L ARIJANI’S FATE UNCLEAR AS US, ISRAEL , IRAN EXCHANGE STRIKES AMID TRUMP VOW TO
g MISSILE AND DRONE ATTACKS CONTINUE ACROSS GULF AND BEYOND, HITTING ISRAEL, IRAN, IRAQ, AND UAE
g US NATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER DIRECTOR RESIGNS, CALLING IRAN ‘NO IMMINENT THREAT’
g DRONE ACTIVITY REPORTED IN BAGHDAD ’S GREEN ZONE; BLA STS NEAR US EMBA SSY
REOPEN STRAIT OF HORMUZ
g ISRAELI STRIKES REPORTEDLY KILL BASIJ COMMANDER SOLEIMANI AS LARIJANI’S FATE UNCLEAR
g IRAN CONFIRMS NO DAMAGE AT BUSHEHR NUCLEAR PLANT AFTER ‘ENEMY PROJECTILE’ ATTACK
Govt c ancels Pakistan
Dar stresses dialogue, diplomac y as only viable path to regional peace in meeting with Iranian envoy
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday emphasised that dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable means of resolving disputes and securing lasting peace and stability in the region Dar made the remarks during a meeting with Iran's Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghaddam, according to the Foreign Office (FO)
In a post on X the FO stated that the Iranian ambassador expressed gratitude for the support shown by the Pakistani people during what he described as a challenging period The ambassador, according to the FO's statement expressed appreciation for the "strong moral support extended by the people of Pakistan during this challenging time Backdrop of Middle East conflict The meeting took place against the
backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 In retaliatory strikes Iran has targeted US assets and bases in Gulf countries Pakistan has consistently called for de-escalation and peaceful resolution of tensions in the region The meeting between Dar and the Iranian envoy reflects Islamabad s continued diplomatic engagement with Tehran amid the heightened hostilities in the Middle East Dar's emphasis on diplomacy and dialogue as the sole viable path to peace underscored Pakistan's broader foreign policy stance of advocating for restraint and conflict resolution through peaceful means rather than military escalation The expression of condolences by the deputy prime minister over the loss of lives in the conflict and his hope for an early resolution signalled Pakistan's concern over the humanitarian toll of the ongoing hostilities in the region
rates were reducing demand for both local and imported gas The levy is designed to push industries away from in-house gasbased power generation towards the national electricity grid by increasing the cost of self-generation Data shared with the IMF showed that Sui companies incurred losses of Rs104 billion in the first
plants, particularly those operating at low efficiency levels Officials noted that some plants claim higher efficiency levels but these have not been independently verified while previous efforts to enforce third-party audits were resisted The government had proposed linking exemptions to such audits, but the IMF observed that industries had sufficient time in the past to comply and did not do so
Separately the government requested a revision in the formula used to calculate the levy proposing a weighted average of peak and off-peak industrial tariffs instead of the current linkage to peak tariffs
The IMF said it would review the proposal but has not taken a final position The levy rate is determined by the gap between industrial electricity tariffs and
the cost of self-generation using gas, and the government remains bound to increase it under existing commitments
Officials said the rising levy could push energy costs for captive users significantly higher particularly for export-ori-
as
The
awaits a staff-level agreement under the IMF programme, with differences also emerging over tax collection targets and the government’s decision to partially subsidise petrol and diesel prices
parade
Middle East conflic t disrupts Pakistan aviation
Larijani ’s fate unclear as US, Israel, Iran exchange strikes amid Trump vow to reopen Strait of Hormuz
S: Israel’s Defence Minister Benny Gantz announced the killing of Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani while the Israeli army also claimed the killing of Basij force commander Gholamreza Soleimani Tehran has not confirmed Larijani’s status, while the IRGC has confirmed Soleimani’s death Israeli airstrikes also hit three neighbourhoods in Beirut and the Israeli army said it launched new attacks on Tehran
I R G C’S 59T H WAV E O F S T R I K E S: Iran s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported completing its 59th round of strikes beginning at dawn Tuesday Targets included Beit Shemesh Tel Aviv and occupied Jerusalem in Israel, as well as US forces at Kuwait s Ali al-Salem Air Base, the UAE s Fujairah, and Erbil in Iraq, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency The IRGC stated that these operations aim to ensure the backbone of arrogance will be broken in the streets and squares
