Pakistan accepts Donald Trump's invitation to join 'Board of Peace', will help impose ceasefire in Gaza

Islamabad: Pakistan has accepted the invitation to join US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace. This was confirmed by Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is an initiative aimed at helping ensure lasting peace in war-torn Gaza. Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced in a statement that Wednesday's  decision follows an invitation extended by Donald Trump to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, .

"Pakistan has announced its decision to join the Board of Peace (BoP) in support of the Gaza peace plan under UNSC Resolution 2803, and reaffirmed its commitment to a permanent ceasefire, humanitarian assistance, reconstruction of Gaza, and a just, time-bound path towards an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital," Ishaq Dar wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Did Donald Trump extended the invitation to Pakistan?

According to the Dawn media outlet, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry (FO) said on Wednesday that Pakistan has accepted the invitation to join US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" with the aim of "achieving lasting peace in Gaza." Pakistan received this invitation last week when the Trump administration contacted prominent figures worldwide to join the board and related bodies overseeing governance and reconstruction in post-war Gaza.

What did the US State Department say?

"In response to the invitation extended by President Donald J. Trump of the United States to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan is announcing its decision to join the Board of Peace within the framework of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 and as part of its efforts to support the implementation of the Gaza peace plan," the US State Department said in a statement.

What is Pakistan hoping for?

The statement further added that Pakistan hopes that the establishment of this framework will lead to "the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, further enhancement of humanitarian assistance for the Palestinians, and concrete steps towards the reconstruction of Gaza." 

The statement said, "Pakistan also hopes that these efforts will help realize the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people through a credible, time-bound political process, consistent with international legitimacy and relevant UN resolutions." 

How does Pakistan envisage its role in Donald Trump’s Board of Peace?

Concluding the statement, Pakistan claimed it would try to play a constructive role. Reuters reported that it had seen documents in which the US administration, in a draft charter sent to nearly 60 countries, stated that if member countries wished to retain their membership for more than three years, they would have to pay $1 billion in cash.

Have other countries confirmed their participation?

By accepting the invitation, Pakistan has joined the list of a few countries that have agreed to participate. Only a handful of countries, including Hungary, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates, have so far accepted the invitation to join the board without any conditions.