PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday said that it “seems like the government is prepared to recognize Israel as a state”. The PML-N vice-president, addressing a press conference in Islamabad, said that if this is contrary to the truth, then “why hasn’t the government issued a denial?”
“If you have taken a decision, then inform the people about it, as this is not a personal decision for you alone to make,” Maryam said to the government, stressing that the nation be taken into confidence in the matter.
Responding to a question, the PML-N leader expressed anger and rejected speculations of her striking a deal with the government. “ّWhy do you people always ask about deals in everything?”
“Why would we strike a deal with those whom we are against. Are we crazy that we would strike a deal with those people?” Maryam asked.
Speaking of the July 25 elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, she said that “the party has given me the responsibility to run the election campaign in Azad Jammu and Kashmir”.
I am not needed at places or events where PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif is in attendance, she said. It may be noted that Maryam was not present at the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s anti-government rally in Swat held two days earlier.
“PML-N is in a strong position in Azad Kashmir, and if transparent elections are held, then there is no doubt that the PML-N will win there,” Maryam said.
The PML-N vice president further said that the entire PTI “is at loggerheads with each other”. “If the elections are held, their situation will be plain for all to see. This government will not come again when it leaves,” she said.
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Maryam said that the choice must always remain with the people, when it comes to electing the country’s leadership. “In the case of Imran Khan, the nation has seen the result of such a choice,” she added.
Arab world normalizing ties with Israel?
The Arab world has recently been seen resolving its conflict with Israel. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) normalized ties in August 2020. Bahrain and Sudan did in September and October respectively. Before August, only two Arab countries had official ties with Israel – Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.
Before that, the Arab state’s official recognition of Israel was conditional on the end of the occupation of Palestinian territories and the establishment of the two-state solution on the 1967 borders.
Analysts believe that the UAE has its eyes set on acquiring the US-made F-35 fighter jets, which could potentially shift the balance of power in the region. Israel is the only country in the region that has F-35s but dropped its opposition to their sale to the UAE after it said the US had assured it that Israeli military superiority would be preserved.
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Experts, opinion makers and independent analysts in Islamabad believe that Pakistan’s popular discourse is unlikely to allow it to recognize Israel in the coming few years. It is also important to note the new alliance e.g. Turkey, Iran, and Malaysia as a new powerful bloc in the Muslim world is also playing an important role in Pakistan’s case. Pakistan is likely to stand by Iran and China in the coming years which may result a paradigm shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy with regard to Saudi Arabia.