PM Shehbaz offers talks as cabinet approves defence law draft

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government is ready to hold talks with the opposition.

He said political dialogue could help resolve differences. However, he stressed that both sides must be willing to come to the negotiating table.

“Clapping requires both hands,” the prime minister said.

He made the remarks while chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad.

Shehbaz said the government was waiting for the opposition to decide when it wanted to resume negotiations.

He said the government remained open to dialogue. However, the opposition would have to take the initiative to return to the negotiating table.

The prime minister also welcomed a Rs32 per litre reduction in the price of diesel.

He described the reduction as a positive development for the people. He said the government was making efforts to provide relief to citizens despite difficult economic and global conditions.

Shehbaz said several countries in the region were facing serious disruptions. Refineries and gas plants in some countries had been forced to shut down, he added.

He praised the Ministry of Petroleum for its efforts during the challenging situation.

The prime minister said developments in the international market also affected Pakistan. The government was closely monitoring the situation and taking steps to minimise its impact on the country.

He said the federal government had allocated Rs128 billion to provide relief to the people.

According to Shehbaz, the federal government arranged the funds by reducing allocations under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

He said the provinces had also supported the government’s efforts to provide relief to ordinary citizens.

The prime minister said the government was continuing to take measures to strengthen the economy.

He added that economic stability remained a major priority for the government.

Cabinet approves Defence Forces Act draft

The federal cabinet approved the draft Defence Forces Act 2026 during the meeting.

According to the cabinet’s official statement, the proposed legislation has been prepared in continuation of changes introduced through the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

The draft law seeks to define the position of the Chief of Defence Forces.

It also covers administrative matters related to the headquarters of the Chief of Defence Forces.

The cabinet’s approval is the first step towards presenting the proposed legislation before Parliament.

The government will now place the Defence Forces Act 2026 before Parliament for consideration and approval.

The federal cabinet also approved amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010.