Pakistan’s Foreign Office has clarified that a woman seen seated behind Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during a United Nations Security Council speech was not an approved member of the official delegation. The statement follows a social media storm over the presence of columnist Shama Junejo, whose past social media posts expressing support for Israel sparked widespread criticism.
The controversy erupted after photos from the September 25 UNSC meeting on artificial intelligence circulated online. Users on the platform X highlighted Junejo’s presence in the background and shared screenshots of her old tweets, which appeared sympathetic to Israel. This triggered a furious backlash, given Pakistan’s long-standing support for the Palestinian cause.
In response, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif sought to distance himself from the situation. He stated that while he delivered the speech in place of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was attending other UN General Assembly events, the composition of the delegation was the Foreign Office’s responsibility. “Who is this woman, why is she with the delegation, and why was she seated behind me? Only the FO can answer these questions,” Asif said, reaffirming his personal commitment to Palestine.
Late Friday, the Foreign Office issued a statement noting the queries about the “seating of a certain individual.” It clarified that the person was not listed in the official credentials for the UN delegation and that her placement behind the minister was not approved by the deputy prime minister or foreign minister.
Junejo defended herself on X, posting screenshots of her more recent posts condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal. She accused political opponents of launching a smear campaign against her.
The incident prompted reactions from political figures. Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari questioned how someone could be seated in the official delegation area without government authorization, suggesting the incident raised serious policy questions. Others, like activist Mehlaqa Samdani, called the inclusion of someone perceived as pro-Israel a poor reflection on Pakistan, while journalist Ahmad Noorani condemned the online attacks against Junejo as a “vile smear campaign.”
