In a recent column, Uzma Gul, daughter of the late Lt.-Gen. Hamid Gul – the chief of the Pakistani military's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) known for his role in fighting Soviet forces in Afghanistan in the 1980s, urged the state of Pakistan to support Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's call for the nuclear-armed Pakistan to threaten Israel.
Uzma Gul's column, titled "Stay Awake – Obligatory Duty" and published by the Urdu daily Roznama Jang, states:
"Hamas is the organization of the Palestinian mujahideen, which currently represents the entire Ummah. Their aim is not a ceasefire in Gaza, but only to stop the [Israeli] bombing of the civilian population." Her column follows a recent video address by Ismail Haniyeh to a convention of Islamic religious scholars in Islamabad, in which he said: "Pakistan is a strong country. If Pakistan threatens Israel, then the war can stop. We have high expectations of Pakistan. Pakistan can force Israel to retreat."[1]
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, addressing a conference in Islamabad, said: "If Pakistan threatens Israel, then the war can stop."
Following are excerpts from the Roznama Jang column by Uzma Gul:[2]
"Pakistan Is Undoubtedly The Fortress Of The World Of Islam, Where Oppressed, Weak, And Helpless Muslims From Around The Globe Seek Refuge And Feel Secure; We Pakistanis Have A Deep Sense Of The Pain Of The Islamic World"
Gul begins her column by summarizing the statements by leader of Hamas. "In the current situation of Palestine, the most significant statement in recent days is from the Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, with reference to Pakistan. At a time when more than two months have passed since Israel's aggressive bombing of the innocent civilian population in the Gaza Strip and the number of martyrdoms has exceeded even 16,000, this statement is of the utmost importance.
"This statement of Ismail Haniyeh is not only an expression of disappointment and lack of trust in the international community, including most of the Islamic countries, but also expresses his full confidence in Pakistan's ability and capability. He knows that the United States is currently supporting Israel in every possible way. Because of this, Israel, despite being a small, illegitimate country, is committing violations of all international laws and rules of war.
"In such challenging times, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas, and the Muslims of Gaza rely solely on Pakistan for hope. [Haniyeh] said: "We hope from Allah that we will destroy Israel's latest weapons and defeat it in its evil intentions." His view was that a ceasefire in Gaza could be possible if nuclear-capable Pakistan were to issue only a threat to Israel. Pakistan is undoubtedly the fortress of the world of Islam, where oppressed, weak, and helpless Muslims from around the globe seek refuge and feel secure. We Pakistanis have a deep sense of the pain of the Islamic world and the feeling of the Muslim Ummah.
"History is witness to the fact that by destroying that Ottoman Sultanate when the Ottoman Caliphate was being abolished, the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent launched the Khilafat Movement. At the Khilafat Conference of 1920, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad [who would later be the first education minister of free India] said, 'Islam's shari'a is that Muslims will have a Caliph or Imam in every era. A caliph is a sovereign, Muslim king, and ruler of the state and government who has full power to protect Muslims and their populations and promulgate and enforce shari'a and is fully capable of fighting [Islam's] enemies.'
Uzma Gul's column.
"[Maulana Abul Kalam Azad] gave the example of Iraq, saying that if a non-Muslim government wants to occupy it or bring it under its influence, it is not just a matter of territory leaving the hands of an Islamic country; rather, it will spread unbelief on Islamic land. So, in such a situation, the first duty of all Muslims of the world will be to stand up to liberate this territory.
"He further said that hundreds of thousands of Muslims have sacrificed their lives for Bait-ul-Muqaddas [i.e., Jerusalem] and have waged jihad against eight Crusades from Europe. Therefore, now it is obligatory on Muslims not to allow it to be captured again, and if this is happening, this obligation is not only for the Muslim population there, but for all Muslims worldwide.
"Considering it a purely religious issue, the first to agree on this point were the learned religious scholars, people of knowledge and understanding, experts known for their scholarship and speech, pioneers of knowledge and thought, the scholars of religion and the world, and the mujahid people active in the field of action. They launched the Khilafat Movement for the survival and long-term protection of the Muslims of the world."
