Shama Junejo claims key role in PM's UN delegation, contradicts ministers

Social media activist Dr Shama Junejo, who was part of the official delegation representing Pakistan in the United Nations General Assembly, has made startling revelations about her involvement with the Pakistani delegation, directly contradicting statements from the Defence Minister and the Foreign Office, 24NewsHD TV reported on Sunday. 

In a series of posts on social media platform X, Junejo asserted that she was officially included in the delegation as an advisor by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself.

Junejo dismissed both the Defence Minister’s statement and the Foreign Office’s denial of her inclusion in the delegation, insisting she had been working with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for several months and was formally part of the team during the high-profile visit.

 “I had been working for Pakistan and the Prime Minister since April 2025. My policy briefs, advice, and points during the Pak-India conflict are all on record,” she claimed.

She went further, asserting that the Prime Minister himself tasked her with writing his UN speech and formally included her in the delegation as an adviser.

She said her security pass had been issued in this capacity, and she worked closely with the Prime Minister’s staff, traveling with them, staying in the same hotel, and attending important sideline meetings, including those with figures such as Bill Gates.

Junejo shared pictures of her security pass and photographs from the trip, adding that she sat alongside senior leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, during the climate conference and later with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during the AI Conference.

“Not only did we sit together, but Bilal (a team member) drafted a speech while I was with them.

Afterwards, we had tea together, waited for the car, took pictures, and returned to the hotel in the same vehicle. Khawaja Asif himself sat with me in the back seat,” she recounted.

She also insisted she was present at the UN General Assembly when the Prime Minister delivered his address, stating, “We all applauded together. That speech was not only mine, it was the result of teamwork.”

Rejecting the Defence Minister’s disclaimer, Junejo accused him of attempting to tarnish a historic diplomatic visit. “Why is Khawaja Asif now making such statements?

On whose agenda is he discrediting this historic visit of his own government?

The Prime Minister should be asking him, because it is the Prime Minister’s authority that has been challenged, not mine,” she argued.

The Foreign Office had earlier asserted that Junejo’s name did not appear on the official letter of credence, which bore Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s signature, and clarified that she was not an accredited member of the delegation.

The Defence Minister echoed this stance in his own statement, saying her presence behind him at the UN was arranged by the Foreign Office without his knowledge.

Meanwhile, Junejo’s presence has also triggered backlash on social media, where many users have labeled her a controversial figure with alleged sympathies toward Israel, further fueling the debate over her role and credibility.