While the eyes of the whole world are on Palestine, Pakistan convened an All Parties Conference (APC) to arrive at a united and firm position on the matter. But guess who was absent on this important occasion? Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the party of the imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan. Being in jail may perhaps be an excuse for missing a wedding, but it cannot be an excuse for staying away from a conference called on a matter of national and global importance. Political leadership does not end behind prison walls. Imran Khan's complete silence on the All Parties Conference, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's refusal to attend, say a great deal about his priorities and his lack of interest.
Vital for some, unimportant for others
Imran Khan has always claimed to support the Palestinian cause, and during his time as prime minister he made the issue part of his speeches. So why the silence now? He is in jail, but he could have been expected, through his party, to try at least to take part in this important meeting on Palestine. The PTI's absence is a sign that it is reluctant to take part in the national dialogue on Palestine, perhaps until Imran Khan himself is the central figure.
An important opportunity lost
Leadership is what stands firm during crises. The PTI could easily have used the APC as an important opportunity to show the nation that, despite being in jail, Imran Khan remains an important figure on issues of national significance. Instead, there was complete silence from his party. Even in Imran Khan's absence, many had expected his team to issue a statement or take a position, because if he can tweet from jail on domestic political issues, he could surely have said something about Palestine too.
But the real reason for this retreat may be political: Imran Khan may be calculating that staying silent could bring him political benefit. According to recent reports in the Israeli media, there is a widespread view that Imran Khan could in future become the figure who establishes relations between Pakistan and Israel.
Is Imran Khan pro-Israel?
The situation is more astonishing than ironic: at a time when Israel is debating the future of Palestine, Israeli commentators are speculating about Imran Khan's possible role in arranging relations between Pakistan and Israel. According to the reports, Imran Khan's Western connections (such as the Goldsmith family) suggest that if anyone in Pakistan can pave the way for talks with Israel, it is Imran Khan. The Israeli media are portraying Imran Khan as an opportunist who may be ready to normalise relations with Israel.
This widely spreading suspicion lends further weight to the questions about the absence of Imran Khan's party from the All Parties Conference. Did Imran Khan deliberately decide to stay out of the APC so that he could keep his flexibility over his possible future dealings with Israel? His silence does not look like mere neglect but rather a calculated political move to remain ambiguous between the sides.
No political unity for life
The All Parties Conference on the situation in Palestine was meant to present a unanimous Pakistani position that rose above domestic politics; instead, the APC has exposed the political divisions within the country. Imran Khan's absence, or refusal to take part, exemplifies the rift that characterises Pakistan's political situation. Rather than using the occasion to show national unity, Imran Khan made political rivalries his priority.
Where was the leadership?
Supporters of Imran Khan may argue that his imprisonment grants him a concession, but real leadership goes beyond physical presence. Imprisoned political leaders around the world find some way of contributing to major national debates, particularly on matters of foreign policy: statements can be issued from jail, voices from outside can be heard and messages can be sent. Despite all this, Imran Khan's party did not fill this void at the All Parties Conference, which indicates that the absence was a deliberate act and a damaging decision.
A political manoeuvre or genuine indifference?
Imran Khan's decision to ignore the All Parties Conference called over Palestine sends a clear message that, for him, political “gamesmanship” takes precedence over every issue, even the Israel-Palestine conflict. The former prime minister's voice and statements from his party were clearly absent from the APC, and this silence is not merely incidental but calculated.
The withdrawal from a dialogue on Palestine by a political leader who, as prime minister, made Palestine the centrepiece of his foreign policy narrative raises serious questions at a time when his opinion could have mattered. This silence, together with the voices speaking of possible future relations with Israel, suggests that for Imran Khan Palestine could prove a pawn in the larger game of political chess, a reality that Pakistan can in no circumstances afford.
