ISLAMABAD – Pakistani Prime Minister’s aide on Tourism Sardar Yasir Ilyas, was reportedly seen in a video meeting with officials from Israel’s Ministry of Tourism.
Ilyas, who is also known businessman in Pakistan, clarified that the Israeli delegation entered Pakistani pavilion without prior notice and without displaying any official badges or flags, calling the viral footage on social media “baseless and false propaganda.”
The clip has been widely shared across Israeli and Indian social media accounts, sparking criticism in Pakistan. Yet, Yasir Ilyas clarified that the encounter was neither scheduled nor official. When asked about incident during the weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andarabi said he had no information about the meeting and urged reporters to confirm details directly from the advisor.
He stressed that if such a meeting occurred, it was without government authorization. “I have seen no approval for this, nor has any information been shared with us. It is first important to confirm if this meeting actually happened,” he added.
Andarabi was of view that linking this incident to Abraham Accords or broader Israeli affairs is mere speculation, and media outlets should avoid spreading rumors.
It is important to note that Pakistan does not recognize Israel and the two countries have no diplomatic ties. Pakistan maintains its longstanding position that Israel cannot be recognized until the Palestinian people are granted a free and sovereign state within the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital.
Sharif led government also consistently rejected any reports suggesting a change in this policy on Gaza and ties with Israel.
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