DND News: The presence of Dr. Shama Junejo who was awarded Pakistan’s civil award in journalism, the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz at United Nations proceedings has raised several questions, including concerns about UN security. Neither Pakistan’s Foreign Office nor the government of Pakistan is willing to claim responsibility for her being part of the official delegation inside the UN Hall.
Dr. Junejo holds a PhD in Military Ethics and was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan for her services in journalism, although she has never worked as a reporter, subeditor, or editorial staff for any newspaper or television channel in Pakistan. Instead, she is known as a prominent influencer with thousands of followers on X (formerly Twitter). Her articles and posts often reach the corridors of power, and she claims to serve as an intergovernmental communication consultant engaged in backdoor diplomacy.
She is now at the center of controversy after a photo of her sitting beside Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in the UN Assembly Hall went viral. Her critics argue that she has previously expressed admiration for taking photos with the Israeli Prime Minister and that she had tweeted in favor of Israel, although she insists that she has been critical of the Israeli PM for the last two years. The issue, however, is not about whom she supports, her background, or her personal beliefs; the real question is how she was able to sit behind Pakistan’s Defence Minister if she was not officially part of the delegation. Is this a UN security breach, or are responsible officials now distancing themselves from her to protect themselves?
سلامتی کونسل میں یہ تقریر وزیر اعظم کیونکہ مصروف تھے اسلئے انکی جگہ یہ تقریر میں نے کی۔ یہ خاتون یا کس نے میرے پیچھے بیٹھنا ھے دفتر خارجہ کی صوابدید و اختیار تھا اور ھے۰ فلسطین کے مسئلہ کے ساتھ میرا 60 سال سے جذباتی لگاؤ اور کمٹمنٹ ھے۔ ابو ظہبی بینک میں ملازمت کے دوران فلسطینی… pic.twitter.com/FkyCHz4fYY
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) September 26, 2025
Dr. Junejo, an awardee of Pakistan’s civil honor, maintains that she had been part of the Prime Minister’s speechwriting team, and therefore sees no issue with being included in Pakistan’s delegation to the UN meeting. Her social media portfolio also indicates that she envisions establishing a think tank to shape future policy, discourse, and provide a platform for constructive dialogue.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is the world’s most prominent diplomatic forum, and Pakistan traditionally uses it to raise its voice for the causes of Kashmir and Palestine. During the 80th session of the UNGA, however, attention shifted when the photo of Dr. Junejo sitting behind Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during a UN Security Council session went viral. This raised two major questions: first, how could an influencer be included in Pakistan’s official team inside the UNGA Hall? And second, what about her alleged past tweets in favor of Israel?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has noted queries regarding the seating of a certain individual behind the Defence Minister at a recent meeting of the UNSC. To clarify, the individual in question was not listed in the official letter of credence for the Pakistan delegation to the… https://t.co/60w0te9hLX
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 26, 2025
The situation is both puzzling and embarrassing. Pakistan’s Foreign Office has stated that she was not part of its delegation list. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said he neither knows her nor authorized her to sit behind him. Meanwhile, Dr. Junejo presents an entirely different version of events.
میں پچھلے کئی مہینوں سے پاکستان اور وزیراعظم صاحب @CMShehbaz کے لئے کام کر رہی تھی!
پاک بھارت جنگ کے دوران میرے پالیسی بریفس، ایڈوائس، اور پوائنٹس، سب کچھ ریکارڈ کا حصہ ہے اور محفوظ ہے۔
مجھے وزیراعظم صاحب نے اقوام متحدہ کی تقریر لکھنے کا ٹاسک دیا۔ اور خود وفد کا حصہ بنایا۔… pic.twitter.com/YTED1ZKx1N— Dr Shama Junejo (@ShamaJunejo) September 28, 2025
This episode has turned into one of the most embarrassing moments in Pakistan’s recent diplomatic history. It highlights the lack of coordination between the Prime Minister’s team, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Foreign Office. It may even be seen as a security lapse on the part of the United Nations, since no authority in Pakistan is willing to confirm on whose invitation or as whose guest Dr. Junejo attended the session.
The Prime Minister’s Secretariat and the Ministry of Information have yet to release any statement regarding the event, while Shama Junejo claims that she was part of the Prime Minister’s delegation and a member of the PM’s speechwriting team.
