Shehbaz | Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday evening for a three-day visit. Apart from CDF Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi are also accompanying the premier on the visit. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, who is currently in Saudi Arabia after concluding a visit to Jordan, will be part of the delegation as well. In a post on X, the government said the premier landed in Jeddah and was received by Deputy Governor of Makkah Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz at the airport. Saudi Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Environment Engineer Abdulrahman and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq were also among the officials present to greet PM Shehbaz. The premier will also perform Umrah and visit Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque in Madina during the visit, the government said. Earlier, FO...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday said the incumbent government would complete its constitutional term and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would remain in office for the full five-year tenure. Naqvi made the remarks while speaking to the media outside the Interior Ministry in Islamabad, a week after saying the country’s governance system had “collapsed” and arguing that Pakistan needed new administrative units, or provinces, to improve service delivery, accountability and access to justice. A day later, the military’s spokesperson also called on political parties to consider an administrative reset to improve governance, arguing that the country’s security and stability depended on adapting its governance structure to the demands of modern times and a growing population. “The future for the government is the completion of its five-year tenure … Shehbaz sahib will remain the prime minister for five years … the prime minister will complete his five-year term,” Naqvi maintained. When asked whether his re...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed officials to complete all stages of the government’s privatisation programme within the prescribed timelines. Presiding over a meeting in Islamabad reviewing the privatisation of state-owned enterprises, the prime minister instructed relevant ministries and institutions to work in close coordination to ensure that all targets and deadlines under the privatisation programme were met, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahad Khan Cheema, Sardar Awais Khan Leghari and other senior officials, the PMO said. PM Shehbaz said the privatisation structure for the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZBTL) should be designed in a way that safeguards the bank’s primary role in agricultural financing. “It must be ensured that even after privatisation, the Zarai Taraqiati Bank’s focus...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that Pakistan welcomed developments under the Board of Peace towards implementing the disarmament process under the Gaza Peace Plan. Earlier today, US President Donald Trump said talks in Cairo between mediators and Hamas leaders on Thursday have led to a phased disarmament agreement in Gaza, but a Hamas official described the deal as a draft and US officials said Israel was sceptical the Palestinian group would surrender its weapons. “Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” Trump said in a social media post, adding that the disarmament would come in phases. In a social media post on X, PM Shehbaz said, “Pakistan welcomes developments under the Board of Peace towards the implementation of the disarmament process under the Gaza Peace Plan.” He emphasised that the mediating countries, including the United States of America, Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, deserved “special appreciatio...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday ordered comprehensive technical audit of billing systems of power distribution companies (Discos) and stressed that power sector reforms remained among the government’s foremost priorities. Presiding over a review meeting on power division issues here, the prime mi­­nister said as performance of the distribution companies had improved considerably, but more efforts were still required. He termed the countrywide installation of smart meters indispensable for the sector’s turnaround, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said. The prime minister said strict measures should be enforced at every level of the power sector, adding that electricity theft should be eliminated. He instructed the power division to devise clear performance indicators to gauge the working of distribution companies and to set integrated targets backed by defined timelines. Says best-performing Disco will be formally recognised, awarded PM Shehbaz announced that the best-performing Disc...

ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministry briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on enhanced consular services for overseas Pakistanis, including the digitisation of systems for services such as document attestation and foreign payments, the PMO said on Thursday. According to a statement issued by the PMO, PM Shehbaz chaired a meeting in Islamabad, where he was briefed on the progress of these initiatives by officials from the foreign ministry, the interior ministry, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the IT ministry, Pakistan’s ambassadors posted in various countries and other senior officials. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, alongside Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Shaza Fatima Khawaja; Minister of State Aoun Chaudhry, Special Assistant Tariq Bajwa, and other senior officials. The briefing covered enhanced services at Pakistani embassies for overseas Pakistanis, the digitisation of the document attestation process...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the government’s vision for national digitalisation aims to provide citizens access to all public facilities under a single digital identity. Chairing a review meeting in Islamabad on the implementation of a national-level integrated digital policy framework, PM Shehbaz said that implementing this vision in line with modern-day demands held “key importance” in forming an integrated society, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). “After the full implementation of the national digital vision, citizens will be able to access all public facilities, including government verification of documents, banking services, health, transfers, and all other facilities, under a single digital ID at one place,” the statement cited the premier as saying. It added that a meeting of the National Digital Commission (NDC) should be convened soon in order to take all stakeholders into confidence on the policy, including the provinces. The prime minis...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to eliminate unnecessary posts and positions in government departments to improve performance, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. In a statement, the PMO said PM Shehbaz chaired a review meeting on the federal government’s right-sizing initiatives and measures to enhance public sector efficiency. “Modern technology and improved training should be utilised to significantly enhance the performance of government institutions,” the PMO stated. During the meeting, the prime minister was apprised that under the right-sizing initiative, the Utility Stores Corporation, Pakistan Public Works Department, and Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation had already been closed, resulting in savings for the national exchequer, the statement said. “The prime minister directed that a third-party audit be conducted of the posts and institutions abolished under the right-sizing initiative, instructing the Right-Sizing Committe...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday inaugurated the country’s “largest” data centre and Sky47 AI cloud in Islamabad, terming the facility “awe-inspiring”. The project has a capacity of 8.5 megawatts. Sky47 is also developing a 5MW data centre at Karachi’s Port Qasim, slated for completion in September. Speaking on the occasion, PM Shehbaz said it was a privilege and an honour to be part of the ceremony. “The facility we have just visited is awe-inspiring,” he added. He further said the data centre was built in record time, showcasing the best minds from across Pakistan in both the military and civilian sectors. He commended the leadership of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, under whose supervision the data centre was built. PM Shehbaz said he was hopeful that “if we follow this model, there is no reason — and I am absolutely convinced, more than ever before — that not only will we be able to make up for the losses of the past, but we will also create a...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea in a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “Such actions are unacceptable, violate international law, threaten freedom of navigation and undermine regional peace and security,” PM Shehbaz said in a post on the social media platform X. Hostilities in the Middle East flared on Thursday as Yemen’s Houthis said that they attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in a military operation. A Saudi news agency confirmed one of the two vessels was ablaze after an assault while sailing in the Red Sea. In his post on X, PM Shehbaz said that he reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia during the call with the crown prince. The premier said he conveyed that he, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and the nation “stand firmly and resolutely with the Saudi leadership and the brotherly people of the kingdom at this critical time”. PM Shehbaz said ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday noted that Pakistan’s military advancements in indigenous defence capabilities were an “integral part” of its national defence. He made the remarks at the two-day Indus Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Expo 2026 that opened today at the Pak-China Friendship Centre in Islamabad. Addressing the event, PM Shehbaz noted that Pakistan has “made remarkable progress in developing indigenous autonomous capabilities in the field of defence and security under the dynamic leadership” of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. He recalled that during the conflict with India in May 2025, the “valiant armed forces resolutely guarded our physical and cyber frontiers through the highly effective use of advanced autonomous systems” led by the CDF and supported by the air and naval chiefs. PM Shehbaz declared that “these remarkable military advancements are an integral part of our national defence”. He said they would “strengthen o...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that Pakistan has made “remarkable progress” in developing indigenous defence capabilities. He made the remarks at the Indus Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Expo 2026 being held today and tomorrow at the Pak-China Friendship Centre in Islamabad. Addressing the event, PM Shehbaz noted that Pakistan has “made remarkable progress in developing indigenous autonomous capabilities in the field of defence and security under the dynamic leadership” of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. “Our armed forces have adopted cutting-edge technologies, some of which I just witnessed on display outside this hall. Remarkable achievement,” the premier said. He added that he also took a look at simulators which were “100 per cent manufactured and assembled in Pakistan”. He noted that drones had achieved 60pc indigenisation and “many other important machines” have been made in Pakistan. The prime minister recalled that the “v...

