PM praises Field Marshal for round-the-clock efforts to bring US, Iran to negotiating table

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has praised Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir for their efforts in bringing both the United States and Iran to the negotiating table in Islamabad.

Praising the Field Marshal, the prime minister said, “It was Asim Munir and his team who worked round-the-clock” to help secure, what he described, a temporary ceasefire amid the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran.

PM Shehbaz said that Islamabad has become the centre of international attention due to the joint efforts of the armed forces and government officials.

He added that although a 14-day ceasefire has been achieved, there are concerns about a possible resumption of hostilities. However, he indicated that efforts will continue to engage both sides and pursue a more durable agreement.

Experts believe that brokering a ceasefire between the US and Iran–countries involved in a long-standing conflict, is not easy and will require sustained diplomatic effort.

Former Pakistan permanent representative to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi, expressed similar views in an interview with a private TV channel, saying that Pakistan’s diplomacy will continue as reaching a formal agreement is a lengthy process.

However, analysts say the future direction of the situation remains uncertain, particularly regarding the US, which is seen as having a strategic advantage in the conflict. Some technocrats suggest that the temporary halt may also serve to “buy time to replenish interceptors.”

Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly attempted missile strikes on key cities in Israel and areas in the Middle East where US troops are stationed.