• PPP senator says international community must rise to occasion, place its weight behind peace efforts • PTI’s Zafar urges govt for national security framework, insists economic situation ‘unbearable’

ISLAMABAD: With the government earning praise for its efforts to broker a ceasefire between Iran and the US, the lawmakers in the upper house of parliament asked the international community to play its role in preserving peace.

In their speeches in the upper house of parliament, the lawmakers from the opposition and the treasury benches welcomed the ceasefire, saying it prevented a confrontation among Muslim nations.

Speaking in the house, PPP parliamentary leader Sherry Rehman said that the responsibility for the next two weeks — critical for preserving this fragile ceasefire — did not fall on Pakistan alone.

“To transform this pause into a durable, sustainable peace, the entire international community must rise to the moment and place the weight of its leadership behind it. Whatever spoilers may emerge, this cannot become a contest of narratives or a return to bombs. The world must act — peace is a shared responsibility,” she remarked.

Senator Rehman said Pakistan has met its responsibility with exceptional dedication and extraordinary hard work and now it was time for others to fulfil theirs. “These two weeks are truly make-or-break. We must acknowledge and celebrate the leadership that made this ceasefire possible.”

Senator Rehman emphasised, “We must commit ourselves wholly to building a future grounded in predictability and peace. Pakistan has once again proven itself a net security provider for the region…through our persistent pursuit of stability in the face of adversity. No one would have emerged as a winner had this war escalated. Pakistan has always sought peace.”

She noted, “We must thank both Iran and the United States for stepping back from the precipice and helping stabilise what could have spiralled into catastrophe. We owe gratitude to every actor who played a part in steering us away from a crisis of horror. I lost my own child two weeks ago; what world would we have left for our children if this continued?”

Speaking in the house, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani hoped the upcoming talks in Islamabad would serve as a foundation for durable peace, economic stability, and regional cooperation, with the support of friendly nations and the international community.

He also urged the global community to extend full support to ongoing diplomatic initiatives aimed at consolidating peace and ensuring a stable and prosperous future for the region.

‘National security framework’

Meanwhile, PTI leader Ali Zafar urged the government to formulate a comprehensive national security framework to deal with similar situations in future.

Senator Zafar said ending the hostilities was essential, as any escalation between Muslim countries would have ultimately benefited Israel. “Both the Arab nations and Iran must recognise this critical reality,” he remarked.

Highlighting Pakistan’s own national interest, he added that ending the war was also vital for the country’s security, stability, and well-being. Senator Zafar acknowledged that Pakistan was walking a very tightrope as a mediator.

Referring to a recent statement by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in the Senate, he noted that the minister’s remarks reflected underlying tensions and potential dangers. He explained that the ceasefire, while welcome, was temporary, and Pakistan must remain vigilant to prevent any attempts at sabotaging it by Israel, a risk implicitly acknowledged by the FM in his statement.

Senator Zafar said that he did not want to sound pessimistic at this time of achievement, but one could not shut one’s eyes to reality. Turning to Pakistan’s immediate challenges, he highlighted the chronic economic crisis faced by the nation.

Due to a rise in petrol prices and the cost of living, he said inequality and inflation had become unbearable, and disruptions in remittances and exports were compounding the crisis. He said that, in these circumstances, the poor man and the middle class cannot survive. Senator Zafar recalled that when the PTI government was removed in 2022, the incumbent government claimed that they had the experience and expertise to fix the economy. Drawing a comparison, he pointed out that the petrol price on April 2, 2022, was Rs150 per litre compared to Rs460 per litre on April 2, 2026.

He said that while he accepted the government’s point of view that the immediate rise in petrol prices was due to the ongoing war, the persistent rise in poverty and economic instability was going on before the war, and this showed that the government had been unable to fix the major structural defects in the economy.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026