ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said this week the government could impose travel restrictions and review the citizenship of Pakistani journalists who reportedly visited Israel in March amid the ongoing devastation and killings of Palestinian women and children in Gaza.
Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has consistently advocated for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital. The Pakistani passport explicitly states it is valid for all countries except Israel.
Last month, Israel Hayom, a Hebrew-language newspaper, reported that a 10-member Pakistani delegation comprising journalists, intellectuals and influencers visited Israel for a week. Subsequently, The Jerusalem Post noted that the delegation traveled to Israel to learn about the Holocaust and the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas.
“Our [Pakistani] passport, which is issued by the Ministry of Interior, does not allow travel to Israel,” Chaudhry said in an interview with Independent Urdu. “They certainly could not have gone there on this passport.”
The minister emphasized the government would determine how these journalists managed to travel to Israel.
“If our document has been misused, or if they misused it up to a certain point and then proceeded without any documents, then there are several criminal proceedings, including a potential travel ban, that could be initiated against such individuals,” he continued. “Even their citizenship could come into question.”
Chaudhry added the foreign and interior ministries were in contact regarding this matter.
The Pakistani foreign office said last month the country’s passport explicitly states it is “not valid for travel to Israel.”
“Therefore, no such visit is possible under existing regulations,” it maintained in a statement responding to media queries.
This is not the first time such an incident has been reported in the media. In 2022, a delegation of Pakistani journalists visited Israel under the banner of the Sharaka organization, which says it aims to promote dialogue and coexistence in the Middle East.
The visit led to significant controversy in Pakistan, with one of the journalists being dismissed from his position at the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) following the trip.
Minister says Pakistani journalists who visited Israel may face travel ban, lose citizenship
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Minister says Pakistani journalists who visited Israel may face travel ban, lose citizenship
- Talal Chaudhry says government trying to determine how the journalists managed to travel to Israel
- Pakistan does not recognize Israel and its passport is valid for all countries except for the Jewish state
Pakistan’s Agha weighs future after poor T20 World Cup campaign
- Pakistan suffered defeats at hands of heavyeights England, arch-rivals India in the tournament
- Pakistan’s middle order often did not click while spinners could not exploit turning conditions
Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya said he will step down as head coach, while Pakistan’s Salman Agha said he will take time to decide whether to remain captain after both teams’ poor campaigns at the Twenty20 World Cup.
Tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka made the Super Eights but the 2014 champion lost all three matches to finish at the bottom of Group Two.
“I thought it was time to give it (the job) to someone else,” Jayasuriya said after their narrow defeat to Pakistan on Saturday.
“That’s why about two months ago I’d said during the England series that I don’t have hopes of staying in the job for long. I’d taken this decision by then.
“I thought I’d be able to leave as coach on a good note in the World Cup. I wasn’t able to do that as well as I’d like, and I’m sad about that.”
The former captain, whose contract runs until June, said he was yet to convey his decision to Sri Lanka Cricket.
“I haven’t given SLC any news officially yet. They don’t know that I am going to say this even. I will need to go and discuss with them.”
It was an underwhelming tournament for Pakistan as well that included a comprehensive defeat at the hands of arch-rivals India in a group match.
Pakistan’s middle order often did not click, while their slow bowlers could not make the most of the spin-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka where they played all their matches.
“We have underperformed in the whole tournament,” captain Agha told reporters.
“We are out of the semis due to our failure in decision-making in pressure situations.”
Agha said he and head coach Mike Hesson took full responsibility for their poor performance in a global multi-team event.
He was unhappy with his own form but said he was not in a hurry to take a call on whether to stay as Pakistan’s white-ball captain.
“I will go back and take some time to decide,” the 32-year-old said.
“Because at this point of time stepping down would be an emotional decision.”