Pakistani "'Liberals' – Instead Of Calling This War [Against Soviet Forces In Afghanistan] A Jihad – Allege That It Was Fought After America Urged It And Offered Money"; These Liberals "Deliberately Ignore The Historical Fact That In The Initial Two Years Of This Jihad, Pakistan, Under The Leadership Of General Zia-Ul-Haq, Provided Aid Solely From Its Own Resources"
"The truth is that Ismail Haniyeh is saying what he is feeling. The entire Islamic world also has the same feeling regarding Pakistan. The invasion of the communist Soviet Union in Afghanistan, and the nefarious desire to establish its dominance over the independent Afghans ended after a ten-year struggle by the Afghan mujahideen. But all this was possible due to the financial, moral, and military training provided by Pakistan [thereby ending with the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan].
"However, many 'liberals' – instead of calling this war a jihad – allege that it was fought after America urged it, offering money and tarnishing [the jihad's] reputation. [The liberals] deliberately ignore the historical fact that in the initial two years of this jihad, Pakistan, under the leadership of General Zia-ul-Haq, provided aid solely from its own resources.
"Two years later, due to Zia-ul-Haq's foresight, understanding, and higher diplomacy, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and other countries, seeing the signs of the success of this jihad, extended their support. After only two years, countries eager to humiliate the Soviet Union began knocking on Pakistan's door, one after another. They were ready to give all kinds of support to Pakistan in this jihad against the Soviet Union. Thus Pakistan defeated one of the world's superpowers with its superior strategy.
"By contrast, President [Pervez] Musharraf, with his unilateral cowardly decision [to support the U.S.-led War on Terror], not only sacrificed 80,000 Pakistanis in another's war, but, due to his lack of foresight, turned a Pakistani passport into a humiliating and disgraced [document] around the world, as the Pakistanis as a nation were declared terrorists. Due to the wrong policies of President Musharraf, Pakistan suffered such international isolation that India is still deriving benefits from it."
"Our Caretaker Government [Of Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar], Unaware Of Pakistan's 75-Year-Old Policy On Israel, Repeatedly Mentions The So-Called Two-State Solution, Which Is Actually A Pathway To Accepting Israel Surreptitiously"
"Whether it is the issue of Bosnia or Rohingya, or any place where Muslims are in distress, everyone hopes for support from Pakistan because it is the only Muslim state in the world established based on the ideology of Islam. So, only it can be a source of solace for their pain.
"Today, our caretaker government [under Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar], unaware of Pakistan's 75-year-old policy on Israel, repeatedly mentions the so-called two-state solution, which is actually a pathway to accepting Israel surreptitiously. Quaid-e-Azam ["The Great Leader," i.e., Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan] declared the Israeli state an illegitimate child of Europe and made it clear that Israel would not be recognized in any way.
"The problem of Palestine cannot be seen separately from religion because it is the problem of the entire Islamic world. The land of Palestine belongs to Muslims! Even the idea of creating a separate state in it for someone else is unacceptable. The protection of the First Qibla [i.e., Jerusalem] and Al-Aqsa Mosque is obligatory on all Muslims.
Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar.
"Hamas is the organization of Palestinian mujahideen, which is currently representing the entire Ummah. Their aim is not a ceasefire in Gaza, but only to stop the bombing of the civilian population, because cowardly Israel is targeting unarmed Palestinian civilians instead of fighting the mujahideen of Hamas on the battlefield.
"Now the time has come for the Islamic world, especially Pakistan, to openly declare its position on Israel, and to fulfil this obligatory duty [i.e., to accede to Ismail Haniyeh's call on nuclear-armed Pakistan to threaten the state of Israel]."
The column ends: "There not a cure for you either in Geneva or in London; The lifeblood of the Britishers' vein is in the claws of the Jews."
[1] MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1733, Islamic Scholars' Convention In Islamabad Calls For Jihad Against Israel, Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Tells Nuclear-Armed Pakistan: 'If Pakistan Threatens Israel, Then The Gaza War Can Stop; Jews Are Muslims' Greatest Enemy In The World', December 12, 2023.
[2] Roznama Jang (Pakistan), December 12, 2023.
