Witnessing in Silence: Now or Never?

Sirf Naam Ke Musalman? | Public Breaks Silence

29th November marks the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. With ever-increasing military assaults on Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank, there is little to no hope for the restoration of peace.

We all acknowledge the horrors humanity endured during the Second World War—especially in the Holocaust, the Sino-Japanese War, and the Hiroshima-Nagasaki catastrophe. Yet, the aftermath of the war remains largely unrecognized.

On the ruins of the Ottoman Empire in the Arab region, as the Allies boasted of granting freedom and liberating nations, the Palestinian dream of independence and sovereignty was crushed under an unjust partition plan.

Since then, the settler-colonial state has justified its existence with military actions that, in any civilized world, would be considered war crimes. But who cares?

Around 45,000 casualties have been officially reported in Gaza, with 90% of its infrastructure destroyed since October 7th last year.

Under the pretext of its "right to defend," Israel seeks to erase the identity of the very people with whom the international community stands in solidarity today. And in doing so, the "only democracy in the Middle East" enjoys full impunity and continuous military and diplomatic support, primarily from its strongest ally, the United States.

We have witnessed the world's response to the Bosnian genocide during the Yugoslav Wars; in contrast, international efforts to halt the offensives in Gaza remain hawkish and unconvincing.

In this age of social media, the harrowing visuals from Gaza are readily available on our screens and should compel action. Remember, our silence makes us complicit in one of the greatest crimes against humanity, where the most affected are women and children.

Watch our latest vox pop, where people on the streets of Karachi voice their discontent over the complicit silence and inaction of the Islamic world, particularly Pakistan.

Amidst all the despair, they continue to hope and pray for peace and betterment. "With God, there is a delay but no darkness," one man said, filled with emotion.