Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks at the opening ceremony of Indus AI Week in Islamabad. PHOTO: RADIO PAKISTAN
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government on Wednesday told political and parliamentary leaders that Pakistan will avoid being directly involved in the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel, while pursuing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation.
The assurance came during a closed-door briefing organized for political party chiefs and parliamentary leaders at the Prime Minister’s House.
Chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the briefing was attended by representatives of the PPP, MQM-P, JUI-F, BAP and others.
Among the key attendees were PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari, JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Deputy Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Vice President Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. PML-N’s Pervaiz Rasheed, Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar.
Other party leaders included Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Faisal Subzwari, Farooq Sattar, Abdul Aleem Khan of Istehkam Pakistan Party (IPP), Khalid Hussain Magsi of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Chaudhry Salik Hussain of PML-Q. Manzoor Ahmed Kakar of BAP.
However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and parties that are part of the grand opposition alliance stayed away from the closed-door briefing, prompting a strong reaction from Prime Minister Sharif, who said that the PTI often prioritizes politics over national interests.
Since the briefing was held behind closed doors, few details were available about what happened behind closed doors. A source told The Express PAkGazette that the session was mainly led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who gave an overview of the current situation in Iran as well as the tensions brewing between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office statement, the session, which lasted more than two hours, delved into the volatile border dynamics between Pakistan and Afghanistan, including updates on Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, the ongoing military campaign launched in late February against terrorist hideouts in tribal areas and along the Durand Line in response to cross-border attacks and incursions by groups linked to the Afghan Taliban.
Discussions also covered escalating hostilities in Iran, the broader Middle East and the Gulf region amid fears of a broader conflict following attacks and counterattacks.
The prime minister highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach, including high-level contacts with Middle East and regional leaders to advocate for reducing tensions and preserving stability.
Following the briefing, Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar highlighted the government’s commitment to continued consultations, described dialogue as the way forward and stressed that politics should not interfere in issues of sovereignty and security.
He highlighted the initiatives of senior leaders Rana Sanaullah and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry to ensure participation of the opposition, underlining the need for a unified national voice on issues with international implications.
Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, addressed by not attending, having once again demonstrated that their own politics and personal agenda are more important to them than the national interest. At a time when the country needs unity, seriousness and responsibility, the absence of the opposition in such an important forum is extremely irresponsible.
The opposition defended its boycott of the closed-door briefing. PTI president Advocate Gohar Ali Khan said the party was serious about national security but objected to the format of the meeting.
“At a time when there are major challenges – including developments in Afghanistan and tensions involving Iran – we believed that such matters should have been discussed in parliament, preferably through a joint session of both houses. Our voice and our humanitarian concerns must be respected, otherwise assistance becomes meaningless,” he said.
PkMAP leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, advocated for broader parliamentary participation rather than selective invitations, while affirming his willingness to participate if discussions originated in parliament.
Wednesday’s session built directly on Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s speech in the Senate the previous day, in which he condemned the “sudden” and “unjustified” attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran as a dangerous escalation.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness to facilitate US-Iran talks, potentially in Islamabad, and highlighted recent shuttle diplomacy and secondary contacts.
The closed-door briefing was part of the government’s efforts to build trust among all political parties with the aim of achieving consensus in view of the series of challenges. But PTI’s absence affected those efforts.
