Islamabad – Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday sought to clarify Islamabad’s position on United States President Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza peace plan, insisting that the 20-point document unveiled in New York was “not our document.”
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Dar said the plan had been prepared and issued by Washington after consultations with Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last week.
“The document has been issued by the US,” he told reporters, adding, “This is not our document, which we sent to them. There are some key areas that we want covered … If they are not covered, they will be covered.” He stressed that the immediate objectives of the plan were to secure a ceasefire, “stop the blood, let the humanitarian aid flow and end forced displacement.”
Dar further described Trump’s announcement as “an announcement from their side,” while underscoring that Pakistan’s commitment lay with the joint statement signed by eight Muslim states that engaged with Trump in New York.
“We have issued a joint statement on behalf of eight countries [that held a meeting with Trump in New York last week]. We own this. If there is any difference anywhere, we would go by, we are committed to this (joint statement),” he emphasized.
Muslim Leaders’ Meeting in New York
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the UNGA, brought together leaders from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirate (UAE), Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye and Indonesia. Trump’s team, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, drafted the plan with inputs from former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair, Jared Kushner, and negotiators from Qatar, Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Dar noted that a preparatory meeting of Muslim leaders was held before their talks with Trump. “The prime minister was very clear [about it]. We had consultations before leaving [for the US] as well. And eight countries, including Pakistan, agreed to take up this matter very proactively with President Trump during the US visit,” he said.
He explained that the objectives conveyed to Trump included securing a ceasefire, arranging unhindered humanitarian aid, halting forced displacement of Palestinians, facilitating the return of those displaced, planning for Gaza’s reconstruction, and stopping Israeli attempts to annex the West Bank.
“When these objectives were conveyed to him (Trump) and he was asked to work with us on achieving them,” Dar said, “the US president then proposed that his team would devise a ‘workable solution’ with the foreign ministers of the eight Muslim countries that participated in the meeting.”
He added that details of the consultations were to remain “secret” and “classified.”
“Not All of Our Proposals”
Later, in an interview with Geo News’ Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath, Dar reiterated that the version of the draft released by the White House “did not include all of our proposals.”
He disclosed that the Saudi foreign minister had contacted him about reaching a consensus on a joint statement, also involving Indonesia and the UAE. “I then consulted the foreign secretary and proposed some changes. I spoke to the Saudi foreign minister again … as I had some objections … He then sent me a revised version … and the joint statement was released.”
Dar pointed out that the Palestinian Authority had welcomed the statement, noting: “On the one hand, the Palestinian Authority is welcoming this and on the other, [some over here] are criticising it.”
Yet to Decide on Sending Troops
On the sensitive issue of military deployment, Dar said no decision had yet been taken on Pakistan sending troops to Gaza under the proposed arrangement.
“The idea is to have an independent Palestinian government of technocrats there. Then there will be an international oversight body, which, too, will mostly comprise Palestinians. Or, as you know, Tony Blair has been making efforts in this regard. He hasn’t been successful till now, but he might get an opportunity now,” he explained.
“The force [here] is [a] peace-keeping force. On the ground, there will be Palestinian law-enforcement agencies … there will be [separate] forces supporting them. Indonesia has offered 20,000 troops for that. I am sure Pakistan’s leadership will also be making a decision on this. And we have asked them to document the arrangement, whatever it is, at the [UN] Security Council … This will be a special force only for Gaza.”
Support for Two-State Solution
When asked whether Pakistan still endorsed a two-state solution, Dar responded: “Pakistan’s policy was clear and unchanged on Gaza. And I would rather say the seven other countries are also with us on this.”
He also made it clear that “there would be no compromise on stopping the annexation of the West Bank.”
Pressed on whether Israel would “own” the plan, Dar said the US role was precisely to ensure that outcome.
Responding to a question on Hamas’ position, Dar told Geo News that two Arab states “deeply involved” with the group had assured him that it was on board. While declining to name both, he confirmed that one of them was Qatar.
Sharif Welcomes Plan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier welcomed Trump’s Gaza plan as “a vital step towards peace,” voicing confidence that the US president was committed to ensuring its implementation. In a social media post, Sharif said lasting peace between Palestinians and Israel was “essential to bringing political stability and economic growth to the region.”
Trump, who met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, announced that Netanyahu had agreed to the plan and publicly thanked Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir for their support.
