ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan mentions in the Epstein documents highlightperipheral and incidental references, primarily linked to global healthinitiatives and elite networks, without implicating Pakistani figures inEpstein’s criminal activities. These fleeting connections, drawn fromemails involving Bill Gates’ polio eradication efforts, underscorechallenges in international philanthropy amid security risks and politicalperceptions.
Newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, madepublic by the US Department of Justice, contain limited and incidentalreferences to Pakistan and its citizens, with no evidence linking them tothe disgraced financier’s criminal sex trafficking network. The mentionslargely revolve around discussions of the Bill and Melinda GatesFoundation’s polio eradication programme in Pakistan, security threats tovaccination teams, and passing observations about political figures,reflecting Epstein’s broad but superficial interest in global elite circlesand philanthropy.
One recurring theme in the correspondence involves Epstein’s exchanges withassociates of Bill Gates, where the polio programme in Pakistan emerged asa topic of concern. Emails exchanged between Epstein and teams linked toGates, including former Gates Foundation adviser Boris Nikolic, highlightongoing dialogues about advancing vaccination efforts in challengingenvironments. These communications indicate Epstein was kept informed aboutoperational aspects of the initiative, though his role appearsobservational rather than substantive.
In one notable email, an unidentified sender updated Epstein on violentincidents targeting polio vaccination teams, reporting attacks in Pakistanand Nigeria where workers were shot. The message posed a direct question toEpstein on potential strategies to address and mitigate such securityrisks, illustrating the intersection of philanthropy with real-worlddangers in polio-endemic regions. Pakistan remains one of the lastcountries battling endemic poliovirus, with such attacks posing significantsetbacks to global eradication goals.
Another email referenced logistical details, informing Epstein that ashipment of five Pakistani outfits was en route, suggesting minor culturalor personal exchanges within his network, though the context remainsunclear and unrelated to any illicit activity. These references portrayEpstein as someone peripherally aware of international development issues,possibly through his connections to influential philanthropists.
The documents also include a 2010 email between Epstein and Jes Staley,then a JP Morgan executive, which promised Epstein “private time” withvarious foreign dignitaries. Among the listed names was Shah MehmoodQureshi, who served as Pakistan’s foreign minister at the time under theYousuf Raza Gilani administration. This mention positions Qureshi in a listof international figures potentially accessible through Epstein’s socialorbit, but no further details suggest any direct interaction or improprietyinvolving the Pakistani leader.
PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan also appears in scatteredreferences across the files. One email involving Nikolic and Epsteinexpressed Bill Gates’ displeasure over Pakistani media reports of a phonecall between Gates and Khan, fearing it could undermine progress on thepolio programme. The concern stemmed from potential political sensitivitiesor misperceptions that might hinder vaccination acceptance in Pakistan,where conspiracy theories have historically complicated eradication efforts.
A separate 2018 communication from Goldman Sachs executive Jide Zeitlin toEpstein described Khan’s leadership as a “slow motion car crash, despiteChina’s scaffolding,” offering a critical view of Pakistan’s politicaltrajectory under Khan shortly after his election. Additional correspondencefrom Epstein himself reflected strong negativity toward Khan, labeling hima significant threat to peace in hyperbolic terms compared to other globalleaders, though these appear as personal opinions rather thanevidence-based assessments.
These Pakistan-related mentions remain marginal within the vast trove ofEpstein documents, which primarily expose his associations with Westernelites, philanthropists, and financiers. The polio-related emailsunderscore the complexities of global health campaigns in volatile regions,where figures like Gates invested heavily to combat the disease. Pakistan’songoing struggle with polio, compounded by militant opposition andmisinformation, forms the backdrop for these fleeting discussions.
Experts note that such references do not imply wrongdoing by Pakistaniindividuals or institutions but highlight how Epstein’s networkoccasionally touched on international development matters throughintermediaries. The Gates Foundation has long prioritized polioeradication, partnering with governments worldwide, including Pakistan, tovaccinate millions and interrupt transmission chains despite persistentchallenges.
Overall, the documents reinforce that Pakistan featured only sporadicallyin Epstein’s world, mostly through the lens of philanthropy and elitecommentary, with no substantive ties to his convicted offenses. Therevelations add nuance to understanding how global figures navigatedinfluence, health diplomacy, and political perceptions in the early 2010sand beyond.
Qureshi
ogimageimage-name