The Pakistani government is "gathering information" about a visit to Israel made last week by a delegation of journalists and influencers - a visit first revealed by Israel Hayom.
The disclosure has triggered uproar in Pakistan. Some members of the delegation have received threats and faced vilification, forcing them to keep a low profile. Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shehryar Ali Khan told reporters at a weekly press briefing in Islamabad that "we are gathering information, and once we have a clearer picture, we will be able to respond." He added, "We don't know who was there or what type of passports they were carrying - they may have had dual citizenship."
The spokesperson stressed that "Pakistan's stance is crystal clear. There is no change in our position regarding recognition of Israel or on the question of Palestine." In response to a question about the Pakistani delegation's visit, he said the trip had no connection whatsoever to the Foreign Ministry or to the government.
It should be noted that the Pakistani visitors arrived in Israel through a third country and their passports were not stamped, which will likely make it difficult for Pakistani authorities to identify who took part in the delegation.
Pakistan's official stance is a complete boycott of the Jewish state. Pakistani passports, including those held by the ten delegation members, explicitly state that they are "valid for all countries of the world except Israel."
The revelation of the visit has, as noted, stirred controversy both in Pakistan and beyond. Dozens of media outlets in the Islamic world and across the globe reported on the rare trip. At the same time, members of the delegation who agreed to be publicly identified have gone into hiding, fearing for their safety. One of them told Israel Hayom that he did not anticipate the backlash would be so harsh. He added, however, that he was simply doing his job as a journalist - to learn about a place he had never visited and share his findings with his audience.
