Islamabad, September 28, 2025: The controversy over columnist and social media activist Shama Junejo’s presence at the United Nations alongside Pakistan’s delegation has intensified, with Junejo claiming Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had personally included her as an adviser, despite denials from the Foreign Office (FO) and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
The matter first erupted when Junejo was spotted seated behind Asif during his address at a UN Security Council session on artificial intelligence last week. Photos quickly circulated on social media platform X, with critics highlighting her past posts expressing support for Israel — a stance at odds with Pakistan’s pro-Palestinian position.
Facing backlash, Asif initially distanced himself from Junejo, saying only the FO could explain her presence. The FO later issued a statement clarifying that Junejo was not part of Pakistan’s accredited delegation to the 80th UN General Assembly session.
Speaking on to a private news channel, Asif admitted he was “disturbed” that “such people could be with the delegation whom no one owns later,” while denying that Junejo had written the prime minister’s UNGA speech.
However, Junejo countered on Sunday, insisting she had been working with the PM for months. In a series of posts on X, she claimed:
- She had prepared policy briefs during the Pakistan-India escalation and was tasked with drafting the UN speech.
- She was issued a UN security pass, stayed with the PM’s team at the hotel, and attended key sideline meetings, including one with Bill Gates and another on climate with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
- She was escorted by protocol staff to the UNSC AI session, where she sat behind Asif, alongside Pakistan Crypto Council CEO Bilal Bin Saqib.
“I worked with his team day and night. I travelled with him, stayed with his team, and was part of his important meetings. The PM’s historic speech was teamwork,” Junejo maintained, adding that she returned to London on a pre-booked flight arranged by the mission’s protocol team.
She questioned Asif’s remarks: “Why is Khawaja Asif sahib issuing such statements now and under what agenda is he tarnishing a historic visit of his government? The PM should ask him about this, as his authority has been challenged, not mine.”
The FO, however, reiterated that her name was absent from the official letter of credence, though diplomatic sources revealed that a “senior political leader” directed Pakistan’s mission in New York to facilitate her accreditation, arguing she was part of the PM’s entourage.
Junejo also addressed criticism of her past pro-Israel social media posts, saying they were from 2018 during the Abraham Accords debate, while stressing that since 2023 she had regularly condemned Israeli actions in Gaza. She pointed to her recent posts supporting Palestine and Pakistan’s delegates walking out of Israeli PM Netanyahu’s UNGA speech.
Meanwhile, concerns about Junejo’s claim of holding “secret files” were clarified in her latest statement. She explained that during a fire incident at London’s Churchill Hotel, she had carried drafts and notes that were her “personal intellectual property,” but not official state documents.
The episode has sparked heated debate in Islamabad, with critics questioning oversight in delegation management and the government’s internal coordination. For now, the government faces mounting pressure to explain Junejo’s exact role in the UN visit — and who authorized it.
