Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Photo: X/ Archive
ISLAMABAD:
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the Senate that a “major breakthrough” had been made in negotiations between Iran and the United States a day earlier, but that Israel launched a significant attack following that development.
Speaking in the upper house on Tuesday, Dar said that until last night there had been strong optimism that the Iran-US issue would be resolved soon. “Ultimately, the matter lies with Almighty Allah,” he said, adding that the prime minister and military leaders were working around the clock. He stressed that Pakistan was not seeking any credit but was focused on ensuring peace in the region.
Dar briefed the house about Pakistan’s diplomatic role and stated that Pakistan is the only Islamic country that condemns the attack on Iran. He said he personally contacted the Iranian foreign minister immediately afterward.
“Within three or four hours, Iran began retaliatory attacks against Arab countries, but our goal remains to deescalate the situation and stop the war,” he said.
Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said war was being imposed on Iran and accused world leaders of pursuing their ambitions at the cost of Muslim lives. He warned that the conflict would further destabilize Pakistan and highlighted the need for dialogue within the country’s leadership to address the crisis.
He criticized the international community and said the United Nations Security Council had not yet called for an end to the war. He added that the region was sliding further into conflict and violence, claiming that the real problem behind the crisis was control of global resources.
Abbas called Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts commendable and warned that if the war continued, the government would have difficulty managing inflation and economic pressures.
He said the prime minister had previously offered talks with the opposition and urged negotiations to take place. He stressed that key national decisions should be made through consultations between the government and the opposition.
Separately, Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the Senate that passing ships through the Strait of Hormuz would not make oil free or cheaper. Responding to JUI-F member Maulana Attaur Rehman’s comments, he said global crude oil prices had increased significantly since February 28.
He said that while arrangements had been made to ensure the movement of vessels due to regional circumstances, this did not translate into cheaper fuel. “The availability of oil in the country today is due to the passage of these ships, but that does not mean that it can be supplied for free or at reduced prices,” he said.
Tarar said the government had changed the petroleum tax from diesel to petrol, noting that diesel prices were currently among the highest in the world, but no tax was being collected in Pakistan.
Defending the government’s austerity measures, he said the federal budget had been cut by 50%, cabinet members had given up official vehicles and fuel costs for government offices had also been halved.
