ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — As the war in Gaza grinds on with no clear end in sight, Washington has floated a post-conflict framework aimed at stabilisation, humanitarian recovery and long-term reconstruction, placing Pakistan among the states invited to help shape what comes next.
The initiative, described by aides to United States President Donald Trump as the Gaza Peace Plan, envisions the creation of a Peace Board or Board of Peace to oversee the transition from ceasefire to recovery. The proposed mechanism would coordinate humanitarian access, restore basic civic infrastructure and lay the groundwork for a durable political settlement once hostilities subside.
Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has received a formal invitation to join the proposed board, placing Islamabad among a select group of countries asked to participate in consultations on Gaza’s post-war future. The outreach reflects a broader effort by Washington to involve states it views as credible, stabilising actors rather than partisan stakeholders.
For Pakistan, the invitation marks a notable moment in its external engagement. Inclusion in discussions on one of the world’s most sensitive conflicts underscores Islamabad’s rising profile as a state capable of contributing to complex humanitarian and political processes, particularly within the Muslim world.
Foreign policy observers note that this development is not the product of a single diplomatic gesture but the result of sustained engagement, calibrated messaging and a strategy that aligns humanitarian principles with geopolitical realism. Pakistan’s civil and military diplomatic channels have increasingly worked in tandem, projecting the country as a measured and solution-oriented actor rather than a rhetorical participant.
Officials familiar with the matter stress that Pakistan’s potential participation is not anchored in bloc politics or alignment games. Instead, it reflects a consistent position centred on alleviating civilian suffering in Gaza, ensuring unfettered humanitarian access and supporting a political outcome that is both just and sustainable.
Pakistan has long backed Palestinian self-determination, the protection of civilians, an immediate ceasefire and post-conflict reconstruction under international oversight. The proposed Peace Board offers Islamabad a platform to move beyond declaratory support and exert influence where decisions could materially affect lives on the ground.
Analysts argue that Pakistan’s presence within such a global mechanism could help counter one-sided outcomes, safeguard Palestinian interests and encourage transparency in aid distribution and reconstruction efforts. It could also reinforce coordination among Muslim states at a moment when fragmentation has often diluted collective leverage.
Ultimately, the invitation represents more than diplomatic recognition. It places responsibility alongside opportunity, challenging Pakistan to translate credibility into constructive action as the international community searches for a viable path out of one of the region’s deepest humanitarian crises.
