Shehbaz meets Rubio, world leaders after ‘Board of Peace’ summit in Washington

Discussions centre on global, regional issues; talks with Rubio cover minerals, American investments in Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with several global leaders, including United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during his visit to Washington, DC, for the inaugural session of the "Board of Peace".

The discussions centred on global and regional issues, while Secretary Rubio discussed critical minerals, energy-sector development, and investment opportunities for American companies in Pakistan with PM Shehbaz.

The prime minister congratulated Trump and Rubio on the successful inaugural meeting and reaffirmed that Pakistan was ready to work with the Board of Peace for the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan.

He emphasised the importance of continued high-level engagement between Pakistan and the US to advance common goals in a rapidly evolving global environment.

According to a US State Department statement, Secretary Rubio praised Pakistan’s ongoing support for President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and thanked the country for its role as a founding member of the "Board of Peace".

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Board of Peace Leaders’ meeting in Washington, DC.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of continued high-level engagement between Pakistan and the U.S. to… pic.twitter.com/rPLvr5C48t

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) February 20, 2026

He also expressed condolences for the recent attacks in Balochistan and Islamabad, reaffirming the importance of continued cooperation in the fight against terrorism. They discussed critical minerals, energy sector development, and investment opportunities for American companies in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Meets the U.S. Secretary of State H.E. Marco Rubio in Washington

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on the sidelines of the Board of Peace Leaders’ meeting in Washington. The Prime… pic.twitter.com/460kaZ9xL6

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) February 20, 2026

Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar responded: "Pakistan values its longstanding relationship with the United States and appreciates the meaningful discussions we had today on advancing peace, cooperation in fighting against terrorism and expanding bilateral economic and trade ties. We look forward to further strengthening our strategic partnership in all areas of shared interest."

Thank you @SecRubio.
Pakistan values its longstanding relationship with the United States and appreciates the meaningful discussions we had today on advancing peace, cooperation in fighting against terrorism, and expanding bilateral economic and trade ties. We look forward to… https://t.co/xjp2FqmBJZ

— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) February 20, 2026

On the economic front, the meeting with Secretary Rubio followed Pakistan’s high-level participation in the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial. The US-led forum aims to diversify global supply chains for essential minerals like lithium, copper, and rare earth elements.

Pakistan has emerged as a key interest for the Trump administration’s "Project Vault"—a $10 billion strategic reserve initiative. With untapped mineral wealth estimated at over $6 billion in annual export potential, Islamabad is positioning itself as a vital node in the global energy transition.

Discussions centered on fast-tracking American private sector investment in the Reko Diq project and other mining ventures, shifting the bilateral narrative from aid to strategic trade.

According to a statement from the PM's Office, Shehbaz also engaged with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, and President Joko Widodo of Indonesia.

PM Shehbaz arrived in Washington, DC, on Thursday to attend the inaugural summit of the United States‑led "Board of Peace", an initiative focused on Gaza and global conflict resolution. His delegation included senior officials such as Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other cabinet ministers, and his visit was at the invitation of US President Donald Trump.

In his address at the "Board of Peace" meeting, PM Shehbaz welcomed efforts towards lasting peace in Gaza and stressed the importance of ending ceasefire violations to enable reconstruction and stability. He reiterated Pakistan’s support for Palestinian self‑determination and a sovereign, contiguous Palestinian state.

Read more: Trump says US to give $10b to new 'Board of Peace'

Ahead of and during the visit, officials emphasised that Islamabad will carefully consider any participation in an international stabilisation force in Gaza, seeking clear assurances that such a mission would be strictly peacekeeping in nature and not involve disarmament actions against Hamas, as per Reuters.

The summit marks the formal operationalisation of the "Board of Peace", a high-powered international body established by US President Donald Trump to oversee the post-war reconstruction and security of Gaza. Headquartered at the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, the board is tasked with managing a projected $70 billion reconstruction fund.

A central component of the initiative is the International Stabilisation Force (ISF). Authorised by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 in late 2025, the ISF is intended to serve as a multinational peacekeeping unit. While the board has dozens of founding members, permanent status is reportedly linked to significant financial commitments to a central peace fund.

At the summit, Trump publicly praised PM Shehbaz and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir, recounting their role in achieving a ceasefire in the May conflict with India and expressing personal admiration for both PM Shehbaz and CDF Munir.

PRESIDENT TRUMP on ending the war between INDIA and PAKISTAN:

I told them I'm going to put 200% tariffs on each of their countries. It essentially doesn't allow them to do any business. When it came to losing money, they said we don't want to fight. And we solved that deal. pic.twitter.com/gM4J7s1oHT

— Department of State (@StateDept) February 19, 2026

Revealing the mechanics behind the de-escalation, Trump recounted warning both Islamabad and New Delhi that the US would terminate all trade negotiations and impose 200 per cent tariffs on their exports if hostilities did not cease immediately. PM Shehbaz lauded the "bold diplomacy," noting it "potentially averted the loss of tens of millions of people."