I genuinely admire your writing, Ahmed, but I disagree with the implication here, at least when it comes to Pakistan.
As a Pakistani, I need to be clear: Pakistan’s inclusion on that list cannot be read as evidence of a state that “refused silence” on Palestine. The reality is almost the opposite. Our current government is widely seen as illegitimate, having come to power through a rigged election in 2024, and it has actively suppressed pro-Palestine voices at home. Peaceful protests were banned, and hundreds of protesters were killed during Palestinian demonstrations in October 2025, (as reported by DropSite News). This is not a state being punished for moral courage. It is a state punishing its own citizens for it.
Internationally, the record is even more damning. On November 17, 2025, Pakistan voted in favor of Trump’s so-called “peace plan” at the UNSC, a proposal Palestinians themselves reject because it offers no credible path to statehood. That vote was not an act of solidarity. It was a betrayal of the country’s stated foreign policy and the principles articulated by its founding leaders. Officially, Pakistan has long maintained a policy of non-recognition of Israel and unwavering support for an independent, sovereign Palestinian state. It has consistently endorsed a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (East Jerusalem) as the capital of Palestine. That vote directly contradicted this position.
Worse still, there are reports that the Pakistani state is willing to send 3,500 troops to assist the IDF in dismantling Hamas, a decision taken without parliamentary debate or public consent. At the same time, the same leadership floated the idea of nominating Donald Trump, a man widely regarded by Palestinians as the butcher of Gaza, for a Nobel Peace Prize. All of this has unfolded alongside brutal repression at home: the jailing of Imran Khan, the most popular leader in the country, under more than 200 fabricated cases despite his victory in the 2024 election, and constitutional maneuvers allowing the military chief to grant himself lifetime legal immunity and an extension of power.
The Pakistani public, however, stands firmly with Palestine. People are boycotting Israeli-linked brands, raising their voices online and offline, and showing solidarity despite fear, censorship, and violence. If visa bans are meant to discipline dissent, they are disciplining the wrong actor. The state is compliant. The people are not.
So while I agree with your broader point about how empire enforces silence through everyday mechanisms like visas, Pakistan’s case complicates the pattern. Sometimes the punishment does not fall on governments that resist power, but on populations already held hostage by regimes that eagerly align with it.
In Pakistan, silence is not rewarded. It is enforced. And solidarity with Palestine exists not because of the state, but in spite of it.
Finally, it is hard to ignore the likelihood of a quiet back-channel deal between Pakistan and the United States. Once broader interests are settled, Pakistan may well be removed from this list. The authoritarian regime here derives its power from Washington and remains fully compliant with its demands. Any temporary friction should not be mistaken for resistance.
You can read my article, “How Pakistan and the Muslim World Betrayed Palestine: Power, Fear, and Silence Reshape Pakistan’s Foreign Policy, Erasing Palestine from the Moral Map,” if you want a fuller understanding of my argument and the specific case of Pakistan.
Thanks Hifza, agree fully, the Pakistani corrupt government have let down the Palestinian people. they once stood firm and backed, I was astounded and upset last year on a number of countries who sold Palestine out to the Zionists, it was horrifying and so upsetting.
I agree. It’s heartbreaking to see illegitimate, corrupt regimes speak over the will of people who stand firmly with Palestine. May God protect Palestine, and may justice catch up with those who betrayed it. Free Palestine.
Since Trump is obviously executing his plans in concert with Putin, I am surprised Russia was added to the list. Perhaps its just for appearances & not a reality.
I think the world should not only cancel US and IS visas but also boycott these biggest terrorists of the planet, impose sanctions and close all their military bases round the world. Their collapse is eminent and soon before long, civil wars will start by their own people followed by worldwide hate and disrespect not because of their democracies but because they are colonisator, invaders, looters, killers, bombers, pedophile criminals, and creators of terrorist groups, fake viruses and killer jabs, They destroyed so many countries round the world and made millions refugees!
What is happening nowadays in terms of international politics is nothing but embarrassing.
And the worst of all is that people or institutions, governments, etc just don’t give a toss. They are too busy earning/making money.
I genuinely admire your writing, Ahmed, but I disagree with the implication here, at least when it comes to Pakistan.
