PM SHEHBA Z VOWS CRUSHING RESPONSE TO TERRORISTS
g PAKISTAN’S ENEMIES ARE SCARED OF OUR ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENTS: PREMIER
g DIRECTS ALL INSTITUTIONS TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS AGAINST SMUGGLING, HUMAN TRAFFICKING NETWORKS
g SAYS CENTRE, PROVINCES WORKING TOGETHER ON NARRATIVE AGAINST TERRORISM
PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to inflict a crushing defeat on terrorists so that they never dare cast an evil eye on Pakistan again
Chairing a meeting on law and order situation in Islamabad he said that the fight will continue for the complete eradication of terrorism from the country Pakistan s enemies are scared of our economic achievements”, the premier stated He commended all the institutions and provincial governments for their robust measures against terrorism He said the brave officers and soldiers of security forces are confronting terrorists day and night, laying down their lives for the country
PM Shehbaz Sharif said the federal government will extend full cooperation to enhance the capacity of all provinces to ensure the complete elimination of terrorism and extremism
He mentioned that federal government and the provinces are working together on the narrative against terrorism which is encouraging He urged the need to set aside all mutual differences and work together to eradicate the menace
The premier directed that all institutions intensify efforts against smuggling He also directed that the noose around human trafficking networks be tightened further and smugglers be brought to justice
During the meeting the prime minister directed authorities to expedite the completion of Safe City projects in major urban centres, which would enhance sur-
Dar reiterates Pakistan’s engagement within SCO mechanisms for mutually beneficial cooperation
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday reiterated Pakistan s constructive engagement within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), emphasising the importance of mutually beneficial collaboration particularly in the areas of bilateral trade transport and regional connectivity
The SCO comprises China India Russia Pakistan Iran Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Uzbekistan and Belarus with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or dialogue partners Pakistan became a full member of the organisation at its
PM calls for unwavering commitment to make Pakistan a debt-free countr y
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called upon the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers to work with unwavering commitment and full dedication to help Pakistan becoming a debt-free country He was speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad where he launched a new Performance Management System for FBR officers If we want to move away from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), we must work hard to increase our revenues,” the prime minister said
veillance and security response capabilities across the country The participants were informed that the National and Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center has been established at the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), the report added Officials also briefed the premier on forensic capabilities confirming that a forensic science agency has been established in Islamabad while Punjab s existing forensic facilities are undergoing further improvements Alarming Rise In Terror Attacks
brotherly country of Afghanistan
He said the FBR revenues witnessed an increase of 27%, for which the entire FBR team deserved appreciation However he said this was a long journey and more work was needed to plug the loopholes in the system The prime minister commended the efforts of the finance minister, the secretary finance, Chairman FBR and the entire team for launching such an effective performance system He also announced to replicate this system in other government institutions to promote the culture of penalty and reward aimed at improving the performance of the institutions
Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies’s (PICSS) the Islamabad-based think tank report revealed that February saw a marginal increase in terrorist attacks but a sharp surge in civilian casualties According to PICSS, the country witnessed 79 terrorist attacks last month, resulting in the deaths of 55 civilians and 47 security personnel while 45 civilians and 81 security personnel were injured Security forces meanwhile intensified counter-terrorism operations, eliminating 156 terrorists, injuring 20, and arresting 66, it said
g ORDERS AUTHORITIES TO EXPEDITE COMPLETION OF SAFE CITY PROJECTS IN MAJOR URBAN CENTRES ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will embark on the long-awaited visit to Kabul on Saturday (tomorrow) to thaw the relations between the two neighbours after a protracted stalemate over Islamabad s security concerns The DPM is visiting Afghanistan at the invitation of Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Friday FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan confirmed the date of the foreign minister s one-day visit during his weekly press briefing on Friday
“At the invitation of Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will lead a highlevel delegation to Kabul tomorrow, Khan said During the day-long visit, he will call on the Afghan Acting Prime Minister, meet the Afghan Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and hold delegation-level talks with the Acting Foreign Minister The FO spokesperson said that the talks will cover the entirety of the Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways to bolster cooperation in all areas of mutual interest including security and trade Dar s visit is a reflection of Pakistan s commitment to enhance sustained engagement with the
Khan added Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said that he will visit Kabul in the coming days
