As this thread is just getting polluted with willy off topic one liners about mutton Karahi and other irrelevant none - allow me to elaborate as to why Pakistan wil not recognise Israel:
Such a move would appear as blatant hypocrisy in the face of Pakistan's protests against India,
providing undesired ammunition to hardliners within the country.
Over the past year, the sands have been shifting in the Middle East, with the
UAE and Bahrain, among others, normalising relations with Israel. Discussion on Pakistan’s potential
recognition of Israel - a once-taboo subject - has gained steam on various media platforms across the country.
It is no secret that Pakistan has long had covert relations with Israel. General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, the former Pakistani president, once called Pakistan and Israel
ideological twins, and opened a
back channel between Mossad and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The two agencies cooperated in the 1980s against the Soviets in Afghanistan.
In July 2003, then-President Pervez Musharraf called for a domestic deliberation on the prospects of opening
diplomatic relations with Israel, suggesting that bilateral engagement could serve as a counterweight to India. Two years later, facilitated by Turkey, the foreign ministers of both states held what Tel Aviv hailed as a “
huge breakthrough” in Istanbul.
And according to a
WikiLeaks report published in 2010, the ISI contacted Israeli officials to head off potential attacks against Israeli targets in the wake of the 2008
Mumbai attacks.
Furthermore are we forgetting rumours of the Israeli registered Gulfstream that was parked in Noor Khan AFB in
2018?
There is no denying it that UAE and Saudi have lobbied Pakistan to recognize Israel to create a block against Iran:
Govt denies Israeli journalist’s assertion but opposition seeks "convincing" explanation.
www.dawn.com
During the
Covid-19 pandemic, the UAE’s
ban on issuing work visas to Pakistanis was also linked to Islamabad’s refusal to recognise Israel, since India - which has had more coronavirus cases - was not added to the list of mostly Muslim-majority countries refused entry by the Emirates.
Remember this revelation by Tahir Ul Qadri:
Find latest breaking, trending, viral news from Pakistan and information on top stories, weather, business, entertainment, politics, sports and more. For in-depth coverage, Samaa English provides special reports, video, audio, photo galleries, and interactive guides.
www.samaaenglish.tv
Time and again, the Pakistani leadership has vehemently denied all rumours pertaining to the subject of Israel. The reasons can be summed up in three main categories.
First and foremost is Kashmir. Pakistan has always built its case around the
parallels between Israeli atrocities against Palestinians and Indian abuses against Kashmiris.
Pakistan cannot continue condemning India for oppressing Kashmiris, while concurrently befriending Israel.
Advocacy for Kashmir is a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy. During the recent escalation of violence in Gaza, Pakistan was at the forefront in raising awareness and backing calls for a
ceasefire.
The Pakistani leadership has made it clear that under
no circumstances will it even think of recognising Israel until peace is achieved in Palestine.
Indian atrocities against Kashmiris reportedly take their
imprint from Israeli actions in Palestine.
The second reason, by virtue of geographical proximity, is Iran. Pakistan has been making visible strides to improve relations with its western neighbour, including through the Pakistani foreign minister’s
visit to Tehran earlier this year, which included a discussion on strengthening cross-border markets.
In light of the
China-Iran deal announced in March, Iran is now officially part of China’s vast Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the initiative’s flagship project, will unquestionably complement BRI projects in Iran. Given Washington’s visible angst over China’s economic rise, and the fact that both the US and Israel consider Iran an unwavering enemy - not to mention their strategic nexus with India - Islamabad can ill afford any relationship with Tel Aviv.
The third reason is Pakistan’s domestic audience. In the aftermath of the signing of the Abraham Accords, tens of thousands of Pakistanis
protested against the normalisation deal. January 2021 a “
million-man march” took place in Karachi against the prospect of Israel-Pakistan normalisation, making clear that a flood of public backlash and heightened security risks would follow any such move.
If Islamabad were to recognise Israel, it would appear as blatant hypocrisy in the face of Pakistan’s protests against India, providing undesired ammunition to hardliners within the country.
For Pakistan, the opportunity cost of officiating ties with Israel is too great. Pakistan has recently made strides in line with its foreign policy
pivot towards "geo-economics" - a focus on regional integration and sustainable development - something that is no doubt helping to augment a better international image. Any misdirected step at this juncture would be akin to shooting itself in the foot.
tribune.com.pk
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