Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the war involving Iran has delivered a major blow to Pakistan’s economy, threatening to reverse progress made over the past two years. He made the remarks during a recent cabinet meeting in Islamabad.
Sharif said global fuel prices have surged since the conflict began in February, sharply increasing Pakistan’s import bill. He noted that the country’s weekly oil import cost has risen from Rs 2,850 crore before the war to about Rs 7,600 crore now.
He added that petroleum consumption has fallen in the current week compared with the previous week, and said a monitoring committee has been formed to track price movements on a daily basis. Sharif called for collective efforts to meet the challenges created by the price shock.
The Prime Minister also told cabinet colleagues about talks held between Iran and the United States in Islamabad on April 11. He praised Army Chief Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for their coordination efforts, saying these steps helped extend the ceasefire, which remains in effect.
Sharif said Pakistan is working to facilitate a second round of talks and expressed hope that the Iran–US confrontation would end soon, while his government continues efforts to reduce tensions and restore peace in West Asia.
