WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called for an end to ceasefire violations in Gaza, saying it was “very important” to secure lasting peace in the conflict-hit Palestinian territory.
Prime Minister Sharif was speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, a US-led initiative chaired by President Donald Trump aimed initially at stabilising Gaza and potentially addressing other global conflicts.
“The people of Palestine have long endured illegal occupation and immense suffering,” PM Sharif said in his address.
“To achieve long-lasting peace, it is very important that ceasefire violations must end to preserve life and advance reconstruction efforts.”
Prime Minister Sharif added that Palestinians “must exercise full control of their land and their future, in line with UN Security Council resolutions”, and called for “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination through the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous state of Palestine”.
The Prime Minister expressed hope that under Trump’s “visionary and dynamic leadership” a just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian issue could be achieved.
“You have truly proved to be a man of peace … a saviour of South Asia,” he said, referring also to Trump’s claimed mediation between India and Pakistan in May 2025.
Addressing the inaugural meeting of Board of Peace in Washington today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says the people of Palestine have long endured illegal occupation and immense sufferings @PakPMO @GovtofPakistan @UN @UNHumanRights @realDonaldTrump @ForeignOfficePk #Palestine… pic.twitter.com/G23Ecmqfx3
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) February 19, 2026
Trump praises Pakistan’s leadership
Earlier, during his address, President Trump praised Prime Minister Sharif and Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
“Prime Minister Sharif — I like this man — of Pakistan,” Trump said. “Your Field Marshal is a great general.”
Trump recalled PM Sharif telling him at the Gaza Peace Framework opening ceremony that his intervention had “saved 25 million lives” by helping to halt a four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025.
“That war was raging, planes were being shot down,” Trump said. He added that he had warned both countries he would halt trade deals and impose tariffs if hostilities continued.
“We solved that in two to three days,” Trump said, claiming that 11 jets had been shot down during the conflict.
میں پاکستان کے وزیرِ اعظم شہباز شریف کو پسند کرتا ہوں۔ آپ کے فیلڈ مارشل سید عاصم منیر واقعی ایک عظیم جرنیل ہی نہیں، بلکہ ایک عظیم انسان بھی ہیں۔ امریکی صدر ڈونلڈ ٹرمپ pic.twitter.com/2JHiouwhN2
— Ammar Masood (@ammarmasood3) February 19, 2026
Board’s mandate and UN role
The Board of Peace was formally established in January, after being proposed in September 2025.
Under its charter, the US government serves as its official depository, and the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace in Washington has been designated as its headquarters.
A UN Security Council resolution adopted in mid-November authorised the board, along with cooperating states, to establish an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Gaza following a ceasefire that began in October under a Trump-backed plan accepted by Israel and Hamas.
However, the ceasefire has remained fragile, with repeated reported violations by Israel.
Trump said the Board of Peace was among “the most important and consequential” initiatives of his presidency.
“It’s all about peace. An easy word to say, but a hard word to produce,” he said, claiming credit for resolving eight conflicts.
Trump said the Board would “strengthen the United Nations”.
Billions pledged for Gaza
Trump announced that the United States would contribute $10 billion to the Board of Peace.
He said participating countries had pledged $7 billion as an initial payment towards Gaza’s reconstruction.
He added that FIFA would raise $75 million for football-related projects in Gaza, while the United Nations would contribute $2 billion for humanitarian assistance.
Trump said reconstruction would proceed once Hamas disarmed. “It looks like they’re going to be doing that, but we’ll have to find out,” he said.
International Stabilisation Force
Major General Jasper Jeffers, the American commander of the proposed ISF, said Indonesia had accepted the role of deputy commander.
He said Morocco, Albania, Kazakhstan and Kosovo had also agreed to contribute troops.
Indonesia has said it is prepared to deploy up to 8,000 personnel. The ISF aims to field 20,000 troops and establish a new police force.
PM Sharif’s government has said it would consider contributing troops only to a UN-mandated peace mission and not to operations such as disarming Hamas.
The meeting took place amid rising tensions with Iran. Trump said he would know within 10 days whether a “meaningful deal” on Tehran’s nuclear programme was possible.
He warned that military options remained under consideration.
US President Donald Trump shares an informal chat with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif at the conclusion of the historic Board of Peace meeting in Washington, DC.#ShehbazSharifinBOP #DonaldTrump #BoardOfPeace #GazaCrisis #PakistanUSRelations #WashingtonDC #PakistanTV… pic.twitter.com/3TmkSzeG1g
— Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) February 19, 2026
PM Sharif’s sideline meetings
Prime Minister Sharif arrived in Washington earlier on Thursday at Trump’s invitation.
According to Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), he is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi.
The PMO said the visit reflects Pakistan’s inclusion in the Board of Peace and its “effective role for the promotion of global peace”.
On the sidelines, PM Sharif held informal meetings with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stands tall with world leaders at the Gaza Peace Board meeting.
Pakistan’s voice for peace is louder and stronger than ever. pic.twitter.com/dmOSPVqEAy— Badar Shahbaz 🇵🇰 (@BSWarraich) February 19, 2026
Discussions focused on regional and global developments.
PM Sharif is in Washington at the invitation of President Trump to attend the inaugural Board of Peace session.
Pakistan’s participation in the forum reflects its diplomatic engagement and efforts towards peace in Gaza, reconstruction initiatives and broader global peace efforts, officials said.