“Preparatory meetings have been ongoing and hopefully within days I will be visiting Kabul for a day to break this logjam which is there for the last few years,” said Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister Meanwhile Afghan Acting Minister for Commerce and Industries Haji Nooruddin Azizin called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad and discussed matters of mutual interest and bilateral ties Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in trade transit and regional connectivity
They also underlined the importance of maintaining high-level political engagement between the two neighbouring countries Pakistan, Afghanistan hold key talks on repatriation In a significant development aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, a high-level delegation from Afghanistan’s interim government met with Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry and Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha in Islamabad on Friday
The Afghan delegation was led by Acting Minister for Com-
The wheat scandal has economically devastated our farmers, he said They only bleed the people dry without offering any real solutions ” Reaffirming his party's stance he declared “The government should not be under any illusion I will not step back I stand with the people In a final warning Bilawal stated that the PPP will not remain part of the coalition if the federal government does not withdraw the controversial canal projects
merce and Industry Haji Nooruddin Azizi and included the Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, the Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, and other senior officials
During the meeting, both sides engaged in comprehensive discussions on key matters of mutual interest including cross-border transit trade and the repatriation of Afghan nationals currently residing in Pakistan The Minister of State reaffirmed Pakistan’s enduring commitment to fostering friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan describing the neighboring country as a brotherly Islamic nation He noted that Pakistan has generously hosted millions of Afghan nationals over the past four decades and would continue to welcome those entering through legal channels
Mr Chaudhry emphasized the government’s efforts to manage migration in an orderly and lawful manner citing the “One Document Regime as a necessary step to ensure that only documented individuals remain in the country He stressed that Afghan nationals are held in high regard and that their repatriation will be conducted with dignity and care
To support this process more than 50 transit camps equipped with medical and essential facilities have been established across the country, Chaudhry said
Ministry of Planning in collaboration with the Government of Balochistan In his keynote address, Ahsan Iqbal declared that Pakistan is ready for its “fourth take-off” towards progress by strengthening the economy enhancing exports and ensuring national unity political stability and continuity of policies He emphasized Political instability has held Pakistan back No country can progress without continuity of policies Reflecting on past achievements from 2013 to 2018 he cited the restoration of peace reduction of 18-hour electricity shortages improved law and order and construction of extensive road networks in Balochistan Highlighting the transformation of connectivity, he noted, There was no proper road linking Gwadar to Quetta in the past Now, improved connectivity has boosted local business and employment referencing the 650-kilometer highway that reduced travel time from 36 hours to just 8
The Central Power Purchasing Agency (Guarantee) Limited (CPPA-G), in collaboration with four governmentowned power generation companies, has submitted joint applications to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) seeking reductions in key tariff components for government-owned power plants According to available documents, NEPRA has admitted the applications and scheduled a public hearing on the matter for April 24 2025
The Minister paid tribute to the sacrifices of Frontier Works Organization (FWO) personnel who laid down their lives during development projects “Terrorists oppose such projects because they fear an educated and aware society he said condemning hostile forces resisting Balochistan s progress Launching the Uraan Pakistan 2035 Vision, Ahsan Iqbal outlined its five pillars: export-led growth, IT sector development climate resilience and water security renewable energy expansion and the uplift of the country s poorest districts He stressed that under this initiative the federal and Balochistan governments will modernize infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, and mining to “lift the people of Balochistan out of darkness and into the light of development ” Specific projects under Uraan Pakistan include the dualization of the ChamanQuetta-Karachi highway, integration of Gwadar into the national power grid, promotion of renewable energy, and targeted development efforts in Balochistan’s 11 most underdeveloped districts out of the country s 20 poorest Ahsan Iqbal highlighted Balochistan s massive mineral potential particularly with transformative projects like Reko Diq, describing it as the first drop of a wave of investment He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to educating local youth referencing the 5 000 scholar-
