Achakzai calls for national government as NA debates Iran crisis and fuel prices

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Tuesday proposed the formation of a national government to help build consensus among political parties, as the lower house debated the regional situation linked to Iran as well as the impact of rising petroleum prices.

Speaking during the National Assembly session, Achakzai said, “We should at least agree on some points.” He said the period of blaming one another for past mistakes was over and added, “We will have to move toward a national government.”

Referring to the PML-N-led coalition that took office after the Feb 8, 2024 general elections, he claimed, “The system that came after the elections has collapsed.” He said the country could only progress through “collective wisdom”.

Achakzai also said the “establishment” had tried to break former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan but had failed. The opposition leader, who also heads the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan, warned of “resistance” if any move was made to push Imran Khan aside. He said, “We will have to agree on some points. We will have to ask the establishment to give some space.”

He also noted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s absence from the house, saying, “Shehbaz Sharif is not here; otherwise, I would have spoken to him.”

On the international situation, Achakzai criticised United States President Donald Trump and said one individual wanted to drag the whole world into war. He added that the US trusted Pakistan and said the country should benefit from that. He also said Afghanistan had been Pakistan’s ally and would remain so.

Achakzai further suggested that the National Assembly session should continue without adjournments and that all members should be allowed to speak.

PPP raises concerns over petroleum price increases

During the same sitting, PPP lawmaker Sharmila Faruqui criticised the recent increases in petroleum prices and said the briefing given by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik in the National Assembly a day earlier was not satisfactory and that he was “unconvincing”.

According to the debate in the house, the war triggered after the February 28 strikes by the US and Israel on Iran pushed up global oil prices, and fuel prices in Pakistan reached record highs. In two major increases, petrol rose from Rs266.17 to Rs378, after a partial reduction in a recent hike, while high-speed diesel went up from Rs280.86 to Rs520.35.

Faruqui said Pakistan was the first country in the region to raise oil prices. Referring to recent speeches by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and an April 2 press conference by three ministers on oil prices, she said these reflected inconsistency in the government’s policy direction and decision-making.

She said the prime minister had repeatedly maintained in his speeches that prices would not be increased and that the burden would not be passed on to the public, but ministers later held a press conference and prices were raised twice. She suggested the government should hire consultants to ensure policy consistency, adding that no one knew how long the economic crisis arising from the Middle East conflict would continue.

Faruqui also said there was a tax of Rs131 per litre on petrol. She asked, “What, after all, is this government’s policy? How does it plan to move forward? The price of diesel is also the highest in the region,” and added that people were asking how they were expected to manage their household expenses.

She said the government was speaking only about motorcyclists without recognising that other segments were also being affected. Faruqui remarked that even she hesitated while buying petrol and questioned what ordinary citizens and owners of small vehicles must be facing. She urged the government to cut the profit margins of petroleum companies and prepare a comprehensive strategy.

MQM-P seeks detailed briefing on regional fallout

Separately, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan lawmaker Javed Hanif called for a comprehensive briefing to the National Assembly on the possible consequences of the ongoing regional crisis so lawmakers could shape future policy decisions.

Taking part in the debate, Hanif said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and a team of security officials should brief the house on the Middle East conflict and its possible implications for Pakistan.

He praised Pakistan’s role and its mediation efforts, saying the country was being trusted and that its standing had risen. At the same time, he said the house should be prepared if those efforts did not succeed.

Hanif said it was regrettable that the assembly was discussing petroleum prices, which he described as a very trivial matter in the broader crisis. He argued that the region’s entire architecture could change while the house remained focused on oil prices.

Referring apparently to threats by the US president to wipe out Iran, Hanif asked, “What if the US acts on its threat?” He warned that if that happened, Iran’s statehood would come to an end. He added that if Iran retaliated, the economic system of Gulf countries would collapse and this could create serious financial difficulties for Pakistan.

He also asked, “What will happen with our remittances that are sent by some five million Pakistanis?” and stressed the need to consider the implications for national unity, given the emotional attachment many Pakistanis felt during the crisis. He said these questions were more serious than the petroleum price issue that had dominated discussion in recent days.