PM Shehbaz renews invitation to PTI for talks

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday renewed the government’s invitation to the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for talks, saying the government was ready for meaningful negotiations and that “it takes two to tango”.

Addressing the federal cabinet, the prime minister said the government had made its position clear time and again and that it was now for the opposition to decide when it wanted to sit across the table.

“We are ready for meaningful dialogue. For this, I am inviting the opposition again from this forum [federal cabinet] for talks to resolve all matters via dialogue,” the prime minister said.

He said constructive engagement between the government and opposition could help strengthen democracy and contribute to the country’s economic development.

The invitation came amid continued political tensions between the government and PTI, with the Supreme Court recently ordering that jailed former prime minister Imran Khan be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment.

Earlier, the cabinet also approved drafts of two bills – the Defence Forces Act, 2026, and amendments to the National Command Authority Act, 2010 – relating to the country’s military and nuclear command structures.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Defence Forces Act was drafted in continuation of changes made to the Constitution under the 27th Amendment and seeks to provide for administrative matters relating to the office of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and the CDF headquarters.

The proposed amendments to the National Command Authority Act, the statement said, were a necessary step following the 27th Amendment.

Following approval from the cabinet, the National Assembly and Senate immediately passed the two bills.

Enacted in November last year, the 27th Amendment overhauled Pakistan’s higher defence structure, abolishing the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and creating the post of CDF, to be concurrently held by the chief of army staff.

Field Marshal Asim Munir became the country’s first chief of defence forces following the constitutional changes.

The amendment also created the post of Commander of the National Strategic Command (CNSC), a four-star position responsible for the operational integration of the country’s strategic forces.

Last month, Prime Minister Sharif promoted Lt Gen Syed Aamer Raza to the rank of general and appointed him as the country’s first CNSC.

The National Command Authority Act, 2010, however, still reflects the military command structure that existed before the 27th Amendment, necessitating amendments to bring the law in line with the new constitutional and command arrangements.

On the economic front, PM Shehbaz commended the Ministry of Petroleum, particularly Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, saying the government had allocated Rs128 billion to provide relief to the public amid difficult economic circumstances.

He said the allocation had been made by reducing the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

Welcoming a Rs32-per-litre reduction in the price of diesel, Sharif said the government was making every effort to provide relief to ordinary people amid persistent economic pressures.

He said Pakistan was an energy-importing country and was also feeling the impact of the global situation.

He noted that refineries and gas plants in several countries across the region had been shut down, adding to uncertainty in international energy markets.

The cabinet also gave in-principle approval to the National Adolescent and Youth Policy, aimed at establishing a national framework to empower the country’s young population.

Under the proposed policy, young people will be mainstreamed into government policymaking and development programmes to create a more equitable economic and social environment for them.

The framework is based on four key pillars: education, employment, inclusion and the environment.

As part of the implementation mechanism, the government will establish a Pakistan Youth Development Council and a Federal Adolescent and Youth Agency.

The cabinet was informed that 32,145 surveys had been conducted across the country during the formulation of the policy, while the process also incorporated the views of more than 200,000 young people.

Prime Minister Sharif directed that suggestions put forward by cabinet members be incorporated into the policy before its implementation.

The cabinet also ratified decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises at its July 9 meeting.

It approved decisions of the Economic Coordination Committee taken at its August 14 meeting.

The cabinet further ratified decisions of the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases from meetings held on June 18, July 30, August 5 and August 18.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026