The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO) has clarified that the woman seated directly behind Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during his address to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) did not have official authorisation from Pakistani authorities, amidst rampant speculation on social media. This clarification follows a controversy surrounding the presence of columnist Shama Junejo at the September 24, 2025, UNSC session. Visuals showing Junejo seated immediately behind the defence minister during his speech triggered a significant backlash online.
Critics swiftly accused the government of including her in the official delegation despite her alleged support for Israel, leading to widespread condemnation and demands for accountability.
In response to the public outcry, Defence Minister Asif explained that he delivered the speech on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was unable to attend due to prior commitments.
“It was the discretion and authority of the Foreign Office to decide who should sit behind me, be it the woman [Shama Junejo] or anyone else. I have had an emotional attachment and commitment to the Palestinian issue for 60 years,” the defence minister posted on X. “During my employment at the Abu Dhabi Bank, I made Palestinian friends and colleagues, and I still maintain contact with them to this day. My views on Gaza are clear, and I express them openly.” Khawaja Asif emphatically added, “My views on Israel and Zionism are nothing but hatred.”
He maintained that the FO alone was responsible for answering queries about the controversy. “Who is this woman? Why was she with our delegation, and why was she seated behind me — the Foreign Office is the one that can answer these questions. It is not appropriate for me to respond on their behalf. The history of my Twitter account bears witness to the fact that my relationship with Palestine is a part of my faith.”
Later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement via their official X account, addressing the issue and stating that the individual in question was “not authorised by the FO” to be seated with Pakistan’s delegation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted, “To clarify, 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.” “As such, her seating behind the Defence Minister did not have the approval of the Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister.”
Meanwhile, Junejo also publicly rejected the accusations of supporting Israel, sharing screenshots of her previous posts where she had strongly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.
