By Saifuddin
In the modern world, the actions of Pakistan’s criminal military, especially regarding regional conflicts, and the policies of the Zionist regime in Palestine appear to draw inspiration from a single source. Both occupying forces act as agents of one system, and both are directed by the same leadership.
Although these two institutions publicly chant slogans of hostility against each other, discerning people understand that ideologically and operationally, there is no significant difference between the two militaries.
The similarity in the language of tyranny and the conduct of occupation is evident to everyone. Just as a large portion of the Muslim Ummah in Palestine lives under the siege of Zionism, the oppressed nations under Pakistan’s occupying military—Pashtuns and Baloch—are similarly held under siege.
The parallels between these two perpetrators are striking in several key areas, summarized as follows:
1. Seizing the wealth of their people and controlling economic resources
Just as the Zionist regime has expanded its settlements in Palestine and expropriated Palestinian land and property, Pakistan’s military has similarly seized vast amounts of personal property and land from civilians, particularly in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, through institutions like the Defense Housing Authority and other military bodies. Both militaries use the seized lands as economic and strategic tools.
2. Enforced disappearances, imprisonment, and executions
One of the most notorious practices of the Zionists is the arbitrary arrest of Palestinians, detaining them in prisons, and later executing them. For instance, the Israeli parliament has passed laws under which Palestinians accused of killing Israelis can face execution. In a similar fashion, the “missing persons” issue in Pakistan has become a major tragedy. Thousands of Baloch and Pashtun youths have been taken by the military, and their whereabouts remain unknown for years. Moreover, many innocent people are arrested under the pretext of affiliation with the TTP and are later killed mysteriously in staged encounters. This represents a systematic mechanism of spreading fear in both contexts.
3. Collective punishment
The Zionists demolish entire villages in retaliation for the actions of a single person. Similarly, Pakistan’s occupying military has carried out operations in Pashtun areas, such as Waziristan and other regions, destroying homes and burning markets under military campaigns. Targeting entire communities and eliminating their economic resources in response to individual incidents is a shared characteristic.
4. Military checkpoints and coercion
Just as Gaza and the West Bank are surrounded by checkpoints and security barriers under the Zionist regime, where the local population is subjected to constant oppression, the same pattern exists in the tribal areas and Balochistan. The Pakistani military has established checkpoints at every step, restricting the movement of civilians and treating them as foreigners or criminals within their own lands.
5. Ideological propaganda and the creation of enemies
Both militaries justify their actions using religious and nationalist slogans. The Zionists present themselves as defenders of the Jewish people, while Pakistan’s military portrays itself as the protector of Islam and Muslims, and the sole owner of the state. Anyone who raises their voice against their oppression is labeled with terms designed to discredit and silence them.
6. Illegal interference in politics and the economy
Just as the interests of the Zionist military system dominate civilian life in Israel, Pakistan’s occupying military intervenes in all matters, from factories to political elections, ensuring that an independent system based on public support does not emerge.
In short, although Pakistan is often called a fortress of Islam, the conduct of its military toward its own people Pashtuns, Baloch, and Sindhis is no different from that of an occupying force. The same methods of oppression, seizure, and enforced disappearance employed by the Zionists in Palestine are mirrored by Pakistan’s military against its citizens demanding their rights.
This demonstrates that the language of tyranny and the conduct of occupation are universally the same, regardless of location.