Says Trump expressed ‘good wishes’ for Pakistan; Hope forum will help establish peace in Gaza
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the Pakistani community and businessmen on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. —SCREEN CAPTURE
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that the federal cabinet had approved the decision for Pakistan to join US President Donald Trump’s Peace Council.
The prime minister, who was in Davos to sign the junta’s charter as part of efforts to support the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan, had joined other world leaders in backing the initiative.
Trump on Thursday launched the Peace Board, initially focused on consolidating the ceasefire in Gaza, but said it could later take on a broader role that could worry other global powers.
Pakistan was among the countries invited to join the board. The government’s decision was strongly criticized by opposition legislators, who attacked the government for carrying out such a measure without parliamentary input.
Speaking to the media outside the Pakistan High Commission in London, the Prime Minister said: “Pakistan received the invitation to join the Peace Board, so after consultations, the cabinet approved joining it and we did so in the hope that peace will be established in Gaza, there will be reconstruction, Palestinians will get their rights with respect and peace will be established in the entire region.”
He said his visit to Davos was very productive. “I had a meeting with the managing director of the International Monetary Fund in Davos,” he added, calling the meeting “very good” and saying that the IMF chief had praised Pakistan’s efforts.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also said he met Trump on his visit to Davos, who conveyed goodwill towards Pakistan, adding that a ceasefire negotiated with Trump’s support saved “millions of lives” in South Asia during last year’s conflict with India in May.
Pakistan was among eight Muslim states that announced membership in the body, which included Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Pakistan had expressed hope that with the creation of this framework concrete steps would be taken for the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, further increase in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, as well as the reconstruction of Gaza.
“Pakistan also hopes that these efforts will lead to the realization of the right to self-determination of the people of Palestine, through a credible, time-bound political process, consistent with international legitimacy and relevant UN resolutions, resulting 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,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier said in a statement.
What is Trump’s ‘Peace Board’?
Trump first proposed the Peace Board last September when he announced his plan to end the Gaza conflict. He later made clear that the junta’s mandate would expand beyond Gaza to address other conflicts around the world.
The president of the United States will be the inaugural chairman of the board and will be tasked with promoting peace around the world and working to resolve conflicts.
Member states would be limited to three-year terms unless they pay $1 billion each to fund the board’s activities and gain permanent membership, the letter says.
The White House has named US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner as members of the initiative’s founding Executive Board.
