Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif at their Jati Umra residence in Lahore on Sunday, a statement issued by the PM’s Office (PMO) said, adding that the Middle East conflict and the political situation in the country were discussed during the meeting.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was also present on the occasion.

The PMO statement said the premier briefed Nawaz on the “situation in the country” and exchanged views on the political situation.

He further informed him about the situation in the Middle East and Pakistan’s efforts for the restoration of peace in the region, the statement added.

The conflict in the Middle East, which is now more than two months old, began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. And while hostilities have paused following a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire on April 8 — which has been extended indefinitely by US President Donald Trump — the world continues to face its consequences.

Pakistan’s civil and military leadership has been engaged in feverish diplomacy, leading the efforts for de-escalation.

On April 11-12, Pakistan hosted the first high-level contact between Iran and the US in decades and mediated the meetings, known as the “Islamabad Talks”. However, with challenges in convening a second round, Islamabad has shifted back to its role as a facilitator and go-between.

Meanwhile, the conflict has also resulted in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz — through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply used to pass in peacetime — giving rise to a global energy crisis and an increase in oil prices in the international market.

The PMO statement said PM Shehbaz also took Nawaz into confidence regarding oil prices in the international market and the steps the government has taken to “provide relief” to the people against this backdrop.

After the US-Israeli war on Iran began, the government initially hiked petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per litre on March 6 and announced unprecedented austerity measures on March 9.

However, in the following weeks, PM Shehbaz said he had rejected recommendations to further increase fuel prices despite an increase in the global market on three occasions.

But on April 2, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced an unprecedented increase of 43 per cent and 55pc in the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel, respectively. The ministers had also announced a targeted fuel subsidy programme.

However, just a day later, PM Shehbaz slashed the petroleum levy by Rs80 per litre and brought the price of petrol down to Rs378 per litre.On April 10, PM Shehbaz further decreased diesel prices and petrol prices by Rs135 and Rs12 per litre, respectively.

The government has twice increased the prices of the two commodities since, first on April 24 and later on April 30.

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Sunday acknowledged that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line had proven to be a “very tough” project for the provincial government, but asserted that there had been no delay on its end.

Speaking to reporters in Karachi, Memon said the Sindh government had to make some difficult decisions on the BRT Red Line after “all other options were exhausted”.

The senior minister asserted that there had been “no mistake, mal-intent or delay” from the Sindh government on the BRT Red Line.

He noted that work on the project’s Lot-1 was “underway with great speed”, while work on Lot-2 had been restarted.

The Sindh government recently cancelled the construction contract for the BRT Red Line project. Subsequently, it chose the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to resume construction on a section of the BRT Red Line along University Road, where commuters have been facing inconvenience.

Designed to cover around 27 kilometres from Malir Halt to Numaish via University Road, work on BRT Red Line commenced in early 2022. While initially scheduled for completion by 2024, the project has faced persistent delays, with its finishing timeline most recently pushed to 2028.

A week ago, CM Murad, while “apologising” to the people of Karachi, announced that the deteriorated University Road will be reconstructed within 90 days.

In today’s media talk, Memon reiterated: “We will try that by the end of July, this road is opened for mixed traffic by working day and night, so that there is no nuisance for the public.”

“We realise the difficulty being faced by the public, but as they say, you have to swallow a bitter pill to achieve something big,” he remarked.

The minister recalled that the Sindh government approached the FWO for the reconstruction of University Road after “issuing warnings and clearing claims” of the contractors of the BRT Red Line project.

He noted that the government also took the Asian Development Bank (ADB) into confidence about the FWO’s involvement in the road reconstruction. While the BRT Red Line is an ADB-funded scheme, the reconstruction of the University Road will be undertaken as a separate project funded through the Sindh government’s own resources.

For the bus project itself, Memon said the government would follow up with the necessary legal actions, such as re-contracting or re-tendering.

The minister said it would have been “very easy” for the government to simply launch buses, such as the People’s Bus Service, but it decided to construct the BRT project for future generations, considering Karachi’s growing population.

Criticising certain political elements for “politicising” the BRT project, Memon said the government’s aim was to finish the project.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah carried out an early morning inspection of BRT Red Line from Jail Chowrangi to Nipa, reviewing progress on mixed traffic lanes, drainage, asphalt work and traffic management.

“People’s hardship is unacceptable. Roads must be restored tonight, quality cannot be compromised and traffic flow must improve immediately,” he was quoted as saying by CM House, warning that he would continue surprise visits to monitor progress.

CM Murad directed all departments and contractors to accelerate work, restore roads on an emergency basis and ensure minimum inconvenience to citizens.

He also ordered the immediate commencement of the remaining work on the Red Line Mosamiyat Flyover so it could be opened for mixed traffic at the earliest.

The chief minister was accompanied by provincial ministers, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and project officials.

The Sindh CM also reviewed progress on Shahrah-i-Bhutto after inspecting the BRT Red Line project.

He was told that 38-kilometre Shahrah-i-Bhutto corridor, stretching from Jam Sadiq Interchange to M-9 Kathore Interchange, has reached 93 per cent completion.

The project is now targeted for completion by June 30, 2026, with efforts underway to open it to the public before Eidul Azha.

Murad termed Shahrah-i-Bhutto a “gift for people of Karachi”, asserting that it would play a key role in easing traffic congestion, shifting heavy traffic outside the city, and improving connectivity between M-9 and N-5 highways.

He also termed the project a “lifeline for Karachi’s economy”.