No one pressurising Pakistan to recognise Israel, says PM

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday said that there was no pressure on Pakistan to recognise Israel, ARY News reported.

“Pakistan under no pressure to recognise Israel,” said the prime minister while talking to media in Lahore here on Wednesday.

PM Imran Khan said that Pakistan has friendly relations with Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE and will not recognize Israel until the Palestine issue is resolved.

“Our stance is very clear from day one and Quaid-e-Azam said in 1948 had said that Pakistan will never recognise Israel until Palestine are given their due rights” he added.

Last week, the Foreign Office had dismissed as “fabrication” media reports quoting Prime Minister Imran Khan as saying that Pakistan was facing pressure from the United States (US) to recognise Israel.

Responding to queries about the reports, spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri clarified: “the Prime Minister had clearly articulated Pakistan’s position that unless a just settlement of the Palestine issue, satisfactory to the Palestinian people, was found, Pakistan could not recognize Israel.”

“The Prime Minister’s remarks are an unequivocal reaffirmation of Pakistan’s position on the subject, leaving no room for baseless speculation,” the spokesperson said.