Pakistan minister calls Israel “curse for humanity” amid Lebanon strikes

Controversy engulfs Islamabad as US–Iran talks approach, with tensions rising over Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon and regional diplomatic strain

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has deleted a strongly worded social media post in which he condemned Israel following a wave of deadly air strikes on Lebanon that left more than 300 people dead and nearly 1,200 injured.

In the now-removed statement, Asif had described Israel as “evil” and “a curse for humanity,” accusing it of carrying out acts of genocide while peace efforts were underway in Islamabad.

The comments came just hours after a fragile, Pakistan-brokered ceasefire between the United States and Iran was announced, and days before high-level talks between Washington and Tehran are set to begin in the Pakistani capital.

Asif had expressed outrage over the escalating violence, stating that civilians were being killed across multiple fronts, from Gaza to Iran and now Lebanon as Israeli military operations intensified across the region.

The remarks were prompted by a series of large-scale Israeli strikes targeting more than 100 locations in Lebanon, launched shortly after the ceasefire announcement.

The attacks marked one of the deadliest episodes in the country since the end of its civil war in 1990, raising concerns that the fragile truce could be undermined.

Pakistan, reacting to the strikes, called for an immediate halt to the violence and warned that continued escalation could jeopardize ongoing diplomatic efforts, particularly the planned negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad.

While Pakistan and Iran maintain that Lebanon falls within the scope of the ceasefire framework, both Israel and the United States have rejected that interpretation, further complicating the situation.

Lebanese authorities have urged Islamabad to ensure their country is included in any broader ceasefire arrangement as fears grow over continued attacks.

Israel strongly condemned Asif’s remarks, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office calling the statements unacceptable and questioning Pakistan’s neutrality as a mediator.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also criticized the language used, arguing that such rhetoric was incompatible with diplomatic engagement.

Despite the backlash, the incident highlights the growing strain surrounding Israel’s military actions in the region, as well as the challenges facing Pakistan’s efforts to mediate between Washington and Tehran at a time of heightened instability.

With talks scheduled to begin in Islamabad, concerns remain that continued escalation, particularly in Lebanon, could derail diplomatic progress and further inflame an already volatile regional situation.