Since becoming the Prime Minister of the country for the second time, Shehbaz Sharif is set to represent Pakistan at two important multilateral sessions in Saudi Arabia. Withstanding the context, that is the most recent visit of the Iranian President and the joint resolve to invest in the bilateral relationship, the Prime Minister’s tone and speech will be significant as he speaks in the World Economic Forum’s special meeting on global collaboration first and a Gaza session later on. This is the first time Pakistan’s Premier is interacting with counterparts outside of bilateral engagements.

One-on-one meetings will take place on the sidelines but it is appreciable that the country’s collective urge for economic revival is taking the Prime Minister to show up at influential forums. The proactivity to invite maximum exposure for the benefit of economic deals and investments is indeed praiseworthy. The confidence of this government also shines through the fact that after engaging with Iran primarily along the economic agenda, it is not shying away from stepping among countries that are not so pro-Iran. However, we have yet to see how far the Prime Minister sticks to the resolve and clarity on the Gaza situation.

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The participants in the Gaza session are not just Muslim and Middle Eastern countries but also France and Germany. While the stance of the Muslim world mostly converges on the issue, the European take is far more radical. Can Shehbaz Sharif be the voice of reason and justice and do right by the Pakistani sentiment of solidarity with Palestinians? Pakistan must stand by its stance and reiterate it as clearly as possible. Addressing a largely pro-Israel and pro-US gathering, this will not only be a test of nerves but also a test of principle and morality.

After the WEF and Gaza meetings, the 15th session of the Islamic Summit Conference in Gambia will be a friendly inner circle where Pakistan, if it succeeds in making a strong case in Saudi Arabia, will hold its head high and garner more support. From day one, we have taken pride in our unhinged support of Kashmir and Palestine. Now is perhaps that critical moment in history where this principled stance must be stated outright. The people of Pakistan expect the PM to stay true to them. Shehbaz Sharif’s voice must emerge as a conscientious world leader on the international stage, against all odds.

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