Pakistan: Political mediation talks and fuel subsidy updates

A government committee has submitted a report to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding a meeting with JUI-F chief Fazal ur Rehman. The report indicates that Fazal ur Rehman is prepared to act as a mediator to resolve the current political deadlock between the government and the opposition, provided certain conditions are met. He has stated he will assess the commitment of both parties to finding a solution before formally assuming the role and has warned that using force to stop opposition marches could complicate resolution efforts.

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the government’s fuel subsidy scheme has surpassed 10 million direct beneficiaries. The program, which includes motorcyclists, rickshaw operators, and owners of cars up to 800cc, is estimated to benefit approximately 50 million people when accounting for indirect household impacts. The Prime Minister confirmed that Rs75 billion has been allocated to continue the initiative and recognized various officials for the scheme's execution.