Pakistani Americans Call for An Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza

Chicago IL: The United States government must work for a ceasefire, end the starvation and violations of international law in Gaza, members of the Pakistan Progressive Forum resolved on Sunday.

The forum had organized a symposium entitled “Peace and Conflict in a Multipolar World” in downtown Chicago that was widely attended by Pakistani Americans. The speakers included Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Dr Ayesha Siddiqa, Dr Ammar Ali Jan. The event was moderated by Raza Rumi.

Congressman Bowman, who is running for office again, highlighted his unwavering support for the Palestinian people and how he had resisted the pressure not to call for a ceasefire and ask for ending Israeli atrocities against the people of Gaza. 

“I am against the death of children everywhere in the world. They wanted me not to speak about starving children, not call for a ceasefire but I cannot stay silent,” added Bowman. He emphasized why all communities in the U.S. need to push back against hegemonic and supremacist discourses. 

The new world order that is taking shape is far more brutal and authoritarian, said Dr Ayesha Siddiqa. She highlighted how peculiar forms of nationalisms were emerging as a response as well as in tandem with transnational corporate power. The net result has been democratic backsliding in the United States and other countries across the globe. 

A debate is taking place as to what kind of a state is needed and perhaps the way forward for lasting peace was to respect diversity and inclusion so that healthy societies could be built, added Siddiqa.

“Ammar Ali Jan spoke about the mass graves discovered in Gaza and paid tribute to the students in America who were resisting the status quo. Jan also highlighted the growing poverty, inflation under the conditions set by the International Monetary Fund. And the common citizens were bearing the brunt while the elites continued to maintain their privileges. 

“Pakistani community could support a party of their choice, but they must take a look at the progressive movements underway in Pakistan,” Jan added. The diaspora has a role to play in this context given its influence.

Raza Rumi added that Islamophobia or Muslim-o-phobia was on the rise after October 8. While all Muslims in America have condemned antisemitic hate speech, the corporate media continues to blame them as anti-jews. Supporting the rights of Palestinian people and criticizing collective punishment of people in Gaza was not antisemitism. International law as well as the U.S. laws call holding Israel’s government to account. But the United Nations in its current design was unable to prevent a real-time genocide and this is why the international organization needs to reflect the changing international power relations.

At the end a resolution was passed by the Pakistan Progressive Forum that called for a ceasefire in Gaza, Palestine and an end to arming Israel given the violations of international humanitarian laws as well as US regulations on supplying humanitarian assistance. 

The forum also resolved to continue organizing in the United States to bring different groups together for advocacy and action on progressive causes.

The Chicago event was organized by Dr Sohail Khan (Ilinois), Dr Amna Buttar (Ilinois), Dr Haider Afzal (Texas), Dr Salman Malik (Minnesota), Asad Zaidi (California), Dr Zaffar Iqbal (Nevada), Dr Rizwan Naeem (New York) and Dr Amir Raza (Texas).