Says the country has faced serious financial challenges in recent years but has managed to avoid default through a coordinated effort
Speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq, addresses the media in Lahore. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB
LAHORE:
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said on Sunday that Pakistan is being recognized globally for its role in regional diplomatic efforts, crediting the country’s leadership for actively promoting peace and stability.
Addressing the media in Lahore, he said there were moments of tension during the US-Iran talks, but Pakistan’s leadership helped keep the process on track.
“Today the world is talking about Pakistan,” he said, adding that the global perception of Pakistan has improved, noting, “Today people proudly say they are from Pakistan.”
Referring to recent diplomatic engagements, Sadiq said Pakistan’s leadership, including the prime minister, the military leadership and the foreign ministry, were working in close coordination. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Field Marshal played a key role and DG ISI also contributed significantly,” he said.
He also claimed that Pakistan’s efforts were recognized internationally. “I met leaders in Turkey and they told me they were praying for Pakistan’s efforts,” he said.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran, and Tehran retaliated with attacks on Israel and other regional countries that host American assets.
The war has been on hold since April 8, when Pakistan brokered a two-week ceasefire. In its diplomatic efforts, Islamabad hosted direct Iran-US talks on April 11, the highest level between the two sides since 1979.
While the talks ended without an agreement, they did not break down and reports suggest a second round may take place in Islamabad in the coming week.
He highlighted that Pakistan had taken an early stance in favor of de-escalation during regional tensions and consistently supported diplomatic solutions.
He further noted that Pakistan had faced severe economic challenges in recent years but had managed to avoid default through coordinated national efforts. “There were attempts to push Pakistan to default, but our political and military leadership worked day and night to pull the country out of the crisis,” he said.
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Last month, the government raised oil prices by Rs55 per liter due to rising global prices amid the regional conflict, while the prime minister temporarily absorbed the impact through a Rs129 billion subsidy.
On April 2, fuel prices were hiked sharply again, with petrol rising to Rs 458.4. per liter and high speed diesel at Rs 520.35. Within 24 hours, the government reduced the oil tax, bringing petrol down to Rs378 per litre.
This followed another cut when diesel was reduced by Rs 135 per liter and petrol by Rs 12 per liter after earlier sharp increases linked to global price fluctuations during the US-Iran conflict.
Prime Minister Shehbaz on Friday approved a further reduction in the price of high-speed diesel by Rs32.12 per liter to bring the rate down to Rs353.43 per litre.
Sadiq further said that Pakistan is now maintaining relations with several global powers. “We have friendships with Russia, China, the US and Iran, but not with India,” he added.
Referring to recent regional developments, he said Pakistan’s military response had shown its strength. “For the first time, the world has seen Pakistan from a different perspective – that it can solve problems,” he said. He praised development initiatives in Punjab and thanked the leadership for development funding in his constituency.
Sadiq further said that the country had gone through several crises, including economic pressures, floods and regional tensions, but had continued to move forward.
