Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to attend the first leaders’ meeting of the US-initiated Gaza Board of Peace in Washington on February 19, sources familiar with the matter said.
The development follows an invitation extended by US President Donald Trump to Pakistan to join the Gaza Board of Peace, an offer confirmed by the Foreign Office (FO) on January 18, 2026.
However, sources said a final decision on the prime minister’s participation in the high-level meeting — to be chaired by the US president at the Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace — will be taken in the coming days.
“Pakistan will be in attendance. The invitation was sent to the prime minister, and it is expected that he will attend. Consultations are ongoing, and an official announcement will be made shortly. This is an important event,” The News quoted diplomatic sources as saying.
Last month, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi reiterated that Pakistan would remain engaged with international initiatives aimed at achieving peace and security in Gaza. He said Pakistan continues to support a lasting resolution to the Palestine issue in line with United Nations resolutions and has expressed readiness to play a constructive role in the US-led peace plan.
In December 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had stated that Pakistan’s civil and military leadership was united in its decision not to deploy troops to Gaza to disarm Hamas.
The proposed meeting was first reported by Axios, which said the gathering would also function as a fundraising conference for Gaza’s reconstruction. A US official later confirmed to Reuters that the Board of Peace meeting is scheduled for February 19, while further details were referred to the White House.
According to Axios, the meeting will be held at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.
At least one world leader has confirmed his participation. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of Trump within the European Union, announced at a campaign event that he would travel to Washington to attend the meeting.
Trump launched the Board of Peace in late January, describing it as an initiative to help resolve global conflicts. However, the move has drawn criticism from experts who warn it could undermine the role of the United Nations. Governments worldwide have reacted cautiously to the invitation, with several Western allies opting not to join, while some Middle Eastern partners have signed on. Permanent membership reportedly carries a cost of $1 billion.
A UN Security Council resolution adopted in mid-November authorised the board and participating countries to help establish an international stabilisation force in Gaza, where a fragile ceasefire came into effect in October under a Trump-backed plan agreed to by Israel and Hamas.
Under the plan, the board was initially tasked with overseeing Gaza’s temporary governance before its mandate was expanded to address broader global conflicts.
A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the upcoming meeting.
Human rights groups and legal experts have criticised the initiative, arguing that a US-led body supervising the affairs of a foreign territory resembles a colonial governance structure. They have also raised concerns over the absence of Palestinian representation on the board.
Meanwhile, the Gaza ceasefire has repeatedly come under strain, with more than 550 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers reportedly killed since the truce began in October.
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