Is Pakistan lifting the rule banning travel to Israel? Here is the truth

New Delhi: The Pakistani government on Friday dismissed media reports that the Shehbaz government was preparing to send 20,000 troops to Gaza. It also dismissed reports that Pakistan was removing the clause from its passports that prohibited travel to Israel. Pakistan’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry claimed that a TV channel had reported that Pakistan was planning to send a large number of troops to Gaza to monitor Western countries and Israel. According to a statement from the ministry, the channel also jokingly claimed that Pakistan had removed the clause “not valid for Israel” from passports.

What did the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say?

In a statement on the social media platform X, the Ministry of Information cited a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa), which reiterated that Pakistan’s position on Israel has not changed, namely, that Islamabad does not recognise Israel, and that no military cooperation or engagement exists or is being discussed. Furthermore, the Ministry clarified that the passport clause remains in place. The statement said, “The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports confirms that it is still valid for all countries except Israel.”

‘Do not recognise Israel’

Pakistan maintains that it does not recognise Israel and strongly supports the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. The ministry further advised that people should rely on official statements and verified policy updates and avoid unverified or politically charged claims from biased media.

Earlier this week, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the decision to send Pakistani troops to the Gaza peacekeeping force was being finalised and in process. When asked in an interview on a Geo News show whether such a move was underway, Asif said, “This is something that needs to be finalised and is in process. The government will decide to go through the process, and I don’t want to pre-empt it.”

Creation of International Stabilisation Force

A key element of the US-brokered Gaza peace agreement is the creation of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF), which will consist mostly of troops from Muslim-majority countries. According to officials involved in the negotiations, an announcement regarding this decision is expected soon from the Pakistani government. Officials familiar with the discussions, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said that discussions within the Pakistani government and military are in an advanced stage. According to them, the nature of the internal discussions suggests Islamabad is ready to participate in the mission.