PM Shehbaz urges all stakeholders to work under a unified national innovation ecosystem

Momeni appreciates efforts of PM Shehbaz, FM Dar and CDF Munir for their mediation efforts

KARACHI: The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressing concern over the city’s worsening water crisis and urging the federal government to ensure the early completion of the K-IV water supply project. In the letter, JI-Karachi chief Monem Zafar referred to a report presented before a National Assembly committee, which indicated that the first phase of the K-IV project — expected to supply 260 million gallons of water per day to Karachi — is now scheduled for completion in December 2029. He called on the Sindh government to complete the K-IV augmentation component on a priority basis, while urging the federal government to release all remaining funds required for the project within the current fiscal year so that its first phase could be completed without further delay. He mentioned that the report had caused widespread concern among Karachi residents, adding that the city’s population of around 35 million was facing an acute water shortage. In letter to Shehbaz, Ka...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asserted on Friday that the security of Chinese in Pakistan was “paramount for us”. “I would like to say with fullest force at my command that the security of Chinese brothers and sisters in Pakistan is paramount for us, it is most important. And we will leave no stone unturned to provide them with the best possible security,” he said while addressing the Pakistan-China Pharmaceutical and Healthcare B2B Investment Conference in Islamabad. The conference also saw the signing of multiple agreements between Pakistani and Chinese companies in the areas of healthcare, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, with PM Shehbaz saying that the deals were cumulatively valued at almost $440 million. PM Shehbaz’s assurance came two days after State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said authorities were stepping up security around the China-run Saindak copper and gold mine in Balochistan after supply routes were disrupted in the region by terrorists. His statement came against the backdrop of ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Pakistan “strongly condemns the blatant attacks” against Saudi Arabia the previous night, reaffirming Islamabad’s unwavering support for the kingdom’s security. The premier’s condemnation in an X post did not further specify the attacks. But, his statement came after Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it had intercepted ballistic missiles fired at the country’s south by Houthis. “Such reprehensible actions constitute a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and have the potential to further undermine regional peace and stability,” PM Shehbaz warned. He said Pakistan “reaffirms its unwavering support for the kingdom’s security and stands in complete solidarity with the brotherly kingdom of Saudi Arabia at this critical time”. “On its part, Pakistan will continue to support all sincere efforts aimed at promoting peace, stability, security, and mutual understanding across the region,” he added. Pakistan and Saudi Arab...

Shehbaz, Nawaz condole with Qatari leadership

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and offered his condolences on the passing of his father and former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Sheikh Tamim received PM Shehbaz at Lusail Palace in Doha, where the latter extended his condolences on Sheikh Hamad’s demise, a statement released by the Qatari leader’s office said. PM Shehbaz, who reached Qatar on a one-day visit earlier on Monday, is accompanied by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar are also accompanying the prime minister. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) also shared updates from the premier’s visit to Qatar on X, saying he was in Doha to “personally convey condolences on behalf of the people and government of Pakistan to the leadership and people of the state of Qatar on the passing away of Sheikh Hamad”. In his meeting with Sheikh Tamim, he “conveyed heartfelt condolences on the s...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the country’s civil and military leadership had taken a “mutual and singular decision” to end terrorism after multiple major terrorist incidents in Balochistan in recent days. He made the remarks at a meeting in Quetta of the Provincial Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, with Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir also present. Chairing the meeting, PM Shehbaz declared, “One thing is decided: it is a mutual and singular decision of the civil and military leadership that we must end terrorism collectively.” He said the civil and military leaders had gathered in Balochistan after “very serious incidents took place in the past four days”, resulting in the martyrdom of policemen, soldiers and civilians. Noting that 54 terrorists were killed while responding to those attacks and in subsequent operations, he affirmed, “This war [against terrorism] will continue until the last fasaadi (vicious) terrorist in Pakistan i...