This comes as PM Sharif faces criticism at home too, over apparent eagerness to sign charter that many in Pakistan see as being against Palestinian interests. Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif was among leaders of barely 20 countries that signed the ‘Board of Peace’ charter under US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza and beyond, at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. Another was Israel, which has now said it won’t allow Pakistan to play a role in Gaza’s transition or peacekeeping forces.
Israel’s economy minister Nir Barkat listed Pakistan among backers of terrorism. “Any country that supported terror is not welcome… and that includes Pakistan,” he told in an interview at Davos. This comes as PM Sharif faces criticism at home too, over his apparent eagerness to sign the charter which many in Pakistan viewed as being against Palestinian interests. While Barkat effectively ousted Pakistan from the Gaza equation, he did praise Trump’s overall framework for peace in Gaza. He said it’s better than the United Nations, which he termed biased.
To a question on international peacekeeping forces, he said: “We will not accept the Qataris, the Turks… and that includes Pakistan… They’ve been very supportive of the jihadi organisation in Gaza, and we will not trust them having boots on the ground.” The Board of Peace was formally unveiled by Trump as part of the second phase of his 20-point plan aimed at ending the Gaza conflict. Reports say the board is further intended to serve as a new international mechanism for resolving global conflicts, with a mandate beyond Gaza too. This is being seen by many countries as a move to supplant the UN.
In Pakistan, the party of jailed former PM Imran Khan led the charge against the Sharif government’s decision to sign this charter. In a stern statement, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said any participation in international peace initiatives should complement and reinforce the UN’s multilateral system “rather than creating parallel structures”. It demanded a national referendum on the decision.
Expressing support for the Palestinian people, the party said it would not accept any plans that go against the wishes of the people of Gaza or Palestine as a whole. Adding to the pressure on Shehbaz Sharif, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, chief of the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Leader of the Opposition in the Pak Senate, denounced the signing move as “morally incorrect and indefensible”.
While the Trump administration invited around 60 countries, including major powers like India and China, fewer than 20 ultimately participated in the Davos launch. Those who did sign on are joining a body where permanent membership reportedly carries a $1 billion price tag. The countries that have so far accepted Trump’s invitation to join the board are Argentina, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. India was invited but has not yet chosen to react.
