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CABINET APPROVED PAKISTAN’S PARTICIPATION IN TRUMP-LED BOARD OF PEACE FOR GAZA: PM Sunday, 25 January, 2026 | 5 Sha’ban, 1447
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SIGNING CEREMONY HELD IN DAVOS WITH LEADERS FROM 19 COUNTRIES, INCLUDING PAKISTAN AMONG 8 MUSLIM COUNTRIES PREMIER SHEHBAZ STRESSES URGENT HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT AND RECONSTRUCTION FOR GAZA
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 201 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
SAYS CONVEYED GOODWILL TO PRESIDENT TRUMP, CREDITING CEASEFIRE LAST MAY FOR SAVING MILLIONS OF LIVES SAYS MEETINGS WITH IMF CHIEF KRISTALINA GEORGIEVA REINFORCE ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT
GOVERNMENT DEFENDS MOVE AS ‘DIPLOMATIC WIN,’ CRITICS CALL DECISION PREMATURE LONDON
Staff report
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday announced that the federal cabinet had approved Pakistan’s joining of the Board of Peace, an initiative led by former US President Donald Trump, emphasizing the country’s hope for lasting peace in Gaza and the protection of Palestinian rights. Speaking to the media outside the Pakistan High Commission in London, the premier said Pakistan had received an invitation from Trump to join the Board of Peace, which he accepted following cabinet approval. A group of leaders and senior officials from 19 countries — including Pakistan — gathered on stage with Trump at a signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday to sign the founding charter of the board. Initially created to oversee peace in Gaza following Israel’s two-year bombardment of the Palestinian enclave, the charter envisions a broader role in resolving international conflicts. “We signed with the hope that there will be peace in Gaza, that Palestinians will receive the respect they deserve, and that Gaza will be reconstructed,” PM Shehbaz said. He stressed that the
humanitarian situation in Gaza required urgent international attention, reiterating Pakistan’s long-standing position in support of Palestinian rights. The premier also highlighted his meetings at Davos, describing a discussion with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva as positive, while noting that Pakistan would continue to engage constructively with international financial institutions as it works to stabilise its economy. PM Shehbaz further said that he met Trump during the visit, who conveyed goodwill towards Pakistan. He credited a ceasefire brokered
with Trump’s support last May during the conflict with India for saving “millions of lives” in South Asia. Pakistan is among eight Muslimmajority countries participating in the board, alongside Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Officials said the framework aims to take concrete steps towards a permanent ceasefire, enhanced humanitarian aid for Palestinians, and the reconstruction of Gaza. “Pakistan also hopes these efforts will lead to the realization of the right to self-determination for the Palestinian
people through a credible, time-bound political process, consistent with international legitimacy and UN resolutions, resulting in an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds AlSharif as its capital,” the Foreign Office had said in a statement. About Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ Trump first proposed the Board of Peace in September last year as a plan to end the Gaza conflict, later clarifying that the board would address other conflicts globally. He will serve as the inaugural chairman, with a mandate to promote peace and resolve disputes worldwide. The charter allows member states three-year terms unless they pay $1 billion each to fund the board, earning permanent membership. The founding Executive Board includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. ‘Federal cabinet had endorsed Pakistan’s participation’ Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed that the federal cabinet had endorsed Pakistan’s participation. “There was much discussion, and the cabinet endorsed it. Following cabinet approval, the prime minister accepted the invitation,” he said.
Education, not bullets, builds nations, says Bilawal on World Education Day KARACHI
Staff CorreSpondent
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on World Education Day described education as the most powerful force for dignity, equality, and hope, calling it the strongest weapon against poverty, extremism, and injustice. In a message marking the day, Bilawal said the PPP firmly believed that classrooms — not battlefields — shape destinies, and that books, not bullets, build nations. He extended greetings to all those associated with the education sector, paying tribute to the dedication and commitment of students and teachers across the country. He stressed that every child, regardless of gender, class or geography, had an equal right to quality education, calling it a fundamental right rather than charity. “When we educate a child, we empower a family, uplift a community, and strengthen the future of our nation,” he said. Bilawal said the vision of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was rooted in accessible and inclusive education for all Pakistanis. Reaffirming his party’s commitment, the PPP chairman said the party would continue to strive for equal educational opportunities, particularly for girls and marginalised communities. “On World Education Day, let us renew our promise to light every home with the lamp of knowledge, because an educated Pakistan is a strong, peaceful and progressive Pakistan,” he concluded.