The applications have been filed on behalf of the National Power Parks Management Company’s Balloki and Haveli Bahadur Shah power plants the 747 MW Guddu plant operated by the Central Power Generation Company Limited, and the Nandipur power plant managed by the Northern Power Generation Company Limited The petitioners have proposed several revisions to the existing tariff structure These include adjustments to the operations and maintenance (O&M) indexation mechanism, a reduction in the insurance cap to 0 80% or 0 90% of the approved Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) cost, and the introduction of a hybrid “Take and Pay” payment mechanism for Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Equity During Construction (ROEDC) with no future indexation NEPRA has made the applications publicly available on its official website The regulatory authority has invited stakeholders interested or affected parties and members of the general public to review the documents and participate in the scheduled hearing All communications in this regard should be directed to the NEPRA Registrar
ships provided for Balochistan and merged districts during the PML-N s previous term, as well as international scholarships for Balochistani lawyers Education human resource development and nutrition were key focus areas He stressed the need for urgent action to address stunted growth among children currently affecting 38 to 40 percent and announced a Rs 64 billion health project to make Pakistan hepatitis-free The Minister referenced a PricewaterhouseCoopers report from 2017 which projected Pakistan as one of the world s top 20 economies by 2040 a vision he said was interrupted by political instability but is once again within reach He credited the current government’s reforms for stabilizing the economy reviving the stock market (with the Pakistan Stock Exchange index rising from 40 000 to over 115 000 points) and achieving a historic current account surplus
Our future depends on human resources Every ministry, province, and citizen must embrace this vision to make Pakistan a trillion-dollar economy ” he said Balochistan is not the periphery of Pakistan it is its strength and its future Chief Minister of Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti, along with provincial ministers, parliamentarians, and officials, also attended the workshop Bugti praised the federal government’s development vision and extended special thanks to
NEPRA reviews K-Elec tric ’s Rs8.131b write- off claims
Limited (PHL) surcharge burden
involvement in the
unaddressed
and confirmed adherence to international audit standards
The write-off claims submitted in continuation of an earlier case heard in December 2024 pertain to unrecovered dues from chronic defaulters identified afterward KE explained that despite extensive recovery campaigns, including disconnections and consumer outreach, certain dues remain unrecoverable due to socio-economic challenges in its service areas Muhammad Aamir Ghaziani, KE’s Chief Financial Officer, emphasised the utility’s improved recovery mechanisms and pointed to transmission and distribution (T&D) losses dropping from 38% to 15 3% aligning with NEPRA s benchmark
Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who previously headed the PM s Taskforce on Energy, highlighted that a timely and fair decision on KE s write-off claims would have broader implications, particularly in boosting investor confidence and supporting the privatisation of distribution companies (DISCOs) He stressed that delayed approvals of prudent costs undermine sectoral credibility and KE s
Multiple stakeholders advocated for the development of a sector-wide write-off framework applicable to all DISCOs, not just KE Civil society groups and welfare organisations like the Saylani Welfare Trust recognised KE’s recovery challenges and suggested joint recovery task forces to improve onground results Amina Ahmed NEPRA s Member Legal expressed disapproval over certain political representatives veering off-topic during the hearing, leading to disruptions However, other participants commended NEPRA for addressing a matter of critical importance and called for similar hearings to investigate DISCOs’ roles in the circular debt crisis Energy advisor Omer along with international consultants, contextualised KE s write-off requests by citing global practices, noting that 100% recovery in power utilities is rarely feasible, and such write-offs help ensure operational viability rather than reward inefficiency
concluded the hearing stating that
P
ADedicated
Tsaid Chen Zhiwu, a chair professor of finance at the University of Hong Kong “Who knows why they put this exemption list out so soon? Only time will tell how long the 145 per cent tariffs will remain in place? he asked, pointing to the vagaries of Washington s policy pendulum These tariffs compound on previous levies like a 20 percent duty placed over China’s alleged contribution to the fentanyl crisis resulting in a complicated and oppression-like array of implications for exporters The exemptions may signal some acknowledgment of China s irreplaceable role in global electronics production In 2024 alone, China supplied over 70 percent of PC monitors and smartphones and 66 percent of laptops imported into the UsA according to Us International Trade Commission data still the relief is not reaching everyone smaller manufacturers relying on domestic technology, often without the clout or connections of tech titans, are being left behind The threshold is quite high,” said Mark Li, cofounder of HippoBot Technology, a pool-cleaning robot maker “The exemptions are mainly for high-end precision instruments For us shifting production capacity to Thailand for the Us market might be more feasible Further complicating matters, Trump recently took to social media to assert that NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook’ for the unfair Trade Balances,” adding that a broader review of the electronics supply chain would be part of upcoming National security Tariff Investigations Through Us Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick his
