PM Shehbaz to attend Trump's Board of Peace meeting, confirms FO

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in Washington next week, the Foreign Office confirmed on Thursday, reported 24NewsDH TV channel.

Addressing his weekly news briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi announced the PM’s participation in the Board of Peace meeting.

The meeting of the board will be held in Washington on February 19 and will be chaired by President Trump. Pakistan had earlier received a formal invitation.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan participated in the Gaza Board of Peace meeting with sincerity and a genuine desire for peace.

Commenting on international cricket, the spokesperson said dragging politics into sports or using cricket as a political tool from India was “unfortunate.” He said Pakistan’s stance was aimed at keeping politics out of cricket and preserving the spirit of the game.

Addressing regional diplomacy, Andrabi said diplomacy continues even during clashes and wars. He stressed that Pakistan does not want Afghan soil to be used against it. He added that Pakistan was aware of Iran’s position regarding the recognition of Afghanistan, but recognition remains the sovereign decision of every country.

Responding to a question on terrorism, Andrabi said if ISIS was involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan, the question should be directed to ISIS itself. He added that Pakistan remains in close coordination with the UN Sanctions Committee and other international partners.

The spokesperson welcomed the Iran-US talks held in Oman and also appreciated the positive statement issued by the Iranian foreign minister. He said Pakistan had earlier been invited to broader negotiations planned in Istanbul, but the scope of those talks was later narrowed. Nevertheless, Pakistan welcomed all dialogue initiatives.

On bilateral relations, he said a joint statement with Saudi Arabia had mentioned a possible visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Pakistan this year, though no further details were available yet.

The spokesperson confirmed that Pakistan’s legal team participated in the hearing of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague. He said India had been invited to attend under the Indus Waters Treaty, as participation was mandatory. Pakistan reiterated that both countries must strictly adhere to the treaty.

Expressing concern over India, Andrabi said it was regrettable that the killing of Muslims by mobs continued to be ignored. He said at least 55 Muslims were killed last year in such incidents, while local authorities appeared to turn a blind eye. Pakistan demanded independent and impartial investigations and accountability of those responsible.

On Afghanistan, the spokesperson referred to a UN 1267 Sanctions Committee report, which stated that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with the backing of the de facto Afghan authorities, was freely operating inside Pakistan. 

He said the report highlighted the presence of ISIS-K in northern Afghanistan and confirmed the unrestricted movement of TTP militants and their operations against Pakistan. It further pointed to cooperation among Fitna-ul-Hindustan, Fitna-tul-Khawarij, and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

The spokesperson also informed that UNESCO Director-General Dr Khaled El-Enany paid his first official visit to Islamabad, while Indonesia’s Minister for Investment Rosan Roeslani also visited Pakistan.

He said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held contacts with the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, and twice spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.

He confirmed that during the week, Pakistan updated its export control lists in line with the NSG, MTCR, and Australia Group guidelines. Additionally, Pakistan and seven other Muslim countries issued two joint statements condemning Israeli actions and violations.

The spokesperson said Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Pakistan on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s invitation, met the President and held delegation-level talks with the Prime Minister. 

Both sides reaffirmed commitment to previously signed agreements, while Pakistan assured Uzbekistan of access to its seaports.
He also confirmed the visit of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, during which both sides agreed to enhance cooperation against terrorism, crime, and cybercrime.

Reporter Anwer Abbas