Pakistan will push for a Gaza ceasefire, humanitarian access and reconstruction at the February 19 talks
US President Donald Trump shares a lighter moment with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the unveiling of the ‘Board of Peace’ on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. Photo: Express
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Washington on February 18 to represent Pakistan at the first leaders’ meeting of US President Donald Trump’s peace council, diplomatic sources said. Express Pakinomist on Tuesday.
The inaugural meeting of the board will be held on February 19 and will be chaired by President Trump. A State Department source said Pakistan has received a formal invitation and is likely to attend, although an official announcement is still awaited.
Diplomatic sources had previously said the meeting will focus on the situation in Gaza, including efforts to restore peace and stability, maintain a ceasefire, ensure humanitarian access and outline a road map for post-conflict reconstruction.
Pakistan’s participation is seen as part of the country’s wider efforts to contribute to regional peace and seek an early and just solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Islamabad has consistently called for an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian aid and a political process based on international law and relevant UN resolutions.
Read: The US plans to meet for the Gaza ‘Peace Authority’ in Washington on February 19, reports Axios
Officials said Pakistan will reiterate its longstanding support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Pakistan formally joined the US-led Peace Council last month at a ceremony in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. The initiative, announced by President Trump last year, initially focused on Gaza’s reconstruction after the Israel-Hamas conflict, but has since expanded to other conflict-affected regions.
Officials said one of the main goals of the meeting in Washington is to mobilize funds for Gaza’s reconstruction. More than 20 countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Argentina and Hungary, are members of the board.
