Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has once again made it clear that Pakistan will neither recognize Israel nor become part of the Abraham Accords, despite increasing international pressure and diplomatic efforts led by the United States to expand normalization agreements in the region.
Speaking during a meeting of the National Assembly committee, Khawaja Asif said Pakistan’s position on the issue remains unchanged and firmly linked to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. He emphasized that Islamabad’s foreign policy is based on longstanding principles and support for the rights of the Palestinian people under international law and United Nations resolutions.
The defence minister also pointed out that Pakistani passports already carry restrictions regarding travel to Israel, reflecting the country’s official stance on the matter. He stressed that Pakistan would continue to stand with Palestine and support a just and peaceful two-state solution in line with the policies of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations.
His remarks come at a time when the United States is actively encouraging more Muslim-majority countries to join normalization agreements with Israel under the framework of the Abraham Accords. However, Pakistan has repeatedly maintained that any change in its position would depend on a fair resolution of the Palestinian issue and the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Khawaja Asif’s statement has once again reinforced Pakistan’s consistent diplomatic position on the Palestine issue amid ongoing regional and international discussions surrounding Middle East peace and normalization efforts.
