Qamar Bashir

In a pivotal diplomatic move, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League initially were scheduled to hold separate sessions, but the gravity of the situation prompted a joint gathering hosted by Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. This unified front aimed to showcase solidarity on a pressing issue: punitive actions against Israel.

The collective anticipation of the entire Muslim Ummah rested on the hope for a unified stance against Israel’s egregious actions. The expectation was for a resolute declaration labeling Israel as a terrorist state, holding it accountable for the ruthless and cold-blooded killing of over 11,000 civilians, perpetrated with total impunity. The desire extended to leveraging oil as a powerful weapon, intended to compel the United States and its ally Israel to yield, humbled at the feet of justice.

The fervent aspiration included a call to deny airspace to Israel and its allies across Muslim nations and among those who champion humanitarian values. It sought to cut off all air, land, and sea routes to Israel, implementing a comprehensive boycott of Israeli products and those supporting its cause. The call further resonated with the imperative of severing diplomatic ties with Israel and its supporters, deploying all available tools and pressures to enforce a two-state solution. This envisioned solution aimed to grant Palestinians the freedom to live in accordance with their religious beliefs, customs, and social values, free from any form of intimidation, coercion, or humiliation.

However, the conference’s impact was diminished by evident divisions among member countries, stemming from concerns about potential repercussions from the United States. The fear of facing the wrath of the USA led to a visible hesitancy among nations, tempering their collective stance against Israel.

Within this divide, opinions diverged on the status of Hamas. While some countries voiced support, viewing it as a legitimate entity spearheading the Palestinian struggle, others, considering it an extension of Iran’s influence, hesitated to endorse its legitimacy. This internal discord weakened the OIC and Arab League’s joint message, hindering the efficacy of their collective diplomatic efforts.

Regrettably, the joint meeting faced dismissive reactions from both Israel and the United States. Instead of heeding its call for restraint, the relentless attacks on innocent civilians escalated. Hospitals, ambulances, and mosques bore the brunt of the aggression, emphasizing the dire humanitarian consequences of the conflict.

Regrettably, the desired unity and resolute action faced stark challenges on the international stage. While the aspirations were noble and the expectations high, the reality reflected the intricate geopolitical complexities and the formidable obstacles posed by global power dynamics. The gap between hope and reality serves as a poignant reminder of the profound challenges in achieving a unified response against the injustices faced by the Palestinian people.

As anticipated, the joint statement fell short of endorsing the comprehensive measures sought by many, culminating instead in a declaration of relatively toothless actions. These included an appeal for immediate ceasefire, a halt to the forced exodus of Palestinians to Egypt or other locations, the establishment of open corridors for the delivery of essential humanitarian aid, and an appeal to the United Nations Security Council for the passage of a binding resolution on Israel knowing that this would once again will be vetoed by USA.

The primary objective of this resolution was to call upon Israel to cease its ongoing killing spree and the alarming acts of genocide against innocent women, children, and civilians—actions that have brazenly surpassed all recognized redlines.

In the process of normalizing relations with Arab states, Iran’s presence in the meeting signaled a noteworthy rapprochement towards the Arab world. Acknowledging its delicate position within the predominantly Arab conference, the Iranian President strategically praised Hamas, the leading resistance movement against Zionist forces in the ongoing 35-day war.

Emphasizing that the Palestinian issue transcends simple human rights concerns, the Iranian President framed it as a matter of human dignity. He condemned the Zionist regime of Israel, alleging that it, with the support of the USA and the West, has consistently denied the Palestinian people their fundamental dignity.

The Iranian President underscores the urgency of meaningful, result-oriented, and time-bound dialogues among Muslim countries to enforce a two-state solution for the Palestine issue. While echoing the call for a ceasefire and the restoration of humanitarian aid corridors, he vehemently opposes allowing the Zionist regime to continue its killing spree with impunity. In contrast to other nations, Iran openly supports and admires the Palestinian resistance movement led by Hamas.

The President warns that if Israel, backed by the USA, persists in killing innocent civilians, the conflict could escalate to engulf other regions like Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Syria.

He calls for a unified Muslim voice to compel Israel to leave Gaza and restore the dignity and honor of Palestinians. Advocating for impactful measures, he urges the use of oil as a tool to humble Israel, the USA, and their supporters.

