Islamabad/New York — The presence of British-Pakistani analyst Dr Shama Junejo at Pakistan’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) delegation has sparked a storm of controversy, raising questions about government vetting, foreign policy consistency, and public sensitivities over Israel.

Photos showing Junejo seated behind Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during a UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting on September 25 went viral, triggering intense debate across political and media circles. Critics highlighted her past pro-Israel remarks, while officials scrambled to explain her inclusion.

Public Uproar and Political Reaction

The controversy intensified because Junejo has long been regarded as a divisive figure. In past comments, she expressed support for recognizing Israel, praised Israeli irrigation technology as “ideal” for Sindh and southern Punjab, and once described the prospect of meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an “honour.”

Her photograph at the UNSC immediately fueled backlash on social media and in political circles. Former Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan called it “an insult to the people of Pakistan.” Analyst Ayesha Siddiqa remarked: “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif does not care what Shama Junejo thinks about Netanyahu.” Journalist Mehwish Qamar Khan shared photos of Khawaja Asif with Junejo, asking pointedly: “Khawaja Asif does not know Shama Junejo?” casting doubt on ministerial denials.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s Clarification

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif quickly distanced himself, saying:
“This woman or whoever sat behind me was and is at the discretion of the Foreign Office. Who is this woman, why is she with the delegation, and why was she seated behind me? Only the FO can answer these questions.”

He added that his lifelong commitment to Palestine was beyond question:
“For the past 60 years, my commitment to Palestine has been part of my faith. My views on Gaza are clear and I express them openly. My hatred for Israel and Zionism is on record.”

Foreign Office Statement

The Foreign Office (FO) issued a late-night clarification, stating:
“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.”

The FO did not name Junejo directly but confirmed she was not part of the formal delegation.

Shama Junejo’s Response

Dr Junejo has strongly rejected accusations of Zionist sympathies. On X, she said:
“Youthias are calling me a Zionist when for the past two years I have tweeted about Gaza almost daily, calling Netanyahu a war criminal and showing Israeli atrocities.”

She alleged the uproar was politically motivated: “Once again, this entire campaign has been launched against me because they only fear me.”

In an X post, now deleted, Junejo asserted that since April 2025 she has been part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advisory team. Junejo also revealed that since April 2025 she has been formally working as part of the Prime Minister’s advisory team. “I have been his policy advisor on diplomatic affairs and speech writer precisely. My role has been to contribute to his diplomatic engagements through policy briefs, strategic messaging, and most recently the drafting of his UNGA speech,” she wrote.

She claimed she traveled on the same plane as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and was assigned to assist with his speeches in New York.

Journalists, Politicians, and Civil Society

The controversy has dominated Pakistani media and social platforms, with contradictions between government clarifications, FO denials, and Junejo’s own claims fueling public suspicion.

Political backlash came swiftly. Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari accused the government of deception: “Lying with such brazenness. @ForeignOfficePk issued her the credentials so knew exactly who she was. Your mission at UN in NYC gets list of the entire delegation. Such attempts at obfuscation and blatant lying won’t make the issue rest. Time to come clean on this sordid affair!”

Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry went further, alleging links between Junejo and networks tied to Indian intelligence: “The woman accompanied Pakistan’s UN delegation has interesting history. She was primarily working for RAW incharge for JinnahPur project Anwer bhai, he was the one entrusted with Indian funding Waqas Goraya and Ahmad Noorani RAW assets, usually Anwer Bhai was received by Waqas Goraya in Holland. This woman was part of that network. Now who introduced her to Sharifs and even Military fellows is a mystery — we’ll know in coming days, hopefully.”

The episode was also framed as a serious diplomatic and security lapse. Former broadcast journalist Ather Kazmi wrote on X: “How was an unauthorized individual allowed to sit directly behind Pakistan’s Defence Minister during a UN session? The FO says she wasn’t on the official list, but every delegate’s credentials at #UNGA are tightly vetted. This incident not only embarrasses Pakistan diplomatically but also compromises the integrity of UN security procedures. It must be thoroughly investigated.”

By contrast, journalist Ahmad Noorani defended her, saying: “Branding her ‘pro-Israel’ over her views on diplomacy is disgraceful. This vile smear campaign is being pushed by trolls.”

From civil society and overseas activists, Mehlaqa Samdani, director of the Community Alliance for Peace and Justice, remarked: “To include Shama Junejo, who champions a pro-Israel and pro-normalisation agenda, in Pakistan’s #UNGA delegation is not a good look for Pakistan.” Samdani herself has been identified as a pro-PTI activist abroad, previously involved in campaigns calling for sanctions on Pakistan and in efforts against Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, a background critics say raises questions about her neutrality.

Journalist Mehar Tarar pointed to contradictions between the FO’s denial and Junejo’s own deleted tweets: “According to those posts, she ‘drafted his [PM Sharif’s] historic UNGA speech’ and served in his advisory team as a policy advisor on diplomatic affairs. Surely, she couldn’t have sneaked into Pakistan’s official VVIP ride to NYC or sit behind the defence minister at the UN session without proper authorization? It’s truly baffling: why are the government and the Foreign Office now refusing to acknowledge her?”

Netizens’ Response

Public anger spilled across social media. One viral post read: “This character is suspicious and should be removed from all such delegations. If we have learned anything from the Iran-Israel conflict, it’s about access and penetration of such elements in our ranks and files. Shama needs to be pushed back and all those who back her should be sorted out.”

Another extended post summed up the affair under the title “Shama Junejo at UNSC: A Case of Silence and Suspicion”:

 “Her own tweet, admitting she was ‘discreetly’ handling tasks assigned by the Prime Minister, should have been clarified immediately. Instead, evasive responses fueled impressions of incompetence or hidden agendas. The Shama Junejo affair is a reminder that governance without transparency is governance without trust. And in foreign policy, once trust is eroded, credibility is difficult to reclaim.”

Meanwhile, screenshots of Junejo’s old posts continued to circulate, with one user writing: “She’s a fan of Netanyahu. She says it proudly in her tweets.”

Israel-Related Sensitivities

Pakistan’s stance on Israel remains explicit. The state has never recognized Israel, and passports explicitly state they are “valid for all countries except Israel.” Allowing individuals associated with pro-normalisation views to appear in official forums risks not only undermining Islamabad’s principled position on Palestine but also feeding domestic perceptions of policy inconsistency at a time of heightened scrutiny.

A Governance Gap

Analysts argue the episode underscores serious lapses in vetting and coordination between institutions. Junejo’s own claim of serving as a policy advisor since April 2025 stands in sharp contrast to official denials, creating confusion that has widened the controversy. 

For Pakistan, where credibility on Palestine and diplomatic integrity at global forums are seen as matters of principle, such ambiguity is costly. The uproar serves as a reminder that delegation management and narrative discipline are not technicalities but central to protecting state positions on the world stage.