I'm John Batchel with my good colleague, Sadan Undume, who's my guide on the subcontinent,

and we're now talking Islamabad as a peacemaker, peacekeeper, peace proposer, a neutral site. However, you have

published a column that seemed very logical to me that Israel is not welcome in Islamabad, which is, of course, paradoxical because a successful resolution

of the conflict would be a big boost to Israel's future.

What is it that is objective, is objected about Israel?

Is it the teaching by the mullahs?

Is it education based on facts? What holds back Islamabad from

endorsing full-heartedly a capitalist state? Well, you know, this is a very fascinating

history, John, and I get into some of that history in my column. Pakistan, you know, there are many

countries around the world, many many countries around the world,

many Muslim countries around the world that have some kind of, you know, problem with Israel.

But with Pakistan, it's very deeply felt and it's deeply ideological, and it's been there

right from the start when Pakistan was created.

Ironically, if you think about it, right, there are some parallels between the

creation of Pakistan in 1947 and the creation of Israel in 1948. Pakistan was created as a

homeland for Muslims from the Indian subcontinent. So the British India was divided and Muslim

majority areas became Pakistan. Israel was of course created as a homeland for the Jews and the British mandate Palestine was divided.

But despite this or perhaps because of it, the Pakistanis have always been particularly hostile towards Israel.

They fought and lobbied in the United Nations to prevent Israel from becoming a member.

They were opposed it every turn.

You had Pakistani fly fighter jets for the Arab armies in both the 1967 war and the 1973 war.

And they shared nuclear technology with Iran quite infamously, the AQ Khan network.

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