Khawaja Asif explains his stance on the dispute at the UNSC

After receiving backlash on social media, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif addressed the topic surrounding Shama Junejo’s appearance behind him during his statement before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Saturday.

“Who is this woman, why was she part of our delegation, and why was she seated behind me?” Asif said in a post on X, distancing himself from the situation. These inquiries can only be addressed by the Foreign Office.

Asif explained that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was busy with other commitments during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), thus he had given the speech at the UNSC in his place. “The Foreign Office has the final say over this woman or whoever sat behind me,” he continued.

The defense minister also emphasized his longstanding support for the Palestinian cause, saying that he has been personally committed to Palestine for the past 60 years and has a strong emotional connection to the country.

While working in Abu Dhabi, he remembers making good friends with Palestinians, whom he said he still keeps in touch with now.

He went on to state that he strongly opposes Israel and Zionism, saying, “My views on Gaza are clear and I express them openly.”

“It is not appropriate for me to respond on behalf of the Foreign Office,” Asif stated, restating his position. The history of my X account demonstrates how deeply ingrained my bond with Palestine is in my religious beliefs.

See Also: FO Responds to UNSC Scandal Concerning Woman Sitting Behind Khawaja Asif

The Foreign Office responded by providing clarification in an official statement on Saturday.

According to the statement, “the Ministry has noted queries regarding the seating of a certain individual behind the Defence Minister at a recent UNSC meeting.” “To be clear, the person in question was not mentioned in the official letter of credence that the Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister signed for the Pakistani delegation to the 80th UNGA Session.”

The statement went on to say that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had not given his approval for Shama Junejo to sit behind the Defense Minister.