ISLAMABAD, 20 August 2026 (Ghufran): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited the opposition to engage in meaningful and constructive dialogue to resolve outstanding issues, reiterating that the government remains ready for purposeful talks. Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister said dialogue had always been the government’s preferred approach and that it was prepared to engage with the opposition in a constructive manner. Prime Minister Shehbaz welcomed the reduction in diesel prices and appreciated the efforts of the petroleum minister, saying the price of petrol had been reduced by Rs32. He said the government was making efforts to provide relief to the common people, particularly in view of the impact of the prevailing global situation on Pakistan.He said providing relief to the public remained the government’s top priority amid challenging economic circumstances. He noted that several countries in the region were facing closures of refineries and chemical plants, while Pakistan remained an energy-importing country. The prime minister also said a delegation from Google was currently visiting Pakistan and that he had held a meeting with its representatives.Meanwhile, the federal cabinet approved the drafts of the Defence Forces Act, 2026, and the amended National Command Authority Act, 2010, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The PMO said the draft Defence Forces Act had been prepared in continuation of the constitutional changes introduced through the 27th Amendment. A day earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had stressed the need to strengthen Parliament, saying the PPP had always respected the institution and wanted it to play an effective role in the country’s democratic process. Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Bilawal said parliamentary standing committees must be made functional if Parliament was to be strengthened and respected. He urged opposition parties to return to the committees and play their role in the reform process, expressing hope that they would reconsider their decision. Bilawal said the PPP had always played an important role in electoral reforms. He noted that concerns regarding the electoral process were being raised by both opposition and government benches under the current circumstances.He added that opposition parties, government allies and even government ministers were expressing criticism and concerns over the electoral process.Bilawal stressed that all political stakeholders had a responsibility to address objections related to the electoral process, saying the reform process could be taken forward through the parliamentary standing committees.