The delegation was briefed on Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts and initiatives, according to the Prime Minister’s Office
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a closed-door briefing with a Jamat-e-Islami delegation at the Prime Minister’s Office PHOTO: RADIOPAK
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday held a closed-door briefing with a Jamat-e-Islami delegation led by Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman at the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss the current geopolitical situation, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The delegation included Liaqat Baloch, Mian Muhammad Aslam and Asif Luqman Qazi.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the delegation received a closed-door briefing on the current situation in Afghanistan, Iran, the Middle East and the Gulf region. “The delegation was briefed on Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts and initiatives,” the statement added.
The officials also briefed the delegation about steps taken by Pakistani embassies in Iran and Gulf countries to facilitate the lives of Pakistani citizens.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Azeem Nazir Tarar, Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Rana Mubashir Iqbal, Advisor to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and State Minister Talal Chaudhry, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed.
On Wednesday, a high-level meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was held in Islamabad to discuss the current geopolitical tensions in the region, in the presence of all major parties and leaders from both sides. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf skipped the meeting.
The meeting included a detailed briefing to ensure parliamentary leaders were fully briefed on the country’s foreign policy approach and regional security posture, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Read: Pakistan takes cautious approach in Gulf conflict
“A detailed briefing was also given to the parliamentary leaders during the meeting, highlighting Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts during the recent tensions. The parliamentary leaders of the political parties openly expressed their views. The participants stressed the need for national unity, consensus and solidarity in the current situation.” Radio Pakistan reported.
Regional tensions
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been clashing along the border since last week, when Afghanistan launched a border offensive in response to Pakistani airstrikes. “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq” was launched Thursday evening after renewed clashes along the border, when Afghan Taliban forces fired on several locations, provoking rapid military retaliation.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of not taking action against terrorist groups carrying out attacks in Pakistan, which the Taliban government rejects. Border fighting has affected several Afghan provinces. The violence in recent days is the worst since October fighting that killed more than 70 people on both sides, with land borders between the neighbors largely closed since then.
The meeting also discussed the escalating conflict in the Gulf after the United States and Israel continued their military strikes against Iran, following a joint operation on Saturday that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several top officials. Iran said schools and hospitals were also targeted, killing hundreds of civilians.
Learn more: Israel strikes Beirut as Iran fires new barrage of missiles at Israel
In the first wave of attacks, around 163 girls were killed when a school in southern Iran was hit by Israeli-US strikes.
Tehran responded by targeting Israel, as well as U.S. military assets in the region, disrupting commercial travel, disrupting oil routes and driving up global energy prices.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck more than 500 U.S. and Israeli sites using 700 drones and hundreds of missiles.
