ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited the opposition to resolve outstanding issues through meaningful dialogue.
Speaking at a federal cabinet meeting, the premier said the government remains ready for constructive talks.
He said the government had always given preference to dialogue and was prepared to engage with the opposition in a purposeful manner.
He welcomed the reduction in diesel prices and said efforts by the petroleum minister had resulted in a Rs32 reduction in the price of petrol. He said the government was working to provide relief to the common people, particularly amid the impact of the global situation on Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said providing relief to the public remained the government’s top priority given the difficult economic circumstances.
He noted that several countries in the region were facing closures of refineries and chemical plants, while Pakistan remained an energy-importing country.
He added that a Google delegation was currently visiting Pakistan and that he had also held a meeting with its representatives.
The federal cabinet has approved the drafts of the Defence Forces Act, 2026 and the amended National Command Authority Act, 2010, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The statement, issued after a cabinet meeting in Islamabad, said the draft Defence Forces Act had been prepared in continuation of changes introduced to the Constitution through the 27th Amendment.
A day earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has stressed the need to strengthen Parliament, saying the party has always respected the institution and wants it to play an effective role in the country’s democratic process.
Speaking to media in Islamabad, Bilawal said that if Parliament is to be respected, its standing committees must be made functional.
He urged opposition parties to return to the committees and play their role in the reform process, expressing hope that they would reconsider their decision.
He said the PPP had always played an important role in electoral reforms. He noted that, under the current circumstances, complaints regarding the electoral process were emerging from both the opposition and government benches.
Bilawal added that opposition parties, government allies and even government ministers were raising criticism and concerns about the electoral process.
“We all have a responsibility to play our part in addressing objections related to the electoral process,” he said, adding that the reform process could be taken forward by returning to the standing committees.
