Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reiterated his praise for United States President Donald Trump, stating that Pakistan would continue to “express admiration” for the American leader’s “unique contribution” to peace.
The statement comes a day after Trump and the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye had signed a declaration meant to cement a ceasefire in Gaza, hours after Israel and Hamas exchanged hostages and prisoners.
PM Shehbaz had also attended the ceremony held at the Egyptian beach resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. At a later press conference, the US president had especially mentioned the premier and the army chief.
In a post on X, the premier said: “As I board the plane to return home after the Gaza peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, I want to share some reflections on the potentially transformational nature of what took place and why Pakistan has been so deeply involved.”
He stated that Pakistan’s biggest priority was the “immediate cessation of the genocidal campaign imposed on Gaza”, which he said he had “stated and reinforced consistently” alongside other nations.
“Our gratitude to President Trump is anchored in him promising that he would make it stop, and delivering on that promise,” he said.
“We will continue to express our admiration for President Trump’s unique contribution to peace,” the premier said.
“The Palestinian people’s freedom, dignity and prosperity remain a primary concern for Pakistan,” Shehbaz said, adding that the establishment of a “strong and viable” Palestinian state, with pre-1967 borders and Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital, would remain the “bedrock of Pakistan’s Middle East policy”.
Addressing the ceremony after the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Trump had thanked PM Shehbaz and his “favourite” Field Marshal Asim Munir for their efforts in achieving peace in Gaza, among many other world leaders.
Invited to give his own address, PM Shehbaz had thanked Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for their efforts in securing the peace deal.
“Today is one of the greatest days in contemporary history because peace has been achieved after untiring efforts led by President Trump, who is genuinely a man of peace [and] who has relentlessly and untiringly worked throughout these months, day in and day out, to make this world a place to live with peace and prosperity,“ he had said.
In his speech, he had again expressed his desire to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded on Friday to Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
’’I would say that Pakistan had nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his outstanding and extraordinary contributions to first stop the war between India and Pakistan and then achieve a ceasefire along with his very wonderful team,“ the premier said.
“And today again, I would like to nominate this great president for the Nobel Peace Prize because I genuinely feel he is the most genuine and the most wonderful candidate for the peace prize because he has not only brought peace in South Asia, saved millions of people, their lives, and today, here in Sharm el-Sheikh, achieved peace in Gaza and saved millions of lives in the Middle East,” he said.
