UK based journalist Dr Shama Junejo has claimed that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif had included her in Pakistan’s United Nations (UN) delegation as adviser.
The claim comes about amidst intense speculation that started when Shama was spotted sitting behind Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s address at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session on artificial intelligence (AI) last week. Social media users then unearthed her old tweets, expressing clear support for Israel.
Following social media uproar, the defence czar took to X (formerly Twitter), on September 26, distancing himself from the matter, saying that it was the Foreign Office’s discretion to decide who can sit behind him. Later, the FO clarified that she had not been part of Pakistan’s accredited delegation.
On September 28, however, Shama claimed in a post on X that she had been working for the prime minister for many months.
“My policy briefs, advice and points during the Pakistan-India escalation are all part of the record and preserved,” she wrote, adding that the premier had assigned her the task of “writing the UN speech”.
She went on to claim that the PM himself had included her in the UN delegation as an adviser and that she was also issued a security pass.
“I worked with his team day and night. I travelled with him, stayed with his team in the same hotel and was also a part of his important meetings on the sidelines (of the UNGA session), such as the one with Bill Gates,” Shama said, adding that in another conference on climate on the UNGA sidelines, she was sitting with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar behind the prime minister.
In her post, she also shared a picture of herself with Asif and Pakistan Crypto Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bilal Bin Saqib, as well as that of her UN card.
Junejo maintained that at the AI conference, Bilal continued to write a new speech and “we had tea together afterwards”.
“We sat together for 40 minutes waiting for the car, and returned to the hotel together in the same car. Khawaja Asif sahib sat with me on the backseat of the car,” she maintained, further noting that she was also at the UN “with the others” when PM Shehbaz was delivering his speech. “There, Khawaja Asif was sitting in front of me, and we all applauded together for the prime minister.”
Moreover, Shama stated that the PM’s “historic speech was not only written by me, but it was teamwork”. She claimed to be a part of the minister’s speech-writing team since April as well. She questioned, “Why is Khawaja Asif sahib issuing such statements now and under what agenda is he tarnishing a historic visit of his government?”
In a similar post on X, Asif’s statements and the FO’s post, according to her, “have embarrassed Pakistan globally“. She added, “If anyone attempts to malign my character or professional integrity, I reserve the right to pursue legal action in the UK.”