ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday arrived at the Donald J. Trump US Institute of Peace to attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, as Islamabad says its participation is aimed at securing a ceasefire, reconstruction and an independent Palestinian state.

The visit comes at Trump’s invitation and will run from Feb. 18–20, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, with Sharif accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other senior officials.

The Board of Peace, formed under a UN Security Council resolution following a fragile October 2025 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, is intended to oversee international stabilization and rebuilding efforts in Gaza after months of war.

The session began with Trump posing for photographs with world leaders gathered at the venue, including Sharif. The American president was flanked by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Vice President JD Vance and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a member of the organization’s executive board. 

“Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived at the Donald Trump Institute of Peace in Washington to attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace at the invitation of President Trump,” state-run Pakistan TV Digital reported. 

Pakistan formally joined the body last month after Sharif signed its charter alongside other world leaders in Davos. The forum includes an eight-nation Muslim bloc comprising Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

“Pakistan joined the Board of Peace as part of its almost eight decades-long support for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people,” Prime Minister’s spokesperson for foreign media Mosharraf Zaidi told Arab News on Wednesday.

“This begins and ends with the establishment of a Palestinian state based on pre 1967 borders and Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.” 

Islamabad hopes involvement in the forum will allow it to shape post-war governance arrangements while protecting Palestinian political rights.

“Pakistan’s participation is explicitly tied to a pathway to Palestinian statehood and international law,” Zaidi said.

He added that participation did not signal recognition of Israel.

“Participating in this historic initiative is not recognition of Israel and does not change Pakistan’s principled position on Palestine.”

He also stressed that multilateral engagement does not equal diplomatic normalization.

“Engagement in multilateral mechanisms that includes Israel does not equal diplomatic relations. Israel is a UN member state, and a member of the World Bank and IMF since 1954–but this does not entail normalization.”

Pakistan’s foreign office says the prime minister will also meet senior US leadership and other heads of government on the sidelines.

“The occasion will provide an opportunity for discussions on bilateral matters, as well as global issues of mutual concern,” the PMO statement said.