'Today the world is talking about Pakistan': NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq

Says country faced severe economic challenges in recent years but managed to avoid default through coordinated efforts

LAHORE:

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday said that Pakistan is being acknowledged globally for its role in regional diplomatic efforts, crediting the country’s leadership for actively promoting peace and stability.

Speaking to the media in Lahore, he said there were moments of tension during US-Iran negotiations, but Pakistan’s leadership helped keep the process on track.

“Today the world is talking about Pakistan,” he stated, 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 that Pakistan’s leadership, including the prime minister, military leadership, and the foreign office, worked in close coordination. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Field Marshal played a key role, and the DG ISI also contributed significantly,” he said.

He also claimed that Pakistan’s efforts were recognised internationally. “I met leaders in Turkey, and they told me they were praying for Pakistan’s efforts,” he said.

On February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran, and Tehran retaliated with strikes on Israel and other regional countries hosting US assets.

The war has been on hold since April 8, when Pakistan mediated a two-week ceasefire. Islamabad, in its diplomatic efforts, hosted direct Iran-US talks on April 11, the highest-level engagement between the two sides since 1979.

While the talks ended without an agreement, they did not collapse, 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 favour 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 into default, but our political and military leadership worked day and night to pull the country out of crisis,” he said.

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Last month, the government raised petroleum prices by Rs55 per litre due to rising global rates amid the regional conflict, while the prime minister temporarily absorbed the impact through a Rs129 billion subsidy.

On April 2, fuel prices were sharply increased again, with petrol rising to Rs458.4 per litre and high-speed diesel to Rs520.35 per litre. Within 24 hours, the government reduced the petroleum levy, bringing petrol down to Rs378 per litre.

This followed another cut when diesel was reduced by Rs135 per litre and petrol by Rs12 per litre after earlier sharp increases linked to global price fluctuations during the US–Iran conflict.

PM Shehbaz on Friday approved a further reduction in the price of high-speed diesel by Rs32.12 per litre to bring the rate down to Rs353.43 per litre.

Sadiq further said Pakistan now maintains relations with multiple global powers. “We have friendships with Russia, China, the United States, and Iran, but not with India,” he added.

Referring to recent regional developments, he said Pakistan’s military response had demonstrated 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 the country had gone through multiple crises, including economic pressure, floods, and regional tensions, but had continued to move forward.