Israeli president confirms meeting delegation of Pakistani expats

Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal claims no official or semi-official delegation from Pakistan visited Israel

Israeli President Isaac Herzog confirmed that two weeks ago a delegation from South Asia met with him in Israel and that the delegation included two Pakistani American citizens.

According to the International News Agency, during the talks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Israeli president confirmed meeting with a Pakistani delegation but did not reveal the identities of the members of the delegation.

🔴 Depuis le Forum économique de @Davos le Président de l'État d'Israël @Isaac_Herzog révèle s'être entretenu avec des délégations du Pakistan 🇵🇰 et d'autres délégations de pays musulmans de cette région. Israël n'entretient aucune relation diplomatique avec le Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/2kGpFuR5L6

— Jonathan Serero (@sererojonathan) May 25, 2022

Herzog maintained that the two Pakistani nationals were permanently residing in the United States but were “proud Pakistanis”.

He further stated that the meeting with the Pakistani delegation was “very welcome” and that he was pleasantly surprised because no Pakistani delegation had ever visited Israel before.

Earlier, Anila Ahmed, a Pakistani-American, shared a photograph on Twitter of her meeting the Israeli president on May 12. In the photograph, she is presenting a book written by her father Qutbuddin Ahmed on Tehreek-e-Pakistan and Quaid-e-Azam to the Israeli president.

I’m honored to be the first Pakistani & American to present a book, an eyewitness account of the #Pakistan movement written by my father, Qutubuddin Aziz, to the President of Israel, @Isaac_Herzog. The president’s warmth & grace humbled me. @ammwecofficial @sharakango pic.twitter.com/TY6qe2xRYX

— Anila Ali (@anilaali) May 12, 2022

Anila Ahmed is a politician, author and teacher and is reputed for her social work in the United States.

Her tweet suggests she was part of the delegation that met with the Israeli president.

Although it was not immediately clear who was part of the Pakistani delegation, former human rights minister Shireen Mazari criticised the inclusion of Pakistan Television (PTV) anchor Waqar Qureshi in the delegation and claimed that it was “shocking” to see him as he worked for a “state institution” of “sensitive nature”.

Shocking to see @_AhmedQuraishi in Israel bec he not only works for PTV but closely linked to State institution of sensitive nature. For over a year he has been pushing a pro-Israeli agenda & targeted IK's indep FP! This seems to be part of the US regime change conspiracy agenda. https://t.co/w2g18cxFIC

— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) May 11, 2022

In response, Qureshi also took to Twitter and stated that Mazari’s former boss, ex-foreign minister Raza Kasuri had held the first “official” Pakistan-Israel meeting in Turkey, “after which Israel waived important license requirements for Pakistan”.

Dr. Shireen Mazari, today's self-appointed top #PTI anti-#Israel crusader, was DG ISSI in 2005 when her boss, then FM Kasuri, held first official #Pakistan-#Israel meeting in #Turkey, after which Israel waived import license requirement for 🇵🇰; saved her job by not objecting. /1 https://t.co/7CwScv60l7 pic.twitter.com/5yKUgaeHwZ

— Ahmed Quraishi (@_AhmedQuraishi) May 15, 2022

Qureshi further alleged that Mazari had “saved her job by not objecting”.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member Arslan Khalid also took to Twitter to state that the Israeli president had confirmed a meeting with a Pakistani delegation.

Read Israel tells US it was behind killing of Iranian colonel: NYT

He questioned which country’s orders had led to the betrayal of Pakistan’s ideology and its founder's ideology regarding the Muslims of Palestine.

25 مئی کو اسرائیلی صدر نے پاکستانی وفد سے ملاقات کی تصدیق کردی۔کس ملک کے کہنے پر فلسطین کے مسلمانوں اور بانی پاکستان کے نظریے سے غداری کی جا رہی ہے؟ عمران خان کے وزیراعظم ہوتے یہ ممکن نہ تھا اسلیے ہٹوا دیا، شریف ، زرداری،فضل الرحمان سب اس پلان کا حصہ ہیں۔#CrimeMinisterRejected pic.twitter.com/sKXLeqy3k3

— Dr Arslan Khalid (@arslankhalid_m) May 29, 2022

“It would not have been possible under Imran Khan as the prime minister, so he was removed. Sharif, Zardari and Fazlur Rehman are all part of this plan”.

'Govt does not recognise Israel'

Replying to Arslan’s tweet, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal claimed that no official or semi-official delegation from Pakistan had visited Israel.

“The participants in this delegation were Pakistani-Americans who have already explained themselves,” he stated.

ہاکستان کے کسی سرکاری یا نیم سرکاری وفد نے ملاقات نہیں کی-اس وفد کے شرکاء پاکستانی نژاد امریکی شہری تھے جو اپنی وضاحت کر چکے ہیں۔حکومت ہاکستان کی پالیسی واضح ہے اور وہ ریاست اسرائیل کو تسلیم نہیں کرتی۔ہماری تمام تر ہمدردیاں اپنے فلسطینی بھائیوں اور بہنوں کے ساتھ ہیں۔ https://t.co/4DxfuvFUyE

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) May 29, 2022

Ahsan Iqbal reiterated that the government’s policy on Israel was clear; it did not recognise the state of Israel.

He also extended his sympathy to the Palestinian people.