(By Khalid Masood) The high-stakes peace negotiations between the United States and Iran, hosted in Islamabad with considerable diplomatic fanfare, have concluded without agreement. Vice President JD Vance’s early departure from the Pakistani capital, coupled with President Trump’s subsequent threat to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, has transformed a fragile diplomatic opening into a…
(By Khalid Masood) The midnight deadline has passed. In situation rooms across Washington, Tehran, and allied capitals, military planners and diplomatic envoys are weighing the same question: has the window for de-escalation closed, or has it merely narrowed to a thread? For days, the Middle East has operated under the shadow of an April 7…
(By Khalid Masood) In early April 2026, millions of Pakistanis faced a sharp economic jolt: petrol prices surged to PKR 458.40 per litre (Now reduced to PKR 378), diesel crossed PKR 520, and households braced for immediate ripple effects across transport, food, and daily essentials. Official statements cited global crude volatility and exchange rate pressures—factors…
(By Quratulain Khalid) I. Introduction: The Gap Between Rhetoric and Reality In the glossy brochures of New Delhi’s propaganda machine, India is portrayed as an emerging superpower—a “Vishwaguru” (World Teacher) destined to lead the Global South. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government frequently touts a $4 trillion economy, digital supremacy, and military self-reliance. Yet, in mid-March…
(By Khalid Masood) The smoke rising over Asaluyeh on the Persian Gulf coast marks more than a tactical strike; it signals a qualitative shift in the 2026 Iran-Israel conflict. For the first time, the war has moved beyond military installations, nuclear facilities, and leadership targets to strike the very engine of Iran’s economy: its energy…
