• Reveals country is ‘actively engaged’ in talks for jets’ sale; minister says China ‘is on board’
• PM Shehbaz maintains Karachi-Chaman road to be completed in a year; seven Daanish schools to be built in Balochistan by year-end
• Seeks reform recommendations to improve civil services

ISLAMABAD: As a number of nations show interest in buying JF-17 Thunder jets from Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday confirmed that several countries were in active talks with Islamabad to procure the fighter aircraft, which became a centre of attention following the India-Pakistan conflict in May last year.

Addressing the federal cabinet meeting in the capital, PM Shehbaz recalled Pakistan’s victory in a war last year, an apparent reference to the four-day military conflict with India, and said the demand for Pakistan’s fighter jets had increased since then. The premier said there were several states “actively engaged” in talks with Pakistan — a move that would boost the country’s economy and its defence production.

Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia have expressed interest in buying the fighter jets, while Azerbaijan inducted this aircraft into its air force in 2024. Azerbaijan had become the third country to acquire JF-17 fighters after Myanmar and Nigeria.

Battle-tested

As JF-17 attracts more buyers Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj said China was on board with the sale of these aircraft. Mr Harraj told BBC Urdu that the jets were battle-tested during the four-day conflict with India last year. “The entire world’s air forces saw these jets’ performance during that time and praised it.”

The minister termed the price of the jet “an important” aspect, saying it was valued at “$40-50m; this depends on the jet’s features, and the price can also be higher than this”. According to the minister, “some portion of the jet is readied in Pakistan, and some portion is readied in China”.

Einar Tangen, a senior fellow at China’s Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), told BBC Urdu that “technology” involved in the jet was likely controlled by China. Therefore, any sale pact would be a joint agreement, with Beijing being a “senior partner”.

Balochistan uplift projects

During the cabinet meeting, PM Shehbaz shared the details of projects announced by the federal government in Balochistan, particularly the N-25 Karachi-Chaman highway.

He said the work on the project had formally begun and would be completed within a year instead of the originally planned two years. He said he recently visited Quetta, where the foundation stone of the nearly 850-kilometre highway was laid.

He said the Ministry of Communications had proposed a two-year completion timeline, but he had directed that the project be finished within one year. “The project will cost approximately Rs400 billion, to be fully financed by the federal government,” he said. It may be noted that the government is charging a special levy on petroleum projects to finance this project.

Furthermore, the PM revealed that a Rs75 billion agricultural package for farmers had been completed. “Of this amount, Rs50 billion was provided by the federal government. The package successfully addressed the long-standing issue of electricity theft in the province. Through the ins­tallation of solar panels, farmers are now able to irrigate their lands independently, ensuring sustainable agricultural activity,” he said.

The prime minister also announced significant progress regarding the establishment of Daanish schools in the province. “Five Daanish schools are already planned, while two additional schools have been announced during his visit, bringing the total to seven,” he added. He expressed confidence that all seven schools would be completed by the end of this year.

Civil service reforms

In a separate meeting, PM Shehbaz sought comprehensive and effective recommendations to evaluate the performance of federal secretaries, emphasising that recognition of officers’ good performance was essential for the overall improvement of the civil services.

He instructed the relevant committee to finalise comprehensive reform recommendations for the national civil service at the earliest. The prime minister directed that meaningful consultations be held with stakeholders as part of the proposed civil service reforms.

The cabinet was also informed about new bills, stating that newly designed currency notes of Rs100, Rs500, Rs1000, and Rs5,000 would be issued soon.

PM-Qatari emir phone call

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz received a telephone call from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of the State of Qatar, and discussed the regional situation against the backdrop of unrest in Iran and threats of a US attack. According to the statement, the PM appreciated Qatar’s constructive and proactive role in promoting peace, dialogue, and mediation across the region, and acknowledged its meaningful efforts to defuse tensions through diplomatic solutions.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2026