In a move that drew international attention, Pakistan has criminalized the promotion of Zionist ideas and the public display of Zionist symbols.
The legislation, approved on Thursday by the Pakistani Senate Standing Committee on Interior, enforces a maximum three-year prison term for those found guilty of “promoting Zionism to incite hatred,” while public display of Zionist symbols, if intended to provoke unrest, could lead to a two-year prison sentence.
The most notable “Zionist” symbol is the Star of David.
Pakistan’s Jewish population is no more than 200 individuals, and the country has no Zionist movement to speak of, which is why the move has raised questions about the underlying motivations behind the bill. Critics wonder whether the law is more about signaling Pakistan’s stance on the Israel-Hamas and Israel-Hezbollah fighting than addressing any domestic threat.
The bill was introduced by Afnan Ullah Khan of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (N) party, and reflects the Pakistani government’s commitment to its position on the Zionism and Israel. Khan has publicly condemned Zionism as an ideology tied to violence, citing the ongoing violence in Gaza as proof.
With no dissent expressed in the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, the bill passed with overwhelming support, yet it has prompted widespread debate about its broader implications in the context of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
Joshua S. Krug, a visiting professor at Germany’s Center for Jewish Studies Heidelberg, told Media Line that Afnan “seems to misunderstand the nature, history, and realities of Zionism and the modern Middle East.”
“There are no specific books of Zionism,” Krug said. “Perhaps the senator incorrectly refers to the antisemitic Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a work long used to misrepresent Jews.”
This would explain Senator Khan’s speech in which he claimed that the world is influenced by Zionist ideologies, and stated, “It is written in the books of Zionism that those who do not agree with you should be killed. They are martyring children in Gaza under this ideology.”
“In a civilized world, there is no place for an ideology that indiscriminately targets women and children,” Khan added. “Such acts of violence perpetuate fear, trauma, and suffering, causing lasting damage to affected individuals and communities.”
Magen Shalom, the only synagogue in Karachi founded under the British rule, was demolished in 1988 to make way for a shopping plaza. Another account suggests the synagogue was burnt and brought down by religious zealots in July 1988. The last custodian of the synagogue was Rachel Joseph, now deceased. Many Jews who migrated from Pakistan have not updated their status since leaving Pakistan, but there are lists showing the existence of Jews in Pakistan today.
