
The dream of freedom for the people of Kashmir and creation of a sovereign Palestinian state runs deep in the hearts of all Pakistanis. Pakistan has long held a clear stance on both these issues, a plebiscite for Kashmir and a two-state solution for Palestine. Although these demands resonate with the ideology of our country, these demands ignore the political dimensions of the contemporary world — Pakistan enjoys little political standing at the international stage. If Pakistan is true to the cause of Kashmir and Palestine, its rulers have to pledge to make the country an economic powerhouse. Only then can the country earn a sturdy political standing on the world stage and be diplomatically strong enough to push for the cause of Palestine and Kashmir. Without this, lobbying against the strategic interests of other more powerful countries will prove to be futile and can severely affect the already ailing economy.
The fact of the matter is that Pakistan cannot afford to lose its remaining allies on demands that are not in the strategic interests of our allies. However, that does not mean that we give up on the cause of freedom. It is the need of the hour that we refrain from losing our allies and rather focus on making Pakistan economically and diplomatically strong.
Muhammad Mudassar
Jhelum
Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2020.
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