Lahore, Jul 18 (PTI) Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan’s sister has claimed that India refrained from escalating the May 2025 armed conflict at the behest of Israel because Islamabad was moving towards recognising the West Asian country.
Noreen Niazi, in an interview on a social media platform that was widely circulated on Saturday, sought to belittle the response of the Pakistani armed forces to India in the four-day armed conflict that was triggered by the Pahalgam terror attack.
The military operation “was the result of collusion between Pakistan’s military leadership and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” she claimed.
“India refrained from escalating the conflict at Israel’s behest because Pakistan was going to recognise Israel,” she said, without offering any evidence.
The military confrontation was “orchestrated to bolster the image of the armed forces of Pakistan under Gen Asim Munir,” she said.
Munir, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, was a General when the conflict happened. Following the event, his rank was elevated to Field Marshal.
Niazi further claimed the conflict was aimed at facilitating Pakistan’s entry into the Abraham Accords.
The Abraham Accords are a series of agreements brokered by the US in 2020, which established diplomatic, economic and security ties between Israel and several Arab nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
“What do you think? … India, which is a big country, was not in position to respond to Pakistan when it attacked on May 10? It could have but India deliberately refrained from giving a strong response because of some understanding,” Niazi said.
Khan’s sister claimed without offering any evidence that contacts between Pakistan and Israel already existed.
She also linked US President Donald Trump’s praise for Pakistan’s military leadership to what she described as efforts to normalise relations with Israel.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians in April 2025.
The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes between the two neighbouring countries that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.
‘Marka-e-Haq’ was the name given by Islamabad to this four-day conflict.
Niazi’s remarks prompted a strong reaction from Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari, who belongs to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
“Noreen Niazi’s statement reflects the mindset of her brother Imran Khan. Khan’s family has consistently appeared uncomfortable with Pakistan’s achievements and that remarks made against the national interest are deeply regrettable,” said Bokhari, adding that the “entire world acknowledged” Pakistan’s success in Maarka-e-Haq.
She said that Niazi’s remarks in support of PM Modi are not only “shameful” but also “highly condemnable.” The information minister also said that Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and his three sisters through their conduct give the impression that they either consider themselves infallible or remain detached from reality. PTI MZ NPK ABD NPK NPK
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