ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday started briefing leaders of parliamentary parties on rising regional tensions, including fighting along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and the escalating war in the Middle East, according to a statement by his office.

The meeting comes as Pakistan has intensified military operations against the Afghan Taliban and militant groups targeting its civilians and security forces along its western frontier while the wider region faces growing instability after recent US-Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent attacks across the Gulf.

Sharif decided to convene the session to update political leaders on the security situation and Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach as tensions spread across the region.

“The prime minister will take parliamentary leaders into confidence regarding the Pakistan-Afghanistan situation and the recent tensions in the region, particularly in the Middle East and the Gulf,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.

“The meeting will also highlight Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts during the recent escalation,” it added.

Representatives of major political parties, including the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and other parliamentary groups are attending the meeting.

Pakistan has accused Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities of allowing militant groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan territory, allegations Kabul denies. Islamabad says it has targeted militant hideouts across the border after repeatedly raising the issue with Afghan officials.

The briefing also comes as the government closely monitors developments in the Middle East, where regional tensions have heightened concerns about energy supplies and broader security implications for the country.