Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appeared to have had an uncomfortable experience in the United States as President Donald Trump convened his meeting for the Board of Peace on Thursday.
Appearing to have been sidelined in the group photo at the event, Shehbaz Sharif seemed “worried" and isolated but may have later felt appeased when Donald Trump praised him and the Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir saying he “likes" both of them.
Despite Pakistan’s inclusion in the high-stakes gathering, Sharif’s presence was marked by a lack of prominence that suggested Pakistan’s diminishing influence on the global stage.
According to a top diplomatic source, during the official group photo, Sharif was notably denied a “centre place" appearing “cornered" among the world leaders assembled for the summit.
While Trump stood prominently at the front, flanked by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, leaders from nations such as Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Qatar occupied positions directly behind the US President. The diplomatic source described the Pakistan prime minister’s demeanor as “weird" during the proceedings, highlighting an atmosphere of unease for the Pakistani delegation.
The source said a significant point of diplomatic friction remains Pakistan’s hesitation over military contributions to the region. Although the Board of Peace expects its members to commit thousands of personnel to an international stabilisation and police force for Gaza, Pakistan remains “reluctant to deploy troops" despite earlier indications of a commitment. This is in contrast to other member states; to date, only Indonesia has offered a “firm commitment" to the proposed security force.
Pakistan may face “embarrassment" in the US due to its lack of a “clear agenda" regarding the Gaza crisis, the source said.
Addressing the event, Trump again praised Sharif. He said: “I like this guy," while recounting the events that led to the ceasefire after last year’s conflict between Pakistan and India in May.
Trump further praised Field Marshal Asim Munir. “Prime Minister Sharif, I like this man. There was some firing going on when I got to know him and your Field Marshal Asim Munir, he is a great guy. He said in front of our Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, he said: ‘Do you know no body knows but I believe that President Trump saved 25 millions lives when he stopped the war between us and India.’ You made that statement," he said, while addressing the Pakistani PM.
Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News
