The previous week has seen an uptick in violence in the regions which are historically zones of conflict. The Palestine and Kashmir contexts differ but they are both examples of states using militarized efforts to quell discontent within their zones of occupation. Both conflicts also see a prominent global state making dubious claims of ownership of a land whose residents have not been conducive to the aforementioned decision. Both Palestine and Kashmir are also Muslim majority regions thus, this identifier also becomes extremely important when looking at these conflicts. The Kashmir issue is one that is closer to home for Pakistan as it has also fought three wars over it but the Palestine issue is also of extreme importance to Pakistan due to its significance in the Muslim world. Recent developments have seen a drastic increase in violence in both Kashmir and Palestine and there is an urgent need for Pakistan to make a diplomatic stand on an international forum such as United Nations to make its position clear.

In Indian-occupied-Kashmir, 19 people died, most of them locals and from southern Kashmir. The village of Shopian had already seen killings by the Indian forces earlier this year and recorded protests, a fight that escalated into what was termed as the “worst day of state terrorism” by Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Asif. The violence led to a region wide curfew, with the locals mourning the violence and the loss amongst them. There were condemnations from the Pakistan side, mostly through tweets by government officials but there was no concerted movement to condemn the Indian forces’ actions.

In Palestine, the West Bank Strip has already been transformed in an open-air prison as the increased militarization of places like Gaza has reduced mobility of the residents drastically. On March 30, 2018, the participants of the Great Return March gathered near the Gaza border to commemorate Land Day, which took place on March 30, 1976, when six unarmed Palestinian citizens of Israel were killed by Israeli forces during protests against the Israeli government's decision to expropriate massive tracts of Palestinian-owned land. The Great Return March witnessed a disproportionate use of force by the Israeli forces which left 17 Palestinian protestors dead. It was on Kuwait’s demand that the UN secretary general held an emergency session and condemned Israel’s actions. The Pakistani diplomacy has not made any visible progress over its issue even though immediate action should be taken, to not only ensure visibility on a global scale but to also ensure the protection of human rights and to stand up for our allies.

Both the instances of Palestine and Kashmir are wake up calls for Pakistan to prioritize its diplomatic actions and in the case of Kashmir, to send a firm message to India. Both the occupied territories have previously seen Pakistani support in such instances and that should not change. Pakistan should also pass a resolution in the United Nations to make tangible progress to prevent these instances of human rights violations. Pakistani diplomacy has already been lax earlier this year when the Pakistani contingent abstained to vote for a cease fire in Syria during a UN security council session. Examples such as these leave question marks on Pakistan’s stand and its integrity. Thus, Pakistan should visibly and firmly condemn both of the instances in India and Israel, especially keeping in mind India and Israel’s burgeoning alliance. There should also be a use of soft power to make people aware of the atrocities in Kashmir and Palestine and thus public outrage can help in taking these issues further than just bureaucratic developments.