The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday addressed the controversy over Shama Junejo’s presence behind Defence Minister Khawaja Asif at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session, following criticism on social media. Khawaja Asif had delivered his remarks at the UNSC when Junejo was seen seated directly behind him, prompting backlash due to her past statements allegedly supporting recognition of Israel. In response, the Foreign Office issued an official statement clarifying the matter. “The Ministry has noted queries regarding the seating of a certain individual behind the Defence Minister at a recent UNSC meeting,” the statement read. It added, “The individual in question was not listed in the official letter of credence for the Pakistan delegation to the 80th UNGA Session, signed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.” The statement further emphasized that Shama Junejo’s seating behind the Defence Minister had not been approved by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. On the other hand, Shama Junejo denied accusations of being pro-Israel and shared her previous posts on X, where she had condemned Israel’s 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 said. Meanwhile, Khawaja Asif also distanced himself from the controversy. In a post on X, he said: “Who is this woman, why was she part of our delegation, and why was she seated behind me? Only the Foreign Office can answer these questions.”
FO responds to controversy over woman seated behind Khawaja Asif at UNSC
