ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace on Gaza in Washington today, Thursday, 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.

“Pakistan joined the Board of Peace as part of its almost eight decades long support for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. This begins and ends with the establishment of a Palestinian state based on pre 1967 borders and Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital,” Prime Minister’s spokesperson for foreign media Mosharraf Zaidi told Arab News.

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.

“The primary motivation for the Board of Peace is President Trump’s sincere commitment to the end of the genocide in Gaza and the consensus of the eight-country Islamic and Arab bloc to support a UN-endorsed Gaza framework focused on a permanent ceasefire, reconstruction, and the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood,” Zaidi said.

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.

A BALANCING ACT

Analysts say Islamabad sees participation as both strategic and low-risk given multiple Muslim countries are involved.

“Since eight major Muslim countries are on board the process, Pakistan sees little to lose,” former diplomat Abdul Basit told Arab News.

However, he warned against any direct military enforcement role.

“We must not be part of any effort toward disarming Hamas ... peacekeeping is okay but not peace enforcement.”

Basit said Pakistan could instead contribute humanitarian assistance.

“If at all we may send our medical corps and engineering corps to help rebuild Gaza.”

Umer Karim, an associate fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, said Pakistan was attempting to coordinate with Muslim partners while preserving relations with Washington.

“I think Pakistan is trying to work collectively alongside the group of Muslim nations to achieve a resolution of the conflict that results eventually in the departure of Israeli forces from Gaza and paves the way for comprehensive reconstruction of the strip,” Karim said.

He described Islamabad’s diplomacy as delicate:

“This scenario remains a difficult balancing act and diplomatic skills as well as the personal rapport of Pakistani leadership with President Trump will be tested again and again.”