ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday that a decision by the Islamic world on deploying Pakistani troops as part of a Gaza peace force was “still under process,” adding it would be a “matter of pride” for the country to play a role in protecting Palestinians.
The clarification comes after a report published last week by the US-based news outlet Politico, which cited a current and a former US defense official saying that Pakistan, Indonesia and Azerbaijan were the leading contenders to contribute troops to the International Stabilization Force (ISF).
The ISF is a proposed international security mission aimed at stabilizing the Gaza Strip by protecting civilians, monitoring ceasefires and preventing further escalation.
"If the Islamic world takes such a decision and Pakistan wishes or needs to participate in it, then I believe it would be a matter of pride for us to play a role in protecting and ensuring the well-being of our brothers," Asif told a private Pakistani news channel.
"This matter is still under process and yet to be finalized," he added. "I think this is an opportunity that Pakistan should avail if it becomes available to us, you know."
