ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached Washington on Thursday for President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ talks on Gaza, as Pakistan weighs the implications of the proposed International Stabilisation Force (ISF) and the role Islamabad might play in it.
The prime minister will participate in the February 19 meeting in Washington, where delegations from at least 20 countries are expected. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will also attend the session.
PM Shehbaz is scheduled to remain in the US until February 20, and meetings with American leadership are also anticipated during his stay.
Ahead of the gathering, three sources told Reuters that Pakistan wants firm assurances from Washington before committing any troops to Gaza as part of the proposed ISF.
Islamabad is seeking guarantees that the deployment would strictly be a peacekeeping mission and not involve disarming Hamas.
President Trump, who will chair the meeting, is expected to unveil a multi-billion-dollar reconstruction plan for Gaza and outline proposals for a UN-authorised stabilisation force for the Palestinian territory.
Three government sources said during the Washington visit, PM Shehbaz wanted to better understand the goal of the ISF, what authority they were operating under and what the chain of command was before making a decision on deploying troops.
"We are ready to send troops. Let me make it clear that our troops could only be part of a peace mission in Gaza," said one of the sources, a close aide of PM Shehbaz.
"We will not be part of any other role, such as disarming Hamas. It is out of the question," he said.
Last month, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that Pakistan would continue to engage with international efforts aimed at peace and security 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,” he said.
Pakistan has reiterated at international forums its readiness to play a “constructive role” in the US peace plan for Palestine.
US President Trump launched his new board at World Economic Forum in Davos in late January, with world leaders, including PM Shehbaz, signing on to pursue a lasting agreement for Gaza.
Trump's 20-point Gaza plan calls for a force from Muslim nations to oversee a transition period for reconstruction and economic recovery in the devastated Palestinian territory, and Washington has been pressing Islamabad to join.
Analysts say Pakistan would be an asset to the multinational force, with its experienced military that has gone to war with arch-rival India and tackled insurgencies.
"We can send initially a couple of thousand troops anytime, but we need to know what role they are going to play," the source added.
Two of the sources said it was likely PM Shehbaz, who has met Trump earlier this year in Davos and late last year at the White House, would either have an audience with him on the sidelines of the meeting or the following day at the White House.
Initially designed to cement Gaza's ceasefire, Trump sees the Board of Peace, launched in late January, taking a wider role in resolving global conflicts. Some countries have reacted cautiously, fearing it could become a rival to the United Nations.
While Pakistan has supported the establishment of the board, it has voiced concerns against the mission to demilitarise Hamas.
