Digital Desk, New Delhi. Pakistan formally supported US President Donald Trump's Gaza Peace Board in Davos. Shehbaz Sharif was present on the stage when the initiative was unveiled.
It is a move that brings Islamabad closer to the US-led post-war framework for Gaza, even as questions remain over whether political support will translate into reality on the ground.
Palestine is not included
Palestine is not included in Trump's Board of Peace. It is a mechanism to oversee the second phase of their 20-point Gaza Roadmap, which includes governance, reconstruction, investment, funding mobilization and regional coordination.
At the core of the plan is an International Stabilization Force (ISF), tasked with overseeing demilitarization, humanitarian aid delivery and security on the ground, allowing member states to become involved in operational roles inside Gaza.
Which countries are included?
The board includes Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, UAE, Bahrain and Morocco as well as countries in Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Of the 50-60 invitations sent, about 35 countries have ratified, while Western European countries have declined to join due to concerns over the structure and purpose of the board.
Pakistan confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had received a formal invitation from Trump to join the Board of Peace and attended the launch in Davos. Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said, "Pakistan will remain engaged in international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a permanent solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with UN resolutions."
But this support also comes with some unresolved questions. The UN Security Council adopted a US-drafted resolution paving the way for the formation of a transitional administration and ISF in Gaza. Pakistan was presiding over the council. He voted in favor of it. Yet Islamabad also warned that important concerns had not been addressed.
Pakistan's UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said the resolution failed to clarify Gaza's governance structure, the role of the proposed peace board, the ISF's mandate or the extent of the UN's jurisdiction.
According to Al Jazeera, he said, "These are all important aspects that will impact the success of this effort. We fully expect that more information in the coming weeks will provide the necessary clarity on these issues."
Despite these objections, Pakistan endorsed Trump's Gaza roadmap last year, making it among the countries most in agreement with the US approach.
Improvement in relations with America
With the largest army among Muslim-majority countries supporting the initiative, Pakistan is being seen as a potential contributor to the ISF. Islamabad's geopolitical importance has increased in the past few months, thanks to intensified diplomacy with its Middle Eastern partners and Washington.
Pakistan has signed a strategic defense pact with Saudi Arabia, stepped up military engagement with Jordan and Egypt and Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has enjoyed an unusually close relationship with Trump. It is mostly part of a larger effort to improve years of strained relations between Washington and Islamabad.
In June, Trump hosted Munir for a private lunch at the White House, marking the first time that a US president met a Pakistani army chief alone.
Under constitutional amendments passed by Pakistan's civilian government last month, Munir will retain his rank of field marshal for life and will receive lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution. "Few people in Pakistan enjoy the luxury of taking more risks than Munir. He has unlimited power, which is now constitutionally protected," said Michael Kugelman, senior fellow for South Asia at the Washington-based Atlantic Council.
This situation strengthens Pakistan's strength, but also raises expectations.
Any possibility of sending ground forces into Gaza carries serious political risks in the country. Palestine is a very emotive issue in Pakistan, which does not recognize Israel and explicitly prohibits travel there on Pakistani passports.
Even indirect coordination with the Israeli military would be politically sensitive and could lead to protests against both the civilian government and the military. Any deployment of Pakistani troops to Gaza under the US-backed plan could rekindle opposition from Islamic parties, which are staunch opponents of the US and Israel.
These groups have the ability to bring thousands of supporters onto the streets. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by politically jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, rejected the government's decision to join the "Board of Peace", saying such decisions of international importance should be taken with "complete transparency and consultation with all".
In a statement, the party said Pakistan's participation in any peace initiative should strengthen the UN's multilateral system and not create "parallel structures" that could weaken global governance.
Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to face security challenges on its eastern and western borders, hampering any foreign deployment. It also has its own issues going on with Afghanistan.
For now, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to maintain the ceasefire during ongoing peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey in November, Turkey said, while earlier talks between the two sides had failed, but tensions still remain.
Another concern when it comes to Pakistan joining the "Board of Peace" is the ongoing economic problems in the country. Citing a draft charter, Bloomberg reported that Trump wants participating countries to pay $1 billion to maintain good relations with the United States and maintain a seat on his proposed "Board of Peace," which some have described as an alternative to the United Nations.
This becomes important because instead of recovering, Pakistan's economy is under severe pressure. Years of weak growth, high inflation, persistent balance-of-payments tensions and rising external debt have made it dependent on repeated IMF bailouts and emergency foreign funding.
Chinese loans and investments have provided short-term relief but have further increased financial dependence, while initial re-engagement with the US has provided some relief. Domestic political instability, a greater role for the military in governance, exclusive rights of the powerful, and corruption are undermining reforms.
From regional security tensions to water disputes, external pressures and risks are increasing, keeping Pakistan stuck in a cycle of stabilization without change.
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