Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to mediate peace between the United States and Iran have significantly enhanced the nation's international respect and narrative. Addressing the National Assembly, he emphasized that such an achievement could not have been realized even with the expenditure of billions of rupees.
According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that 'The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding'-a crucial document signed by the US and Iran-will develop into a long-lasting agreement within the next sixty days. He highlighted Pakistan's pivotal and historic role in facilitating this truce between the two nations.
The Prime Minister detailed the negotiations held in Switzerland, describing Pakistan's efforts as sincere and tireless in bridging the differences between the US and Iran. He noted that the joint statement was finalized after extensive discussions that took place continuously.
Discussing the recent visit of the Iranian President, the Prime Minister noted that bilateral relations have strengthened over the past three months, and upcoming discussions aim to further solidify this relationship. He responded to the opposition leader's points by reaffirming his commitment to the development of all provinces.
Earlier, the speaker of the National Assembly made it clear that he would not permit speeches against Pakistan, its armed forces, or the judiciary. In another session, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif addressed concerns raised by opposition members, stating that the government would continue negotiations with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to secure additional public relief.
He added that the current government had successfully renegotiated and revised contracts with IPPs, which is expected to save approximately 3.5 trillion rupees in future payments. Despite past negotiations with IPPs failing to yield breakthroughs, the present efforts have been fruitful.