Reporting snapshot · 21 Feb 2026. The remarks were made at a press conference in Lahore on Saturday. The government had not responded to the criticism at the time of writing.
What happened
Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Saturday 21 February 2026 criticised the government for taking part in the first meeting of the Board of Peace (BoP) on Gaza, calling it “unacceptable”.
His remarks followed the inaugural BoP meeting, held on Thursday in Washington, at which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the peacemaking efforts of United States President Donald Trump, who heads the forum.
Addressing reporters in Lahore, Rehman said it was “unacceptable at any cost” to ignore Pakistan’s long-established policy on the Palestine issue. He said the country’s position had been clear since the time of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and that any deviation from it would be intolerable.
The JI chief also opposed any plan to send Pakistani troops to Gaza as part of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) envisioned under Trump’s 20-point plan. He argued that Gaza’s affairs were an internal Palestinian matter that should be handled only by local Palestinian police and forces rather than foreign troops. Pakistan was not named among the five countries that have committed troops to the proposed force.
In a post on X, the JI’s official account said the decision to join “the so-called Trump peace board” without consulting parliament, the cabinet or key stakeholders was unacceptable and that participation in a board that includes Israel “undermines national dignity and deviates from national policy”. The party urged the government to advocate the Palestinian cause at the United Nations instead.
Context
The Board of Peace held its first meeting in Washington on 19 February 2026, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for an end to ceasefire violations in Gaza. Trump has pledged 10 billion dollars for Gaza’s reconstruction. According to officials at the meeting, Morocco offered police personnel, while the ISF’s American commander, Major General Jasper Jeffers, said Albania, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Kosovo had pledged troops. Indonesia had earlier indicated it could contribute up to 8,000 personnel, nearly half of the 20,000 troops reportedly being sought.
The initiative follows a ceasefire negotiated in October by the Trump administration with Qatar and Egypt. Its second phase calls for the disarmament of Hamas, a proposal that has drawn mixed reactions. Trump has said he hopes force will not be needed, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Hamas will be disarmed “one way or the other”.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, has said Islamabad set out clear “red lines”, indicating that Pakistan could consider a peacekeeping mandate but would not join any disarmament or demilitarisation mission.
Why it matters
The criticism places a mainstream religious party in open opposition to a foreign-policy decision taken by the government without, JI argues, prior parliamentary or cabinet debate. It follows earlier joint objections from JI and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl), which had signalled possible protest mobilisation over the issue. The episode also highlights the political sensitivity in Pakistan of any arrangement that could be seen as placing Pakistani personnel under a command associated with the United States and Israel, even as the government signals openness to a narrowly defined peacekeeping role.
What is still uncertain
The government had not publicly responded to Rehman’s remarks at the time of writing. It remains unclear whether Pakistan will contribute personnel to any Gaza mission, and on what terms, or whether the JI’s opposition will translate into parliamentary or street pressure. The Foreign Office’s stated red lines leave the scope of any future Pakistani role undefined.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a synthesis of published material, not eyewitness reporting. Sources were reviewed on 21 February 2026.
- Dawn — "JI chief terms govt participation in Trump's Board of Peace meeting on Gaza 'unacceptable'"Published 21 Feb 2026 · Rehman's Lahore press conference, his Palestine-policy argument, opposition to the ISF, the JI statement on X and the Foreign Office "red lines".
- ABC News Pakistan — "JI chief terms govt participation in Trump's Board of Peace meeting on Gaza 'unacceptable'"Published 21 Feb 2026 · Rehman's quotes on command arrangements, Morocco's police offer, the troop pledges by Albania, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Kosovo, and Indonesia's 8,000-personnel indication.
- Pakistan Today — "JI Chief Slams Govt's Role in Trump-Led Gaza Peace Meeting"Published 22 Feb 2026 · Confirms the substance of the criticism and the opposition to deploying Pakistani troops under the ISF.