Le s s than two months after agreeing to a phased ceasefire with Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recommenced military operations in the Gaza strip On March 18 the Israeli Air Force launched strikes on designated military sites resulting in the deaths of over 400 Palestinians including more than 300 women and children as reported by the Hamascontrolled Ministry of Health in Gaza This escalation marked one of the most severe episodes of violence in the ongoing conflict The temporary truce had facilitated the release of 30 hostages captured by Hamas during its unprecedented assault on Israel on 7 October 2023 as well as the repatriation of eight deceased captives More recently the Israeli government proposed another ceasefire arrangement contingent upon the return of 11 additional hostages and 16 bodies Nevertheless, the prospect of sustained peace remains elusive since the events of October 7 which led to the deaths of approximately 1 250 Israelis Netanyahu’s strategic objectives have remained twofold: the liberation of all Israeli hostages and the complete dismantling of Hamas However these objectives are inherently contradictory Hamas refuses to participate in any peace initiative that implies its eradication As long as Israel remains committed to Hamas’s destruction, the group’s leadership has a significant incentive to retain hostages as a deterrent against targeted Israeli military operations This strategic deadlock implies that even if ceasefire negotiations resume both parties are likely to engage in delaying tactics Hamas may withhold hostages to prolong its leverage, while Israel may resist implementing phases of any agreement that allow Hamas to maintain its governance capabilities Consequently any tentative agreements are vulnerable to collapse before their completion Netanyahu meanwhile has grown more confident in the efficacy of military action, citing its strategic impact on regional adversaries such as Iran and Hezbollah Under the Trump administration unlike the more cautious Biden administration Israel appears to enjoy greater latitude in its military operations This was symbolized by Netanyahu s expedited visit to Washington to meet President Trump signaling the value he places on their political alignment
administration confirmed the introduction of “sectoral tariffs” with detailed measures set to be published via the Us Federal Register For many this signals that the exemptions are tactical rather than strategic This appears to be a political move shielding consumer-critical tech items while maintaining pressure on Beijing, Chen noted Given how deeply embedded Chinese manufacturing remains in American consumer tech, it’s also a possible nod to voter sentiment in an election season Indeed the reliance is challenging to break Apple for example continues to depend heavily on Chinese precision manufacturing despite growing diversification efforts In the run-up to the then-about-to-be-imposed tariff, reports emerged that Americans were buying iPhones in ever-greater numbers as retailers shoved inventory as fast as planes could fly it out of Chinese factories (to be followed up by an increase in prices foreseeably) Zhu Keli, the founder of the International New economic Research Institute, noted that these logistical and economic realities are leading Washington to soften its position, at least for now However he added that the current flexibility should not encourage Chinese firms to be complacent This is a moment of opportunity China needs to utilize it to enhance industrial resilience and penetrate bottlenecks through
emboldened by this geopolitical support Israeli military leadership has proposed extensive plans including a potential reoccupation of Gaza Concurrently, Netanyahu s far-right coalition partners have revived proposals advocating for the large-scale displacement of Gaza’s population However, it remains uncertain whether Netanyahu will fully embrace these extreme positions particularly in light of the unpredictability of Trump s political posture and the logistical burden such operations would impose on the Israeli military As a result, Netanyahu is likely to pursue a strategy of calculated ambiguity continuing military operations while preserving political cohesion among his allies
Initially there was a national consensus within Israel on the necessity of eliminating Hamas Yet the impracticality of simultaneously achieving the release of hostages and the destruction of Hamas soon became apparent According to data compiled by The New York Times, between October 2023 and early March 2025, 41 hostages perished while in captivity some due to inadequate conditions while others were inadvertently killed during Israeli military incursions survivors reported inhumane conditions including confinement in tunnels with minimal sustenance, medical neglect, and, in some cases, torture Israel s failure to prioritize its objectives has led to the partial fulfillment of both Although numerous senior Hamas figures have been killed including Gaza’s leader Yahya sinwar the organization continues to function and wield power Its remaining leaders utilize hostages primarily soldiers, as strategic assets to shield themselves from targeted assassinations For Netanyahu, only two outcomes are acceptable: either Hamas’s unconditional capitulation or the removal of its leadership from Gaza or the continuation of military operations until such an outcome is realized Following Trump s return to the presidency expectations that the UsA might pressure Israel into a long-term ceasefire have diminished While the Trump Administration did initially encourage a truce in January, its approach has since become inconsistent Recent Us proposals have failed to generate meaningful progress and Trump himself has oscillated between indifference and implausible suggestions such as a Us-led redevelopment of Gaza as a tourist destination The Administration has not confronted the core contradiction of the peace process:
Although the Trump Administration has withdrawn from
discussions about demographic engineering in Gaza,
right Israeli politicians continue to advocate for
population transfers under the guise of „voluntar y emigration ‰ In practical terms, however, such proposals would necessitate significant coercion and militar y pressure to achieve their objectives
