ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Monday rejected comments by Israel on the South Asian nation’s human rights record and called out Israel’s “history of oppression” of Palestine.
Pakistan has no diplomatic relations with Israel and has for decades called for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and borders before the 1967 war.
“The UN Human Rights Council today adopted Pakistan’s Universal Periodic Report unanimously,” the foreign office said in response to Israel calling on Pakistan to respect human rights.
“Several states and civil society organizations commended Pakistan on the progress achieved in promoting human rights.”
“Israel’s politically motivated statement is fundamentally at variance with the otherwise positive tone of the session and the statements made by a vast majority of states,” the foreign office added. “Given Israel’s long history of oppression of Palestinians, Pakistan can certainly do without its advice on protecting Human Rights.”
Pakistan and Israel have never had official relations and successive Pakistani government have repeatedly said there would be no recognition of Israel without the resolution of the Palestinian situation.
However, the two countries have maintained discreet unofficial ties for many decades, with a British government report in 2013 suggesting Israel had sold Pakistan military technology, which was publicly denied by both countries.
A delegation of Pakistani-Americans went to Israel in 2022, provoking outrage in Pakistan, with then prime minister Imran Khan accusing them of seeking to undermine the country’s diplomatic stance on the Israel-Palestine issue.
