PM tells NA fuel price cut likely today, urges unanimous resolution

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the National Assembly on Friday that a major cut in fuel prices was expected later in the day, while urging lawmakers to adopt a unanimous resolution to project national unity and highlighting Pakistan’s role in recent diplomatic efforts that he said helped advance global peace.

The House met under Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq during the budget session, and the prime minister was greeted by desk-thumping when he entered. Referring to petroleum prices due for revision on Friday, Shehbaz said oil rates had fallen after a ceasefire and expressed hope they would decline further. "Today, God willing, a significant reduction will be announced," he added.

He said Pakistan had gained international respect and called on both treasury and opposition members to back a joint resolution, saying such a move would send a message of unity to the world and that political disagreements should not come in the way of national interest.

Diplomatic role and contacts with Iran

The prime minister told the House that Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had played the central role in achieving what he described as a global peace agreement, and said he had worked tirelessly over the past two to three months. Shehbaz also credited Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, saying there had been several points when the negotiations had appeared close to breaking down.

He also congratulated opposition legislators, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, President Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. According to the prime minister, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called him on Thursday evening to thank Pakistan and specifically acknowledged the role of Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Shehbaz said he had invited the Iranian president to visit Pakistan and that the invitation had been accepted. He further said Pezeshkian had invited Pakistan to attend the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and that a Pakistani delegation would take part.

Economic management and opposition outreach

The prime minister thanked the provincial governments, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, petroleum officials and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb for helping steer the economy in difficult circumstances. He said the government had averted fuel shortages and queues at petrol pumps, contrasting the situation with Sri Lanka.

Later, Shehbaz crossed the aisle to shake hands with Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. After Achakzai’s speech, the prime minister held brief consultations with him, Barrister Gohar and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb also joined the discussion before the prime minister called him aside and gave instructions. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif separately met opposition leaders at their seats for consultations.

Speaker’s remarks on budget debate

Speaker Ayaz Sadiq told the House that government members still had two-and-a-half hours left in the budget debate. He said 66 opposition lawmakers had spoken. While the opposition had been allocated nine hours, he said, its members had spoken for 14 hours and four minutes, exceeding their allotted time by five hours, three minutes and 28 seconds.

The speaker said repeated opportunities had been given to opposition members, contradicting claims that they were not allowed to speak. He added that Thursday’s sitting had intentionally been extended by 30 minutes to allow more speeches, and said government members had also been invited to speak but none had done so in the evening sitting. He announced that Friday’s session would be adjourned until Saturday before Juma prayers.

Debate in the House

During the debate, PPP lawmaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said an Iran-US agreement reflected Pakistan’s desire for world peace and claimed the country had helped prevent a third world war. He congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Asim Munir, and called for a 10 per cent increase in salaries for government employees, saying the proposed seven per cent raise was inadequate.

Ashraf said economic expansion and foreign investment required political stability, better law and order, poverty reduction and policymaking based on consensus. Referring to unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, he said he had been part of a government negotiating team that accepted 80 per cent of the protesters’ demands, while the matter of refugee seats remained unresolved. He said electricity tariffs were cut to Rs3 per unit and flour subsidies were approved in those negotiations, and called for a fresh committee to continue dialogue between protesters and the authorities.

Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai said the day should not be turned into an occasion for political scoring and stressed that parliament, the military and national interests belonged to all Pakistanis. He called for powers taken from parliament to be returned and urged the prime minister to take decisions independently. Achakzai also criticised the suspension of lawmaker Iqbal Afridi for the remainder of the budget session and appealed for that decision to be withdrawn. He said his party would extend unconditional support for the strengthening of parliament and democracy.