market-oriented innovation, Zhu admonished China s response, announced hours before releasing the Us exemptions list, is part of an escalating tit-for-tat Yet even as short-term reprieves arise the broader strategic trajectory remains clear: the UsA aims to rebuild domestic manufacturing and reduce dependency on Chinese imports Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and economic Cooperation, reinforced the need for long-term adaptation “Chinese companies must treat this not as a crisis but a structural turning point Domestic and foreign trade integration should be prioritized to be more than just in emergency programmes, he said Ironically, the uncertainty of Us policy may provide China with some space As for multinationals if they can lobby and exempt themselves the urgency to change supply chains may go away But banking on this loophole is a dangerous gamble; the sword of Damocles still hovers over the industry With sectoral tariffs looming and geopolitical narratives sharpening, the global electronics supply chain is at the mercy of political calculus The message to China tech exporters is loud and muddled: move quickly be nimble and prepare for the next hand grenade
The writer is associated with a government Think-tank and can be reached at danialihsanndu@gmail com
Reel addiction
Small hands, big jobs
MuhaMMaD Danial ihsan
Dr MuhaMMaD akraM Zaheer
Fire, silence and stakes: Rethinking the Iran–US talks
Recent developments indicate that Iran
TO talk about peace in the Middle East is to speak in tongues where every word may sound like a promise, but echoes like a warning In a region scorched by decades of conflict, diplomacy doesn’t arrive with fanfare it crawls wounded through the smoke of history And yet here we are again: the USA and Iran two nations locked in a cycle of provocation and pause cautiously testing the silence between them for signs of dialogue The whispers of indirect talks, resuscitated under the Trump 2 0 administration, are anything but muted They are loud in their implications thunderous in their potential fallout Enter Steve Witkoff not a diplomat but a real estate mogul a symbol of how far traditional diplomacy has contorted itself His high-profile role in brokering Middle East engagement under Trump’s recalibrated strategy is not simply curious; it is symptomatic of a broader reshuffling of power priorities and playbooks With Washington shifting from cautious disengagement to calculated reinvention, these new conversations are not just about uranium or sanctions They re about influence, legacy, survival and above all, the cost of silence in a region aflame
The stakes? Everything From Palestine’s bleeding heart to Iran s defiant rise from proxy fires in Yemen to the ghosts of dead diplomacy in Lebanon Syria and Iraq this is no longer a Cold War It s a boiling one, and the price of miscalculation could scorch generations We’re not merely witnessing another chapter in global negotiation we are watching a script being rewritten in real time with lives on the line
To understand the current overtures one must revisit the crucible of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Once hailed as a milestone in global non-pro-
liferation it ushered in cautious optimism Iran curtailed its uranium enrichment under rigorous international oversight in exchange for economic relief Yet the triumph was short-lived President Donald Trump’s abrupt 2018 withdrawal from the deal based on accusations of Iranian subversion and missile proliferation reset the region s temperature to near boiling Labelled the worst agreement ever negotiated, the pullout shattered trust, intensified regional insecurity, and plunged Iran deeper into an economic chokehold Fast-forward to 2025 and the same Trump now back in power is orchestrating what appears to be a recalibrated approach The irony isn t lost on the global community: the same hand that pulled the plug is now nudging the wires back together Witkoff ’s high-profile involvement signals more than improvisation It reflects a convergence of anxieties: China’s rising influence in the Middle East Russia s strategic embrace of Tehran Iran s strengthened ties with Saudi Arabia after a Beijing-brokered rapprochement, and the growing potency of regional militant groups aligned against US allies Washington, it seems, is no longer comfortable sitting idle while the chessboard reorders itself The urgency to re-engage with Iran is not rooted in goodwill it is a geopolitical necessity And Iran, for its part, is no longer the player it was a decade ago Its economy may be beleaguered, but it has diversified its alliances Post-JCPOA, it has matured diplomatically expanded its axis of influence across Lebanon Syria Iraq and Yemen and earned strategic capital with Russia and China both of whom back Tehran against what they perceive as Western hegemony The Iran-Saudi détente surprising and significant was brokered not in Washington, but in Beijing, underscoring a changing diplomatic reality If the USA fails to reclaim ground it risks irrelevance in a region it once policed with unchecked dominance Its military doctrine now closely coordinated with Russia in Syria and Lebanon, has grown emboldened With Hezbollah and the Houthis becoming key pressure points against Israel and Saudi Arabia respectively Iran is no longer merely wielding threats it s demonstrating calibrated deterrence The irony is sharp: the more Iran is sanctioned the more resourceful and regionally entrenched it becomes In this simmering theatre, the stakes are
far from symbolic The unresolved crisis in Palestine and Israel s aggressive campaign against Gaza have not only reignited old wounds but are forcing global actors to pick moral, political, and strategic sides Iran’s open backing of Hamas and Hezbollah and the moral vacuum in US policy regarding Israel s indiscriminate bombardment raise unavoidable questions How can Washington hope to engage Iran in meaningful dialogue without addressing the glaring contradictions in its Middle East policy?
