An unambiguous identity and its strong references have been amongst the basic needs of mankind throughout the history. At times, it looks instinctual. The nature through its majestic powers of manufacture has put in human genes an urge for having some thing to identify individuals.
And the same is true for communities and nations. The point has well been proved by biological, psychological and social studies. We in Pakistan have never been short of such references right from the day Muslims of the sub-continent succeeded in their political struggle for a separate homeland.
Along with references to identify ourselves within the new country as communities and ethnicities, we felt a strong need for a broader reference to be our identity for the world. Islam then appeared a way out and we accepted it as a natural choice.
So this way our journey as an independent nation began on the back of a firm adherence to the religion and warm relations with the Muslim Ummah. Islam did apparently remain a driving force behind our foreign policy till recently.
But when the 9/11 incident changed the whole world scenario we, along with many other Islamic states, were forced to revisit the strategy. A doctrine of 'enlightened moderation' was then coined and introduced to convert Pakistan into a liberal and moderate country from a conservative one.
Under the new state of affairs, the national interest replaced Islam and friendly relations with Muslim world as one of the basic fundamentals of Pakistan's foreign policy.
In the meanwhile, incidents like desecration of Quran at Guantanamo Bay, publication of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the assassination of Pakistani student by German police did appear with a potential to force the government to withdraw its support for US so-called war on terror. But it never happened and Pakistan continued to be a front-line ally of the US in its terror war.
And even now after the Lebanon episode, where Israel is killing innocent civilians with the US blessing, it looks the official policy will remain the same. But, at the same time, strongest voices are being raised to switch from the enlightened moderation over to the old strategy of friendly relations with the Muslim world.
One such voice was a resolution the Senate adopted unanimously during the maiden sitting of its 30th session on Wednesday evening against the Israeli aggression in Lebanon.
The resolution itself and the speeches from opposition members on a motion appeared to be the first-ever condemnation from Pakistan in strongest possible words.
In the resolution, the upper chamber of the Parliament demanded an immediate end to the violence in Lebanon and called for an effective role of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).
"The upper house of the parliament assailed the world community, particularly the United Nations and the OIC for their failure to force an immediate cease-fire. It expressed complete solidarity with the people of Lebanon and Palestine in the face of Israeli aggression" the resolution said.
"The Senate expresses its shock and horror on continued use of indiscriminate military and air force by Israel against civilians, inflicting death and injuries on infants, children, women and men, and in particular on the massacre of Qana where 60 persons, including disabled and innocent kids, were killed," stated the resolution, read out by Leader House of the House Wasim Sajjad.
Immediately after the resolution was adopted, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Senator professor Khurshid Ahmed was the first one to push the government for a review of its national interest-based policy.
For the professor, Israel is so courageously engaged in a virtual genocide of Muslims in Lebanon because the US and the UK are backing the Jewish state.
His point was that the way Hezbollah fighters are resisting the aggressor, it is obvious that Israel can be challenged. Khurshid asked why the Muslim states, especially Arabs, can't put a fight against this aggression if a small group looks capable of doing so.
He then answered his own question, "Muslim leaders are not helpless. They are senseless and slaves of their vested interest." The MMA Senator asked the government to push both the OIC and the United Nations for an immediate action to ensure a cease-fire.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart Ishaq Dar said Pakistan should lead the Muslim world against the Zionist challenge. "Being the only nuclear power in the entire Muslim world, it's Pakistan's duty to intervene in this situation to pull its Lebanese brethren out of the trouble," Dar said.
Several other treasury and opposition members also came up with the similar views.
With a clear difference between the government's policy and public perception, Pakistan is at a crossroad where it has to decide whether to continue with the enlightened moderation doctrine or retreat from it to its original stance of supporting the Muslim world.
The majority of the people in Pakistan still believe a Muslim identity is what suits them more than that of being an enlightened moderate state. For them, Islam is till a reference of their identity much stronger than anything else.