Dar says Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan 'not ours', stresses unity on Palestine

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the 20 points announced by US President Donald Trump under his plan to end the war in Gaza are not the same as those prepared by Muslim-majority countries.

He clarified that the draft finalised by Washington had undergone changes and that Pakistan, along with seven other Muslim nations, does not accept the modified version.

Dar told the National Assembly that Pakistan continues to follow the policy of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah regarding Palestine, and there is no room for politics on this issue. He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif represented Pakistan robustly at the United Nations General Assembly, where he raised the issues of Kashmir, Palestine, climate change and global conflicts, explicitly condemning Israel by name.

Trump’s 20-point plan

Trump on Monday published a 20-point framework to halt the war between Israel and Hamas. Under the proposal, all hostages, both living and dead, would be returned within 72 hours of a ceasefire. The blueprint also refers to the creation of a “New Gaza” after Israeli withdrawal and reconstruction.

The plan envisages a staged pullback of Israeli forces rather than a full withdrawal, leaving space for negotiations and requiring Hamas to disarm within days of acceptance. Trump also proposed forming a “Board of Peace” with international figures, including former British prime minister Tony Blair, and a temporary technocratic administration for Gaza.

PM Shehbaz welcomes Trump's 20-point plan to end Gaza war

According to Israeli figures, Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages in the October 7, 2023 attack. Gaza health authorities report over 66,000 Palestinians killed and more than 150,000 injured since Israel launched its retaliatory offensive. Dar said the enclave has turned into “a graveyard of humanity as well as a graveyard of the global conscience.”

Muslim nations’ proposal

On September 22, leaders from eight Muslim countries – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan – met Trump to propose their version of a peace plan. Dar revealed that their draft demanded a “full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza,” the prevention of Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank, and a roadmap towards a two-state solution.

The group also called for immediate ceasefire, protection of civilians, and a structured programme for reconstruction and humanitarian relief.
Pakistan’s stance

Dar stressed that the altered draft put forward by Trump does not reflect these positions and will not be endorsed by Pakistan or its allies. “This is not the draft we prepared,” he clarified, adding that eight Muslim countries will remain focused on their original draft.

He underlined that Gaza’s reconstruction is the collective responsibility of Islamic nations and that Pakistan’s approach remains consistent with its founding principles. He added that Senator Mushtaq Ahmad was among those detained after Israel seized 22 humanitarian flotillas attempting to reach Gaza. Pakistan, he said, was working with an influential European country to secure the release of Ahmad and other detained Pakistanis.

Pakistan yet to decide on sending troops to Gaza peace force

Speaking about Saudi Arabia, Dar said Pakistan values its ties deeply, recalling that talks on a bilateral agreement had begun during the Pakistan Democratic Movement government and were accelerated under the current administration.

He described it as a highly important agreement, not signed blindly. After Pakistan’s deal, other countries also expressed interest. During the UNGA session, several states approached us. “If more countries join, this could become like NATO. I believe Pakistan will lead the Muslim Ummah; after being a nuclear power, we must also become an economic power.”

Dar concluded by affirming that while Pakistan remains a nuclear power, its next objective is to emerge as an economic force within the Muslim world.