Furthermore these diplomatic manœuvres ripple far beyond the Persian Gulf Pakistan Iran s neighbour finds itself increasingly entangled in the collateral of this tension The brutal killing of nine Pakistani labourers in Iran s Sistan-Baluchestan province earlier this year sent shockwaves across both nations Contrary to initial assumptions, the victims were not from Balochistan but hailed from Punjab ordinary men seeking livelihoods caught in the web of cross-border militancy and local insurgency These incidents are not mere footnotes; they are evidence of the precarious environment that festers in the absence of robust and inclusive diplomacy For Islamabad peace in Iran is not an abstract ideal it is a border imperative The talks then must not merely focus on centrifuges and sanctions They must confront the raw realities of the region displacements, occupations, proxy wars, and mass graves Any accord that overlooks the regional fabric is doomed to unravel, thread by thread Experts such as Trita Parsi founder of the Quincy Institute argue that unless U S diplomacy prioritizes regional balance over strategic domination no deal however tightly worded will hold His warning resounds: You can t bomb your way to peace, nor can you sanction a country into submission without fueling resentment that burns through generations
Moreover the evolving dynamics under the Trump 2 0 administration indicate a shift towards a more transactional foreign policy, emphasizing deal-making over long-term regional strategy This approach, while potentially yielding short-term agreements may lack the depth required to address the intricate web of regional alliances and conflicts The administration s reliance on non-traditional foreign policy voices individuals with backgrounds in business, defence, and intelligence rather than career diplomacy adds another
layer of complexity to the negotiations This composition could challenge traditional diplomatic engagements and influence the negotiation process in unforeseen ways Furthermore, Iran s nuclear issue is no longer viewed in isolation Its connections to broader security concerns such as the supply of drones and missiles to Russia and its capacity to impose costs on adversaries through its axis of resistance network underscore the multifaceted nature of the challenge Addressing these interconnected issues requires a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond the nuclear dossier
Indeed recent patterns suggest a delicate recalibration of Washington’s posture toward Tehran not through lofty diplomacy but through layered security-led conversations Reports indicate renewed backchannel communications involving intelligence intermediaries rather than conventional diplomats This shift underlines an implicit acknowledgement that traditional diplomatic routes have lost their efficacy amidst deepening mistrust
Meanwhile Tehran appears to be recalibrating its tone not necessarily by abandoning its core strategic aims, but by signaling openness to guarantees of stability in return for verifiable US restraint Such signs include a visible de-escalation in titfor-tat attacks via its allied militias and a quieting of rhetoric in official channels even as its influence grows across the Levant
Yet the shadow of past betrayals looms large A future agreement will likely require not only policy adjustments but legislative mechanisms within the USA to prevent abrupt exits by succeeding administrations a challenge in a polarized political landscape Similarly Tehran will demand recognition of its regional role not as a rogue actor but as a legitimate stakeholder with enduring security interests
Crucially, the evolving diplomatic climate highlights the necessity for multilateral cooperation Gulf states especially Oman and Qatar have played an underappreciated role in facilitating discreet dialogue Their involvement signifies that sustainable peace in the Middle East cannot be brokered by Washington alone; it must be rooted in regional ownership and inclusivity
In this context the success of the talks hinges on a holistic approach that considers the broader geopolitical landscape the diverse actors involved and the underlying causes of tension Only by acknowledging and addressing these complexities can a sustainable and meaningful resolution be achieved
How a Muslim housing plan in Texas became the target of right-wing hysteria
problems to be managed or eliminated From the surveillance of mosques and Guantanamo to Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programmes and drone warfare
Muslims have been cast as both threat and test subject
Paxton followed suit, launching a formal investigation into Epic City and demanding records from its developers and local officials
Though framed as a routine legal step the inquiry targeted supposed violations of state law - despite no evidence of illegality or any attempt to establish a parallel legal system That did not stop Texas officials from invoking national security language to criminalise what is, in essence, a housing development Shortly after Abbott escalated matters further instructing the developers to confirm within seven days that they are immediately ceasing any construction of their illegal project It was a baseless demand that added
After years of pressure the project was eventually abandoned, the property closed for demolition, and a luxury condominium was said to have been built on the site instead What distinguishes the current backlash is how much more deeply it has been institutionalised - no longer limited to political rhetoric and media outrage but carried out through formal government investigations and threats
