New York: The debate over Shama Junejo’s presence in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s delegation to the United Nations has deepened, as she released a detailed statement asserting that she was officially included in the team by the prime minister himself.
Junejo’s clarification comes after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif appeared to downplay her role, despite viral images showing her seated directly behind him during the UN General Assembly session.
In her statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Junejo said she had been working with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for months and that her policy briefs during the Indo-Pak war were part of the official record. She further claimed that Shehbaz Sharif personally tasked her with drafting his UN speech and issued her security clearance as an adviser.
Junejo added that she travelled and stayed with the prime minister’s team, attended side meetings—including one with Bill Gates—and even sat beside senior ministers during key conferences. “The protocol team gave me access, and I participated in multiple events as part of the delegation,” she noted.
She described her role as part of a collective effort, saying the UN speech was a team product rather than her individual work. “Why is Khawaja Asif questioning my role and undermining the government’s historic visit? The prime minister’s authority is being challenged, not mine,” she remarked.
