WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Washington DC on Thursday for an official visit to the United States, responding to an invitation from US President Donald Trump to attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace.
Accompanying the prime minister are Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, forming part of the Pakistani delegation.
During his visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz will participate in the Board of Peace session and is expected to hold meetings with senior US officials.
An official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) highlighted that Pakistan’s participation in the Board of Peace (BoP) underscores the country’s effective role in promoting global peace and its expanding diplomatic outreach.
“In addition to attending the inaugural session of the BoP, the prime minister will also engage with senior US leadership, as well as his counterparts attending the meeting,” said the PMO in its statement on Wednesday.
The statement added that the occasion offers an opportunity to discuss bilateral relations as well as global issues of shared concern.
All 22 invited members have joined the Board of Peace, with Pakistan officially becoming a member in late January and signing the founding charter during the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The summit is expected to focus on three key objectives: consolidating a ceasefire in Gaza, mobilising financial pledges for the BoP – with Washington announcing an initial commitment of $5 billion – and finalising the framework of a proposed global forum aimed at addressing challenges the United Nations has struggled to resolve.
Participants will also likely discuss the proposed International Stabilisation Force (ISF), tasked with securing reconstruction zones and supporting post-conflict governance arrangements in Gaza.
Eight Muslim-majority countries are expected to participate in the meeting, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, and the UAE. The Muslim participants are anticipated to adopt a coordinated stance on Gaza-related issues.