I R A N’S R E S P O N S E A N D L A RI J A N I’S FAT E: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the killing of individual officials “won’t really shake the system stressing that Iran s governance is built on institutions rather than individuals Meanwhile, Israel s military confirmed that Ali Larijani was targeted, but his status remains unclear If killed he would be the most senior Iranian official killed since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who died on the first day of the war Larijani, a former nuclear nego-
tiator and close ally of Khamenei was seen in Tehran last Friday participating in Quds Day rallies The US previously offered a $10 million reward for information on senior Iranian military and intelligence officials, including Larijani
T Y H I T: Iran s Atomic Energy Organization reported that an enemy projectile hit near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran No human, technical, or financial damage was reported The agency condemned the attack warning it violated international norms on nuclear facility immunity and could have irreparable consequences for the region including Persian Gulf countries Bushehr, Iran s first nuclear power plant, began operations in 2011
President Trump said Washington is not yet ready to end military operations in Iran but expects to leave in pretty much the very near future ” Addressing NATO’s refusal to aid in securing the Strait of Hormuz Trump again called their stance a very foolish mistake despite asserting that the US doesn t need any help On France s refusal to join military operations, Trump remarked, “He’ll be out of office very soon, so let’s see,” referring to French President Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron says France will never take part in operations to un-
block the Strait of Hormuz and that Paris is carrying on with work to prepare a coalition that can provide freedom of navigation once hostilities end, AFP reports We are not party to the conflict and therefore France will never take part in operations to open or liberate the Strait of Hormuz in the current context Macron has said at the start of a cabinet meeting to discuss the conflicts in the Middle East However, we are convinced that once the situation becomes calmer we are ready, alongside other nations, to take responsibility for an escort system Trump assails allies for refusing to join Iran operations says US no longer needs Nato assistance US President Donald Trump has castigated Nato members and other allied nations for refusing to participate in military operations against Iran In a post on Truth Social Trump lamented that allies are not getting involved even though other nations strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a nuclear weapon” “I am not surprised by their action however because I always considered Nato where we spend hundreds of billions of dollars per year protecting these same countries, to be a one-way street we will protect them, but they will do nothing for us in particular in a time of need ” the US president has said Trump reiterated his claim that US forces decimated Iran s navy and air force and destroyed their anti-aircraft and radar, along with making sure that Iranian leaders “at virtually every level, are gone” no longer posing a threat to Middle Eastern allies or the world
COMMENT
China steps in
WH I L E the US and Israeli attacks on Iran continued the earlier clash in the region between Pakistan and Afghanistan went on China even though its friendly relations with Iran demanded that it play a role in that conflict has tried to mediate between the two especially since other potential mediators like Qatar Turkey and Saudi Arabia have their attention more closely focused on the US-Israel-Iran war China has a double interest in Afghanistan and Pakistan enjoying peaceful relations First, Pakistan and Afghanistan are both supposed to be allies, which China is seeking even as it confronts the USA on the global stage Second, it has significant interests in both countries, in Afghanistan in rare-earth metal ores, in Pakistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Apart from the shadow it casts, the USA-Israel-Iran war resembles the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict in that one reason for its continuing is that both sides are making demands that the other cannot meet The USA has demands on not just the Iranian nuclear programme but also its missile programme and its intervention in the Middle East Iran cannot conceivably make any concessions Similarly, Pakistan demands Afghanistan stop giving safe havens to the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan However, Afghanistan s Taliban regime feels it cannot do so, thus threatening a core interest of Pakistan, which is the safeguarding of its people and Constitution The present confrontation arose after an attempted infiltration by the TTP The problem for China is that it is all very well for China to ask both sides to engage in talks, but the Taliban s credibility is shot because there have been talks aplenty before and the Afghan regime has committed to ending the safe havens but it has carefully refrained from taking any of the actions ending them that Pakistan has demanded Just as the USA and Israel saw no way out but regime change Pakistan has now said it will no longer engage with the Taliban regime
