ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to leave for Egypt on Monday to take part in the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit, where a landmark peace accord aimed at ending the devastating conflict in Gaza is expected to be signed, the Foreign Office (FO) announced on Sunday.
According to the FO, the visit comes at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and US President Donald Trump, both of whom will jointly preside over the summit. The gathering will focus on formalising an agreement designed to halt hostilities and pave the way for long-term stability in the Middle East.
The prime minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with other senior cabinet members and officials, the statement added.
The peace conference follows what many observers see as a breakthrough in efforts to end the two-year Israeli military campaign in Gaza. The offensive has claimed more than 67,000 Palestinian lives, according to humanitarian agencies, with thousands still missing or displaced.
The truce, mediated by President Trump with the cooperation of eight Muslim-majority nations, reportedly outlines a 20-point framework to stop the violence and initiate reconstruction and humanitarian relief operations in the war-torn territory.
The FO noted that the Sharm el-Sheikh gathering is a continuation of diplomatic discussions launched during the 80th UN General Assembly session in New York last month, where leaders from Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Indonesia, and Turkiye met with President Trump to explore peace initiatives for Gaza.
In a joint declaration at that earlier meeting, participating states commended the US-led mediation and pledged coordinated efforts to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire, protect civilians, and deliver critical humanitarian assistance.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s position, the FO emphasised that Islamabad remains steadfast in its support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and viable State of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital, based on pre-1967 borders and in accordance with UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
“Pakistan hopes the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit will open the path for full Israeli withdrawal, release of detainees, reconstruction of Gaza, and a credible political process towards lasting peace,” the statement read.
The two-day conference, to be held in the Red Sea resort city, will draw participation from more than 20 world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.The United Nations and the European Council, represented by its president Antonio Costa, will also attend. However, Israel and Hamas are not expected to be directly represented at the summit.
