Islamabad (Pakistan News) — Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has once again offered talks to the opposition, saying the government is willing to engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve national issues and strengthen democracy and the economy.
Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the Prime Minister said he had previously expressed the government’s desire for dialogue during meetings of the National Assembly and the cabinet. He said the opposition should resolve issues through talks so that the country’s economic development and democratic system could be further strengthened.
Shehbaz Sharif said that it takes two hands to clap and that it is now up to the opposition to decide when it comes to the negotiating table. He said the government has always given priority to dialogue.
Regarding petroleum products, the Prime Minister praised the efforts of the Ministry of Petroleum and said the government had allocated Rs128 billion to provide relief to the public during difficult circumstances, for which expenditures under the federal development program were reduced.
He welcomed the reduction of Rs32 per litre in the price of diesel, saying the government was making every effort to provide maximum relief to ordinary people.
The Prime Minister further said that Pakistan is an energy-importing country, so global developments are also affecting the national economy, while refineries and gas plants in several countries across the region are shut down.