Pakistan Defense Minister Deletes Anti-Israel Post From X, Leaves on Facebook, After Diplomatic Backlash By Arshad Mehmood/The Media Line Pakistan’s defense minister deleted a sharply worded social media post about Israel on Wednesday after it triggered a diplomatic backlash at a sensitive moment for Islamabad, which has been trying to help facilitate indirect US-Iran contacts linked to a newly […]
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The Media Line: Pakistan Defense Minister Deletes Anti-Israel Post From X, Leaves on Facebook, After Diplomatic Backlash
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Pakistan Defense Minister Deletes Anti-Israel Post From X, Leaves on Facebook, After Diplomatic Backlash
By Arshad Mehmood/The Media Line
Pakistan’s defense minister deleted a sharply worded social media post about Israel on Wednesday after it triggered a diplomatic backlash at a sensitive moment for Islamabad, which has been trying to help facilitate indirect US-Iran contacts linked to a newly announced two-week ceasefire and broader regional tensions involving Lebanon.
Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif briefly posted a message on X accusing Israel of carrying out “genocide” and using language Israeli officials condemned as inflammatory and offensive. The post also referred to “European Jews” in terms that critics said carried antisemitic overtones. Although the message was later removed, it drew an unusually direct response from Israel, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called the remarks “outrageous” and said they amounted to rhetoric questioning Israel’s right to exist. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and other officials also condemned the post, with several focusing on the phrase “European Jews,” which they said crossed a line.
The controversy landed awkwardly for Pakistan. Islamabad has long supported the Palestinian cause, but it has also been trying to present itself as a credible intermediary in high-stakes regional diplomacy. Asif’s post cut against that effort and invited new scrutiny of Pakistan’s claim to neutrality.
Within hours, Asif removed the message from X without public explanation. As of April 10, 2026, the same content remained on his Facebook account, fueling speculation that the deletion may have followed pressure from Pakistan’s political or military leadership, though no official confirmation has been provided.
Pakistani officials have continued to criticize Israeli military action in Gaza and Lebanon, but sources said the language in Asif’s deleted post was unusually severe at a time when Islamabad was trying to project diplomatic restraint.