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AT TRUMP’S BOARD OF PEACE, PM URGES END TO GAZA CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS FOR ‘LASTING PEACE’
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Friday, 20 February, 2026 | 2 Ramazan, 1447
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PREMIER SHEHBAZ CALLS FOR PALESTINIAN SELF DETERMINATION AND SOVEREIGN STATEHOOD, CALLING END TO CEASEFIRE VIOLATION IMPERATIVE TO PRESERVE LIFE, ADVANCE RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS
TRUMP HAILS INAUGURAL SESSION AS ‘MOST CONSEQUENTIAL BOARD EVER ASSEMBLED’ AS $7B PLEDGED FOR GAZA RECONSTRUCTION, WITH US TO CONTRIBUTE $10B TO BOARD OF PEACE
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STRESSES PEOPLE OF PALESTINE MUST EXERCISE FULL CONTROL OVER THEIR LAND AND FUTURE, IN LINE WITH UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS
INDONESIA ANNOUNCED AS DEPUTY COMMANDER OF INTERNATIONAL STABILISATION FORCE WITH MOROCCO, ALBANIA, KAZAKHSTAN AND KOSOVO CONTRIBUTORS
WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD
trump says he ‘likes’ pM Shehbaz, mentions ‘tough fighter’ CdF Munir at inaugural Board of peace meeting
sAleem jAdoon
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, speaking at the inaugural meeting of the President Trump-led Board of Peace, underscored the urgent need for ending ceasefire violations in Gaza, calling it “critical” for lasting peace in the war-torn enclave, state media reported. “The people of Palestine have long endured illegal occupation and immense suffering. To achieve long-lasting peace, it is imperative that ceasefire violations end, to preserve life and advance reconstruction efforts,” PM Shehbaz said during his address at the inaugural session of the Board of Peace in Washington, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). He added, “The people of Palestine must exercise full control over their land and future, in line with UN Security Council resolutions.” The premier further emphasized the need for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination, advocating the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian state consistent with relevant resolutions. Expressing optimism about the board’s potential, PM Shehbaz said, “Under President Trump’s visionary and dynamic leadership, we can ensure a just and lasting resolution to the issue of Palestine. Today marks a historic mo-
WASHINGTON Agencies
ment: through your efforts, long-lasting peace in Gaza can be achieved—a legacy that will endure for generations,” the PMO said The Washington meeting comes months after the board was first proposed in September 2025 and formally established last month. Under its charter, the US government serves as its official depository, and the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington has been designated as the Board’s headquarters.
PTI again raises alarm over Imran Khan's health, demands transparency ISLAMABAD
stAff report
Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 227 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday renewed concerns about the health of its incarcerated founder, Imran Khan, criticising what it described as the government’s “silence and lack of clarity” on the matter. The former prime minister’s family and party have voiced repeated concerns since it emerged in late January that he was suffering from right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), an eye condition affecting blood flow to the retina. In a statement posted on X, the PTI expressed “profound concern over the growing anxiety spreading among the nation” regarding Khan’s health. “Any ambiguity surrounding the health of a leader who commands the confidence of millions is unacceptable. The government’s silence and lack of clarity have only intensified public unease rather than alleviating it,” the party said. Calling the issue a matter of “national trust, human rights, and the government’s responsibility,” PTI insisted that if authorities had nothing to hide, there was no justification for delaying full transparency. The party reiterated its demand that Khan’s personal physicians be granted “immediate and unrestricted access” to conduct necessary examinations, including blood tests and other diagnostic procedures. It also urged that he be allowed to undergo any required scans or specialised evaluations at a hospital or diagnostic centre of his choosing. “It is the government’s responsibility to provide the nation with clear, verified, and unambiguous medical facts,” the statement added, warning that no further delay would be acceptable. Medical details and court intervention Family members and senior party leaders have made repeated attempts in recent weeks to meet Khan at Adiala Jail, but most visits were reportedly denied by authorities. On February 10, the Supreme Court of Pakistan allowed PTI lawyer Salman Safdar to meet him.
