Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the unity displayed by coalition partners in the successful passage of the federal budget.

Chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister lauded Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and his team for their “commendable efforts” in preparing the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. He also appreciated the support of coalition parties and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in ensuring the budget’s smooth passage through the National Assembly.

“I particularly thank President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for their active role in the budget’s preparation and approval,” he said, adding that the budget would lay the foundation for “economic relief and continued development from July 1”.

The prime minister termed the presence and participation of treasury members in the Assembly as “satisfactory”, noting that all members had acted responsibly to steer the financial legislation through Parliament.

Iran-Israel ceasefire welcomed

Turning to regional affairs, the prime minister said Pakistan’s efforts for de-escalation in the Middle East had been acknowledged by Tehran in an “unprecedented” manner.

“By the grace of God, the Iran-Israel war has ended,” he said. “For the first time in history, Iran has openly thanked Pakistan — including its political and military leadership, political parties and people — for their support during a critical time.”

He revealed that Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir held a key meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Istanbul, which helped reinforce bilateral ties and contributed to the ceasefire.

Prime Minister Shehbaz claimed that Iran had personally conveyed its gratitude to President Zardari, himself, Field Marshal Munir, and other stakeholders. “Iran showed remarkable courage and restraint in the face of aggression,” he said.

Referring to the international response, the prime minister said Saudi Arabia also issued a strong condemnation against Israeli strikes, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman engaging directly with Iran’s leadership.

He added that a meeting between Field Marshal Munir and US President Donald Trump — described by the PM as a lunch encounter — also played a part. “President Trump said he was deeply impressed by our Field Marshal. It was after this that efforts were intensified to bring the war to a halt,” he claimed.

The PM further stated that Iran conveyed during bilateral talks that it acted in self-defence, and was willing to engage in dialogue if Israeli aggression ceased.

Muharram security, religious harmony

With the holy month of Muharram set to begin, the prime minister urged all citizens to uphold peace and sectarian harmony during religious gatherings and processions.

“This is the month when the grandson of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was martyred in Karbala,” he said. “It is our collective duty to maintain peace and demonstrate unity.”

The premier said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had chaired a high-level meeting in Islamabad to finalise security arrangements for Muharram. He directed the ministry to ensure “foolproof arrangements” across all provinces, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

Pakistan had also strongly condemned the recent attack on Qatar, calling the Gulf country “a brotherly nation” and reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to regional peace.

Concluding his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz said the government would take “concrete steps” in the new fiscal year to stabilise the economy, adding: “Our goal is to provide genuine relief to the people and carry the development agenda forward with unity.”