That the government will be defending its decision of joining US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza tooth and nail was widely expected.
In the joint session of parliament yesterday, federal ministers repeatedly claimed that joining the Board of Peace has certainly added to the profile in the comity of nations, and this decision will enable it, along with many other Islamic and non-Islamic countries, to make meaningful contributions towards efforts aimed at achieving sustainable peace in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Although the government’s argument does not lack plausibility, it ought to have taken the opposition into confidence prior to signing the charter of the Board of Peace. In other words, a fuller parliamentary debate was critical to reaching consensus or near-consensus on the matter.
Unfortunately, however, the government happily squandered away that opportunity because of its poor judgment. Little does this government appreciate the criticality of democratic norms; it has been consistently causing a loss of public trust in itself, and adding to polarization in society.
Shabana Mehtab Ali (Islamabad)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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