PM Shehbaz To Attend Gaza Board of Peace Meeting on Feb 19
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to attend the inaugural session of the Board of Peace led by US President Donald Trump on February 19 in Washington, sources confirmed to Geo News on Tuesday. The sources said the government of Pakistan has formally informed the Gaza Peace Board about the prime minister’s participation in the opening meeting.
The planned gathering was first reported by US media outlet Axios, which said the meeting would also function as a fundraising conference aimed at the reconstruction of Gaza. The session is scheduled to take place at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, DC. An official statement shared with Reuters confirmed that the Board of Peace meeting is set for February 19.
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Pakistan’s position on the issue was reiterated last month by Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, who said Islamabad would continue to engage with international initiatives focused on peace and security in Gaza. He added that Pakistan supports a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in line with United Nations resolutions and has consistently expressed its readiness at global forums to play a constructive role in US-led peace efforts.
President Trump formally launched the Board of Peace during the World Economic Forum in Davos in late January. During the launch, several world leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, endorsed the initiative by signing on to pursue a long-term agreement for Gaza. Leaders and senior officials from 19 countries, including allies of Trump from Argentina and Hungary, joined him on stage to sign the founding charter of the new body.
Reactions to Trump’s initiative have been mixed across the international community. While some of Washington’s Middle Eastern allies have joined the board, many traditional Western allies have so far stayed away. Permanent membership of the Board of Peace reportedly requires a contribution of $1 billion.
The board’s mandate follows a United Nations Security Council resolution adopted in mid-November, which authorised the board and cooperating countries to establish an international stabilisation force in Gaza. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since October under a Trump-backed plan agreed to by Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. Under this plan, the board was initially intended to oversee Gaza’s temporary governance, with Trump later indicating it could be expanded to address other global conflicts.
A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the planned meeting. Meanwhile, several human rights experts have criticised the initiative, arguing that a US-led board supervising the affairs of a foreign territory resembles a colonial structure, and noting concerns over the absence of Palestinian representation.
The ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile, with repeated violations reported since October. According to available figures, more than 550 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the truce came into effect, underscoring the ongoing instability that the Board of Peace aims to address.
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