However, Pakistan may find that it has to make yet another effort After all, China finds it worthwhile It should be realized that keeping Afghanistan unsafe for China to exploit its rare-earths is something that suits the USA However, Pakistan should also realize that, as the neighbour of both China and Afghanistan, it cannot benefit from disruption, and thus must be willing to walk the extra mile, provided of course that the Taliban are also ready to do so
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today
Iwas honored to have been asked by Rev Jesse Jackson’s family to speak at his memorial service in Chicago Because I had worked with Rev Jackson for almost a half century and because he had meant so much to me my family and my community, I laboUred over my remarks
My task wasn t made easier by the fact that my remarks were to be preceded by two former presidents (Biden and Obama) and followed by another (Clinton) While they and other speakers acknowledged Jackson s contributions to the political empowerment and economic advancement of African Americans I took a different tack attempting to understand what elevated him above other leaders of his generation
He was a unique character He was as comfortable walking the streets of Cairo, Kuwait, Jerusalem, or Hebron as he was in Chicago It was really quite stunning to see the reaction that he elicited from people wherever he went There was a power that he possessed And I ve thought a lot about that power and from whence it came
One initial observation was that Rev Jackson carried the weight of generations on his shoulders He felt the pain of his own personal history and that of his people When he walked down the street or when he spoke people could sense the pain that was there There was something in the tonal quality of his voice that said Listen to me because I understand I ve been where you are and I ve had the same hurts And people did listen because they knew he was speaking to them and for them There was also something important about his world view He was part of a generation that didn t see the USA as the only arena of
The
Jackson’s
Hnot be capital but a mere nuisance How competitive we are is the question We need to thoroughly see things in a wider perspective We need the population to be within the manageable limits We have to simultaneously work on multiple fronts In this context vulnerability plans should be made mandatory for all stakeholders to ensure preparedness
There is a need for a survey to do mapping of flood plains We must identify where water and runoff are generated when it comes to flood-
And this points to the final source of JacksonÊs power, and that is that he used it for others. If the source of your power is wealth or armies, and you use it for yourself, when you expend it, itÊs diminished. But if your power is used for others, you have the ability to make chang e . Your power grows because people know you are with them and for them and of them. That was who this man was and why he was unique .
plains There must be complete research into the areas where we have disturbed the floodplains We must resort to climate-smart agriculture or climate-appropriate agriculture Our farmer should know what kind of seeds he must sow and how to tackle the seasonal variation patterns Deforestation is the biggest element of the microclimate and we must realize the fact that cities and villages have a symbiotic relationship Replacing green cover with concrete cover is the biggest cause of localized heat Urban encroachment and industrial effluents also add to the overall temperature Finally investing in wetlands for restoring the ecological balance upgrading our public sector universities particularly enabling them to establish nanotechnology labs (which may be a long term strategic goal, apparently sounding ambitious, but it is achievable), equipping our labour force with modern technology and skills, introducing climate-smart agriculture, imposing regulations about deforestation and enforcing them are some of the measures drastically required for overcoming the problems we are facing in the present day As far as planning, implementation, and coordination are concerned, the institutional gaps must be highlighted Strictest accountability must be enforced and responsibility identified for ensuring that these measures are materialized into meaningful result-oriented outcomes Calling for transparency and exercising proper checks is all the more necessary in this respect
The writer is a freelance columnist
As far as planning, implementation, and coordination are concerned, the institutional gaps must be highlighted Strictest accountability must be enforced and responsibility identified for ensuring that these measures are materializ ed into meaningful, result-oriented outcomes Calling for transparency and exercising proper checks is all the more necessar y in this respect
