Smashing A Local KFC Won’t Save Gaza: Rethinking Solidarity In Pakistan – OpEd
The distressing images currently emanating from Gaza– scenes of utter devastation and palpable human grief – have resonated profoundly across the globe. Perhaps nowhere more so than in Pakistan, where deep-seated historical and emotional ties to the Palestinian people ensure such events land with particular force. Observers note a powerful and widely felt combination of sorrow, intense frustration at perceived global inaction, and simmering anger. Witnessing such egregious injustice understandably ignites a powerful impulse within the populace to demonstrate solidarity, to demand intervention – a reaction entirely human in the face of profound suffering.
Yet, recent occurrences closer to home compel a moment of sober reflection. Reports have surfaced concerning attacks on local franchises, including well-known brands like KFC – establishments often owned and operated entirely by Pakistanis. Alongside these are more disturbing accounts of individuals feeling intimidated or harassed, apparently based merely on superficial perceptions of being ‘Westernized’. Such incidents force one to pose a critical, if perhaps uncomfortable, question: does this manner of response genuinely advance the Palestinian cause? Or does lashing out within one’s own community represent little more than a futile, counterproductive venting of collective anguish?
The unfortunate reality appears to be that such actions, however much they may spring from genuine empathy or righteous indignation, demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of how substantive change is effected. The act of vandalizing, for instance, a local KFC outlet in Karachi– a business providing local employment and owned by a Pakistani entrepreneur – exerts precisely negligible pressure on governmental decision-makers in Washington or Tel Aviv. It possesses no capacity to halt military bombardment nor to facilitate the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian relief to the beleaguered population of Rafah. The symbolic gesture, ostensibly aimed at distant powers perceived as complicit, falls demonstrably short of any tangible strategic impact on the conflict itself.
Moreover, the direct consequences of this misdirected fury are borne entirely within Pakistan. Local businesspeople, proprietors who may have invested life savings into their franchises like KFC, face ruinous losses. Their employees, ordinary Pakistanis often supporting families, risk sudden unemployment. Beyond this immediate economic fallout, such incidents risk corroding social cohesion, fostering fear and division where unity is most needed. The very concept of solidarity is arguably undermined when communal anger is turned inwards, targeting Neighbours based on the flimsiest of associations with a brand name or perceived lifestyle. When this spills over into overt harassment, it marks a particularly troubling departure, substituting the advocacy for human rights abroad with their potential violation at home.
This conspicuous disconnect between passionate feeling and functional outcome underscores an urgent need to channel national sentiment into more productive and principled avenues. If the objective is genuine, effective support for the Palestinians, then the focus must unequivocally shift from destructive dead-ends towards actions with demonstrable utility. What, then, constitutes responsible and impactful solidarity?
Addressing the immediate, desperate humanitarian needs should be paramount. Numerous courageous aid organizations are operating under conditions of extreme duress within Gaza. Channeling financial contributions and essential supplies through reputable, established charities – organizations demonstrably capable of delivering aid on the ground – offers a direct and practical method of alleviating suffering. This is tangible support – food, medicine, shelter – assistance that cuts through political complexity to address basic human needs.
The effective use of collective voice also remains a crucial tool. Making our voices truly effective also requires groundwork. It means talking to people with facts, sharing trustworthy information, and tackling the propaganda head-on. Turning up for peaceful demonstrations keeps the issue visible and reminds everyone of the urgency. But just as importantly, we need to spell out our expectations to our own politicians: insist they uphold international law without compromise, demand immediate ceasefires, and lend real support to diplomatic paths that offer a chance of a just and lasting peace. Speaking consistently and clearly about these specific points has far greater potential impact than any amount of local disruption could ever achieve.
Further consideration should be given to economic pressure, applied with strategic acumen. Rather than resorting to indiscriminate vandalism of accessible targets like a neighborhood KFC, support for organized, focused movements such as the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign warrants exploration. Such initiatives typically involve researched targeting of specific corporate entities directly implicated in supporting the occupation or violating international statutes. Engagement requires diligence and long-term commitment, standing in stark contrast to impulsive acts of rage against often irrelevant local proxies.
Perhaps most fundamentally, rests the imperative to embody the very values being championed. The struggle for Palestinian rights is predicated on universal principles of justice, dignity, and humanity. To abandon those principles – justice, dignity – in how we actually behave here in Pakistan is to make our support for Palestine essentially meaningless. It means we have to be the ones calling out intimidation when we see it in our communities. It means striving to engage respectfully, even when disagreeing sharply. And it means insisting, without exception, that expressing solidarity remains peaceful. Upholding these standards isn’t about being timid; it’s about proving the genuineness, the ethical core, and the principled strength that this vital cause demands of us. Turning on oneself is not resistance; it is strategic folly and moral self-defeat.
The agony unfolding in Gaza is undeniable and rightly demands a response from Pakistan. That response, however, must be guided by intelligent compassion and channeled into effective action, not squandered in misdirected fury that primarily harms Pakistani society. Smashing local shopfronts, whether it’s a KFC or any other local business, exerts no meaningful external pressure; it merely inflicts damage domestically. Intimidating fellow citizens does nothing to liberate Palestine; it serves only to diminish freedom and security within Pakistan itself. True solidarity demands substance: converting shared anguish into practical aid, focused advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to justice and dignity – both for the Palestinians enduring unspeakable hardship and, crucially, in the conduct of affairs here at home. That is how the cause can be most truly and effectively honored.
