ISLAMABAD (MNN); Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for attending the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace and reiterated its objection to Pakistan joining the board without consultation.
The Board of Peace, formally established last month after being proposed in September 2025 to oversee peace in Gaza, held its first meeting on February 19, attended by several world leaders including PM Shehbaz.
In a statement posted on X, PTI said it had “grave concern over the government of Pakistan’s decision to join the Board of Peace without transparency, parliamentary debate, or consultation with major political stakeholders.”
“Decisions of such international significance must follow constitutional procedures, democratic oversight, and national consensus,” the party added.
PTI maintained that it does not recognise the legitimacy of the current Parliament, formed after the “manipulated 2024 elections,” and said even this Parliament was bypassed in the decision-making process, further undermining democratic norms and public trust.
Contrasting with former Prime Minister Imran Khan, PTI said he had been “one of the most steadfast and vocal supporters of Palestinian rights globally,” and that his position on Palestine has always been clear and uncompromising.
The party reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian people and “categorically rejects any plan imposed without their consent.” PTI emphasised the need for a just and lasting resolution through an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in line with international law and PTI policy.
PTI also stressed that Pakistan’s role in global peace initiatives should strengthen the United Nations framework rather than create “parallel arrangements that weaken international law and accountability.”
The party questioned the credibility of the Board of Peace, pointing out that Palestinians remain excluded while Israel is included, despite ongoing violence in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
“A peace mechanism without Palestinian representation can only be called control,” the statement said. PTI strongly criticised PM Shehbaz for attending the meeting and making statements that “compromise Pakistan’s dignity, independent foreign policy, and historically principled stance on oppressed peoples.”
The government’s decision to join the board, first announced last month, was widely criticised by political parties and analysts. The government defended the move in Parliament, stating that Pakistan joined after the federal cabinet approved the decision.
