Pakistan denied on Sunday reports of trade relations with Israel and vowed to investigate any goods allegedly “exported” to Israel, with which Islamabad has no diplomatic relations, the Middle East Monitor reported.
On March 30, the American Jewish Congress (AJC) issued a statement on ‘Trade Between the State of Israel and Pakistan,’ claiming that the first shipment from the country had been received in Israel.
“This week, the first shipment of Pakistan-origin food products was offloaded in Israel, in a transaction that involved Pakistani-Jewish businessman Fishel Benkhald, based in Pakistan’s business hub of Karachi, and three Israeli businessmen from Jerusalem and Haifa,” the statement read.
However, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch dismissed the claims, saying “There is no change in the policy,” referring to Islamabad’s position on having no diplomatic or trade ties with Israel.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce also said “Rumours about the beginning of Pakistan-Israel trade are pure propaganda. We neither have nor do we intend to start trade relations with Israel.”
Already last year, the Pakistani government dismissed claims of a policy shift towards Israel, after a reported visit of a “Pakistani delegation” to Israel.
(MEMO, PC)
