Journalist and YouTuber Azaz Syed has quoted an Israeli diplomat as claiming that they “invested a lot in” former ousted prime minister (PM) Imran Khan who “did not perform as expected”.
As per the details, a viral clip has shown the journalist claiming that an Israeli diplomat, at an event abroad, told him how their government established contacts with the former premier.
🔗 Related: Pakistan to Receive AMRAAM Missiles From U.S. To Upgrade Its F-16 Fleet
“We, in Israel, invested a lot in Imran Khan and had high expectations from him, but he did not perform as expected,” Azaz quoted the diplomat as saying while appearing on TV Today.
He went on to claim that Khan deliberately avoided openly condemning Israel because of his past association with ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith’s family.
It may be noted that the claims come amid a fierce battle between social media activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) since after JI chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman criticised Khan for his silence on Israel’s Gaza genocide.
The spat began when Naeem was questioned why Khan, despite using social media regularly from Adiala Jail, had not spoken out against Israel. The JI chief’s remarks triggered a wave of reaction from PTI’s digital platforms, which accused the JI leader of hypocrisy and acting at the behest of the establishment.
The dispute escalated into tit-for-tat trending hashtags on social media, prompting both the PTI and JI to issue formal statements.
🔗 Related: Lahore to Get Its First Expressway Connecting Arfa Karim Tower to Pine Avenue
The PTI dismissed Naaem’s criticism as “absurd, malicious and a desperate attempt to please the establishment”, reminding the JI that just months ago, their party chief had sought a meeting with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan regarding a pro-Palestine march, which the PTI had supported unconditionally.
They also accused JI of selective activism, responding to which JI accused the PTI of twisting Hafiz Naeem’s remarks and misleading its supporters.
