Palestine denies Pak media report on ambassador who shared stage with Hafiz Saeed being reinstated

Palestine has reinstated its ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali who was recalled for sharing a stage with JuD chief and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack Hafiz Saeed, reported Pakistani media.

Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) chairman Maulana Tahir Ashrafi told Geo News that he had asked for the Walid Abu Ali to be reinstated and that the ambassador would return to Pakistan and resume his duties from Wednesday.

However, the Palestine Embassy in New Delhi denied the reports and said that Walid Abu Ali was still in Palestine and didn't know where 'they got the information'.  The Palestine FM also denied the story and said their official statement had been published last week. 

We don't know from where you got this information about Palestine Ambassdor to Pakistan being reinstated. As per our knowledge he is very much in Palestine as of now: Palestine Embassy in New Delhi to ANI on Pak media's reports on Palestine reinstated its ambassador to Pakistanv pic.twitter.com/wZJZ5QgxkP

— ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2018

We deny this information. Our ambassador in Pakistan is in Palestine and our position was declared by our official statement which we have published last week: Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Pakistan media's reports that Palestine reinstated its ambassador to Pakistan

— ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2018

The Palestinian Authority had described as an "unintended mistake", but "not justified" the presence of its ambassador to Pakistan at an event also attended by Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and decided to recall him immediately.

India had issued a strong demarche to Palestine after its Ambassador to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, was seen sharing stage with JuD chief Saeed during an event in Rawalpindi organised to express solidarity with Jerusalem.

"On the basis of the principled and firm Palestinian position, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates considered the participation of our Ambassador in Pakistan in a mass rally in solidarity with Jerusalem, held in Rawalpindi and in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism is an unintended mistake, but not justified," a statement from the Palestinian Authority (PA) said.

The External Affairs Ministry (MEA) had condemned the act by the Palestinian Ambassador in strong words and called it "unacceptable". "The government has strongly conveyed to the Palestinian side that the Palestinian Ambassador's association with terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the United Nations, at an event in Rawalpindi on December 29 is unacceptable," the MEA said.

Pakistan had defended Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's participation in a pro-Palestine rally, saying the JuD chief's UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression.

Saeed and Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali participated in the rally in garrison city of Rawalpindi. 

Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) in statement said the country's unambiguous and steadfast support to the Palestinian cause was well known and several rallies had been held since the US announced to recognise Jerusalem as capital of Israel.

"The Ambassador of Palestine has participated in many of these meetings. The public meeting held yesterday was yet another demonstration of the Pakistani strong sentiments in support of the Palestinian cause," it said.

"This public rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. More than 50 speakers addressed the rally, including Hafiz Saeed. Contrary to the impression being created, UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression," the FO said.

"The people and Government of Pakistan respect the Palestinian Ambassador s active participation in events organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine," it said.

Saeed, who was among the speakers, accused Jewish, Zionists and Hindu leadership of destroying the world peace.

He urged the Muslim countries to send their armies if the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem. 

With inputs from PTI