Trump’s invitation accepted
Indonesia, Turkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan also announce joining the board
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan has accepted United States President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace, a new international mechanism aimed at supporting the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan, the Foreign Office (FO) announced on Wednesday.
Other countries that have accepted the invitation to join the board include Indonesia, Israel, Turkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The proposed board would be chaired for life by Trump and would initially focus on the Gaza conflict before expanding its remit to other wars. Member countries would be required to pay a $1 billion fee to secure permanent membership.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision was taken following an invitation extended to PM Shehbaz by Trump. The Board of Peace has been constituted under the framework of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, which calls for concrete steps to address the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The FO said Pakistan’s participation reflects its longstanding commitment to international peace and security, as well as its consistent support for the Palestinian cause.
“Pakistan hopes that with the creation of this framework, concrete steps will be taken towards the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, further scaling up of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, as well as reconstruction of Gaza,” the statement said.
The government underscored that an immediate and durable ceasefire remained critical to alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where months of conflict have left thousands dead and displaced large segments of the population. Islamabad also stressed the urgent need for unhindered humanitarian access to ensure the delivery of food, medicine and essential supplies to civilians.
Beyond the immediate humanitarian dimension, Pakistan reiterated its principled position on the Palestinian issue, emphasising that lasting peace in the Middle East could not be achieved without addressing the root political causes of the conflict.
The FO said Pakistan hoped the efforts under the Board of Peace would lead to the realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination through a “credible, time-bound political process”, consistent with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.
Such a process, the statement added, must culminate in the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
