WASHINGTON/ ISLAMABAD/LONDON: US President Donald Trump on Monday asserted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Asim Munir, have fully backed the Gaza peace plan.
“PM [Shehbaz] and Field Marshal, they were right with us from the beginning — incredible, in fact. They just put out a statement that they fully believe in this pact. They back this 100%,” Trump said while addressing a joint press conference along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
His remarks came hours after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed President Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. According to the prime minister this plan represents a critical and necessary step forward, not only to stop the immediate bloodshed but to forge a durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel.
“I welcome President Trump’s 20-point plan to ensure an end to the war in Gaza. I am also convinced that durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel would be essential in bringing political stability and economic growth to the region,” he said in a post on his ‘X’ handle.
“It is also my firm belief that President Trump is fully prepared to assist in whatever way necessary to make this extremely important and urgent understanding to become a reality. I laud President Trump’s leadership and the vital role played by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in bringing an end to this war. I also strongly believe that the implementation of the two-state proposal is essential to ensure lasting peace in the region,” the prime minister added.
Meanwhile, talking to the mediapersons in London, PM Shehbaz said the recently signed Pakistan-Saudi defence pact was not against any other country, as Pakistan was not in any power struggle but was pursuing a focused approach to achieve economic prosperity by exploiting its immense resources.
“Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are brotherly countries, bound by decades and centuries-old ties. This pact is against no one but a formalisation of these ties. Every Muslim has a belief and ready to sacrifice his life to safeguard Roza-e-Rasool (SAW) and Makkah al Mukarramah, so through this pact, we addressed both our worldly interests and our religious values,” the prime minister said.
He said that without indulging in any power struggle, Pakistan was striving to achieve its economic goals by addressing poverty, unemployment and exploiting immense potential in agriculture, artificial intelligence, mines and minerals as well as youth bulge by providing them education and skill training.
The prime minister apprised the media of his “fruitful and successful” visits to New York and Washington, particularly, the meeting on Gaza situation co-chaired by President Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and attended by leaders from Pakistan, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Jordan and Egypt.
Condemning the unprecedented Israeli oppression and killings in Gaza, the prime minister said that at the UN General Assembly, Pakistan had effectively raised its voice in support of the people of Palestine and Kashmir, Pakistan’s water rights and also the Marka-e-Haq in which India had faced a humiliating defeat.
“We have won the war by grace of God through our brave armed forces, who fought with great courage and outstanding professional acumen led by Field Marshal Asim Munir who led from the front with an iron-clad resolve,” he said, highlighting the nation’s full support to its armed forces.
He said that after Marka-e-Haq, the world has recognised that Pakistan, while a nuclear power solely for defence purposes, was also highly skilled in conventional warfare.
Referring to his “highly fruitful, productive” meeting with President Trump, also attended by Field Marshal Asim Munir, he said Pakistan-US relations were being revitalised, with discussions focusing on trade, investment, oil and gas exploration, mines and minerals, IT, AI, and other areas, as Trump also assured to accelerate the bilateral economic cooperation.
The prime minister told the media that in his UNGA address, he had also praised President Trump for his role in the Pakistan-India ceasefire as well as a significant contribution to world peace.
“I noted that both our countries are nuclear powers, and Trump’s intervention prevented catastrophic regional consequences. Had he [Trump] not intervened, the consequences could have been catastrophic for the region and who would have lived to tell what had happened,” he remarked.
The prime minister said that Pakistan’s economy has stabilised at the macro level while the efforts were underway to achieve growth, highlighting that the floods have once again hit the country, killing over 1,000 people, injuring many others and destroying thousands of villages.
“An audit is currently underway to assess the damages caused by the floods. Despite these challenges, our morale remains high, and we are determined to recover.” He said his greatest desire was to make Pakistan an economically prosperous nation, free from loans and generating its own revenue. “The time has come. Time and tide wait for none. We should take advantage of this time as friendly countries like Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, the US and China are willing to support. There can be no better conditions. Now all up to us. The only thing we lack is the will to do. If we have this will, no one can impede our progress,” he remarked.