A UN Security Council resolution adopted in November 2025 authorised the board, along with cooperating states, to establish an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Gaza following a ceasefire beginning in October under a Trump-backed plan accepted by Israel and Hamas. Despite the ceasefire, repeated violations by Israel have kept tensions high.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday mentioned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington. In his address, Trump said he had been endorsing candidates in the US, but now he was also endorsing foreign leaders, and went on to name PM Shehbaz among the leaders he was acknowledging at the meeting. “Prime Minister Sharif — I like this man — of Pakistan. Because there was some fighting going on when I got to know him and your Field Marshal, great general, great Field Marshal, great guy.
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pakistan issues demarche to afghanistan after 11 soldiers martyred in Bajaur attack ISLAMABAD
stAff report
Pakistan has issued a formal demarche to the Afghan Taliban regime over the alleged use of Afghan soil for a deadly terrorist attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district that left 11 security personnel martyred, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Thursday. According to a statement, the demarche was conveyed on Wednesday when the FO summoned the Afghan deputy head of mission in Islamabad. “Pakistan condemned in the strongest possible terms the vehicle-borne suicide terrorist attack followed by a fire raid on Pakistan military and law enforcement agencies’ posts in Bajaur, carried out by Fitna al Khawarij [or] the TTP,” the state-
ment said. The term Fitna al Khawarij is used by the state for militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The FO expressed serious concern that the group’s leadership was based in Afghanistan and alleged that it continued to operate with impunity from Afghan territory. It noted that Pakistan had received repeated assurances from the Afghan Taliban authorities but regretted the absence of “visible or concrete actions." “The Afghan Taliban regime has been told to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership,” the statement added.
Pakistan also “categorically informed” Kabul that it reserved the right to respond and eliminate TTP militants and their affiliates wherever they were located to ensure the safety of its soldiers, civilians and territorial integrity. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking during a visit to Berlin, said Islamabad would not hesitate to conduct air operations inside Afghanistan if necessary to counter militancy. He described the current instability as the “price we are paying” for decisions taken during the 1980s and after the Sept 11 attacks. According to reports, Asif accused the Afghan Taliban regime of waging a “proxy war” alongside India against Pakistan’s interests and said military action would remain an option until Kabul provided meaningful assurances of peace.
at un, pakistan, uK reaffirm commitment to dialogue and multilateral cooperation NEW YORK/ISLAMABAD stAff report
Pakistan and the United Kingdom on Thursday reaffirmed their shared commitment to dialogue, multilateralism, and effective cooperation, particularly within the United Nations framework. The reaffirmation came during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs Yvette Cooper on the sidelines of a highlevel UN Security Council meeting on Palestine in New York, according to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office. During the meeting, FM Dar and his UK counterpart exchanged views on key regional and international developments
and underscored the importance of sustained high-level engagement. Both leaders committed to further strengthening bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, including political, economic, trade, investment, defense, and people-to-people exchanges. FM Dar expressed appreciation to Secretary Cooper for convening the important briefing.
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pakistan calls for unity and elections as Libya’s political impasse deepens UNITED NATIONS stAff report
With Libya’s political process still at a deadlock and pressures mounting nationwide, Pakistan has renewed calls for concerted efforts to advance unity, stability, and credible elections. “We underscore the importance of sustained engagement with all Libyan stakeholders to move the political process forward and deliver tangible peace dividends for all citizens,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council during a meeting on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Wednesday. Since the 2011 uprising that ended the long rule of Muammar Qadaffi, successive efforts to establish unified governance in Libya have been repeatedly undermined by institutional fragmentation and rival authorities. Despite a 2020 ceasefire that curtailed large-scale hostilities, divisions between competing administrations persist. UNled mediation through UNSMIL continues to seek consensus on a constitutional basis and electoral framework, following last year’s political roadmap. The roadmap focuses on three main goals: agreeing on election rules for presidential and parliamentary polls, forming a unified government, and holding an inclusive national dialogue addressing governance, the economy, security, and reconciliation. In his remarks, Ambassador Asim Ahmad reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm support for a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process, emphasizing it remains the only viable pathway to sustainable peace and prosperity in the country.