- Information Ministry rejects Indian media claim as ‘baseless propaganda,’ saying no meetings held, no deals made
- Clarifies Pakistan neither recognises Israel nor holds any contact, terming story a ‘manufactured disinformation piece’ by CNN-News18
- Says false report aims to tarnish Pakistan’s image, mislead Muslim world, reaffirm unwavering support for Palestinian cause
- No plan, proposal or discussion on sending troops to Gaza, ministry asserts
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information on Tuesday categorically rejected as “completely fabricated and baseless” an Indian media report claiming that Pakistan’s leadership had held secret meetings with the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel’s Mossad to discuss sending Pakistani troops to Gaza under a so-called peace force arrangement.
The ministry stressed that Pakistan has neither held any such meetings nor agreed to any plan to deploy troops to Gaza, reaffirming Islamabad’s long-standing and principled stance of non-recognition of Israel and unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.
“The news item is completely fabricated. No such meetings, understandings, or ‘deals’ ever took place between Pakistan’s leadership, the CIA, or Mossad,” the ministry said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Pakistan does not recognize Israel, has no diplomatic or military engagement with it, and maintains a clear, principled stance in support of Palestinian self-determination.”
🔎 Fact Check| Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
🟠 Claim:
An article published by FirstPost on October 28, 2025, titled “With Munir’s CIA-Mossad deal, Pakistan to send 20,000 troops to Gaza under post-war plan,” claims that Field Marshal Asim Munir “brokered a deal” with… pic.twitter.com/LYNs6vCP0B— Fact Checker MoIB (@FactCheckerMoIB) October 28, 2025
The statement came hours after India’s First Post, citing CNN-News18, alleged that Pakistan was “preparing to deploy up to 20,000 troops to Gaza” following purported secret meetings between Chief of Army Staff Gen. Asim Munir and senior officials from the CIA and Mossad. The report further claimed that Pakistani troops would “neutralize remaining Hamas elements” and act as a “buffer force” between Israel and Gaza’s armed factions under Western instructions—in exchange for economic incentives and debt relief from the United States and its allies.
Calling the report a “manufactured propaganda piece,” the Information Ministry said it was part of a malicious disinformation campaign aimed at “misrepresenting Pakistan’s foreign policy, maligning its leadership, and sowing discord among Muslim nations.” It added that CNN-News18 has a “long history of publishing anti-Pakistan disinformation, including multiple unverified stories citing unnamed ‘intelligence sources.’”
The ministry noted that no credible national or international source, including the military’s media wing (ISPR), had issued or verified any such plan or discussions.
“The claim of a CIA–Mossad–Munir deal and Pakistan sending 20,000 troops to Gaza is a deliberate fabrication aimed at tarnishing Pakistan’s image and creating regional distrust,” the statement said. “Pakistan has neither proposed nor agreed to any troop deployment in Gaza.”
Reports of an alleged International Stabilization Force (ISF)—a US-brokered concept under the Gaza Peace Agreement involving troops from Muslim-majority countries—had recently surfaced in diplomatic circles. Officials familiar with the discussions said the ISF’s proposed mandate included maintaining security, disarming militant elements, and facilitating reconstruction under a transitional Palestinian authority.
Sources acknowledged that internal deliberations had taken place in several capitals, including Islamabad, but maintained that Pakistan’s role, if any, would only be determined through legitimate, transparent, and internationally sanctioned frameworks. “Ideally, we would like this deployment to take place under a UN mandate,” one official told APP.
Officials also underlined that Pakistan’s consistent support for international peacekeeping is guided by moral responsibility and international legitimacy—not secret understandings. Pakistan remains one of the largest troop contributors to UN peacekeeping operations, having deployed over 200,000 personnel to 40 missions across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
“This experience lends Pakistan credibility in managing volatile post-conflict environments,” said a senior foreign affairs official. “However, any future decision would be made in line with Pakistan’s foreign policy principles and national interest—not external pressure.”
Diplomatic sources also linked the disinformation campaign to attempts to undermine Pakistan’s improving ties with Washington, which have seen a gradual thaw since President Trump’s return to the White House. They said certain quarters were trying to frame Pakistan’s participation in multilateral peace efforts as collusion with Israel—a narrative designed to provoke domestic backlash and regional suspicion.
Political analysts noted that the fabricated report emerged amid global debate over Gaza’s post-war reconstruction framework, with several Muslim-majority nations being considered for potential stabilization roles. The US-led peace proposal, finalised earlier this month, envisions the ISF as a transitional mechanism under international supervision—though its final composition remains unconfirmed.
Meanwhile, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, speaking on a TV channel a day earlier, said that if Pakistan were ever asked to play a peacekeeping role in Gaza, “it would be an honorable mission to save Palestinian lives.” However, he clarified that this was his personal view and that no such offer or decision had been made by the government.
Officials in Islamabad reiterated that Pakistan’s foreign policy towards Palestine remains unchanged: full support for the creation of an independent Palestinian state, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital, and opposition to any normalization with Israel until that goal is achieved.
“Pakistan’s position on the Palestinian issue is based on justice, international law, and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” an official statement concluded. “No fabricated story can alter that principle or mislead our citizens.”
