ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the National Assembly on Friday that Pakistan had disavowed the 20-point Gaza peace plan announced by US President Donald Trump, stating that the final version did not reflect the draft originally agreed with Pakistan and several other Muslim countries.
In a briefing to the House, Dar said “significant changes” had been made by Washington during the finalisation of the proposal, which had initially been presented jointly by eight Muslim nations during meetings on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York.
“The 20-point plan made public by President Trump is truly not ours. The changes have been made to our draft,” Dar said, shortly after returning from his official trip to the United States.
Trump plan misses Pakistan’s key suggestions: Dar
The plan, which includes a ceasefire, phased Israeli withdrawal, disarmament of Hamas, a prisoner exchange, and the formation of an international transitional administration in Gaza, was unveiled by President Trump earlier this week and was initially welcomed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
However, Dar clarified that the prime minister’s comments were based on limited information, made while he was in transit and responding to a post on X by the US president.
“At the time, it was not known that the final plan differed from what was initially discussed,” he added.
According to Dar, the initiative to engage the US was undertaken after the failure of international organisations such as the United Nations, its Security Council, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take effective action on Gaza.
“The UN, UN Security Council and the OIC all failed. The only remaining hope was to engage the US together,” he told lawmakers, calling Gaza “the graveyard of global consciousness.”
He revealed that a closed-door meeting was held at the Qatari Embassy, attended by US officials and representatives of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and the UAE, where a joint draft was shared with American interlocutors. That version was later altered.
Dar added that while Saudi Arabia had confirmed that some Muslim countries’ suggestions were incorporated into the final document, substantial divergences remained. Member states are now considering whether to resume negotiations or issue a cautious joint endorsement.
Regarding the detention of ex-senator Mushtaq Ahmed by Israeli forces aboard the Sumud Flotilla – a humanitarian mission reportedly attempting to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza – Dar confirmed that Ahmed was among those taken into custody.
“We are in contact with a third, influential European country to mediate the matter,” he said, without disclosing the country’s name.
“I, along with the entire Foreign Ministry, am engaged with them, and we are working to ensure that all Pakistanis are released safely, respectfully, and as soon as possible,” he added.
Addressing Pakistan’s recently signed Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia, Dar said the pact has drawn interest from other regional countries, raising the possibility of a broader security alliance.
“If more countries join, it could become an ‘Eastern NATO’,” he said, referring to the mutual defence clause stipulating that any act of aggression against one party would be treated as aggression against both.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, rooted in the principles laid out by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Dar also briefed the National Assembly on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, which was also attended by Chief of Army Staff AsimMunir.
He described the engagement as cordial, noting that President Trump expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts and acknowledged Islamabad’s role in promoting regional stability, including the ceasefire understanding with India reached in May.
He said the two sides also discussed the expansion of bilateral trade, with Pakistan inviting US investment in key sectors including agriculture, information technology, mines and minerals, and energy.
On the controversial inclusion of journalist Shama Junejo– who has previously expressed pro-Israel views – in Pakistan’s delegation to the UN, Dar clarified that she was not officially part of the Foreign Office team, but had accompanied the prime minister in a supporting role.
Earlier, former National Assembly Speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser criticised the government for what he called an ambiguous and “offensive” stance on the Gaza issue.
He demanded a public apology from the prime minister and insisted no peace plan should be endorsed without Palestinian consent.
“No decision on Palestine will be acceptable to the Pakistani people without the Palestinians’ involvement,” Qaiser said, citing a death toll of over 60,000 in Gaza.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025