Shehbaz | Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recalled the “historic” response of Pakistan to India during Marka-i-Haq on Sunday as he addressed a ceremony held at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad to commemorate the conflict’s first anniversary. The conflict with India — starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the end of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos with a ceasefire between the two countries on May 10 — has been called “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth) by the state. President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir were among those attending the ceremony in Islamabad, where Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Baber Sidhu were also present. PM Shehbaz began his address by observing one minute of silence for those martyred during the period of conflict. Recalling the conflict, PM Shehbaz said that India “using Pahalgam as an excuse, made baseless accusations against us”. And despite Pakistan offering a transpa...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday strongly condemned missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), expressing complete solidarity with the country’s President Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “Pakistan stands firmly with our Emirati brothers and sisters as well as with the government of the UAE at this difficult time,” PM Shehbaz said in a social media post on X. “It is absolutely essential that the ceasefire be upheld and respected, to allow necessary diplomatic space for dialogue leading to enduring peace and stability in the region,” he said. On Monday, the UAE said it was targeted by Iranian strikes, including one on its vital Fujairah energy hub that wounded three Indians. Fujairah lies beyond the Strait of Hormuz, making it one of few export routes for Middle East oil that does not require passing through it. “These attacks represent a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable transgression,” the UAE’s foreign ministry said, adding that the country res...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and briefed him on the security situation in the country, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. According to the PMO statement, Naqvi met with the premier in Lahore, where he briefed him on the security situation in the country and the measures taken in this regard. The interior minister also informed the premier regarding the security arrangements for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final scheduled to be held in Lahore tomorrow (Sunday). PM Shehbaz directed Naqvi to make the best possible arrangements for the players, spectators and citizens. In February, the minister had met with the premier to review the country’s overall security environment following major suicide attacks in the federal capital. At the time, PM Shehbaz had directed Naqvi to address the security situation in Islamabad and other matters “in an effective and efficient manner”.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while chairing a meeting on energy sector reforms on Saturday, directed the authorities concerned to formulate a comprehensive strategy to stabilise electricity tariffs. During the meeting, the prime minister stressed the need to provide relief to both industrial and domestic electricity consumers and instructed officials concerned to take concrete measures in this regard. He also called for significant improvements in the power transmission system to reduce line losses. Highlighting the importance of modernisation, the premier stressed the use of advanced technology in the energy sector and ordered the promotion of renewable energy projects to address the country’s energy shortfall. He further underscored the need to enhance digital facilities to make electricity bill payments more convenient for consumers. PM Shehbaz also directed to continue strict measures against electricity theft and reiterated that an uninterrupted energy supply was essential for promoting industrial grow...

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday directed that an effective regulatory system for virtual assets in line with international standards should be operationalised as soon as possible The remarks came as PM Shehbaz met with State Minister and Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib in Lahore, according to a handout by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). “PM Shehbaz directed that an effective regulatory system for virtual assets in line with international standards should be fully operationalised as soon as possible to promote the digital economy in Pakistan and enhance investor confidence,” the handout said. During the meeting, the prime minister said that special measures should be taken to provide training to the youth in modern technologies, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence and digital finance, so that the country’s workforce can be aligned with future requirements. Saqib also briefed PM Shehbaz on the PVARA’s transition into an operational regul...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday decided to extend the fuel subsidy for motorcyclists, and public and goods transport by one month. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the premier decided to continue providing relief to the economically vulnerable sections of society during the current situation. It said that the prime minister “had decided to extend fuel subsidy given last month to motorcyclists, public and goods transporters by one more month”. He also directed transporters not to increase travel and freight fares. He further issued instructions to maintain “effective monitoring” of relief measures. According to the statement, PM Shehbaz vowed to continue the government’s relief efforts, stressing that “providing relief to the common man remained the government’s top priority”. “The people will not be left alone under any circumstances,” the premier asserted, hoping that the “regional situation will improve soon so that fuel prices can stabilise”. The subsidies wer...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday launched the “PM Apna Ghar Programme” under which housing loans of Rs10 million will be given on easy instalments. The scheme will be implemented in the federal capital, all four provinces, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing the launch ceremony in Islamabad, PM Shehbaz said a total of 500,000 housing units will be constructed under the programme, supported by a total allocation of Rs3.2 trillion. The loans are to be returned in 20 years, he said. During the first 10 years, the markup on the loan will be 5 per cent, while in the next 10 years it will be charged at the market rate at the time. The premier said that for the first year, the government has set a target to fund 50,000 houses for which an amount of Rs321 billion had been earmarked. Under the scheme, a maximum of 10 marla housing units will be allowed to be built. PM Shehbaz said he would personally review the programme’s progress on a monthly basis to address any sh...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the country’s weekly oil bill has reached $800 million due to the ongoing oil crisis arising from the Middle East conflict. Global fuel prices have skyrocketed over the past two months as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains paralysed since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28. Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet today, PM Shehbaz commended the efforts of Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik for tackling the fuel crisis resulting from the Iran war, stating that the situation now appeared “satisfactory”. On that note, the prime minister remarked that fuel prices in the global markets had risen sharply, noting that “our weekly pre-war oil bill was around $300m, and today it is up to $800m”. He further shared that the country’s fuel consumption “had lessened compared to previous weeks”, stressing that the situation was being monitored regularly. “Consultations are also being held with provinces to extend fuel subsidi...

Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Monday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had signed off on letting fans attend all three Pakistan Super League (PSL) playoff matches. In a social media post on X, Naqvi said, “Just had a meeting with PM Shehbaz, and I am pleased to share that we have secured his approval for public attendance in all three PSL playoff matches as well.” “However, this comes with an important condition from his side that fans are strongly encouraged to use public transport or minimise fuel consumption while attending the matches, in line with the ongoing national austerity efforts,” Naqvi added. He said that PM Shehbaz had also conveyed his best wishes to all four teams competing in the playoffs. “Looking forward to some exciting and entertaining cricket ahead,” Naqvi said. Three playoff matches are scheduled to be held this week, before the final on Sunday. On Tuesday, Islamabad United will face Peshawar Zalmi in Karachi, while Hyderabad King...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to allow spectators into the stadium for the final of the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Interior Minister and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday. In a post on X, the PCB chairman said he had requested PM Shehbaz to allow spectators in the stadiums during the PSL 11 final. “While he was also inclined to permit fans, he emphasised that austerity measures are currently in place across Pakistan, with efforts underway to minimise fuel consumption,” Naqvi said. “However, on the request of franchise owners, he has graciously approved the presence of fans for the PSL 11 final.” The PCB chairman thanked the premier for the decision to facilitate the fans. This year’s PSL had initially been scheduled to be held across six venues — Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar, and Faisalabad. However, last month, it was announced that the tournament would go ahead sans spectators while matches would be held only in Karachi and Lahore in line with the ...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed displeasure at the lack of functional early weather warning systems for protection against climate risks in Gilgit-Baltistan and ordered an inquiry into the matter. He issued the directive while chairing a review meeting on pre-monsoon strategy and climate preparedness. During the meeting, the premier expressed displeasure at the non-functional early warning system, particularly against glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs) in GB. Glofs refer to the sudden release of water and debris from a glacial lake, leading to the loss of lives, property, and livelihoods in mountain communities. Over 7.1 million people in GB and KP are vulnerable to the phenomenon, according to the Ministry of Climate Change. PM Shehbaz ordered an inquiry into the system’s “non-functionality” and the “ineffective performance of relevant institutions, despite being given clear instructions last year”. He asserted that “incompetence and poor performance will not be tolerated,” m...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed that transport in the country be gradually shifted to electric vehicles. The premier chaired a meeting on energy security, where he stressed that “energy security had become an important aspect of the country’s overall future planning,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Taking note of the global energy crisis in the wake of the Iran war, PM Shehbaz said that due to the government’s “timely steps, an energy crisis has been averted”. The prime minister told the meeting that to secure the country’s future energy needs, “work was underway to maintain strategic crude oil reserves”. As part of the energy security plan, the premier further stated that modes of transportation in the country should be gradually shifted to electric vehicles, “for energy conservation and sustainable development”. He instructed that electric buses and motorcycles should be purchased for government use. The premier also directed the expedited establishment of...

