Law minister says politics should be put aside as Pakistan has relations with Iran and a defense pact with Saudi Arabia.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the federal cabinet special in Islamabad, Pakistan on March 4, 2025. Photo: PID
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited parliamentary leaders and party chiefs to a closed-door briefing tomorrow to discuss escalating regional tensions, particularly after the martyrdom of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, as emerged on Tuesday.
Last week, the United States and Israel jointly launched strikes against Iran that pushed the Middle East into a new military confrontation when its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the strikes. In response, Iran attacked Israeli and US bases in the Middle East.
Speaking to the media today, Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said leaders of all political parties were invited for a briefing on national and regional security.
“We have relations with Iran and on the other hand, we also have a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia. In this matter, politics should be put aside. Tomorrow, the prime minister will hold a closed-door briefing to all political leaders,” Tarar said.
Read more: Prime Minister Shehbaz urges reduction of tensions and dialogue on Middle East crisis
He added that the Prime Minister’s political affairs advisor, Rana Sanaullah, would extend invitations to political leaders and the meeting would be held tomorrow at 11 am.
According to the state broadcaster Radio Pakistan, Tarar said the same during today’s session of the National Assembly, adding that the current global situation will also be discussed.
The report says the House began with a discussion on the regional situation, focusing on the attack on Iran and the loss of its revered leader. He added that lawmakers from several parties condemned the attack and paid tribute to Khamenei.
They also expressed solidarity with the people of Iran.
Several parliamentarians, including Aniqa Mehdi, Abdul Qadir Patel, Hameed Hussain, Aasia Ishaque Siddiqui, Sehar Kamran, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Syeda Shehla Raza, spoke in favor of unity among Muslim countries to face common challenges.
“We must forge unity within the Ummah to confront the growing threats,” Fazl said.
Middle East crisis
Khamenei’s assassination has opened a new chapter of escalation and instability in the Middle East. In the wake of the recent crisis, Pakistan has consistently called for de-escalation. A day earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan was closely monitoring the regional situation and working to reduce tensions through diplomatic efforts.
Briefing ambassadors of various countries, Foreign Minister Dar said Pakistan was collaborating with regional partners amid what he described as a “fragile and sensitive situation”.
He added that Pakistan was closely monitoring developments in Iran, with all efforts focused on easing tensions, calling the situation “extremely delicate.”
Separately, a two-drone attack today on the US embassy in Riyadh caused a small fire, a Saudi Defense Ministry spokesman said in a statement, as Iran pressed ahead with retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.
The Saudi Defense Ministry said it had intercepted more than half a dozen drones near the capital Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj.
“Eight drones were intercepted and destroyed near the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj,” Defense Ministry spokesman General Turki al-Malki said in X.
Also read: US and Israel must end military action, says Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman
US CENTCOM said in a post on X that US forces have destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities, air defenses, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
