Pakistan rejects Amnesty claims of Israeli spyware use, calls reports ‘disinformation’

Police officers stand guard outside the Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs, in Islamabad on April 24, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 05 December 2025
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Pakistan rejects Amnesty claims of Israeli spyware use, calls reports ‘disinformation’

  • FO denies any link with Israel, says Pakistan has “absolutely no cooperation” on surveillance tools
  • Islamabad accuses India of delaying clearance for relief aircraft bound for flood-hit Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected an Amnesty International report alleging the use of Israeli-made invasive spyware in the country, calling the findings speculative and misleading.

Amnesty’s investigation, published Thursday under the title Intellexa Leaks, cited the case of a Pakistan-based human rights lawyer who reported receiving a suspicious WhatsApp link in 2025. According to Amnesty International’s Security Lab, the link bore signatures consistent with Predator, a spyware product developed by Israeli manufacturer c

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed the suggestion that Islamabad had deployed the tool or maintained any technological cooperation with Israel.

“These are all media speculations. These are all rumor-mongering and disinformation. There is absolutely no cooperation between Pakistan and Israel on anything, let alone a spyware or these kinds of tools. So, I would reject it quite emphatically,” he said at a weekly briefing.

Andrabi also accused India of obstructing humanitarian operations, saying New Delhi delayed flight clearance for a Pakistani relief aircraft carrying aid to flood-affected Sri Lanka.

“The special aircraft carrying Pakistan’s relief goods had to wait for 48 hours, in fact more than 48 hours, around 60 hours, while the flight clearance from India was delayed,” he said.

He added that the eventual conditional flight window was too narrow to be workable.

“The partial flight clearance which eventually was given after 48 hours was operationally impractical, time-bound just for a few hours and hence not operable, severely hindering the urgent need for the relief mission for the brotherly people of Sri Lanka,” Andrabi stated.

“Humanitarian assistance is like justice, if it is delayed, it is denied.”

Responding to India’s claim that clearance was granted within four hours, he said Pakistan has documentary proof contradicting New Delhi’s version.

On a separate question about reported delays in the arrival of a Turkish delegation aimed at mediating between Islamabad and Kabul, Andrabi said Pakistan welcomed Ankara’s initiative but was unaware of the cause of postponement.

“We stand ready to receive the Turkish delegation. That delegation has not arrived as yet. And I’m not aware of any schedule. Pakistan is ready to hold negotiations, discussions,” he said, adding that the delay may be linked to coordination with the Afghan side.


Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz among nominees for ICC’s Player of the Month award

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Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz among nominees for ICC’s Player of the Month award

  • Nawaz scored 104 runs in ODIs and took four wickets and made 52 runs in T20Is and took 11 wickets
  • South Africa’s Simon Harmer and Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam are other two nominees for the award

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz is among three of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) nominees for the Player of the Month for November award for his impressive white-ball performances last month, the global cricket body announced on Friday. 

Nawaz has been in sublime form for Pakistan, instrumental in the Green Shirts’ tri-series win over Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at home last month. 

He amassed 104 ODI runs at an average of 52 with a strike rate of 114.28, while also taking four wickets. In T20Is, the left-arm spinner added 52 runs and claimed an impressive 11 wickets at just 12.72 last month. 

“His match-winning 3-17 in the final against Sri Lanka capped a standout campaign and secured his Player of the Series honor,” the ICC said. 

South Africa’s Simon Harmer and Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam were the other nominees for the award. Harmer claimed a staggering 17 wickets at an average of 8.94 across the two tests against India in Kolkata and Guwahati.

Meanwhile, Islam picked up 13 wickets at 26.30 in the 2-0 series win over Ireland last month, finishing as the leading wicket-taker of the series.