At the same time this pattern of manufactured outrage reflects a broader strategy of cynical scapegoating aimed at winning elections, one that is not confined to the US In the UK, similar right-wing attacks on Muslim communities erupted during the 2024 general election, when figures including Nigel Farage and other far-right commentators stoked public outrage over unfounded claims that British Muslims were trying to create no-go zones or build separatist enclaves As in Texas, these conspiracies drew on long-standing Islamophobic tropes to cast Muslim civic participation as inherently threatening - and were used to rally electoral support by painting Muslims as an internal threat
It also sits atop a long history of US policy media narratives and imperial ventures that have conditioned the public to see Muslims - both at home and abroad - as
The hysteria now unfolding in Texas is just the latest chapter in that story - one more iteration of a post-9/11 machinery that never stopped running A CRUEL IRONY: This broader context of anti-Muslim fear-mongering takes on a particularly cruel dimension in the case of Epic City The developers have emphasised that the community would serve, in part, as a refuge for Afghan families seeking peace and stability after fleeing war
But the war in question was not simply an unfortunate reality - it was engineered and sustained by the very US government now portraying their presence as a potential threat The same government that destabilised their homelands now questions their presence in suburban Texas The cognitive dissonance would be laughable if it were not so dangerous
And that danger is not theoretical The climate of incitement that fuels this outrage has already resulted in hate-fuelled violence From vandalism of mosques to the October 2023 murder of six-year-old Wadea al-Fayoume in Illinois and the December 2024 Magdeburg Christmas market attack in Germany Islamophobic rhetoric routinely spills over into real-world harm Hate has consequences
When state officials signal that Muslim projects are suspect - when governors imply that building homes might be part of a foreign conspiracy - they legitimise and embolden the most hateful elements in society But this time something different is also happening: resist-
The Taliban have allegedly sold or smuggled approximately 500 000 American-made weapons to various terrorist groups since assuming control of Afghanistan in 2021, according to a BBC report citing United Nations sources These weapons left behind during the hasty withdrawal of US forces are now believed to be in the hands of groups including al-Qaeda affiliates The report notes that the Taliban themselves admitted being unable to account for nearly half of the US-supplied arsenal, a claim based on UN findings
vices were left behind comparable in size to a Marine Corps arsenal Former US President Donald Trump had earlier estimated that equipment worth $85 billion was abandoned during the withdrawal
Dr Maria Hussain and a large number of faculty members and students
In Kandahar, journalists reported that American weapons were openly sold in markets for a year after the Taliban’s return though such trades have now moved underground The UN claims some Taliban commanders were allowed to keep up to 20% of the leftover weaponry fueling black-market circulation
While Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat denied all accusations, calling them baseless propaganda,” the U S Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has stated that about 250 000 firearms and 18 000 night vision de-
The widespread dispersal of these weapons poses a growing threat to regional and international security Pakistani security agencies have already confirmed that US-origin weapons were recovered from multiple terror incidents, including the BLA attack on a naval base in Turbat, an assault on the Gwadar Port Authority, and raids in North Waziristan Bajaur Zhob and Mir Ali US-made M4 carbines M16 rifles grenade launchers and night vision gear were among the items seized Officials linked these arms to caches left in Afghanistan post-2021
Earlier this week, a Washington Post investigation also confirmed increased use of such weapons by groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) including in the Jaffar Express bombing in March Serial numbers on recovered rifles traced back to American stockpiles
Pakistan s Foreign Ministry has called the flow of these arms into militant hands a serious threat to national security, urging global stakeholders to take immediate notice
GAZA ag e n C i e s
Fatima Hassouna a 27-year-old Palestinian artist and photojournalist whose life and work were set to be showcased at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival was killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza, along with nine members of her family
Hassouna had gained international recognition for her poignant photography capturing the human toll of the ongoing conflict in Gaza A graduate of the University College of Applied Sciences in Gaza she was widely admired not only for her artistic eye but for her courageous documentation of life under siege
Just hours before her death, she posted a photograph of a sunset from her balcony, writing: “This is the first sunset in a long time ” In an earlier post, she expressed a haunting premonition: “As for the inevitable death if
