The FO said in an official statement, “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 controversy began after Shama Junejo, who has been accused of supporting Zionism and Israel due to her past posts on X praising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was spotted seated directly behind Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

Former federal ministers Shireen Mazari and Fawad Chaudhry strongly criticized the government for allowing a person with such views to appear as part of Pakistan’s delegation at an international forum.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif himself expressed anger and confusion in a post on X, questioning the Foreign Office: “Who is this woman? Why is she with us in the delegation? And why was she seated behind me? Only the Foreign Office can answer these questions.”

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs later clarified that Shama Junejo was not an official member of the delegation and that her seating arrangement had not been approved by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. However, it still remains unclear who permitted her to sit in such a prominent position.

This controversy has raised serious questions about transparency in Pakistan’s delegation at international platforms. The Foreign Office denial has not solved the mystery, leaving the public to wonder who made this unusual seating decision. For now, the issue has only fueled political debate and put the government on the defensive.