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LARIJANI’S FATE UNCLEAR AS US, ISRAEL, IRAN EXCHANGE STRIKES AMID TRUMP VOW TO REOPEN STRAIT OF HORMUZ Wednesday, 18 March, 2026 | 28 Ramazan, 1447
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MISSILE AND DRONE ATTACKS CONTINUE ACROSS GULF AND BEYOND, HITTING ISRAEL, IRAN, IRAQ, AND UAE
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 253 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
PRESIDENT TRUMP VOWS STRAIT OF HORMUZ WILL REOPEN ‘VERY SOON,’ CRITICIZING NATO FOR REFUSING TO ASSIST US OPERATIONS
US NATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER DIRECTOR g ISRAELI STRIKES REPORTEDLY KILL BASIJ COMMANDER RESIGNS, CALLING IRAN ‘NO IMMINENT THREAT’ SOLEIMANI AS LARIJANI’S FATE UNCLEAR DRONE ACTIVITY REPORTED IN BAGHDAD’S GREEN ZONE; BLASTS NEAR US EMBASSY
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IRAN CONFIRMS NO DAMAGE AT BUSHEHR NUCLEAR PLANT AFTER ‘ENEMY PROJECTILE’ ATTACK
Govt cancels Pakistan Day parade
PM pledges economic stability, public relief amid global uncertainties
ISLAMABAD
staff report
M
TEHRAN/WASHINGTON/TEL AVIV staff report / agencies
ISSILE and drone strikes continue to rock the Gulf region and beyond as the war between the US, Israel, and Iran intensifies. The escalation simmering amid the resignation of the US National Counterterrorism Center director over the conflict and Israeli claims of killing Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani, with President Donald Trump warning it won’t be “too long” before ships can move freely through the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump told reporters, “We’re
knocking the hell out of the coast. It won’t be too long.” He also expressed frustration with NATO, saying, “They don’t want to help us, which is amazing, amazing,” adding that Washington “doesn’t need any help” and calling NATO’s stance “a very foolish mistake.” Drone activity has been reported in Baghdad’s Green Zone, and blasts were heard near the US embassy in the Iraqi capital. The director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, resigned over the war on Iran, arguing that the country posed “no imminent threat.”
The government on Tuesday announced that the Pakistan Day parade and related ceremonial events scheduled for March 23 will not be held this year due to the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and austerity measures. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office Pakistan (PMO), the decision was taken in light of the economic strain caused by the global oil crisis triggered by the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Pakistan Day, observed annually on March 23, commemorates the adoption of the Lahore Resolution in 1940, when the AllIndia Muslim League demanded a separate homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent. The PMO said the day would still be marked with dignity through simple flag-hoisting ceremonies at appropriate levels. “The day shall, however, be commemorated with dignity and reverence through a simple flaghoisting ceremony,” the statement said. It added that the move was aimed at aligning national observances with the broader austerity framework while maintaining the spirit of the occasion.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday reaffirmed that economic stability and providing relief to the public remain the government’s top priorities. He emphasized that all measures are being taken to offer immediate support while safeguarding long-term economic resilience. Addressing the current global tensions, the prime minister stated that Pakistan is prepared to face any economic challenges that may arise. Chairing a review meeting on austerity measures, public relief, and management of petroleum reserves, the prime minister directed petroleum distribution companies to sell products at government-set prices while maintaining full transparency, according to a press release from the PM Office Media Wing. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Aurangzeb, Economic Affairs Minister, Petroleum Minister, Information and Minister.
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UAV crashes into Rawalpindi house amid ongoing security tensions RAWALPINDI
staff report
ISLAMABAD
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed into a house in the Chaklala area early Tuesday morning, according to security sources. Officials said no casualties were reported in the incident, though the house sustained partial damage. The development comes days after the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that several “rudimentary” drones launched by the Afghan Taliban were intercepted in different parts of the country. According to the ISPR, four people were injured last week due to debris from intercepted drones, including two children in Quetta and one civilian each in Kohat and Rawalpindi. The drones were neutralised using both “soft and hard kill” measures and failed to reach their intended targets, the military said. The incidents are taking place amid heightened tensions under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, launched on February 26 following cross-border hostilities attributed to Afghan Taliban forces. Earlier, a military spokesperson had said that Afghan forces attempted to target areas including Swabi and Abbottabad using basic drones, but these were successfully downed by Pakistan’s anti-drone systems.
staff report
Dar stresses dialogue, diplomacy as only viable path to regional peace in meeting with Iranian envoy ISLAMABAD
staff report
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.
– orders urgent coordination to protect Pakistanis ISLAMABAD
staff report
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday directed authorities to “maintain close coordination” to “facilitate and support” Pakistani nationals in the Middle East as the regional crisis continues to intensify, according to an official statement. He issued the directive while chairing a high-level meeting to review the evolving situation in the region, with a particular “focus on the safety and well-being of Pakistani citizens abroad,” said a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on its X account. The statement said the deputy prime minister “took stock of ongoing efforts” by Pakistan’s missions overseas and their coordination with relevant departments.
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Pakistan rejects Afghan Taliban claim of Kabul hospital strike, calls it 'falsehood' ISLAMABAD
staff report
Pakistan on Tuesday strongly rejected allegations by the Afghan Taliban that its armed forces had struck a hospital in Kabul, asserting that the actual target was the military facility known as Camp Phoenix, located several kilometres away. The clarification came amid ongoing operations under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, launched on February 26 following what Islamabad described as unprovoked cross-border firing by Afghan Taliban forces. Officials said Pakistani strikes overnight targeted military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar. In a fact-check statement, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Pakistan said that the alleged target, Omid Hospital, was “multiple kilometres away” from Camp Phoenix — described as a military site used for storing ammunition and equipment. The ministry shared satellite imagery to support its position, noting clear structural differences between the hospital and the targeted facility. It also questioned why a supposed drug rehabilitation centre would be located alongside a military ammunition depot. Authorities further alleged that the Afghan Taliban had deleted a social media post claiming a hospital strike after multiple factchecks exposed inconsistencies.