The Daily Populous Saturday September 23rd, 2023 evening edition
Authored by tribune.com.pk and submitted by The-first-laugh

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar faced a backlash on social media following his address at the US think-tank Council for Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York, likening Pakistan's relationship with China to that of the United States with Israel.

“Pakistan enjoys a strategic relationship with China. We are very clear that there are people who would qualify Pakistan as ‘China’s Israel’. It is probably more a good analogy for American audience, because you do understand and appreciate the value of Israel for United States,” he said when questioned about Pakistan's ties with China.

“Pakistan and China have a lot in common in terms of the emerging threats within region. There are commonalities on certain issues, such as One-China policy, be it in Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan, we do share … the stated goals that we would stand shoulder to shoulder with each other, and it is reciprocated by China.”

Regarding the United States' scepticism towards Beijing, he emphasised the necessity of comprehensive engagement with China on economic, political, and social fronts. He expressed hope that reconciliation akin to the diplomatic efforts led by Henry Kissinger in the 1970s via Islamabad would materialise in the near future.

As some observers have noted, the premier’s analogy in his statement bears a resemblance to a quote attributed to Chinese General Xiong Guangkai, as cited in the introduction of Andrew Small's book "The China Pakistan Axis: Asia's New Geopolitics."

“Why would I want my country to be like ‘China’s Israel’? Why can we not just define Pakistan as Pakistan itself, and make it a prosperous example for the world to follow?” wrote PTI leader Taimur Khan Jhagra on his X handle.

Why would I want my country to be like "China's Israel?" Why can we not just define Pakistan as Pakistan itself, and make it a prosperous example for the world to follow?

Shockingly poor language to compare Pakistan with an apartheid state Pakistan doesn't recognise. https://t.co/7RqYGG7jUn — Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) September 22, 2023

“Shockingly poor language to compare Pakistan with an apartheid state [that] Pakistan doesn’t recognise,” he added.

“I did not expect better from Mr. Kakar. But, I did expect better from [Foreign Minister] Jalil [Abbas] Jilani,” wrote Supreme Court lawyer Zahid F. Ebrahim.

I did not expect better from Mr. Kakar. But, I did expect better from @JalilJilani. The caretaker FM should have vigorously opposed this outrageously wasteful foreign jaunt by a caretaker PM. pic.twitter.com/r9kmwCMod2 — Zahid F. Ebrahim (@zfebrahim) September 22, 2023

He said that the caretaker foreign minister should have vigorously opposed this “outrageously” wasteful foreign jaunt by a caretaker prime minister.

However, lawyer Dr Alizaan clarified that PM Kakar was not talking about the responsibility of any state, adding that he was trying to establish that just as Israel is a blue-eyed child to the US, Pakistan is to China.

PhilosopherHeavy5032 on September 23rd, 2023 at 15:08 UTC »

People in the comments ignored the most funny think that pak is comparing itself to Israel. But Pakistan does not even recognize Israel as a country.

loned__ on September 23rd, 2023 at 14:19 UTC »

The Pakistani comments against the Israel-Pakistan comparison focus more on how they hate being compared to Israel, instead of their relationship with China itself.

Pakistan could be seen as China’s Israel from a simplified geopolitical view. It’s an important ally to China, and a window to a distant region from the Chinese homeland. Chinese internal propaganda also portray Pakistani as the highest level partner they have. So while it’s not totally accurate, such comparison is not totally unfounded.

Soros_Liason_Agent on September 23rd, 2023 at 12:29 UTC »

Prime minister of a collapsing country filled with extremists and that can't even feed itself says some inflammatory things to rile up his extremist supporters. What's new?