Tensions are boiling in Pakistani politics following the government’s controversial entry into U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ initiative for Gaza. Opposition voices from the Senate and beyond have united in condemnation, viewing it as a dangerous capitulation to foreign influence.
Leading the assault, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas posted on X, terming the board morally reprehensible and policy-wise untenable. Conceived for Gaza’s war-torn revival, it instead pilfers Palestinian authority over reconstruction, defense, and politics. ‘This neo-colonial blueprint erodes the right to self-governance,’ he emphasized.
Abbas highlighted how the board, once pitched modestly post-Gaza atrocities, now sprawls ambitiously to sideline the UN. ‘Expansion betrays its predatory core,’ he charged.
Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, from Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain-e-Pakistan, hammered the process flaws: zero consultation with lawmakers or citizens. ‘It screams contempt for public mandate,’ his X message read.
The charter’s tilt toward Trump – full reins on personnel, schedules, and priorities – plus a $1 billion entry for elite status, drew Khokhar’s ire as a ‘colonial parallel to the UN, but for billionaires.’
Former ambassador Maleeha Lodhi critiqued it as imprudent, noting Trump’s quest for backing on one-sided moves. With reach transcending Gaza, non-participation was wiser, she advised.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry framed its role under UNSC Resolution 2803 to foster lasting peace, aid flows, and Gaza rebuild.
This saga lays bare foreign policy fault lines, with detractors fearing entanglement in U.S.-driven narratives. It prompts reflection on Pakistan’s global positioning, as domestic pushback could influence future diplomatic maneuvers amid volatile Middle East dynamics.