Breast cancer awareness initiative
Villagers walk for water
Ghazala ambreen
resources of Greenland are enough to supply more than 25 percent of future global demand Furthermore polar ice melting and the resulting opening of new Arctic shipping lanes enhance their importance for the major power Due to transitional energy shifts from non-renewable to renewable energy, China’s shifting its focus toward Taiwan and Russia s war in Ukraine it extends beyond territorial control and reflects deeper competition over strategic resources Similarly the USA is increasingly focusing on Greenland to sustain its dominance amid the global shift towards technological and renewable energy China has extended its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) into the Arctic by launching the Polar Silk Road in 2018 aiming to reduce its dependence on traditional maritime chokepoints such as the Suez Canal Similarly, Europe and NATO have primarily relied on military measures to monitor and counter Russia’s activities Meanwhile, in Russian eyes the Arctic Sea is a major corridor for the northern sea route and is a buffer zone against the NATO forces To oppose the Chinese policy the president of the USA has repeatedly asserted that the USA needs Greenland for international and national security, framing the territory as essential to countering Russian and Chinese presence in the region rather than simply as an ice-covered island
Both Denmark and Greenland opposed this, saying that the territory will not be sold or annexed Still, the shift in US policy towards Arctic geostrategic competition reflects that it wants to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the region The ‘Donroe Doctrine has surprised the academic circles which wonder why Greenland holds strategic importance for the USA First it recalls the Monroe Doctrine of 1823 which emphasized that every state should refrain
tantalum and ytterbium The recent survey conducted by the US Geological Survey discovered that northeastern Greenland alone may contain deposits equivalent to approximately 31 billion barrels of oil in economic value Furthermore, Beneath Greenland’s ice sheet lie three major deposits of rare earth elements which are critical for producing batteries and electronic components used in clean energy technologies The
c r e a t e s o p p o r t u n i t i e s a n d c h a l l e n g e s fo r R u s s i a a n d C h i n a T h i s s h o w s t h a t t h e e r a
o f a n e w c o l d w a r w i l l n o t b e b a s e d o n c o nv e n t i o n a l w a
Hassan
UAE to strike Kharg Island home to Iran s main oil export terminal
Yet Sager said Saudi Arabia, Iran s main rival for regional influence, could be forced to retaliate if Iran crossed red lines notably with strikes on major oil facilities or desalination plants or causing heavy casualties: In that case Saudi Arabia would have no choice but to intervene
He said Riyadh would nevertheless try to calibrate any response to avoid further escalation Gulf's strategic dilemma
At heart the Arab Gulf states face a strategic dilemma said Fawaz Gerges of the London School of Economics: balancing the immediate threat of Iranian attacks against the
for which Iran denied responsibility - that halved Saudi output and rattled energy markets The effect of Iran’s attacks this month goes far beyond specific material damage not only disrupting oil flows but also damaging the apparent facade of stability and security that has underpinned Gulf countries' attempts to expand trade and tourism and rely less on fossil fuel exports "If the Americans pull out before the task is complete we’ll be left to confront Iran on our own Sager said Gulf fears of triggering a wider war In response to questions about those concerns, the White House said the US was "crushing (Iran's) ability to shoot these weapons or produce more", and
that Trump was in close contact with our partners in the Middle East Of the Gulf countries only the United Arab Emirates responded It said that it "does not seek to be drawn into conflicts or escalation" but affirmed its right to "take all necessary measures" to safeguard its sovereignty security and integrity and ensure residents safety Sources in the region said unilateral military action by any Gulf state remained off the table because only collective intervention would avoid exposing individual countries to retaliation Moreover consensus is still elusive The six members of the Gulf Coopera-
s new supreme leader has rejected de-escalation proposals conveyed to Tehran by intermediaries, demanding Israel and the United States first be "brought to their knees," a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had held his first foreign policy session since being named supreme leader and had taken a stance for revenge against the US and Israel that was very tough and serious the official said without clarifying whether the leader attended in person or remotely
