Recently, the signing ceremony of the draft of the “Gaza Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was the center of attention around the world. On this occasion, heads of state of 20 countries including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Indonesia, Turkey and Morocco signed the charter of the Gaza Board of Peace along with US President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif signed the draft of the Board of Peace on behalf of Pakistan. Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir was also present at the ceremony. US President Donald Trump thanked the leaders who signed the charter, especially Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and appreciated their role for peace. Trump said that today is a memorable day for peace and now Gaza will be rebuilt.
It should be remembered that US President Donald Trump had announced the establishment of the “Gaza Board of Peace” on September 29, 2025, to establish peace in Gaza. The main objectives of the Board include a permanent solution to the Gaza issue, a permanent ceasefire, the reconstruction of Gaza, the establishment of lasting peace and the protection of the rights of the Palestinians, in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. In this regard, on November 17 last year, the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution submitted by the United States, which also included the establishment of an “international peacekeeping force” consisting of forces from different countries to establish peace in Gaza. Under the charter of the Board, US President Donald Trump will be the Chairman of the Gaza Peace Board, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other important international figures will be members of the Board.
The establishment of the Peace Board is a significant step towards preventing the massacre in Gaza and protecting the Palestinian people. Pakistan’s participation in the Board highlights its diplomatic importance, which it achieved thanks to its victory in the war and strategic supremacy in the region. Pakistan has been a strong voice in favor of Palestine at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other international forums and has a clear, principled and unambiguous position on the Palestinian issue. This position is not merely political but is based on moral, religious and humanitarian grounds. Pakistan is among the few countries that have never recognized Israel nor made any compromise on the Palestinian cause.
This is why if Pakistan plays a role of mediator, recommendation or policy-making in the Gaza Peace Board, it will not have to face allegations of dubious intentions or double standards. Therefore, it is beyond understanding for some political parties in Pakistan to criticize Pakistan’s participation in the Gaza Peace Board and reject Pakistan’s participation.
When the board includes Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, Morocco and the UAE, it is a matter of honor for Pakistan to be the first Islamic nuclear country to become a part of the board. If Pakistan were not part of the Peace Board along with other important Islamic countries, it would have created the impression that the Muslims of these countries have left the Palestinian Muslims at the mercy of Israel, and Pakistan’s political and religious parties would have taunted the government for not including Pakistan in the board. India is not among the countries that signed the Peace Board Charter, which is because India fears that if the US Peace Board succeeds in establishing peace in Gaza, then in the future, attempts will be made to resolve the Kashmir issue in the same way.
The biggest tragedy of Gaza is not only the Israeli bombing and the genocide of Palestinians, but also the division of the Muslim world. Pakistan, which is not part of any Arab bloc, can play the role of a bridge between other Islamic countries as a neutral Islamic state. Pakistan’s presence in the Gaza Peace Board can be a symbol of the unity that the Muslim Ummah desperately needs. In this regard, Pakistan can emerge as an effective voice at the diplomatic level by playing an important role in the Peace Board. In this context, Pakistan can increase global pressure for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, guaranteeing safe aid routes for Palestinians, and demanding an independent investigation into Israeli war crimes.
Israel, which occupies more than half of the Gaza Strip, maintains that it will withdraw from Gaza only when Hamas disarms, while Hamas says it will disarm only under a comprehensive agreement on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
In such a situation, it will certainly be a big challenge for the Peace Board to resolve these complex and sensitive issues to the satisfaction of the parties. Whether the “Peace Board” established by US President Donald Trump will be able to establish the peace in Gaza that even the United Nations has not been able to bring about, will be decided only by time. However, the prominent presence of several important Islamic countries, including Pakistan, on the Board has certainly raised hopes that Israel will not be allowed to engage in open aggression and genocide against the Palestinians as before.
