Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received warm accolades at the inaugural summit of the “Board of Peace” in Washington, where global leaders, including former US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, convened to discuss peace and reconstruction in Gaza. Trump singled out PM Shehbaz and Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for their role in helping avert last year’s conflict between Pakistan and India. He recounted how his intervention and pressure prevented further escalation, calling the leaders “serious fighters” and praising their cooperation in achieving a ceasefire.
In his address, PM Shehbaz returned the praise, commending Trump for his efforts in promoting peace in Gaza and for his timely role in preventing large-scale casualties in South Asia. He emphasized that lasting peace in Palestine requires an end to ceasefire violations, respect for UN resolutions, and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. The prime minister described the summit as historic and expressed hope that the Board’s efforts would leave a long-lasting legacy of peace.
Pakistan, however, has clarified that it will not commit troops to the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) tasked with demilitarising Hamas, insisting that any deployment would be strictly for peacekeeping purposes. Officials stressed that Pakistan seeks full clarity on the ISF’s mandate, chain of command, and operational scope before making any commitment.
The summit also saw a warm personal interaction between the two leaders, with Trump embracing PM Shehbaz. High-level meetings with US officials are expected to follow, as Pakistan continues to evaluate its role in Gaza’s reconstruction and security efforts.
