Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Tuesday that the decision on sending Pakistani troops to Gaza peacekeepers was still being finalized and “is in process.”
A cornerstone of the US-brokered Gaza Peace Agreement is the establishment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), composed primarily of troops from Muslim-majority countries. An announcement from the federal government on the decision is expected soon, according to officials close to the discussions.
Officials familiar with the deliberations, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said discussions within the government and military establishment were at an “advanced stage.” According to them, the tone of the internal consultations suggests that Islamabad is willing to participate in the mission.
He questioned whether or not such a move was in the offing in an interview on Geographic news On the show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, Asif said, “This has to be finalized [and] It is in process. “The government will make a decision after going through the process and I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”
He said parliament would be involved and all institutions would be informed about the measure.
The Defense Minister said that if Muslim countries took the decision to participate in the peacekeeping force and Pakistan also had to participate, then it would be a “proud moment for the country to play a role in protecting the Palestinians.”
“This is an opportunity that Pakistan should take advantage of if it is at our disposal.”
The ISF’s mandate would include maintaining internal security, disarming Hamas, securing border crossings, and assisting with humanitarian aid and reconstruction under the supervision of a transitional Palestinian authority.
Officials in Islamabad maintain that Pakistan’s possible involvement arises from both moral responsibility and diplomatic necessity. They noted that Pakistan was part of the original eight-nation peace proposal conceived in late 2024 and backed by several Muslim-majority states, which formed the basis of the US-brokered Gaza peace plan finalized earlier this month.
Since the ISF was a key pillar of that plan, officials said, Pakistan’s participation would be a sign of consistency and credibility. Another argument given by government circles supporting Pakistan’s inclusion in the FSI is its strong record in maintaining international peace.
Pakistan is one of the largest troop contributors to United Nations peacekeeping missions and has deployed more than 200,000 troops in more than 40 operations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Officials maintain that this experience not only equips Pakistani forces to manage volatile post-conflict environments, but also lends credibility and legitimacy to the ISF.
Beyond moral and operational reasons, foreign policy imperatives also underpin the government’s arguments for participation. Officials maintain that joining the Gaza stabilization force could strengthen Pakistan’s relations with the United States.
Islamabad’s ties with Washington have been gradually improving since Trump’s return to the White House, after years of friction over Afghanistan and counterterrorism. They said participating in a U.S.-backed multilateral initiative could promote this thaw and open avenues for economic cooperation, defense support and regional influence.
However, officials warned that there is still no clarity on the legal framework for the deployment. “Ideally, this deployment would be carried out under a UN mandate,” one official said.
Still, such a deployment would not be without risks. Gaza remains highly volatile and domestic opinion in Pakistan presents an additional challenge.
Many Pakistanis, deeply sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, may perceive participation in a US-designed stabilization mission as serving Israeli interests or even as a betrayal of the Palestinian resistance. “It is a difficult but decisive election,” said another official.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said in an interview on ARY news program ’11th Hour’ a day ago that if the Pakistani army had the opportunity to establish peace in Gaza then “I don’t think there can be anything better than this to save” the Palestinians.
He said the above was his personal opinion and he didn’t know if any offer was made or not.
