Thawing relations?

A sensational controversy rocked the Pakistani government recently when the news trickled in that a number of Pakistani expats and some citizens travelled to Israel from the US. This was discussed in Pakistan's parliament, media conferences, public meetings and other platforms. The trip's main organiser, Anila Ali, who heads the Non-Government Organisation (NGO) called American Muslim Multifaith Women's Empowerment Council (AMMWEC), disclosed to a prominent Pakistani newspaper that they had arranged special permission from the PTI government for one of its members, a Pakistani citizen, to travel to Israel. The said individual, a woman, was assured that she will not be harmed due to her Israel visit. On the other hand, Anila Ali also claimed that her NGO aims to build inter-faith ties with people of different communities in the US. More significantly, the aim was towards forging a natural alliance with Muslims and Jews as formidable partners for the future scheme of things.

This raging controversy is unlikely to die down soon as it is being politically exploited to malign the erstwhile Imran Khan dispensation that has been accused of encouraging this trip. Ahmed Quarishi, the Pakistani Television (PTV) journalist who accompanied the delegation to Israel, revealed to the press that the Imran Khan regime had initiated the unexpected debate on Pakistan-Israel relations. He denied rather categorically that the Pakistani delegation had anything to do to lobby for establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and Pakistan, and it was only to promote interfaith harmony, Muslim-jewish reconciliation, and the Abraham Accords. Quarishi, a full-time employee of PTV, was however dismissed from service summarily which he has contested. He further said in his defence that the government's announcement meant that it was endorsing PTI leadership's "false claims" about a state employee being sent to Israel. In his opinion, the statement that the government issued through PTV was a political one, possibly trying to give the PTI leadership a concession. He also claimed that the purpose of his delegation's visit had "nothing to do with Pakistan". Quraishi also alleged that the matter was dragged into Pakistani politics and politicized by Shireen Mazari, who used photos of the trip to claim that the Shehbaz Sharif government was conducting covert diplomacy with Tel Aviv. This has further messed up things.

Notwithstanding the facts, as discussed above, it would be pertinent to point out that it was former President Pervez Musharraf who, during his tenure, had met the vibrant jewish lobby in the US to use their good offices to facilitate a toehold in Tel Aviv for a thaw in the bilateral ties. As a hawk and a military dictator who always had India in mind while formulating external and internal policies, wanted to befriend Israel to strike a balance. He was indeed short of vision, as the general Pakistani public and the highly Islamized Pakistan's society with religious radicals still calling the shots, would always be vehemently opposed to Pakistan getting close to Israel, chiefly on the issue of Palestine and Zionism.

Furthermore, it is quite possible that a segment in the Pakistani establishment had encouraged the NGO under discussion to use a `trial balloon' to test the waters. It is also likely that the jewish lobby too had been thinking of alluring Pakistan's security establishment to instigate them to invite Israeli companies for investments in Pakistan. Their role and priorities have always been more commercial and less political. Several Israeli companies are active in the sale of security spyware and intelligence-related equipment, and they have gone all over the world with spectacular success. Pakistan, essentially a military-dominated country with India as its arch enemy, could be an ideal marketing turf for the Israeli business houses.

Hence, this possibility is also not ruled out. However, if Pakistan officially goes ahead in warming up to Israel (which does not look feasible), public sentiment within the country will go ballistic and it will be an exercise in futility. This is evident by unsavoury and knee-jerk response to this sensational move. It is also worth noting that of late, Israel has warmed up to its adversaries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Both these countries have one thing common with Israel, Iran as their enemy. It's not the case with Pakistan. Saudi Arabia and UAE have regimes which can control the public opinion within but Pakistan cannot. In other words, the `trial balloon' is pricked and burst. Hence, the move by this NGO is a non-starter. On their part, the current Pakistani government will also play safe by exercising utmost caution. As things stand today, it's a fragile coalition saddled with countless uncertainties. Opening a new front will be suicidal and any signal of getting proximate to Israel will incur the wrath of many. Surely, the new dispensation cannot afford to take that risk.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, a security analyst and a former National Security Advisor to the PM of Mauritius. Views expressed are personal