Islamabad (TDI): Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday that Pakistan’s leadership would take the final call on whether to contribute troops to a proposed peace-keeping mission in Gaza, clarifying that Palestinian law enforcement would remain responsible for security on the ground.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Dar was responding to a question about Pakistan’s possible role under a peace plan unveiled a day earlier by US President Donald Trump.
The foreign minister briefed the media on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s and his own engagements during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where a series of side meetings focused on Gaza took place. He said Pakistan’s visit had two key aims: participating in UNGA proceedings and coordinating with “like-minded countries” to address the crisis in Gaza as part of the Muslim world’s collective responsibility.
Dar noted that Pakistan, along with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Türkiye, and Indonesia, had agreed to pursue a proactive role in discussions with Trump. A preparatory session among the Muslim leaders preceded their joint meeting with the US president.
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He outlined the agenda put forward: achieving a ceasefire, enabling the unhindered flow of humanitarian aid, halting forced displacement, arranging the safe return of displaced Palestinians, and supporting Gaza’s reconstruction while opposing Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
According to Dar, Trump’s team proposed working on a “practical framework” with the foreign ministers of the eight participating Muslim countries. He added that the detailed talks would remain confidential, but follow-up consultations with Saudi Arabia and other partners had already led to a joint statement that the Palestinian Authority welcomed.
Responding to concerns raised at home about the plan, Dar stressed that the current 20-point document was drafted by the United States, not Pakistan, and that Islamabad had suggested its own amendments. “Our immediate priorities remain very clear: secure a ceasefire, stop the bloodshed, ensure aid reaches Gaza, and end forced displacement,” he said.
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On possible troop contributions, Dar clarified that the envisioned arrangement included a Palestinian technocratic government, backed by an international oversight body dominated by Palestinians. “The peace-keeping force is meant to support them, while Palestinian agencies maintain law and order. Indonesia has already offered 20,000 troops. Pakistan’s leadership will decide its own position,” he said, adding that the matter would ultimately be taken up at the UN Security Council.
He also underlined that Pakistan and its partners continued to back a two-state solution and that there could be “no compromise” on opposing West Bank annexation. Asked if Israel would accept the plan, Dar said Washington’s involvement was precisely aimed at securing that outcome.
