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Foreign Office says doesn’t know about PM’s tourism coordinator meeting Israeli official in London

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The Foreign Office (FO) has said it had “no information” regarding reports that Pakistani businessman and Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s Coordinator on Tourism Sardar Yasir Ilyas had interacted with an Israeli official in London.

The clarification during the FO’s weekly press briefing came after a viral video on social media showed Ilyas shaking hands and conversing with director general (DG) of Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, Michael Izhar-Kov.

The video was reportedly recorded at the World Travel Market held in London from November 4 to 6, 2025. Israeli journalist Rai Kais first shared it on X, claiming Pakistan had been mentioned among countries that could join an international force in Gaza.

However, London-based journalist Murtaza Ali Shah suggested the encounter was unplanned, stating that “a group of individuals from Israel visited the Pakistan Pavilion unannounced and met the Pakistani delegation without introducing themselves”.

“I have no information on this meeting. The gentleman you referred to is a public figure. I would request you to ask him about the meeting,” FO spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said when asked about the viral video during the briefing.

Andrabi went on to say he had not seen the report or had any information on a meeting between the premier’s adviser or any public figure with an Israeli representative.

“I can assure you that if such a meeting or interaction took place, it was certainly without authorisation by the government,” he said.

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