Qamar Bashir The past twenty-four hours have altered the geopolitical landscape in ways few anticipated, yet many feared. After weeks of military buildup in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, the United States and Israel launched what officials described as a coordinated offensive targeting Iranian leadership and military infrastructure. The reported confirmation by Iranian state media of the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei marks a turning point not only for Iran but for the broader Middle East. Images from inside Iran reflect a nation divided and shaken. SmokeRead More

By Muhammad Mohsin Iqbal In the chronicles of antiquity, wrestling was not merely a contest of strength but a disciplined art, governed by rules that were honoured as sacred law. Its tournaments were conducted with splendour and ceremony; the arena was a place where courage met character. The defeated wrestler would concede with dignity, acknowledging the superior skill of his opponent, while the victor celebrated not with arrogance but in accordance with time-honoured tradition. It was a spectacle of rivalry, yet also of restraint. Honour defined its spirit, and theRead More

Dr. Muhammad Akram Zaheer The steady arrival of American warships, aircraft and missile defence systems in the Gulf has stirred familiar unease in Tehran. Yet this time, the anxiety is accompanied by a sharper, more layered reading of Washington’s intentions. Iranian officials and analysts no longer see the buildup as theatre or mere signalling. Nor do they expect a ground war. The prevailing assessment is that the United States is preparing the ground for a short, punishing military operation designed to degrade Iran’s missile capabilities, weaken its deterrence, and recalibrateRead More

Shamim Shahid The recent US-Israel military actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran have intensified tensions across the Islamic world, particularly impacting smaller regional states. While proponents argue potential justifications, the coordinated attacks by Washington and Tel Aviv are widely viewed as a clear act of aggression, raising fears of broader instability in South and Central Asia. Prior to these developments, Iran had already been placed in a complex regional situation, compounded by Pakistan’s involvement in Afghanistan. Senior Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir highlighted that a US-aligned Gulf country played aRead More