Pakistan Facing No US Pressure To Recognise Israel, Clarifies Foreign Office

Pakistan Facing No US Pressure To Recognise Israel, Clarifies Foreign Office
Foreign Office on Tuesday rubbished reports of Prime Minister Imran Khan saying that Pakistan was facing pressure from United States to recognise Israel.

"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 recognise Israel," said Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hamid in a statement.

Dawn had published a report on Monday quoting the prime minister as saying that Pakistan was facing immense pressure to recognise Israel "during the Trump stint”.

"The prime minister had stressed that Pakistan’s policy in this regard was rooted in Quaid-i-Azam’s vision," the FO spokesman said.

"For a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, Pakistan will continue to support a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions as well as international law, with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of Palestine," Hamid reinstated Pakistan's position on the issue.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has repeatedly said that Pakistan could not recognize Israel until Palestinians were not freed. In an interview in August, Khan said that if Pakistan recognizes Israel, Pakistan will have to give up Kashmir as well.

Many Arab countries including Bahrain and Sudan had normalized their ties with Israel during the last 3 months.