An explosive revelation by The Jerusalem Post has called former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan a spy for secretly trying to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. In Pakistan, the revelations have set off a political storm, with the Information Minister of the ruling party accusing Imran Khan of hypocrisy.
It is a story of strict contradictions. While Aurangzeb said that behind the scenes, Khan was allegedly working to improve ties with Israel and that his social media team had launched a campaign accusing her of being “pro-Israel” by dangling that over her head and endangering her safety, she further stated, “Western and Jewish lobbies seem determined to defend Imran Khan.”
Khan presented earlier efforts to accept Israel as futile since Pakistan’s military was opposed to any move towards official relations. The revelation has churned up political debate on the intent of the former leader and his stated position on Israel, which is one of the most sensitive matters in Pakistan.
Though he has been projecting himself as a staunch defender of Palestine and opponent of Israel, allegations against Khan remain so far unsubstantiated. Pakistani political analysts demand transparency of the power in place to point out the national and regional political implications such claims might have.
The controversy has brought forth the existing policy of Pakistan vis-à-vis Israel, a state Pakistan never recognized since its inception. Officially, Pakistan remained on record saying it stood with Palestine; however, people have started interpreting regional dynamics, which must be seen in the backdrop of recent diplomatic developments that have taken place in the Middle East.
This controversy raises some very interesting questions surrounding interplays between domestic politics, religious sentiments, and foreign policy within Pakistan.
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