Pakistan has been invited to join the Gaza “Board of Peace” being formed by United States President Donald Trump, the Foreign Office confirmed on Sunday.
“The prime minister of Pakistan has received the invitation from the president of the United States to join the Board of Peace on Gaza,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said while responding to media queries.
He added that Pakistan would continue to support international initiatives aimed at restoring peace in Gaza. “Pakistan will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions,” the spokesperson said.
The proposed “Board of Peace” is taking shape as Washington moves into the second phase of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza, a territory left largely devastated following two years of Israeli bombardment. President Trump has declared himself chair of the board and has promoted a controversial vision centred on economic redevelopment of the Palestinian territory.
According to officials, the United States has invited the leaders of around 60 countries to join the initiative, including Turkiye, Egypt, Argentina, Indonesia, Italy, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and Australia.
However, the board’s draft charter does not explicitly mention Gaza, prompting concerns that it may be positioned as an alternative platform to the United Nations in addressing the conflict.
On Friday, President Trump named Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British prime minister Tony Blair, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and senior negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as members of the board. Reuters reported that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has also been included, despite Israel’s longstanding opposition to any Turkish role in Gaza.
Other reported members of the executive board include UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Sigrid Kaag, Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabay, and a minister from the United Arab Emirates, which normalised relations with Israel in 2020.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian technocratic committee tasked with governing Gaza held its first meeting in Cairo on Friday. The meeting was attended by Jared Kushner, who has worked closely with Witkoff on the Gaza file for several months.