I die I want a loud death a death that is heard by the world, a trace that lasts forever, and immortal images that neither time nor place can bury Hassouna is the central subject of “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk ” a documentary by French-Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi The film which explores life in Gaza through video conversations between Farsi and Hassouna was selected for the ACID section at Cannes just a day before her death Farsi described Hassouna as a light and so talented,” recalling how the young journalist had reacted to the news of the film’s selection “She said, ‘I’ll come, but I have to go back to Gaza I don’t want to leave Gaza Farsi said According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) at least 157 journalists and media workers have
CORPORATE CORNER
FBL concludes SBP’s financial literacy week 2025
decision to declare the Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) number as each citizen’s Medical Record (MR) number has been hailed as a historic milestone by the health fraternity medical associations and research organizations most notably the Health Research Advisory Board (HealthRAB) Terming it a transformative step toward data-driven health governance in Pakistan, renowned diabetologist and Chairman of HealthRAB, Prof Abdul Basit, lauded Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal and Chairman NADRA Lt Gen Muhammad Munir Afsar for what he called a visionary and gamechanging move for the country s healthcare system By using the CNIC as a universal MR number, Pakistan is finally making the leap toward integrated, patient-centric care,” he said “This step will not only help in identifying undiagnosed patients especially those suffering from silent diseases like diabetes and hypertension but will also enable evidencebased policymaking for public health Prof Basit emphasized the value of such integration for medical research and disease surveillance “The use of CNIC as a universal MR number will greatly support the development and maintenance of national disease registries he added KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T
Pakistan’s number one ride-hailing platform inDrive has officially announced Naseem Shah one of Pakistan s most admired and dynamic cricketers as its brand ambassador This collaboration unites inDrive s ongoing campaign - Rides Aise, Jese Aap Chahein with a national hero whose story reflects ambition, grit, and the spirit of everyday Pakistanis inDrive is redefining the ridehailing experience with its one-of-akind Offer Your Fare feature allowing users to suggest a ride fare themselves and connect with drivers who accept the terms bringing transparency negotiation and freedom into the process inDrive’s unique business model gives users the freedom to ride on their own terms by allowing them to negotiate their fare and
Four terrorists were killed during a joint intelligence-based operation (IBO) by security forces and law enforcement personnel in Swat district on Friday, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)
The operation was launched based on reported presence of militants in the area referred to as khwarij by the ISPR a term used by the military to describe terrorists “During the conduct of the operation own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location resultantly four khwarij were sent to hell the ISPR stated Security personnel also recovered weapons and ammunition
from the deceased militants who were said to be “actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area
A sanitisation operation is currently underway to ensure no remaining threat persists in the vicinity The ISPR reiterated the commitment of Pakistan’s security forces in coordination with law enforcement agencies to eradicate terrorism from the country
The incident comes amid a rise in militant violence across Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the collapse of a ceasefire between the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the federal government in November 2022
Just a day earlier, another operation in Dera Ismail Khan s
Maddi area saw four more terrorists killed However the firefight also claimed the life of 23-year-old Sepoy Basit Siddique who was martyred in the line of duty
March 2025 witnessed a dramatic surge in terrorist activity, with militant attacks exceeding 100 for the first time since November 2014 according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS)
In KP alone, 206 people lost their lives in March, including 49 security personnel, 34 civilians, and 123 militants An additional 115 individuals were injured the report noted
Security forces continue to conduct aggressive counterterrorism operations in response to the escalating threat
and possible organisational links said senior police officer Faisal Kamran Some of the arrested individuals appear to be politically affiliated ” The religious party Tehreek-eLabbaik Pakistan (TLP) which has previously called for boycotts of Western brands over Gaza was quick to distance itself from the attacks Spokesperson Rehan Mohsin Khan said the party supported peaceful protest but denied authorising any violence If someone used our name to justify such actions they did so without our backing ” he said
The incidents are part of a broader pattern of unrest triggered by outrage over Israel s military campaign in Gaza, which has spurred boycott calls against Western companies perceived to be sympathetic to Israel While many of these protests began peacefully some have spiraled into targeted violence against businesses
