ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday underscored the need for national unity and solidarity while chairing a meeting of parliamentary leaders and representatives of political parties to brief them on the prevailing regional security situation.
Participants were given an in-camera briefing on the Pakistan-Afghanistan situation, developments concerning Iran, and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Gulf region, as well as Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements.
Sources said the political leadership was taken into confidence over key security developments. The prime minister also shared details of his recent contacts with Middle Eastern leaders and outlined diplomatic initiatives undertaken amid heightened regional tensions.
According to a press release issued by the PM Office Media Wing, parliamentary leaders expressed their views openly during the session. They appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts aimed at regional peace and called for further intensification of such initiatives, while also offering suggestions for the future course of action.
All participants reaffirmed their firm resolve to eliminate terrorism from the country and lauded the prime minister’s move to take the entire political leadership into confidence in the broader national interest.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar told Geo News that a proposal had been floated to convene a joint sitting of parliament to deliberate on developments related to Afghanistan and the Middle East.
He said it was suggested that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar would jointly brief lawmakers from both treasury and opposition benches on the international situation and Pakistan’s role in the evolving regional landscape.
Among those who attended the briefing were National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah, and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), along with federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Azam Nazeer Tarar and Attaullah Tarar also participated in the meeting.
The Middle East conflict was triggered by US and Israeli attacks on Iran, in which several top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were reported killed.
Alongside these developments, Pakistan continues to face cross-border terrorism originating from Afghanistan. The armed forces are conducting ground and aerial operations under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, targeting Afghan Taliban elements and Fitna al-Khawarij militants allegedly involved in cross-border attacks.
The operation was launched on February 27 in response to what officials described as unprovoked actions by Afghan Taliban fighters along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.