The President calls for the severance of diplomatic relations with Israel, declaring it a terrorist country with a terrorist regime. Additionally, he advocates for a global boycott of Israeli products as a means to exert collective pressure on the nation.

In his impassioned address, the Iranian President stressed that the lasting solution to the Palestinian issue lies in restoring the rightful ownership of the land to the Palestinians, which has been denied for 70 long years through the construction of Zionist settlements.

The Turkish President, Erdogan Tayyip, delivered a carefully crafted speech, urging the holding of an international conference for a lasting solution based on a two-state framework.

 He proposed the establishment of an international fund for the reconstruction of Gaza and the rehabilitation of those physically and psychologically affected by the conflict. Erdogan also advocated taking Israel to the International Court of Justice for alleged war crimes.

In a brief yet carefully worded address, the Qatari representative called for the release of captives by both Hamas and Israel. He condemned the displacement of Palestinians from North to South and towards Egypt.

The leaders, in their respective addresses, largely focused on condemning the indiscriminate killing of civilians and urging the restoration of humanitarian aid.

They characterized Israel’s retaliation for the events of 9 October as inhumane and unacceptable, expressing dismay at the international community’s silence in the face of Israel’s brutality.

The leaders criticized the paradox of the West claiming to champion human rights while simultaneously vetoing a UNSC resolution calling for the cessation of Israeli bombardment.

They underscored the necessity of forcing Israel to compensate for the lives lost and the destruction inflicted upon Gaza and urging Muslim countries to utilize every available tool to achieve a lasting solution to the Palestine conflict.

As anticipated, Mr. Osama Hamdan, a spokesperson of Hamas in an interview  while reflecting on the outcome of the OIC-Arab League joint sitting, deemed the results as falling short and arriving too late.

He emphasized that the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, now in its 35th day of relentless and unceasing bombing equivalent to seven nuclear bombs, blatantly violates international laws and human rights.

Hamdan called for an immediate halt to the attacks and the swift restoration of supplies for fuel, electricity, water, and food to address the dire humanitarian situation.

Mr. Hamdan urged Muslim countries to isolate Israel and stressed the need for concrete actions to pave the way for the establishment of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine. The urgency of these measures, he emphasized, is paramount in light of the ongoing crisis and the escalating human toll in Gaza.

The Arab and Muslim countries are confronted with a looming dilemma, caught in a complex web of dependence on the USA and the West for their security needs. Many have granted bases to the USA, facilitating the maintenance of its formidable war machine within their borders. However, the stark reality is that none of these nations possess the economic, financial, or military strength to pose a credible threat to the USA, the West, or Israel.

The strategic use of oil as a weapon in the 1970s, which once had a significant impact, has now become toothless. Lessons learned from the past have led Western countries to minimize their reliance on oil imports, either through developing alternative energy sources or innovative means of energy generation.

Even when combined, all Muslim countries collectively lack the capacity to rival Israel’s economic, financial, technological, and innovative prowess. Attempting to sever diplomatic ties or downgrade economic relations poses a considerable risk, as it could adversely impact the economic and financial well-being of these countries both collectively and individually.

The harsh reality is that none of these nations is prepared to face a potential counter offensive launched by the USA and the West. Their dependencies on satellite systems, global internet infrastructure, reliance on exports to developed nations, and their ties to international financial institutions largely funded by the USA, the West, and Israel leave them vulnerable and comparatively powerless.

In this precarious scenario, the toothless declaration of the OIC-Arab League is somewhat encouraging, signifying a collective understanding of the limitations and potential repercussions of more assertive measures. It reflects a pragmatic acknowledgment of the existing power dynamics and the challenges faced by these nations in navigating a delicate geopolitical landscape.

Qamar Bashir

Press Secretary to the President(Rtd)

Former Press Minister at Embassy of Pakistan to France

Former MD, SRBC

M Bashir Farhan

Air pollution can have adverse effect on vegetation in Pakistan. Effect depends on the specific pollutants involved and their concentrations. Here are some ways in which air pollution impact on vegetation in Pakistan.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) could be threat for photosynthesis the process by which plants make their food whenever photosynthesis will be reduced ATPs production will be reduced and it will lead to stunted growth and productivity.

