Hafiz Naeem demands Pakistan’s exit from Trump’s Board of Peace after Iran attack

2026-03-04 - 11:24

Islamabad: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has urged the government to withdraw from what he termed the “so-called Board of Peace (BoP),” saying that US President Donald Trump would be remembered in history as a war criminal. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Hafiz Naeem said that the United States and Israel had initiated war against Iran and were committing human rights violations globally. He said that Iran was “being punished” for supporting Gaza in its struggle against Israel. The JI chief said that 165 school girls were killed at the start of the conflict and described the actions of the US and Israel as those of “war criminals.” Hafiz Naeem emphasised that the Muslim world should stand firmly with Iran, stating that Israel’s target was not only Iran but also Pakistan, including its nuclear program. “This is not just Iran’s war; it is also Pakistan’s war,” he said, adding that Israel must be stopped in Iran to prevent further regional expansion of its influence. He warned that if regime change were successfully imposed in Iran and a “puppet government” installed, Israeli influence could extend to Pakistan’s border. The JI leader urged Pakistan, along with other Islamic countries, to withdraw from the Board of Peace and called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to acknowledge that joining the BoP was a mistake. Criticising the government’s handling of a protest at the US Consulate in Karachi, Hafiz Naeem questioned the use of force against demonstrators. He said there were several ways to disperse protesters peacefully and maintained that no authority has the right to open direct fire on them. He demanded accountability from both the Sindh and federal governments and called for clarification regarding reports that US Marines opened fire during the incident. Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Tuesday said that the Zionist agenda behind the Iran war includes bringing Israel’s influence right up to Pakistan’s border. He issued the remarks on X amid heightened tensions in the region following the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. He warned that the strategic objectives of Western and allied powers could threaten Pakistan’s security.