ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday said that the country’s leadership would decide about sending troops to support the “peace-keeping force” in Gaza, stressing that the country’s long-standing policy on Palestine remains unchanged.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the Deputy PM said that Palestinian law enforcement agencies would be operating on the ground. He reaffirmed that Pakistan’s policy on Palestine remains clear with no change in its stance.
“The idea is to have an independent Palestinian government of technocrats there. It will be overseen by an international oversight body, which, too, will mostly comprise Palestinians. Or, as you know, Tony Blair has been making efforts in this regard. He hasn’t been successful till now, but he might get an opportunity now.
“The force [here] is a peace-keeping force. On the ground, there will be Palestinian law-enforcement agencies … there will be [separate] forces supporting them. Indonesia has offered 20,000 troops for that. I am sure Pakistan’s leadership will also be making a decision on this.
“And we have asked them to document the arrangement, whatever it is, at the [UN] Security Council … This will be a special force only for Gaza.”
A day earlier, the White House released Trump’s 20-point plan that calls for a ceasefire, a swap of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave, Hamas disarmament, and a transitional government led by an international body.
Ishaq Dar also briefed the media about details of US President Donald Trump’s recent meeting with Muslim leaders, held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
He said the meeting, focused on Trump’s proposed plan to end the Israeli assault on Gaza, brought together leaders from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye, and Indonesia.
“The prime minister was very clear [about it]. We had had consultations before leaving [for the US] as well. And eight countries, including Pakistan, agreed to take up this matter very proactively with President Trump during the US visit,” he said.
He added that the meeting with Trump aimed to pursue several key objectives: securing a ceasefire in Gaza, ensuring the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, halting the forced displacement of Palestinians, facilitating the return of those already displaced, planning for the reconstruction of Gaza, and preventing Israel’s attempts to annex the West Bank.
After sharing further details of how the proposal for ending the Israeli onslaught in Gaza was finalised, he said he had received messages from the Saudi foreign minister yesterday.
“He told me that five countries had reached a consensus on a joint statement [regarding the Gaza plan] and that our agreement was needed on this matter as well, and that they had also reached out to Indonesia and the UAE.
“I then consulted the foreign secretary and proposed some changes. I spoke to the Saudi foreign minister again … as I had some objections … He then sent me a revised version … and the joint statement was released.”
He noted that the Palestinian Authority had also welcomed the statement.
