ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office said on Tuesday it rejected as “fabrication” media reports that Prime Minister Imran Khan had said Pakistan was under pressure from the United States to recognize Israel.

In a local media interview last week, PM Khan had said Israel’s “deep influence” in the US was behind pressure on Pakistan to recognize Israel — pressure that had become “extraordinary” during President Donald Trump’s tenure.

However, Khan had added: “I have no second thought about recognizing Israel unless there is a just settlement, which satisfies Palestine.”

On Monday, a Middle Eastern publication reported the PM’s on-the-record comments, citing Pakistani media, leading to a response from the foreign office on Tuesday.

“The Spokesperson said the Prime Minister had clearly articulated Pakistan’s position that unless a just settlement of the Palestine issue, satisfactory to the Palestinian people, was found, Pakistan could not recognize Israel,” the FO said. “The Prime Minister’s remarks are an unequivocal reaffirmation of Pakistan’s position on the subject, leaving no room for baseless speculation.”

Pakistan does not currently recognize the state of Israel and has repeatedly supported UN resolutions regarding Palestine.

Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. It later annexed it, declaring the whole of the city as its capital — a move not recognized internationally. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.