Pakistan is set to take an active role in the ongoing Gaza peace process, as Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar departs for Istanbul on 3rd November to attend the Coordination Meeting of Arab-Islamic Foreign Ministers.
The meeting, convened at the invitation of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, will deliberate on the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire deal & the next steps toward lasting regional stability.
According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan has been closely engaged in the multilateral diplomatic effort alongside 7 other Muslim & Arab-majority countries Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Egypt, the UAE & Jordan.
This bloc, formed in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, has been coordinating with US President Donald Trump’s administration under a 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas conflict & facilitating post-war reconstruction in Gaza.
The plan calls for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, exchange of hostages & prisoners, deployment of a multinational stabilisation force & large-scale Gulf-funded reconstruction to transform Gaza into a secure, demilitarised economic zone.
It also envisions unifying Gaza & the West Bank under a 2 state framework, aligned with the Arab Peace Initiative & pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the Palestinian capital.
While Hamas & Israel signed a ceasefire on 9th October under the first phase of the US-brokered deal, Israel has since resumed airstrikes on Gaza, prompting renewed urgency among Muslim nations for enforcement.
Pakistan will use the Istanbul meeting to underscore the importance of full implementation of the ceasefire, complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories & unhindered humanitarian access for Palestinians.
Meanwhile, deliberations within Pakistan continue over potential participation in the proposed international stabilisation force for Gaza. Army Chief General Asim Munir recently concluded visits to Egypt, Jordan & Saudi Arabia to discuss the contours of this plan.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that the government is actively reviewing the matter, noting that any decision will be made in consultation with parliament & relevant institutions.
Rejecting Indian media claims that Pakistan has already committed 20,000 troops to Gaza under CIA-Mossad deal, the Ministry of Information clarified that such reports were misleading & fabricated.
Officials maintained that while Pakistan’s involvement in peacekeeping efforts is under consideration, no final decision has yet been made.
At the upcoming Istanbul session, Pakistan is expected to reiterate its long-standing support for the Palestinian cause calling for peace, justice & the establishment of an independent, viable & contiguous Palestinian state.
