Nawaz Sharif praises government and Asim Munir over US-Iran mediation efforts

ISLAMABAD: PML-N President and three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday commended the federal government and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for their part in mediation efforts between the United States and Iran.

Speaking at a Gilgit-Baltistan parliamentary board meeting, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar were also present, Nawaz said the role played by Dar and the field marshal was commendable.

He said Pakistan’s standing had risen on the diplomatic front, stating “Pakistan's name has been elevated at the diplomatic level”.

Pakistan drew international attention after Islamabad helped secure a US-Iran ceasefire shortly before a deadline linked to US President Donald Trump’s warning of hell on April 8.

Earlier this month, President Trump said he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran following discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Munir. During those efforts, PM Shehbaz asked Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks to allow space for diplomacy, and the US president accepted the request.

After the ceasefire arranged through Pakistan’s mediation, Islamabad hosted uncommon direct talks between the US and Iran earlier this month. The meeting marked the first direct contact between the two countries in more than a decade. The talks concluded without an agreement to stop the Middle East conflict, although there was no immediate resumption of hostilities.

A second round of discussions between senior American and Iranian officials is expected to take place in Islamabad this week.

Remarks at GB meeting

At the same meeting, Nawaz also praised the performance of the Punjab government and urged other provinces to follow Punjab’s example.

He criticised the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over what he described as a poor law and order situation, saying “Is anyone breathing a sigh of relief [there]?

Referring to development work in Gilgit-Baltistan, Nawaz said the PML-N had contributed in every sector and on every front.

The remarks came during a high-level party meeting focused on Gilgit-Baltistan, with the PML-N leadership highlighting both diplomatic developments and governance issues.

Nawaz’s comments linked Pakistan’s recent diplomatic role in the US-Iran standoff with the party’s broader emphasis on governance and development, particularly in Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The meeting was attended by senior party leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, as Nawaz addressed party members on national diplomacy, provincial governance and development in GB.