Key developments: Trump has announced an extension in the ceasefire with Iran until Tehran submits a “unified proposal”; however, a naval blockade of Iranian ports will remain in place; JD Vance’s visit to Pakistan ’“not happening today”, says White House official PM Shehbaz thanks Trump for the decision, hopes both sides will be able to conclude “a comprehensive ‘Peace Deal’ during the second round of talks scheduled in Islamabad” No immediate official response by Iran on Trump’s announcement; decision by Tehran on participation in expected talks still awaited President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he was extending a ceasefire between the US and Iran until Tehran submitted a “unified proposal” and “discussions are concluded, one way or the other”. “Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran un...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday, reaffirming during the conversation that Pakistan would “remain fully committed to its honest and sincere efforts to advance regional peace and security”. The conversation, which was detailed in a statement by the PM’s Office, took place after US President Donald Trump confirmed that American representatives were headed to Islamabad for another round of talks with Iran. The first round of historic direct US-Iran talks, held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, had ended without an agreement, but also without a breakdown. The talks were held as a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran remained in effect. The ceasefire, which is set to end on April 22, paused hostilities that began with the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. The PMO statement said that during Shehbaz and Pezeshkian’s “warm and cordial conversation that lasted for around 45 minutes, the two leaders engaged in de...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed efforts to strengthen relations with brotherly countries, Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace, and the evolving regional and global situation during his tri-nation tour, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Saturday. The PMO statement was issued as the premier departed on his flight back home from Antalya after concluding his diplomatic visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye. Later in the day, PM Shehbaz arrived in Lahore. According to the PMO, the prime minister and the Pakistani delegation were seen off at Antalya Airport by Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Ambassador Tolga Bermek, Ambassador Nilufer Kaygisiz, parliament member Burhan Kayaturk, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkiye Dr Yousuf Junaid. “The prime minister’s three-day tour included visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye, where he held meetings with the leadership of all three brotherly countries, as well as with other world leaders participating in the Antalya Diplo...

After wrapping up visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday arrived in Turkiye’s Antalya on the third leg of his tri-nation tour, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The PMO later said that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, paid a courtesy call on PM Shehbaz, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi were also present at the meeting. “During their cordial conversation, Foreign Minister Fidan extended a warm welcome to PM Shehbaz and thanked him for his participation in the upcoming Antalya Diplomacy Forum. He said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was looking forward to his meeting with the PM on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum,” the PMO said. It added that PM Shehbaz thanked FM Fidan for the warm welcome and traditional hospitality. “He said it was a pleasure for him to visit Turkiye, his second home. He was looking forward to the opportunity to participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and sa...

Following talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad over the weekend, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that “full efforts” were ongoing to resolve the conflict. “Today, the ceasefire still stands. As I am talking to you, matters that are not resolved, full efforts are underway to resolve them,” he said in a televised address to the federal cabinet. In his first remarks on the matter after the negotiations concluded, the premier hailed talks between the two countries in Islamabad as a “historic moment”. He said the Islamabad Talks gave Pakistan a chance to “turn looming clouds of war into lasting peace”. PM Shehbaz added that “if you look through history — take the Oslo Agreement, the Geneva Accord, the Good Friday Agreement … it took months and sometimes years to end hostilities and establish peace”. Coming to the Islamabad Talks, he said that the Iranian and American delegations had negotiated “continuously for 21 hours”. The dialogue, he said, was not held indirectly. “It was the fir...

In his address to nation Shehbaz Sharif hopes US-Iran talks will lead to permanent ceasefire Says negotiations are make-or-break to achieve peace UK’s Starmer felicitates PM Shehbaz on hosting peace talks.

LAHORE: A PML-N lawmaker submitted on Thursday a resolution in the Punjab Assembly, calling for the nomination of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for the Nobel Peace Prize. The resolution, submitted by PML-N Chief Whip Rana Muhammad Arshad, stated that Pakistan’s leadership demonstrated “effective diplomacy” amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel and the United States. The growing tensions, the resolution added, threatened global peace. It said Pakistan’s leadership played a significant role in promoting peace and stability at the international level during a period of heightened tensions. The resolution also commended former PM and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s “guidance” in the matter, further highlighting Pakistan’s “positive and balanced global role”. It called for the nomination of Field Marshal Munir, PM Shehbaz and DPM Dar for the Nobel Peace Prize. Moreover, a...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Thursday reviewed the “progress of Pakistan’s mediatory efforts to achieve sustainable peace in the region”. In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said CDF Munir called on PM Shehbaz. “The dignitaries reviewed the progress of Pakistan’s mediatory efforts to achieve sustainable peace in the region. The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the de-escalation achieved so far and stressed upon the need for maintaining peace and ceasefire by all parties,” it said. “The leadership appreciated the restraint demonstrated by all sides and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to facilitate and provide all-out support to both sides to arrive at a peacefully negotiated settlement,” the statement said. The statement said the premier lauded the commitment of the parties involved in the process and wished them success in their pursuit of peace. “He also renewed his invitation to the arriving delegations an...