He refused to name the country or countries that have been pressuring him, saying: "There are things we cannot say. We have good relations with them."
When his interlocutor again asked who is pressuring Pakistan, Khan said: "Let us stand on our own feet in terms of economy; then you may ask these questions."
The pressure is a result of "Israel's deep impact in the US," he said. "This [influence] was, in fact, extraordinary during [US President Donald] Trump's tenure."
US President-elect Joe Biden's position on Israel is of utmost importance, Khan said.
"The real issue is Israel," he said. "We shall see how Biden deals with that: whether he changes Trump's policies on Israel or continues with them."
"Israel's
lobby is the most powerful, and that's why America's whole Middle East policy
is controlled by Israel," Khan said last month.
FO refutes reports regarding US pressure on Pakistan to recognize Israel
Pakistan's Foreign Office on Tuesday termed as 'fabricated' the media reports that Prime Minister Imran Khan in an interview had mentioned the pressure of United States on Pakistan to recognize Israel.
FO Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said the Prime Minister had clearly articulated Pakistan's position that unless a just settlement of the Palestine issue which was satisfactory to the Palestinian people, Pakistan could not recognize Israel.
He said the prime minister had stressed that Pakistan's policy in this regard was rooted in Quaid-e-Azam's vision.
"The prime minister's remarks are an unequivocal reaffirmation of Pakistan's position on the subject, leaving no room for baseless speculation," he said.
The FO spokesperson said Pakistan will continue to support a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions as well as international law, with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of Palestine.
Over the past few months, speculations have been rife that Pakistan may establish formal relations with Israel due to the recognition of Israel by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Not surprisingly, social media was abuzz with reports that Saudi Arabia has asked Pakistan:
1. Stop openly supporting Palestine & usher ties with Israel & accept US peace plan of Jerusalem as capital of Israel.
2. To close the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) deal with China and move back to US camp & close its relations with China
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