Doob maro: Pakistanis go berserk as PM Shehbaz meets Israel-linked Rothschild leaders

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's meeting with Rothschild & Co executives in London has triggered a storm with Pakistanis invoking the banking dynasty's historic links to Zionism, the Jewish settlements in Palestine, and the establishment of Israel. Infuriated, people pointed to Rothschild as "Israel's founding family", and called the meeting an act of "begging from the Jews".

Sharif's meeting with Lord Mark Sedwill, Chair of Geostrategic Advisory at Rothschild & Co, and Majid Ishaq, its Head of UK Investment Banking, on Tuesday (September 29) discussed Pakistan's "geo-economic priorities" and "potential advisory collaboration on capital markets and investment strategy", according to the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office.

Sharif's meeting was not with members of the Rothschild family, nor did Pakistan announce that it had appointed the firm as an adviser. It nevertheless provided ammunition to critics and experts as Pakistan does not recognise Israel and members of the Rothschild family played documented roles in the Zionist movement and Jewish settlement in Palestine before Israel was established in 1948.

Taking to social media platforms like X and Reddit, critics contrasted the meeting with years of Pakistan's position on Israel and attacks portraying former Prime Minister Imran Khan as having links to a "Jewish lobby."

Pakistani columnist Raja Muneeb said, "Note he is meeting the Jewish family of Rothschild & Co. What explains Pakistan PM sitting with Jewish family. Begging for funds is more important than Palestine's freedom!!"

Pakistani writer and human rights advocate Humaira Wajahat described the meeting with "Israel's founding family", and said, "We don't need Israel's geostrategy for Pakistan."

Islamabad-based PTI member Choudhry Ahtsham Mustufa said, "Shahbaz Sharif has met with representatives of the notorious Zionist Rothschild family in London. Have a look at some of this family's history so you can understand who is behind the current regime, and why Imran Khan is in prison."

Pakistan has no diplomatic relations with Israel and its Foreign Ministry says Pakistani passports are "not valid for travel to Israel".

Islamabad says recognition would require a settlement of the Palestinian question and backs a Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

The meeting became particularly combustible because Imran Khan has repeatedly faced "Jewish lobby" accusations from the leaders of PM Shehbaz Sharif's party, including Defence Minister Khwaja Asif. These accusations have been partly centred on Imran Khan's marriage to Jemima Goldsmith and her Jewish family background. "Oh Khawaja, you fraud, go drown, and die," a person said.

WHAT SHEHBAZ SHARIF DISCUSSED WITH ROTHSCHILD LEADERS

Shehbaz met Rothschild & Co as part of a wider round of meetings with global financial institutions during his week-long UK visit. He also held talks with representatives of Barclays, JP Morgan, Citi and BlackRock.

The Rothschild meeting, however, was described differently from several of the others. According to the Pakistan PMO, talks with Sedwill and Ishaq "centred on Pakistan's geo-economic priorities and potential advisory collaboration on capital markets and investment strategy". Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali were also present.

Karachi-based newspaper Dawn reported the meeting as an account of Shehbaz Sharif courting global financial institutions. Pakistani financial daily Business Recorder similarly reported it as part of Pakistan's attempt to attract investment and deepen engagement with international finance. Neither report framed the meeting around Israel or the Rothschild family's history.

The Pakistani PMO said the two sides discussed "potential advisory collaboration."

WHY SHEHBAZ SHARIF'S ROTHSCHILD MEETING DREW FIRE

The post by Sharif on X nevertheless prompted criticism, much of it built around Pakistani policies and posturings on Jews, Zionism or Israel.

"Noon League [Sharif's party PML-N] spent years calling Imran a Yahoodi agent," a person said on X, accusing the Sharif government of "zero shame".

Islamabad-based journalist and influencer Haris Nadeem Khan said, "The act by PM Pakistan is shameful and highly condemnable. It disgraces his office, betrays public trust and tarnishes Pakistan's image. Such irresponsible behaviour is unacceptable and must be strongly condemned."

Chicago-based Pakistani author Shabana Mir asked, "Getting into the Zionist inner circle, are you?"

Several people associated with the PTI used the meeting to attack Sharif's PML-N government over its criticism and allegations over Imran Khan's alleged "Jewish links". "Who is the Yahoodi agent now?" a person wrote on Reddit.

Some critics alleged that the meeting revealed who was "behind the current regime" and explained why Imran Khan remained imprisoned.

THE ROTHSCHILDS, ZIONISM AND CREATION OF ISRAEL

The historical connection invoked by the critics is real, although describing the Rothschild family simply as the "founders of Israel" overstates a complex history.

One of the most important links involves Lionel Walter Rothschild, the second Baron Rothschild. On November 2, 1917, British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour addressed the document that became known as the Balfour Declaration to "Dear Lord Rothschild", asking him to communicate it to the Zionist Federation.

The declaration said the British government viewed "with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people."

Another family member, Baron Edmond James de Rothschild, played a substantial financial role in Jewish settlement in Ottoman Palestine. The Rothschild Archive says Edmond supported land purchases and settlements from the 1880s and that his donations provided "significant support" to the movement that eventually helped lead to Israel's establishment. By his death in 1934, his activities had involved nearly 500,000 dunams of land and almost 30 settlements, according to the archive.

Shehbaz Sharif met Rothschild & Co executives, and not any Israeli official or members of the Rothschild family. However, in Pakistan, where Israel is unrecognised and "Yahoodi agent" barbs have been weaponised by Sharif's own party, the Rothschild name was enough to hand critics and opposition a big ammunition.