The senior official, who asked not to be identified, said two intermediary countries had conveyed proposals to Iran's Foreign Ministry for "reducing tensions or ceasefire with the United States" The official did not give further details of the proposals or the intermediaries
The supreme leader had responded that it was not the right time for peace until the United States and Israel are brought to their knees, accept defeat, and pay compensation " The supreme leader has the final say in all matters of state in the Islamic Republic No new images have been released of him since his selection over a week ago by a clerical assembly to replace his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Some Iranian officials have said he was lightly injured in the strikes that killed his father US officials have suggested he suffered severe injuries The US-Israeli war on Iran is in its third week with at least 2,000 people dead and no end in sight
The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed off, with US allies rebuffing US President Donald Trump's request for help to reopen the critical waterway, raising energy prices and fears of inflation In his first public message since selected which was read out by a state TV broadcaster last week the new supreme leader said the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed as a tool of pressure on Iran s enemies
Three sources told Reuters on March 14 that Trump s administration had rebuffed
PUNJAB PUSHES AGRI OVERHAUL
past two years Maryam Nawaz has launched more than 100 projects setting what she termed a new benchmark in public service delivery “Today, no provincial government can match Punjab’s performance ” she asserted C
LAHORE
s ta f f r e p o r t
Punjab Police has continued robust intelligence-based search and combing operations across the province including Lahore in view of the prevailing situation on the western border and evolving regional developments
A spokesperson for the Punjab Police said that over the past two weeks a total of 9 784 operations were conducted across the province resulting in the arrest of 2 171 suspected and criminal individuals Among these, 650 intelligence-based operations were carried out, during which 12,711 individuals were questioned and 576 criminal suspects were taken into custody These operations led to the recovery of over 2 5 kilograms of explosive material 12 detonators 4 Kalashnikov rifles and 37 feet of safety fuse wire from miscreants and anti-state elements In parallel, 9,134 combing operations were conducted province-wide during which more than 309 000 individuals were checked and 1 595 criminals and suspects were apprehended The operations also resulted in the recovery of 5 Kalashnikov rifles, 23 rifles, 187 pistols, 9 other firearms, and a large quantity of ammunition from criminal elements
Punjab Inspector General of Police Abdul Kareem said intelligencebased and combing operations will continue without interruption to hold anti-state and criminal elements accountable He directed that door-todoor searches be intensified to counter terrorist and miscreant threats effectively The IG emphasized that all available resources are being deployed to maintain law and order and that the protection of life and property remains the top priority of Punjab Police Promotion Process in Punjab Police Continues Uninterrupted Meanwhile on the directives of
IG Punjab Abdul Kareem departmental promotions in Punjab Police are continuing seamlessly In the latest round 53 Senior Clerks have been promoted to the rank of Assistant A spokesperson said the Promotion Board convened at the Central Police Office under the chairmanship of DIG Establishment-II Shariq Kamal Siddiqui with AIG Admin Farooq Sultan Deputy Director Humair Ahmad and AD Admin Iftikhar Anwar in attendance Based on merit and adherence to rules, approval was granted to promote the 53 Senior Clerks with notifications issued by AIG Admin
RUSSIA OFFERS UNINTERRUPTED OIL SUPPLY TO PAKISTAN, CONDEMNS US-ISRAEL STRIKES ON IRAN
RG ovt pledges to end ‘all illegal channels’ for fund transfers
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making the entire mechanism for foreign remittances transparent and foolproof pledging to discourage all illegal channels used to transfer funds abroad at every level, reported by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP)
The ministers reiterated a strong resolve to take firm action against major money launderers emphasizing that the business of hawala/hundi would not be tolerated under any circumstances, according to a statement issued by the Finance Ministry The announcement came during a high-level special meeting chaired jointly by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb The meeting approved an aggressive nationwide crackdown targeting money
ties Officials also resolved that overseas remittances must be sent strictly through banking channels and other legally approved mechanisms while processes involving money changers will be streamlined to close loopholes and ensure full transparency The meeting also approved the formation of a joint working group (JWG) comprising
and civilians and