Islamabad:
Pakistan’s Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb on Monday said the state-owned Pakistan Television (PTV) has terminated the service of one of its anchors, who was part of a Pakistani-American delegation that visited Israel earlier this month.
According to the Express Tribune report, the anchor was discharged a day after the Israeli President confirmed the meeting with a delegation of Pakistani expatriates, which he termed as a wonderful experience.
An Israeli media outlet, Haaretz, had reported that a 15-member delegation led by two civil society groups visited Israel primarily to promote inter-religious harmony between Muslims and Jews. The yatra was organized by the American Council for Muslim and Polytheistic Women and an NGO named Sharqa.
‘No change in our policy towards Israel’
The delegation included an American-Pakistani, a British Pakistani and a Pakistani journalist. The anchor had entered Israel on her Pakistani passport. The visit was criticized by many, notably the leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which alleged that the government wanted to recognize Israel. According to the Express Tribune report, during a rally in Charsadda, former Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that the ‘slaves of America’ in the government will do whatever they have been ordered to do.
However, the Foreign Office and the government distanced themselves from the visit, saying it was organized by an NGO, not based out of Pakistan. The report said Islamabad’s position on the Palestinian issue was clear and there was no change in “our policy” towards the Jewish state.
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