Pakistan accepts Trump’s invitation to join ‘Board of Peace’

Pakistan has accepted US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join the so-called “Board of Peace” with the view to “achieving lasting peace in Gaza”, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday.

The invitation for Pakistan to join the Board of Peace was extended last week after Trump’s administration reached out to figures worldwide to sit on the board and related bodies overseeing governance and reconstruction in post-war Gaza.

“In response to the invitation extended to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif by President of the United States Donald J. Trump, Pakistan would like to announce its decision to join the Board of Peace (BoP) as part of its ongoing efforts to support the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan under the framework of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803,” the FO said in a statement.

The statement added that Pakistan was hopeful 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”.

“Pakistan also hopes that these efforts will lead to the realisation 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 statement read. 

The FO concluded the statement, saying: “Pakistan looks forward to continue to play a constructive role as part of the Board of Peace for the achievement of these goals as well as to end the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters.” 

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