Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reiterated that the federal government is ready to engage in negotiations with the opposition, stressing that “it takes two to tango.”
Speaking during a meeting of the federal cabinet, he said it was now up to the opposition to decide when it wanted to come to the negotiating table. “We are ready for meaningful dialogue. For this, I am inviting the opposition from this forum for talks to resolve all matters via dialogue,” he said, adding constructive engagement could help strengthen democracy and support economic development.
The latest offer for dialogue follows the Supreme Court order for the transfer of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan to a private hospital. Welcoming the ruling, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Gohar Ali Khan hoped its implementation would help reduce the country’s political temperature.
Calling for the government to prioritize dialogue over measures that could further deepen political divisions, he urged all political leaders to avoid statements that could escalate tensions.
During his address, the prime minister also noted a reduction in diesel prices following negotiations with oil refineries. “This is good news,” he said, claiming rising fuel prices were a result of the disruption of fuel supplies due to repeated blockades of the Strait of Hormuz.
Sharif recalled that when the Iran-U.S. conflict began, the federal government “took a hit of Rs. 128 billion by cutting down its budget for the Public Sector Development Program” to provide relief to the people. He said provinces had later supported these efforts through their own resources.
“We hope that the situation will improve in the coming days and weeks. For this purpose, Pakistan’s efforts continue unabated,” he added.
The prime minister also noted the launch of an app aimed at encouraging traders to become tax filers. He said the Federal Board of Revenue had been given “very clear” instructions that if anyone attempted to harass traders through this plan, they would receive “strict and severe punishment.”
He thanked Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani and their team for bringing this scheme to traders.
Sharif also noted that I.T. exports were increasing, highlighting an 18% month-on-month increase in July. He noted Google had opened a new office in Pakistan, stressing this would help efforts to digitize governance.
Draft bills
During its meeting, the cabinet approved on a draft of the Defense Forces Act, 2026, as well as amendments to National Command Authority Act, 2010.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Defense Forces Act’s draft is in continuation of the tweaks made to the Constitution under the 27th Amendment and “aims to determine the relevant administrative matters regarding the office of the Chief of Defense Forces and the Chief of Defense Forces Headquarters.”
On the amendments to the National Command Authority Act, it said this was a “necessary process” after the passage of the 27th Amendment. Both drafts would now be presented in Parliament for approval before proceeding to President Asif Ali Zardari for his assent.
Under the 27th Amendment, the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has been abolished while a new position of chief of defense forces, concurrently held by the chief of Army staff, has been created. It also created the post of Commander of the National Strategic Command, a four-star office that oversees the operational integration of Pakistan’s strategic forces.