As a Pakistani, I need to be clear: Pakistan’s inclusion on that list cannot be read as evidence of a state that “refused silence” on Palestine. The reality is almost the opposite. Our current government is widely seen as illegitimate, having come to power through a rigged election in 2024, and it has actively suppressed pro-Palestine voices at home. Peaceful protests were banned, and hundreds of protesters were killed during Palestinian demonstrations in October 2025, (as reported by DropSite News). This is not a state being punished for moral courage. It is a state punishing its own citizens for it.
Internationally, the record is even more damning. On November 17, 2025, Pakistan voted in favor of Trump’s so-called “peace plan” at the UNSC, a proposal Palestinians themselves reject because it offers no credible path to statehood. That vote was not an act of solidarity. It was a betrayal of the country’s stated foreign policy and the principles articulated by its founding leaders. Officially, Pakistan has long maintained a policy of non-recognition of Israel and unwavering support for an independent, sovereign Palestinian state. It has consistently endorsed a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (East Jerusalem) as the capital of Palestine. That vote directly contradicted this position.
Worse still, there are reports that the Pakistani state is willing to send 3,500 troops to assist the IDF in dismantling Hamas, a decision taken without parliamentary debate or public consent. At the same time, the same leadership floated the idea of nominating Donald Trump, a man widely regarded by Palestinians as the butcher of Gaza, for a Nobel Peace Prize. All of this has unfolded alongside brutal repression at home: the jailing of Imran Khan, the most popular leader in the country, under more than 200 fabricated cases despite his victory in the 2024 election, and constitutional maneuvers allowing the military chief to grant himself lifetime legal immunity and an extension of power.
The Pakistani public, however, stands firmly with Palestine. People are boycotting Israeli-linked brands, raising their voices online and offline, and showing solidarity despite fear, censorship, and violence. If visa bans are meant to discipline dissent, they are disciplining the wrong actor. The state is compliant. The people are not.
So while I agree with your broader point about how empire enforces silence through everyday mechanisms like visas, Pakistan’s case complicates the pattern. Sometimes the punishment does not fall on governments that resist power, but on populations already held hostage by regimes that eagerly align with it.
In Pakistan, silence is not rewarded. It is enforced. And solidarity with Palestine exists not because of the state, but in spite of it.
Finally, it is hard to ignore the likelihood of a quiet back-channel deal between Pakistan and the United States. Once broader interests are settled, Pakistan may well be removed from this list. The authoritarian regime here derives its power from Washington and remains fully compliant with its demands. Any temporary friction should not be mistaken for resistance.
You can read my article, “How Pakistan and the Muslim World Betrayed Palestine: Power, Fear, and Silence Reshape Pakistan’s Foreign Policy, Erasing Palestine from the Moral Map,” if you want a fuller understanding of my argument and the specific case of Pakistan.
https://open.substack.com/pub/hifzasyed/p/how-pakistan-and-the-muslim-world?r=6j6wwr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thanks Hifza, agree fully, the Pakistani corrupt government have let down the Palestinian people. they once stood firm and backed, I was astounded and upset last year on a number of countries who sold Palestine out to the Zionists, it was horrifying and so upsetting.
I agree. It’s heartbreaking to see illegitimate, corrupt regimes speak over the will of people who stand firmly with Palestine. May God protect Palestine, and may justice catch up with those who betrayed it. Free Palestine.
P.S.Lets connect!
Thank you Ahmed for amplifying the truth with your excellent article. It is indeed an illuminating US policy change.
Well I hope from 75 countries they ban 75 more. It’s time countries dump Trump
Wouldnt go there if you paid me to. My sister lives in Sonoma but always refused invitations politely.
Since Trump is obviously executing his plans in concert with Putin, I am surprised Russia was added to the list. Perhaps its just for appearances & not a reality.
I think the world should not only cancel US and IS visas but also boycott these biggest terrorists of the planet, impose sanctions and close all their military bases round the world. Their collapse is eminent and soon before long, civil wars will start by their own people followed by worldwide hate and disrespect not because of their democracies but because they are colonisator, invaders, looters, killers, bombers, pedophile criminals, and creators of terrorist groups, fake viruses and killer jabs, They destroyed so many countries round the world and made millions refugees!