ISLAMABAD – FO says ‘no knowledge’ of PM’s coordinator interacting with Israeli ministry official in London. The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday said it had “no information” about the prime minister’s coordinator on tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas, interacting with an Israeli ministry official in London.
The spokesperson was asked about the incident after a video of the interaction began circulating on social media. It was filmed during the World Travel Market event in London, which took place from November 4 to 6, 2025.
In the clip, Ilyas could be seen shaking hands with and conversing with an individual later A diplomatic stir emerged recently at an international exhibition in London after an unannounced visit by Israeli officials to Pakistan’s pavilion sparked public outrage and political debate in Islamabad. Michael Izhar-Kov, Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, reportedly met with Sardar Yasir Ilyas, Advisor to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Tourism, prompting accusations of impropriety from lawmakers, activists, and commentators.
Pakistani journalists offered contrasting accounts of the encounter. While Israeli media noted that Pakistan had been mentioned as a potential contributor to an international stabilization force in Gaza, London-based reporter Murtaza Ali Shah claimed that the Israeli delegation entered the pavilion without introducing themselves and met with the Pakistani team privately. When asked about the interaction, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said he had no information and suggested the matter be directed to the individuals involved.
The incident drew sharp criticism from public figures. Former Jamaat-i-Islami senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan called the handshake a betrayal of Palestinians and described the meeting as “rubbing salt into the wounds of Pakistanis.” Writer Fatima Bhutto labeled it “disgusting treason,” while PTI leader and former human rights minister Shireen Mazari questioned the manner in which the meeting occurred.
Amid the controversy, the Foreign Office reiterated that no decision has been taken regarding Pakistan’s participation in the US-brokered International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Gaza. The force, intended to include troops from Muslim-majority countries under a Gaza Peace Agreement, remains under discussion at the UN Security Council. Andrabi emphasized that any decision would involve Parliament and the highest levels of government.
Pakistan continues to maintain a firm stance on the Palestinian issue, condemning Israel’s recent attempts to impose sovereignty over the West Bank, and reaffirming support for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital. The episode at the London exhibition underscores the sensitivity of interactions with Israeli officials and the political complexities surrounding Pakistan’s foreign policy in the region.
