Islamabad, January 23, 2026: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Friday defended the government’s decision to join the US President Donald Trump-led Board of Peace for Gaza, calling it a “diplomatic success” for Pakistan and rejecting criticism from opposition parties.
Speaking during a joint sitting of Parliament, the minister responded to remarks made by Opposition Leader in the Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, saying Pakistan did not require lessons on national security and should not be accused of cowardice or negligence.
US President Donald Trump formally launched the “Board of Peace” on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s 56th Annual Meeting in Davos on Thursday. The initiative aims to pursue a lasting peace agreement for Gaza. A group of leaders and senior officials from 19 countries, including Pakistan, signed the founding charter, with President Trump being the first to do so. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif represented Pakistan at the event after receiving and accepting an official invitation from the US president.
Ahsan Iqbal told the House that Pakistan’s decision to join the forum was a calculated diplomatic move intended to help stop Israel’s continued oppression of the Palestinian people. He stressed that Pakistan’s principled stance against Israel remained unchanged, describing Israel as an aggressor responsible for the killing of innocent Palestinians.
He reiterated Pakistan’s long-standing support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. The minister argued that had Pakistan chosen not to participate in the forum, the opposition would have accused the country of international isolation.
Instead, he said, Pakistan should be appreciated for securing a meaningful role at a critical juncture, adding that the current ceasefire in Gaza was the outcome of collective efforts by eight Islamic countries.
Earlier, opposition parties staged protests during the joint parliamentary session over Pakistan’s participation in the Gaza Peace Board. Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said that what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had failed to achieve was now being pursued under the label of a “peace board.” He claimed Pakistan joined the initiative without national consensus and that lawmakers were not informed about its terms.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also criticised the decision, alleging that President Trump was strengthening Israeli aggression and issuing threats against Hamas. He questioned Pakistan’s participation in a forum that, according to him, began with threats rather than genuine peace efforts, and claimed that the prime minister did not take Parliament or the federal cabinet into confidence before making the decision.
The debate highlighted sharp divisions in Parliament over Pakistan’s role in the US-led Gaza peace initiative, even as the government maintained that the move aligned with Pakistan’s diplomatic interests and unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.
