Ishaq Dar with Marco Rubio (Photo/X)
A widely circulated video featuring Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sparked debate over whether Islamabad could eventually recognize Israel. The clip shows a journalist asking Dar: “Dar Saab, Kia Pakistan Israel Ko recognizes Karega?(“Does Pakistan recognize Israel?”) Dar and Rubio both seemed to ignore the question as they left.
However, Pakistan’s official position has not changed. Speaking at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington after his meeting with Rubio, Dar stressed that Islamabad will not change its position unless there is tangible progress towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.“There are a lot of rumors going on regarding the Abraham Accord. Let me make it clear that Pakistan’s position is very clear and consistent on that. Until Palestine is recognized in the pre-1967 model with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, there will be no flexibility,” Dar said, as quoted by Dawn newspaper. He stressed that Pakistan remains committed to the Palestinian issue and said that there will be no change in relations with Israel until a Palestinian state is established.
He added, “Pakistan remains firm in its position on Palestine and Gaza. Israel must move towards establishing a Palestinian state before Islamabad considers any change in its policy.” The remarks come days after US President Donald Trump publicly announced that he had encouraged several Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan, to join the Abraham Accords as part of broader diplomatic efforts linked to ending the Iranian conflict.The Abraham Accords, which were first signed in 2020, normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.But Pakistan quickly rejected any suggestion that it was considering joining the initiative. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif recently described recognition of Israel as “unacceptable,” arguing that such a move would go against Pakistan’s founding principles and long-standing support for a Palestinian state.Asif said, “No one from the US State Department contacted us, and no one officially conveyed such a proposal to us.” Confirming Pakistan’s position, he noted that even Pakistani passports do not recognize Israel. He added: “Even our passport does not bear the name Israel.”Asif also pointed to the ongoing conflict in Gaza as a major obstacle to any normalization effort. He added, “The Gaza Agreement is still being violated.
How can we sit with those who cannot be relied upon even for a day?Public opinion in Pakistan remains overwhelmingly supportive of the Palestinian cause, making recognition of Israel politically difficult under current circumstances, analysts say. Pakistan has never officially recognized Israel and has consistently linked any potential policy change to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to Dawn. The renewed focus on Pakistan’s policy toward Israel comes as Islamabad plays an increasingly prominent diplomatic role in efforts to reduce tensions between the United States and Iran. During his meeting with Rubio, Dar discussed regional security, bilateral cooperation, and Pakistani mediation efforts aimed at maintaining the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.According to the US State Department, Rubio thanked Pakistan for the “constructive role” it continues to play in promoting peace in the Middle East, and praised its mediation efforts with Iran.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said that the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, combating terrorism and regional security.Dar said Pakistan was committed to maintaining confidentiality as a mediator, and expressed hope that the ongoing diplomatic efforts would eventually lead to a comprehensive settlement between the United States and Iran. He added that several countries had expressed interest in hosting the talks, but Pakistan was chosen because of its close relations with all parties involved.
