SHARM EL-SHEIKH (Dunya News) – United States President Donald Trump and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared the stage at the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit on Monday, where world leaders gathered to celebrate a landmark ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, ending two years of devastating conflict in Gaza.
During the ceremony, President Trump thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz and “my favourite Field Marshal Asim Munir” for their efforts in securing peace in the Middle East. He invited the Pakistani premier to deliver a special address, marking one of the most widely watched moments of the summit.
Taking the podium, Shehbaz hailed Trump as “a genuine man of peace” and commended his “relentless and untiring” efforts to end global conflicts. “Today is one of the greatest days in contemporary history,” he said. “Peace has been achieved after months of tireless diplomacy led by President Trump, who worked day and night to make this world a place of peace and prosperity.”
PRAISE FOR TRUMP’S ROLE
PM Shehbaz announced that Pakistan had once again nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his “outstanding and extraordinary contributions” in halting wars and securing peace across regions. “He has brought peace not only to South Asia, saving millions of lives, but also to the Middle East through his efforts in Gaza,” Shehbaz declared.
He credited Trump’s intervention for averting a potential full-scale conflict between India and Pakistan in the past, calling his leadership “visionary” and “exemplary”. “You are the man this world needed the most at this point in time,” Shehbaz added. “The world will remember you as the leader who stopped seven and today eight wars.”
President Trump, visibly moved by the remarks, responded with humour and appreciation. “Wow! I didn’t expect that. Let’s go home, there’s nothing more I have to say,” he quipped, drawing laughter and applause from the audience. “That was really beautiful and beautifully delivered.”
SUMMIT OF GLOBAL LEADERS
The summit, co-hosted by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, brought together leaders from over 20 countries to formalise the Gaza ceasefire and discuss the next phase of reconstruction and regional stability.
Among the attendees were British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The United Nations was represented by Secretary-General António Guterres, while the European Council was led by its president, António Costa.
Although neither Israel nor Hamas attended the event, both sides had agreed last week to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, facilitated by the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. The truce follows two years of Israeli bombardment in Gaza, which claimed more than 67,000 lives.
According to the 20-point plan brokered by Trump with support from eight Muslim nations, the ceasefire aims to restore lasting peace and ensure the release of Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
PM SHEHBAZ’S MEETINGS
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. He met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who thanked Pakistan for its “unwavering political and diplomatic support”. Shehbaz lauded the resilience of the Palestinian people and reaffirmed Islamabad’s “moral and humanitarian commitment” to their cause.
He also held discussions with King Abdullah II of Jordan, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan,
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The meetings focused on strengthening cooperation and promoting dialogue to prevent further escalation in the Middle East.
In an unprecedented moment, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan expressed mutual satisfaction over the Gaza ceasefire, underscoring a shared desire for peace after years of regional disputes.
PAKISTAN’S CONTINUED SUPPORT
In his address and later in remarks shared on X, Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering stance on the Palestinian issue. “Our position is rooted in justice and humanity,” he said. “Pakistan will continue to stand by the Palestinian cause and support all peaceful initiatives aimed at ending violence and ensuring the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”
The prime minister also expressed gratitude to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for his “critical diplomatic role” in securing the ceasefire, and acknowledged the contributions of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
“Had it not been for this gentleman [Trump],” Shehbaz remarked, “a full-scale war between two nuclear powers could have erupted. His timely intervention averted catastrophe.”
END OF A CHAPTER
In his social media post following the ceremony, Shehbaz described the Gaza peace agreement as “a crucial step towards lasting peace in the Middle East”. He praised the co-hosts, Presidents Trump and El-Sisi, saying, “We would not have seen this moment without President Trump’s outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment. It took his single-minded pursuit of peace to end the needless killing and destruction.”
Calling it the “closing of a genocidal chapter”, Shehbaz said the international community must ensure “such atrocities are never repeated anywhere again”. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for a free Palestinian state “with pre-1967 borders and Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital”.
As the summit concluded, leaders left the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh with renewed hopes for peace and stability in the region – and with the rare sight of world leaders united in appreciation of a shared diplomatic success.