Repugnant racism
THE ongoing conflict in Palestine has brought out the worst amongst many self-professed democrats in the West, as they have cheered on Israel’s excesses, and participated in the dehumanisation of the Palestinians.
Particularly galling are efforts by the US administration to block a ceasefire and give Gaza’s besieged population a breather. When asked recently about calls for a ceasefire, the White House press secretary termed these calls “repugnant … and disgraceful”.
Moreover, as reported in the American media, a State Department memo has advised US diplomats against using phrases such as “restoring calm, end to violence/ bloodshed” and “de-escalation/ ceasefire”. From the looks of it, Washington has given Israel the green light to carry on its butchery of the Palestinian people, while drowning out calls for ending the violence.
Other members of the Western fraternity are no better. France has banned pro-Palestine rallies to preserve “public order”. Ironically, in the land of liberté, egalité and fraternité, these vaunted ideals are out of bounds for Palestinians or those who sympathise with them.
In the UK, the ultra-hawkish home secretary has asked police to consider banning Palestinian flags and chants. While the Western states never tire of touting the sanctity of free speech, apparently this right is again only reserved for those critical of Palestine, and supportive of Israel. Back in the US, there have been reports that students and activists who have participated in pro-Palestine events have been harassed, or visited by FBI agents.
These developments seem to indicate that to the Western elite, Israel represents ‘us’, to be mourned and avenged, while the Palestinians are symbolic of ‘them’, to be damned and preferably eliminated.
While anti-Semitism — reviling Jewish people — is unacceptable, anti-Zionism — the critique of Israel’s founding philosophy — is kosher, as is criticism of Israel’s violent history of Palestinian repression. Israel is a colonial settler state that was established with the blessings of empire, by ethnically cleansing the native Arab population.
Over the past seven decades, it has fine-tuned violence against the Palestinian people, and what occurred last Saturday was the result of 75 years of repression, humiliation and murder. At its core, the Palestinian struggle is one of liberation and dignity. Perhaps that is why people across the Muslim world, as well as the Global South, and conscientious citizens in the West, stand in solidarity with Palestine.
What is repugnant is not the call to end violence in Gaza, but Western hypocrisy and racism towards the Palestinians. Quite obviously, many Western governments — and segments of the Western media — have shown that they stand with the oppressor, and refuse to consider Palestinians as human beings.
Next time the great and the good in the West lecture others about human rights, their stand on Palestine’s civilian population will render their rhetoric hollow.
Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2023
Disappointing match
IT was the inexplicable batting collapse that undid Pakistan’s bid for a first World Cup victory against India; their hopes and expectations — as well as those of their 240m countrymen — being burned down by their arch-rivals in the Ahmedabad cauldron. Everything was going against the 11 men in green.
A crowd of 120,000 had turned the Narendra Modi Stadium into a sea of blue, but still, there can be no excuse for the way in which the side crumbled. From their initial position of strength at 155-2, Pakistan lost their last eight wickets for just 36 runs, with India able to reach their target of 192 without hassle and extending their World Cup record against Pakistan to 8-0.
Babar Azam’s men will need some bouncing back from this humbling seven-wicket loss to their hosts.
For all the momentum that they had built up following their record victory over Sri Lanka, for all the pre-match talk by skipper Babar that previous defeats to India did not matter, Pakistan once again came up well short against their adversaries.
This was a shambolic performance, with India exposing Pakistan’s shortcomings on the field that, in fact, were already a point of discussion in the lead-up to the tournament: the brittle middle order as well as the bowling struggles of the team.
Victories against the Netherlands — by 81 runs — and Sri Lanka — where Babar’s men had chased down a World Cup record score of 344 — had, in a way, masked those frailties. India, though, capitalised on those weaknesses.
There was a welcome return to form for Babar, who struck 50, but once Pakistan’s batting mainstay departed, no one really stood up and took responsibility.
The in-form Mohammad Rizwan — who shared an 82-run stand with Babar for the third wicket — made just two runs after his captain’s dismissal before being sent back for 49. There seemed to be no plan in place to limit the damage, and worse still, Pakistan were sent packing in the 43rd over.
Babar appeared to be at a loss for words to explain the collapse and admitted his side didn’t have the cutting edge with the new ball after seeing India race to victory.
The euphoria has come crashing down and a deep inquest is needed, the underperforming ones need to stand up and be counted if Pakistan are to revive their campaign.
Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2023
Dirty energy
SINDH Industry Minister Younus Dagha’s recent call for the ‘aggressive’ use of coal in the country’s energy mix — given its low cost — is problematic on several counts. Although affordability is an important consideration for a financially strapped country like Pakistan, reliance on coal would be worrisome given the environmental implications. Coal is considered the dirtiest of all fossil fuels. When burned, it produces sulphuric acid and nitric acid which cause acid rain and other forms of pollution. Coal also produces the least energy for every CO2 molecule it emits into the atmosphere, thus enhancing the greenhouse effect and leading to global warming. Even if we consider Mr Dagha’s argument that after the Ukraine war, Europe, China and the US increased their coal dependence, comparing Pakistan’s carbon footprint to larger nations can be a misleading premise. Just because our footprint is ‘miniscule’ in comparison, it shouldn’t give us a free pass to increase it further. And while it is easy to point out that growing economies such as India and China are heavy coal users, it must also be considered they are actively exploring and investing in renewable energy to shed their reliance on coal. Pakistan should focus on harnessing the vast potential of its own renewable resources.
It is heartening to note that according to the 10-year Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan, the country aims to produce 60pc of electricity through non-fossil fuels by 2030. However, maximising the use of coal for the remaining 40pc would nullify these very efforts. Given our potential in hydel, wind and solar energy — with hydel already contributing 37.6pc to the energy mix according to August data — these indigenous, renewable sources should be further explored and optimised. While coal might offer a temporary economic respite, the environmental repercussions are far-reaching and long-term. Pakistan must carve out an energy strategy that not only caters to its immediate needs but also ensures a green and sustainable future.
Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2023