WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (APP): President of the United States Donald Trump on Thursday appreciated the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir as he spoke at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace here.
“Thank you very much, Prime Minister Sharif. I like this man … and field marshal, a great general, (and a) great field marshal,” Trump told the international gathering of world leaders including those from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Qatar and others.
Referring to the Pakistan-India war in May last year, the US president recalled Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks that he (Trump) had saved the lives of 25 million people by intervening to stop the war between two nuclear powers.
“I said, “25 million lives? Could have been much more, actually.” But it was really a beautiful thing you said that in front of a group of people,” Trump said addressing Prime Minister Shehbaz who was also part of the meeting.
He said that the war raging. They were fighting — 11 jets were shot down… Pakistan and India were really going at it, and then it got worse, he added.
He said that after his intervention, both the countries reached a deal within two three days.
“They made a good deal, and I got to like them, the prime minister and the field marshal — who’s a tough man, a tough good fighter, good, serious fighter. I like good fighters, actually,” Trump remarked.
He said that the deal was reached after he warned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of imposing heavy tariff if the war wasn’t stopped.
This was not the first time that Trump spoke highly for Pakistan’s civil and military leadership as earlier while addressing an international event on Gaza peace on October 13, 2025, he said, “I want to thank Prime Minister Sharif of Pakistan and also I have to say my favorite Field Marshal from Pakistan who’s not here but the Prime Minister is here… give him my regards.”
In other instances too, he appreciated Prime Minister Shehbaz and Chief of Defence Forces calling him “a great, great guy,” and “an inspiring personality,” crediting them for helping avert escalation in South Asia.
Trump’s Address
In his address at the meeting, Trump said that “this is a big day”.
“What we are doing is very simple — peace. It’s called the Board of Peace, and it’s all about — an easy word to say, but a hard word to produce — peace.”
Trump said the US would contribute $10 billion to the Board of Peace, which was aimed at resolving international conflicts and began with the mission to reconstruct the Gaza Strip.
He also announced that Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait had given more than $7 billion toward Gaza relief.
Reiterating his claim of settling eight wars, he said that the Board of Peace was one of “the most important and consequential things he would be involved in.
He thanked the leaders attending the meeting and noted that the Board of Peace comprised mostly leaders from the Middle Eastern countries and “countries all over the world”.
“And they have been generous with money also … And there is nothing more important than peace, and there is nothing less expensive than peace. You know when you go to wars, it costs you a hundred times what it costs to make peace,” he added.