Written By: Hasan Arsala
After more than two years of a bloody war waged by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza, during which up to seventy thousand Palestinians were martyred and many were left homeless, people still lack shelter in this cold winter. Their children continue to lose their lives due to freezing winds and rain. This comes at a time when Trump has presented a plan called the “Peace Board” to end the conflict between the Palestinian people and Israel. In reality, this plan was devised to safeguard American and Israeli interests and to suppress active movements in Palestine.
The objectives behind establishing the Peace Board by the American bloc include internationalizing Israel’s legitimacy, dividing Islamic countries, distributing the financial costs of Israeli wars among other countries, and reducing the influence of China, Russia, and Iran. Any country that joins the Board is, in effect, counted within the American bloc. Countries will be required to pay one billion U.S. dollars to join the Board and, under all circumstances, obey and comply with the decisions made by it.
Pakistan’s acceptance of membership in the “Peace Board” is not ceremonial; rather, it signifies economic compulsion, the formation of strategic ties, and a display of loyalty to the United States and Israel. This decision was made at a time when the Palestinian people were facing an ongoing genocide, waiting desperately for help from Muslims, their throats parched and their tears dried, yet no sign of assistance was visible even under a magnifying glass.
The Pakistani military regime, which has always portrayed itself as a sympathizer of Palestine and the broader Islamic world, is supported in this narrative by certain regime-affiliated clerics/scholars who strongly claim that the Pakistani army has the honor of being the protector of the Two Holy Mosques (Haramain) and that Pakistan is the first nuclear-armed Muslim country. Yet, under the banner of the Peace Board, Pakistan would stand shoulder to shoulder with Israeli soldiers against Palestinian civilians and resistance movements, effectively playing the role of hired killers and perpetuating Israel’s ongoing genocide in Palestine.
India, despite having strong and deep ties with Israel, refused to participate in this Board in order to preserve its independence. It likely also assessed that joining such a Board would provoke Muslim sensitivities globally against India and create long-term problems for it.
Pakistan’s security situation has been facing serious challenges for some time, and its military has failed to effectively control it. Nevertheless, regime-affiliated scholars such as Tahir Ashrafi, Mufti Abdul Rahim, and others repeatedly claim in meetings and interviews that India, Israel, and Afghanistan form a unified triangle. This narrative is shamelessly used to serve Pakistan’s internal politics, maintain military dominance, and divert public attention. However, Pakistan’s inclusion in the Peace Board has exposed the true status of these scholars, showing that they are willing to distort Qur’anic verses for a handful of money and dress falsehood in the garb of truth.
Afghanistan, which has only recently breathed a sigh of relief after nearly half a century of war and still bears deep wounds, has nevertheless supported the legitimate demands and struggle of the Palestinian people against Israeli aggression. It has repeatedly praised their sacrifices and resistance in official statements, raised its voice against the ongoing genocide, and assured its solidarity and cooperation with the Palestinian people.
In the draft presented by Trump for joining the Peace Board, a sum of one billion dollars is stipulated, meaning that any country seeking membership must pay this amount upfront. The critical question, however, is how Pakistan, already indebted by billions of dollars to the IMF, China, and various Arab countries and lacking the capacity to repay those debts, can afford to pay one billion dollars for membership in the Peace Board.
Some time ago, when Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir and the prime minister paid an official visit to the United States and met Trump in person, Asim Munir reportedly presented the U.S. president with precious gemstones in a special box. The aim was to persuade Trump to allow American companies to participate in extracting minerals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. It is widely believed that a deal was struck involving the minerals of these regions in exchange for Pakistan’s membership in the Peace Board.
Such a decision represented a historic and moral test for Pakistan’s ruling system. Unfortunately, for the sake of maintaining personal power, it chose partnership with the Israeli regime and decided to stand against a helpless Muslim nation. The Pakistani military regime thus demonstrated that it is not committed to any moral, human, or Islamic values and is prepared to make any compromise for the sake of its survival.
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