Pak PM to join inaugural Gaza peace talks in US

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to attend the inaugural session of the Board of Peace on Gaza, scheduled for Feb 19 at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, according to diplomatic sources. He is likely to travel to the United States on Feb 18 for the meeting. Pakistan is among eight Muslim-majority countries expected to participate, alongside Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, though the level of representation from other states remains unclear. Pakistan formally joined the board last month during an event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, attended by US President Donald Trump. The board’s first meeting will focus on Gaza’s reconstruction, formalising its mandate and structure, and discussing the implementation of the ceasefire and the territory’s future governance. Rights experts have criticised the initiative, likening US oversight of Gaza to a colonial-style arrangement.