Pakistan at Trump’s Board of Peace: A familiar double game and search for relevance

Davos: Pakistan’s decision to join US President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ on Gaza shows the country’s perennial struggle to balance strong public sympathy for Palestinians with strategic ties to Washington. It is already causing considerable unease at home.

The Board of Peace, unveiled by Trump last week during the World Economic Forum in Davos, forms part of his broader plan to stabilise Gaza following years of conflict. It aims to provide oversight for post-ceasefire reconstruction, security arrangements, and diplomatic efforts, with members including Pakistan. The initiative has drawn criticism for sidelining direct Palestinian representation in its framework.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with Pakistan’s field marshal Asim Munir and Foreign Minister Dar were present at the inaugural ceremony of board, chaired by President Trump at Davos. While Munir was not on the podium, PM Shehbaz did inform Trump that the top Pakistani military chief was sitting in the audience in full glare of cameras. Trump gave a broad smile to Munir, whom he has in the past termed as ‘favourite field marshal’.

The Pakistani side insists the step allows Islamabad to stay constructively engaged on an issue that resonates deeply at home, where public sentiment overwhelmingly supports the Palestinian cause. A Pakistan statement said, “It looks forward to continuing playing a constructive role as part of the board of peace.”

Yet the decision has provoked scepticism and outright criticism in the country itself. Critics argue it aligns Islamabad too closely with a US-led process. The absence of a Palestinian figure at the ceremony raised more eyebrows.

“It is telling and unfortunate that no Muslim country, including Pakistan, has objected to the exclusion of Palestinians from Trump’s Board of Peace,” Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s former envoy to UN, said on social media.

Key opposition party, Imran Khan’s PTI, said Pakistan’s “participation in any international peace initiative should complement and reinforce the United Nations’ multilateral system”. Questions have been raised if the board of peace is trying to replace the UN.

But for Pakistan’s history, the approach fits a familiar pattern. Pakistan has historically framed itself as a staunch defender of Muslim causes, including Palestine, yet pragmatic calculations often prevail.

After 9/11, Islamabad became a key US ally in the “war on terror”, reaping economic benefits while facing domestic backlash. Earlier, during Jordan’s 1970 Black September conflict, Pakistani military advisers were reportedly involved in operations against Palestinian factions, a chapter rarely acknowledged officially.

When it comes to Afghanistan ties, Pakistan has given a blank cheque to the US in dealing with Kabul in the past. The action remains a sore point in ties. Pakistan’s attack on Kabul and Afghanistan’s border areas, in which women, children and cricketers were killed has only worsened ties between the two neighbours.

Gaza board membership risks widening the gap between state policy and street sentiment. Protests and social media outrage have already emerged, with some labelling the move hypocritical or a betrayal of principled solidarity.

For now, Pakistan’s involvement grants diplomatic visibility and a channel to Washington without committing to positions. Whether it translates into meaningful leverage for Palestinians, or merely serves Islamabad’s need to appear moderate and useful, remains uncertain. Sooner or later, Trump will be seeking his pound of flesh from Rawalpindi.