In a swift attempt at damage control, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has reportedly deleted a highly controversial post on X (formerly Twitter) in which he labeled Israel an “evil and cancerous state.” The deletion comes as Pakistan prepares to host sensitive high-level negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad this Saturday.
The Minister’s remarks had sparked an international firestorm, threatening Pakistan’s self-styled role as a neutral mediator in the fragile two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
The Deleted Post: A “Curse for Humanity”
The original post, which circulated widely before being scrubbed, saw Asif lashing out at Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon.
What the Minister said:
Allegations of Genocide: Asif accused Israel of committing genocide, stating, “Innocent citizens are being killed by Israel, first Gaza, then Iran and now Lebanon, bloodletting continues unabated.”
The “Cancerous” Label: He referred to the nation as a “cancerous state” and added a scathing personal wish that those who created it “burn in hell.”
Timing of the Outburst: The remarks were particularly jarring as they coincided with the arrival of international delegations in Islamabad for the April 11 peace summit.
Israel Question’s Pakistan’s Neutrality
The Israeli government wasted no time in condemning the statements, with officials suggesting that Pakistan has effectively disqualified itself as a peace arbiter.
“Pakistan Defence Minister’s call for Israel’s annihilation is outrageous,” read a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. “This is not a statement that can be tolerated from any government, especially not from one that claims to be a neutral arbiter for peace.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar echoed these sentiments, describing the remarks as “antisemitic blood libels” and asserting that calling a state “cancerous” is a direct call for its destruction. He reiterated that Israel would continue to defend itself against any entity vowing its annihilation.
Diplomatic Stakes in Islamabad
The backtracking by Khawaja Asif highlights the immense pressure on the Pakistani government to maintain a diplomatic balance. With U.S. and Iranian officials arriving for talks mediated by Pakistan and Pakistan’s long-term ally, China, any perception of extreme bias could derail the scheduled negotiations.
While the post has been deleted, the diplomatic “scars” remain a talking point as the world watches whether the scheduled Saturday talks can proceed without the shadow of this verbal escalation.