do not need to do balancing act with Isreal as we have no formal diplomatic relations  but we should not be populist to the extent of provoking Christian-Jewish backlash incurring  geo-political cost . End 

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