Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif arrives in Washington DC to attend the inaugural session of the Board of Peace. Washington, February 19, 2026.. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Washington to attend the “Peace Council” as Pakistan has denied it will join the international stabilization force to demilitarize Hamas.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi accompany the Prime Minister in the Pakistani delegation along with delegations from 20 other countries.
According to the announcement, the Prime Minister will attend the Peace Council meeting in Washington today and high-level meetings between the Prime Minister and US officials are also expected in Washington.
Before Pakistan commits to sending troops to Gaza as part of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), it wants assurances from the United States that it will be a peacekeeping mission rather than tasked with disarming Hamas, three sources said. Reuters.
The ISF will operate under the board’s “Comprehensive Plan,” with the United States in command, tasked with stabilizing Gaza, overseeing humanitarian zones and protecting civilians while the comprehensive plan is implemented.
Trump, who will chair the meeting, is expected to announce a multibillion-dollar reconstruction plan for Gaza and detailed plans for a UN-authorized stabilization force for the Palestinian enclave.
Three government sources said during the visit to Washington that Sharif wanted to better understand the ISF’s objectives, what authority they operated under and what the chain of command was before deciding to deploy troops.
“We are ready to send troops. Let me make it clear that our troops could only be part of a peace mission in Gaza,” said one of the sources, a close aide to Sharif.
“We will not be part of any other role, such as disarming Hamas. That is out of the question,” he said.
‘Peace Board’
The “Peace Council,” a transitional governing body created to oversee Gaza and implement the so-called Comprehensive Plan aimed at ending the conflict there, has centralized authority to manage Gaza’s transition, demobilization, and demilitarization, and it can issue resolutions, form subcommittees, and amend civil and criminal laws under the direction and control of its chairman.
It is headed for life by Donald Trump, giving him broad authority over decisions, appointments and the direction of operations.
The Board oversees a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a technocratic body of Palestinians, with decision-making powers consolidated with the Board and its High Representative.
The document also outlines an International Stabilization Force (ISF), initially to be led by the United States with operational command under a US major general. The ISF will assist with security, humanitarian protection and controlled civilian protection corridors.
Pakistan does not have representation in Gaza’s executive board, meaning it will not directly influence decisions there.
Read more: Pakistan’s decision to join Trump’s ‘Peace Agency’ is getting mixed reactions
Officials have defended Pakistan’s decision to join the board, while critics warn that the board’s structure centralizes power and equates to Palestinian agencies, expressing concern that future pressure could arise to participate in actions Pakistan opposes, such as efforts on Hamas.
