Islamabad, Pakistan – The Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the inaugural meeting of the “Peace Council,” chaired by US President Donald Trump. The meeting is scheduled for February 19 in Washington, D.C.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andarabi confirmed the Prime Minister’s participation in the meeting
during a weekly press briefing in Islamabad. He added that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will accompany him.
The council is being convened as part of an initiative announced by Trump in late January.
According to the US proposal, the council will oversee a temporary administration of the Gaza Strip within a broader plan.
Trump later indicated the possibility of expanding the council’s scope to address other international conflicts.
Several countries have expressed caution regarding the US initiative,
amid concerns that the establishment of the council could overlap with
or undermine the role of the United Nations in managing international conflicts.
However, Washington has announced that more than 20 countries have agreed to join.
Islamabad has previously stated that its participation is in support of any efforts
that contribute to achieving stability, particularly concerning the Gaza plan.
At the same time, it emphasized that its actions are within the framework of the UN Security Council and not independent of it.
Andrabi said that Pakistan’s joining the Peace Council was done “in good faith,” explaining that his country is not acting unilaterally.
Instead, Pakistan is acting within a collective coordination that includes eight Arab and Islamic countries.
This reflects – as he put it – a common position on the issues at hand.
Diplomatic circles are awaiting the outcomes of the council’s first meeting, amid international debate about its nature,
potential powers, and its compatibility with existing UN frameworks for managing crises and conflicts.
