Washington, February 20: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif openly praised U.S. President Donald Trump during the inaugural meeting of the ‘Board of Peace’ held in Washington. He stated that Trump’s intervention helped avert a potential war between India and Pakistan. During this visit, Sharif also met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Addressing the multilateral meeting, Sharif remarked that Trump’s initiative had “saved millions of lives.” He referred to Trump as a “true messenger of peace,” emphasizing the significant role of the U.S. in reducing tensions in South Asia. Sharif commended Trump’s proactive diplomacy, which he claimed has brought peace to many sensitive regions around the world.

Sharif also expressed support for the Gaza peace proposal presented during the meeting, highlighting the long-standing struggles faced by the Palestinian people under illegal occupation. He advocated for the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and united Palestinian state to uphold their right to self-determination, asserting that Trump’s peace efforts would be recorded in history.

In a separate meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked Sharif for supporting Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and for participating as a founding member of the ‘Board of Peace.’ According to the U.S. State Department, Rubio expressed condolences regarding the January 31 attack in Balochistan and the February 6 bombing in Islamabad. Both leaders emphasized the importance of continuing U.S.-Pakistan cooperation in combating terrorism.

The State Department noted that Rubio reiterated the significance of ongoing collaboration against terrorism, following the recent critical minerals ministerial meeting held in Washington, where they discussed Pakistan’s participation. They also reviewed cooperation in the essential minerals and energy sectors, along with commercial investment opportunities for U.S. companies.

Although Sharif met with Secretary Rubio, no bilateral meeting with President Trump was scheduled. Previously, Trump had warned both India and Pakistan during rising tensions that the U.S. would not engage in trade agreements if they failed to resolve their disputes. He also claimed that both countries were warned of tariffs of up to 200% if conflicts continued.

Trump remarked, “These are two very powerful, nuclear-armed countries. I don’t want to say what could have happened, but the situation could have been dangerous.” He also mentioned having spoken with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him “a great man.”

India and Pakistan have fought several wars since 1947, with ongoing disputes over the Kashmir issue. While a ceasefire has largely held in recent years, tensions between the two nations periodically escalate, drawing global attention.

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