Jailed PTI leaders urge multiparty moot on Middle East war
• Suggest to explore if FBR revenue target failure real reason behind fuel price hike; back diplomatic efforts for de-escalation
• Fazl seeks in-camera parliament session on crisis; criticises foreign policy for being aligned with US
ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Jailed leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have urged the party to convene a multi-party conference with like-minded groups to address the escalating regional conflict, while Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl chief separately called for an in-camera parliamentary session to clarify Pakistan’s position on the ongoing international crisis.
The PTI leaders, incarcerated at Kot Lakhpat Jail, suggested in a message on Monday that their party immediately convene a conference of “likeminded parties” on the platform of Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) to deliberate and build a consensus on perceived aggression against Iran by the United States and Israel.
They also proposed discussions on Iran’s retaliation against Gulf States and the reasons behind the United Arab Emirates’ decision to seek the immediate return of funds it deposited with the State Bank of Pakistan for balance-of-payments support.
The leaders, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Omar Sarfraz Cheema, said the conference should also examine the extent to which the Federal Board of Revenue’s failure to meet its revenue targets was responsible for an unprecedented rise in petrol and diesel prices.
They also called for a review of the mechanism for transferring subsidies to motorcyclists, small farmers and the transport sector.
The leaders warned via the party’s media wing message that prolonged conflict risks Pakistan’s hard-won macroeconomic stability and threatens energy and food security. They also noted that mounting inflationary pressures would not only impact the purchasing power of the people but would also push more people beneath the poverty line.
The PTI statement stressed the need for a diplomatic path forward, urging that regional tensions be de-escalated peacefully.
They stated that diplomatic efforts to reduce regional tensions, backed by China, need strengthening in Islamabad. Pakistan should promote peaceful dispute resolution through dialogue, respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity.
They further mentioned that International humanitarian laws forbid attacking civilians and infrastructure. Strikes on nuclear sites are alarming and could lead to horrific consequences for Iran and its neighbours.
They added that the international community should not ignore certain states’ rogue behaviour. Iran’s choice against nuclear arms, willingness to negotiate, desire for peace, and effort to exit war with a guarantee of no further aggression must be respected.
In-camera parliamentary session
Separately on Monday, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman called on the government to convene an in-camera session of the parliament to brief lawmakers on country’s standing in the ongoing international crisis.
Addressing a press conference at Mufti Mehmood Markaz in Peshawar after a two-day meeting of the JUI-F’s central Majlis-i-Shura, Maulana Fazl said that every Pakistani was worried about the situation.
“We deserve to know the issue,” he said. “If not discussed publicly, the government should inform public representatives in-camera about Pakistan’s stance on the situation.”
The JUI-F chief criticised the government’s economic and trade policies, claiming it had closed the country’s eastern and western borders.
“What brilliant minds we have that we have closed both of our own borders,” he said. He questioned the government’s justification for recent petroleum price hikes, asking about the status of 10 Pakistani-flagged tankers that he said had crossed the Strait of Hormuz.
The JUI-F chief urged public protests on Friday against petroleum price hikes, stating his party opposes the increases that are causing hardships.
He also criticised the government’s foreign policy, suggesting it was aligned with a globally isolated US administration.
The Maulana commented, “For the first time, Europe distanced itself from a US-led conflict, leaving Donald Trump isolated. However, Pakistani rulers persisted in their allegiance to Trump and the international establishment, even as the US public and Europe opposed the war.”
The JUI-F chief criticised legislation on domestic violence, transgender, and Muslim Family Laws as un-Islamic, rejecting them.
He noted the chaotic law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, accusing the government of inconsistent stance on military operations. The JUI-F chief said his party would hold a public meeting in Mardan on April 12, with more to follow across the country.
Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2026
