- Pakistan rejects Abraham Accords, citing ideological differences.
- Defence Minister Asif questioned trust and engagement with Israel.
- Pakistan’s passport policy reflects long-standing refusal to recognise Israel.
- Trump urged Muslim nations, including Pakistan, to join accords.
Pakistan has ruled out supporting the Abraham Accords, with Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stating that Islamabad would not join any agreement that conflicts with the country’s “fundamental ideologies.”
Speaking to Pakistani broadcaster Samaa TV, Asif responded to questions regarding reports that US President Donald Trump was encouraging Pakistan and several Muslim-majority nations to join the US-backed diplomatic framework normalising ties with Israel.
“Personally, I don’t think we should join any such accord that clashes with our fundamental ideologies,” Asif said during the interview.
Questioning the credibility of engagement with Israel, he added, “How will you sit down with those people whose word cannot be trusted even for a single day?”
The Pakistani Defence Minister reiterated Islamabad’s longstanding opposition to recognising Israel.
“We have a very clear stance that this is not acceptable to us,” he said.
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Pakistan Cites Passport Policy On Israel
Asif also referred to Pakistan’s passport policy to underline the country’s refusal to recognise Israel.
“And secondly, on our passports, we are the only country whose passports don’t even include Israel’s name,” he said.
Pakistan currently does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel and has historically linked any recognition of the Jewish state to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
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Trump Pushes For Expansion Of Abraham Accords
Earlier on Monday, Trump said negotiations with Iran were “proceeding nicely” and argued that any agreement to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia should include the expansion of the Abraham Accords.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump called on countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain to simultaneously join the accords.
“Negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are proceeding nicely! It will only be a Great Deal for all or, no Deal at all,” Trump wrote, warning that failure to reach an agreement could mean “Back to the Battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before.”
Trump also suggested that Iran itself could eventually become part of the framework if a broader agreement with Washington is finalised.
ALSO READ: ‘Either Great & Meaningful Deal Or No Deal’: Trump Says US Won’t Compromise On Iran
Trump Says Regional Leaders Consulted
According to Trump, he had discussed the matter with several regional leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, among others.
Calling it potentially “the most important Deal” in the region’s history, Trump said he had instructed US representatives to begin efforts to expand the Abraham Accords to additional countries.
The Abraham Accords were brokered by the United States in 2020 and led to the normalisation of ties between Israel and countries including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
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