Ground level ozone O3 a major component of smog it can lead to damage plant tissues and reduce growth. Symptoms on leaves include yellowing and stippling and can decrease plant ability to produce food through photosynthesis.

When sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide bond with each other lead to acid rain formation. Acid rain become threat for for soil pH harm and plant roots Some heavy metals are very toxic for plants such as lead, mercury, and cadmium deposited in to soil.

These metal become serious threat for plant growth and development. Plants also need to breathe When air will be polluted then airborne particulates matter and pollutants can clog stomata due to this the respiratory system of plant is disturbed.

Due to air pollution immune system of the plants is also disturbed pollution make it more susceptible to disease, pest and environmental stresses.

As plants are sensitive to pollution and air pollution lead to change the composition of plants plant have to tolerate that environment otherwise plant decline or die.

Air pollution can have significant economic implications, especially in agriculture. It can lead to food scarcity and economic losses for farmers.

Air pollution can disturb ecosystem by harming vegetation that are the main source of food and habitat and lead to disturbance in entire food web. Air pollution also show impact on desert vegetation. The deposition of pollutants effect their growth and health.Some air pollutants have the ability to disturb the reproductive systems of plants and lead to alteration in flowering and seed production.

Pakistan has taken steps to address the air pollution such as National environmental Quality standards (NEQS) and to produce air quality monitoring, effective enforcement and efforts to reduce emissions form industries and factories.

Raising public awareness and air pollution is difficult for promoting environmental protection and public health. Here are some ways to promote public awareness about air pollution in Pakistan

1) Educational compains.

2) School programs

3) Community workshops.

4) Air quality index information.

5) Public service announcement.

6) Partnership with NGOs.

Muhammad Saeed

No youngster should be left behind when it comes to food security, according to my favorite author, Ertharin Cousin. The fundamental right of human beings is food. However, hunger affects one third of the world’s population. Food emergencies are implemented in certain countries, such as Palestine and Somalia.

In Pakistan, 16.4 out of 100 households did not have enough food to feed their child in the 2019–2020 fiscal year.Following COVID-19, the social reform profile image has shifted as a result of supply chain disruption and wealth being concentrated in a small number of hands. Actually, even in industrialized nations, this resulted in a high rate of inflation. Deep worries about food security in developing nations have been raised by the present phase’s rapid rise in cereal and other food prices.

Even though the vast majority of people in poor nations already experience widespread malnutrition, these individuals are expected to become even more vulnerable as a result of the sharp increase in food prices. Since the majority of the impoverished are net consumers of food, food price shocks have an effect on their standard of living.Since the beginning of life, competition for resources has grown, but the introduction of lethal weapons has made it a threat. powerful human races attack the weaker ones.

On our small world, the conclusion of one battle ushers in the next In that kind of crisis, women and children are the ones most impacted; occasionally, the situation is so bad that there isn’t a single meal to eat, not a bottle of water to drink,neither a tablet for pain.The need for sustainable agriculture techniques must grow as the population does, as this could result in overuse of natural resources, deforestation, and degraded soil. The number of newborns born worldwide increases by 200,000 per day.

There is an exponential growth pattern.As time goes on, climate change becomes increasingly significant in contributing to food insecurity. Food security is significantly impacted by climate change, creating a difficult and wide-ranging problem. Droughts, floods, and other extreme weather patterns become more common and severe as temperatures rise due to increasingly erratic weather patterns.Over and beyond quick relief operations, a diversified strategy is needed to address food insecurity. Long-term care is just as important as emergency care. First and foremost, food production may be increased by enhancing agricultural practices and raising crop yields through sustainable farming methods..

Investment in infrastructure, such as irrigation system amd storage facilities, can help reduce post-harvest losses.Enhancing access to education and resources for small scale formers, particularly in developing regions, empowers communities to become self sufficient. A comprehensive approach that encompasses these elements can pave the way for a more food-secure and equitable world. Our holy prophet says; “An individual should not eat until he feed someone who is hungry” We should act upon the saying of our holy prophet as an emergency solution of food security.