Pakistan PM convenes political leaders to discuss Iran crisis, regional tensions

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting of parliamentary leaders and representatives of political parties in Islamabad, on March 4, 2026. (PMO)
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Updated 04 March 2026
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Pakistan PM convenes political leaders to discuss Iran crisis, regional tensions

  • Leaders of major parties attend meeting on regional security and Pakistan’s military campaign
  • Parliamentarians call for national unity and cohesion under current circumstances, says PMO 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif briefed leaders of various parliamentary parties on Wednesday about the ongoing crisis in Iran and Pakistan’s ongoing military conflict with Afghanistan, his office said in a statement. 

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 the leaders of various political parties in parliament on the security situation and Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach as tensions spread across the region.

“Participants emphasized the need for national unity, consensus and cohesion in the current circumstances,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. 

The statement said parliamentarians appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts for peace in the region and stressed the need to accelerate them further.

They presented suggestions to the government on what its future course of action should be.

“All participants reaffirmed their strong resolve to eliminate terrorism from the country,” the statement said. 

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 attended the briefing.

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.


Pakistan reviews austerity measures amid Middle East crisis, urges strict nationwide implementation

Updated 11 March 2026
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Pakistan reviews austerity measures amid Middle East crisis, urges strict nationwide implementation

  • Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chairs review meeting of austerity steps
  • Officials briefed on salary cuts, school closures, four‑day week, petrol conservation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Wednesday assessed progress on a sweeping set of austerity measures introduced to mitigate the country’s economic strain from sharply rising global oil prices and supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week announced a series of austerity steps, including a four‑day work week for government offices, requiring 50  percent of staff to work from home, cutting fuel allowances for official vehicles by half, grounding up to 60  percent of the government fleet and closing all schools for two weeks to conserve fuel amid the global oil crisis.

The measures were unveiled in response to global oil market volatility triggered by the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and pushed crude prices sharply higher, straining Pakistan’s heavily import‑dependent energy sector.

“The meeting stressed the importance of strict and transparent adherence to the austerity measures, promoting fiscal responsibility and prudent use of public resources,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said in a statement.

He was chairing a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, constituted under the directions of the PM, bringing together federal and provincial officials to review execution of the broad cost‑cutting plan. 

Dar emphasized the government’s commitment to enforcing the PM’s austerity steps nationwide. The committee’s review also covered reductions in departmental expenditure, deductions from salaries of senior officials earning over Rs. 300,000 ($1,120), and coordination with provincial administrations to ensure uniform implementation of the plan.

Participants at the meeting reiterated that all ministries and divisions must continue strict monitoring and reporting, with transparent oversight mechanisms, as Pakistan navigates the economic pressures from the prolonged Middle East crisis and its fallout on global energy and trade markets.