Noreen Niazi: India Held Back Over Pakistan-Israel Ties
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- Noreen Niazi, sister of Imran Khan, claimed in a widely circulated social media interview that India refrained from escalating the four-day May 2025 conflict because Pakistan was moving toward recognizing Israel — offering no evidence for the assertion.
- Niazi alleged the confrontation was "orchestrated to bolster the image" of Pakistan's armed forces under Gen Asim Munir, who was later elevated from General to Field Marshal following the clashes.
- She further claimed, without evidence, that the conflict aimed to facilitate Pakistan's entry into the Abraham Accords — the 2020 US-brokered agreements under which Israel established ties with the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
- Niazi linked Donald Trump's praise for Pakistan's military leadership to what she described as efforts to normalize Pakistan-Israel relations.
- 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; an understanding to halt military action was reached May 10.
- Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz called Niazi's remarks "shameful" and "highly condemnable," saying they "reflect the mindset of her brother Imran Khan" and work against Pakistan's national interest.
Why it matters: The unsubstantiated allegations revive a sensitive debate inside Pakistan about the May 2025 conflict's military conduct, civilian leadership, and alleged foreign-policy pivots. PML-N's aggressive counter-attack signals the controversy will deepen the ruling-opposition rift and could pressure the military's public standing just as Munir's promotion to Field Marshal cemented his authority.
