Pakistan's Silence on Gaza: A Call to Action

Strategic Insights -

A powerful video message from artist and activist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr has brought attention to Pakistan's limited response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Bhutto expressed dismay at the state's "subdued response" and the desensitization of the public to Palestinian suffering. He highlighted the devastating impact of the siege on Gaza, where people are dying of hunger and thirst, and called for tangible support from Pakistan.

Key Takeaways:

  • Bhutto criticized Pakistan's "very little" tangible support for the people of Gaza, despite some official statements from the government.
  • He noted that a recent protest in support of Gaza was sparsely attended, and that public apathy is a significant issue.
  • Bhutto questioned the use of English and Arabic slogans in protests, saying that using Urdu slogans would reflect a deeper ideological and political stance.
  • He claimed that Pakistan's government wants to recognize the Israeli state, which is why Pakistanis are not standing up for Palestine in their own language.
  • The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels, with over 61,000 Palestinians killed since October 7, 2023.
  • Hunger has become a weapon of war in Gaza, with food scarce and Targeted by Israeli forces.
  • Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, has urged the UN Security Council to intervene and stop Israel's "brutal and illegal war" on Gaza.
  • Bhutto believes that solidarity requires more than just online outrage or recycled slogans and that silence is a choice that constitutes complicity.

Statistics:

  • Over 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
  • Thousands of children are among the dead, and basic survival is becoming increasingly impossible.
  • Food is scarce and virtually non-existent in Gaza, with Israeli forces continuing to restrict aid and targeting distribution centres.
  • Hunger has become a weapon of war in Gaza, with starvation used to maximize suffering.

Sources:

  • Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr's Instagram account
  • Al Jazeera
  • Al Jazeera: Dr James Smith's testimony on starvation in Gaza
  • Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad's statement to the UN Security Council