PTV anchor laid off over Israel visit, says Marriyum

Journalist visited Israel on Pakistani passport as part of expat delegation

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Monday that the Pakistan Television (PTV) has terminated the services of its anchorperson who was a part of a Pakistani-American delegation that visited Israel earlier this month.

The removal of the anchorperson came a day after the Israeli president confirmed a meeting with a delegation of Pakistani expatriates which he termed “an amazing experience”.

An Israeli media outlet, Haaretz, had reported that a 15-member delegation, led by two civil society groups, visited Israel in order to promote interfaith harmony primarily between Muslims and Jews. The trip was organised by the American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Council and an NGO called Sharaka.

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The delegation had included American-Pakistanis, a British Pakistani, and a Pakistani journalist among others. The anchorperson had entered Israel on his Pakistani passport, making it the first-ever trip of its kind.

The visit was criticised by many, especially the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership, which had alleged that the government wanted to recognise Israel. During a rally in Charsadda, former prime minister Imran Khan had said that “slaves of the US” in the government would do everything that had been ordered to them.

However, the Foreign Office and the government distanced themselves from the visit and said the visit was arranged by an NGO which was not based in Pakistan. It added that Islamabad’s position on the Palestinian issue was “clear and unambiguous” and there was no change whatsoever “in our policy” towards the Jewish state.