Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaking at the opening ceremony of Indus AI Week in Islamabad. PHOTO: RADIO PAKISTAN
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government told political and parliamentary leaders on Wednesday that Pakistan would avoid being drawn directly into Iran’s ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, while continuing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation.
The assurance came during a closed-door briefing held for political party leaders and parliamentary leaders at the Prime Minister’s House.
Chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the briefing was attended by representatives of the PPP, MQM-P, JUI-F, BAP and others.
Among the key participants were PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Vice President Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. Pervaiz Rasheed, Sherry Rehman and Naveed Qamar of PML-N.
Other party leaders included Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Faisal Subzwari, farooq sattar, Abdul Aleem Khan of Istehkam Party Pakistan (IPP), Khalid Hussain Magsi of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Chaudhry Salik Hussain of PML-Q. Manzoor Ahmed Kakar of the BAP.
However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and parties part of the grand opposition alliance stayed away from the closed-door briefing, drawing a sharp reaction from Prime Minister Sharif, who said the PTI often prioritizes politics over national interests.
Since the briefing took place behind closed doors, few details were available about what happened behind closed doors. An insider told The Express PK Press Club that the session was mainly led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who gave an overview of the current situation in Iran as well as the simmering tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
According to the statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the session, which lasted more than two hours, delved into the volatile dynamics of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, including updates on Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, the ongoing military campaign launched in late February against terrorist hideouts in the tribal areas and along the Durand Line in response to cross-border attacks and incursions by groups linked to the Afghan Taliban.
Discussions also focused on the escalation of hostilities in Iran, across the Middle East and the Gulf region, amid fears of a wider conflict following strikes and counterattacks.
The Prime Minister highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, including its high-level contacts with regional and Middle East leaders to advocate for de-escalation and preserve stability.
After the briefing, Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar highlighted the government’s commitment to the ongoing consultations, describing dialogue as the way forward and emphasizing that politics should not interfere in issues of sovereignty and security.
He highlighted the efforts made by senior leaders Rana Sanaullah and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry to ensure participation of the opposition, emphasizing the need for a unified national voice on issues with international implications.
Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, gave X a pointed criticism: “Considering the national security and the current serious situation in the region, a very important security briefing was held today at the Prime Minister House, during which the country’s defense and security institutions briefed the political leadership on the evolving regional situation, current threats and Pakistan’s strategy. that their own politics and personal agenda are more important to them than the national interest. At a time when the country needs unity, seriousness and accountability, the absence of the opposition in such an important forum is extremely irresponsible. There is no room for politics on national security issues;
The opposition defended its boycott of the closed-door briefing. Lawyer Gohar Ali Khan, PTI president, said the party took national security seriously, but objected to the format of the meeting.
“At a time when there are major challenges – notably the evolving situation in Afghanistan and tensions involving Iran – we believe that these issues should have been discussed in Parliament, preferably in a joint session of the two houses. Our voice and our humanitarian concerns must be respected; otherwise, our presence no longer makes sense,” he said.
PkMAP leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, argued for broader parliamentary participation rather than selective invitations, while affirming his willingness to engage if discussions began in parliament.
Wednesday’s session builds directly on Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s speech in the Senate the day before, in which he condemned the “sudden” and “unjustified” US and Israeli strikes against Iran as a dangerous escalation.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness to facilitate negotiations between the United States and Iran, potentially in Islamabad, and highlighted recent shuttle diplomacy and indirect contacts.
The closed-door briefing was part of the government’s efforts to take all political parties into confidence in a bid to reach consensus amid the multitude of challenges. But the absence of the PTI has hampered these efforts.
