PM Shehbaz vows to advance peace efforts in call with Lebanese counterpart amid Israeli attacks

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday pledged to advance peace efforts during a phone call with his Lebanese counterpart Nawaf Salam, as Israel continued its relentless attacks on the country. Strongly condemning Israel’s ongoing aggression, the prime minister offered condolences over the loss of lives, according to a statement on X. Islamabad: 9 April, 2026 Telephone Call between the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of Lebanon. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with H.E. Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister of Lebanon earlier this afternoon. The Prime Minister strongly… pic.twitter.com/O2pj5b8T5b — Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) April 9, 2026 Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon killed at least 254 people on Wednesday, with fresh attacks earlier today killing at least 17 more in southern Lebanon. Lebanon is observing a day of national mourning following the attacks. PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s “commitment to advance peace efforts, including facilitating dialogue through the upcoming Iran–US talks in Islamabad”. Read: Lebanon must be covered by ceasefire agreement, French foreign minister says The Israeli bombings appear to threaten the peace process and the ceasefire deal. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Israeli strikes on Lebanon violate the ceasefire agreement and would render negotiations meaningless. Islamabad and Tehran have both stated that the ceasefire includes Lebanon, but Washington and Tel Aviv have denied this. However, a ray of hope emerged today when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon, which would also include the disarmament of Hezbollah. “In light of Lebanon’s repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to start direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon,” he added. Talks with Bahrain, Qatar and Austria Meanwhile, in separate calls, the prime minister thanked Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa for his support in Pakistan’s mediation efforts and discussed the importance of upholding the ceasefire with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker. He also spoke with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressing hope that “through concerted efforts, peace would return soon to the entire region”. Islamabad : 9 April, 2026 Austrian Chancellor calls the Prime Minister. Federal Chancellor of Austria, H.E. Christian Stocker, held a most warm telephone conversation with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, earlier today. While fondly recalling their recent meeting… pic.twitter.com/2e7o8lvJLT — Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) April 9, 2026 The US and Iranian delegations are expected to arrive by Friday, with talks likely to begin Saturday. The format remains unclear, though direct negotiations are anticipated. A day earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that President Trump was sending Vice President JD Vance and other negotiators to the Pakistani capital for talks with Iran that were scheduled to begin on Saturday. Also Read: US-Iran talks: PM Shehbaz, CDF Munir affirm 'all out support' to both sides for peaceful agreement With several of Iran’s veteran political leaders killed in the war, Tehran’s delegation was expected to be led by parliament speaker and former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, along with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.