ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has not yet taken a final decision on sending its troops to Palestine as part of a proposed peace force, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday.
Dar explained that while the United States has floated a Gaza peace plan, ground operations would mainly be managed by Palestinian law enforcement. The plan, backed by President Donald Trump and reportedly accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. However, its success depends on whether Hamas agrees to the terms.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he confirmed that the leadership would decide on the matter, reiterating that Pakistan’s position on the Palestinian issue remains unchanged.
Dar revealed that the proposal involves establishing an independent technocrat government in Palestine, supervised by a largely Palestinian oversight body. He underlined that Pakistan had not engaged with Israel directly, clarifying: “If we had to deal with Israel, we would have done it directly. We dealt with the United States, and the United States dealt with Israel.”
He added that five countries believe Hamas may accept the plan, saying their assurances should be trusted. Pakistan, along with seven other nations, agreed to the Gaza agenda during meetings with President Trump. A secret understanding was reached for foreign ministers of these countries to hold further consultations with Trump’s team.
Dar said Pakistan stands firmly united with the other seven countries involved, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Turkiye. Together they issued a joint statement supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Sharif as its capital. The statement also highlighted commitments to halt Israel’s annexation attempts in the West Bank, ensure the return of displaced Palestinians, and secure humanitarian aid for Gaza.
He noted that eight Muslim leaders met President Trump to present their detailed agenda, which included calls for an immediate ceasefire, aid delivery, resettlement of Gaza’s displaced population, and reconstruction of devastated areas. Trump, according to Dar, asked his team and the representatives to develop a workable proposal.
At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif led Pakistan’s delegation and met global leaders including IMF officials, the President of Sri Lanka, and the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh. The premier raised the issue of Palestine at the global forum and also addressed India’s violations of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Dar himself attended nine high-level sessions and over 20 bilateral meetings, including the OIC’s six-member committee on Palestine, discussions with Turkiye and Syria, and talks with the Canadian and Hungarian foreign ministers. He confirmed that Arab and Islamic leaders maintained constant coordination on Gaza, with the Saudi foreign minister playing a central role.
The foreign minister insisted that criticism of the Gaza peace agreement is politically motivated and questioned whether opponents prefer to see further bloodshed of civilians in Gaza.
