Islamabad: Pakistan clarified on Thursday that its involvement in the newly established 'Board of Peace', initiated by US President Donald Trump, should not be seen as a step towards joining the Abraham Accords.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, addressed a news briefing in Islamabad, emphasizing that Pakistan's main goal in joining the Board of Peace is to consolidate and maintain the ceasefire in Gaza, aid reconstruction efforts, and promote a just and lasting peace based on Palestinian self-determination.
The Abraham Accords are agreements for normalization signed between Israel and several Muslim-majority countries during Trump's first term. Currently, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates are signatories.
Andrabi elaborated that joining the 'Board of Peace' does not indicate any change in Pakistan's foreign policy stance, asserting that participation in the board is separate from any involvement in an International Stabilization Force. He insisted that Pakistan's role should be viewed within the larger context of eight Islamic countries' initiatives to foster peace in Gaza and work towards a durable resolution to the Palestinian issue.
The spokesperson reiterated that participation in diplomatic or cooperative platforms does not inherently lead to formal alliances or treaty commitments. He highlighted that the 'Board of Peace' presents an opportunity for hope for Gaza and the broader Palestinian question, amidst the hardships faced by its people.
President Trump introduced the 'Board of Peace' at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, identifying 26 countries as founding members. These include nations from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caucasus, such as Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, El Salvador, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Trkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.