A controversy erupted after a Pro-Israel woman behind’ Pakistan’s delegation at the United Nations General Assembly sparked public backlash. The Foreign Office (FO) has clarified that Shama Junejo was not an official member of the delegation and her seating did not have approval from Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
The issue gained traction when Junejo was seen sitting directly behind Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during his address at the UN Security Council. The image quickly spread across social media, with critics pointing to her past remarks allegedly linked to support for Israel.
In response, the FO released a statement stressing that the “individual in question” was not included in the official letter of credence signed for Pakistan’s UNGA delegation. The statement emphasized that her seating “was not approved by the Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister.”
Khawaja Asif also distanced himself from the incident. In a post on X, he questioned who the woman was, why she appeared in the delegation, and why she was seated behind him. He added that only the FO could provide answers on the matter.
Junejo, however, has denied the allegations of supporting Israel. She defended herself by sharing past posts from her X account, where she condemned Israeli actions in Gaza. “For the past two years, I have tweeted about Gaza almost daily, calling Netanyahu a war criminal and highlighting Israeli atrocities,” she stated.
Despite her explanation, the incident has left many questions unanswered. The FO has not yet disclosed how Junejo was able to secure her position behind a senior minister. The debate over the Pro-Israel woman behind’ the delegation has fueled further scrutiny of Pakistan’s diplomatic protocols and the vetting process for international forums.
For now, the government continues to face criticism as calls grow for greater transparency on how such lapses occur. The controversy surrounding the Pro-Israel woman behind’ Pakistan’s UN presence shows no sign of ending soon.
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