Author: KASWAR KLASRA

CIA chief John Ratcliffe secretly traveled to Moscow amid the escalating U.S.-Iran war and growing tensions with Russia. Washington warned Moscow against any attack or covert operation targeting NATO territory while urging Russia to reduce military and intelligence support for Iran. The secret mission reflects growing U.S. fears that Russia and China are helping Iran withstand American and Israeli military pressure. The Iran and Ukraine wars are increasingly interconnected, raising concerns that America’s military resources are becoming overstretched. NATO faces renewed security concerns as Russia could potentially exploit U.S. military commitments in the Middle East to test the alliance in…

Saudi Arabia Nuclear Deal enters a crucial phase as Trump submits the landmark accord to Congress while insisting Riyadh normalize relations with Israel. Deal could strengthen MBS’s position as a leading statesman of the Muslim world, backed by growing strategic ties with Pakistan and Türkiye. Landmark Deal may accelerate a new regional power balance, raising concerns in Iran while positioning Riyadh as an emerging strategic powerhouse in the Middle East. WASHINGTON/RIYADH — The Middle East is changing faster than the old maps of power can accommodate. For decades, the region’s strategic architecture revolved around a handful of familiar pillars: American…

Global oil supply crisis: Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb expose structural weaknesses in global energy security, shipping routes and oil supply chains. US-Iran tensions: Washington and Tehran remain divided as Pakistan pushes for renewed negotiations, keeping global oil markets under geopolitical pressure. Oil chokepoints and global economy: Malacca, Singapore, the Red Sea and other strategic routes face rising disruption risks, threatening growth in China, India, Japan, Europe and other major economies. The global oil market is discovering a difficult truth: the Strait of Hormuz was never the whole problem. It was merely where the problem became impossible to hide.…

Pakistan U.S. Iran Deal: Islamabad is using its unusual access to Washington and Tehran to create a diplomatic pathway before economic pressure makes negotiations impossible. Asim Munir’s Tehran mission comes as Washington launches a global campaign to isolate Iran economically and warns international companies and banks against dealing with Tehran. The U.S.-Iran confrontation could threaten oil markets, the Strait of Hormuz, China’s economic interests and regional peace if diplomacy fails. Pakistan is attempting perhaps its most consequential diplomatic maneuver of 2026: persuading Iran and the United States to return to negotiations at precisely the moment Washington is escalating economic warfare…

Layyah flood 2026: Severe Indus River erosion has destroyed homes, farmland and displaced hundreds of families, particularly in Basti Kanjal. Administrative response: Deputy Commissioner Asif Ali Dogar is leading efforts involving excavators, stone, workers and protective structures to slow the river’s advance. The challenge ahead: Despite the rapid response, thousands remain vulnerable, highlighting the need for stronger long-term river protection, rehabilitation and flood-management measures. LAYYAH, SOUTH PUNJAB — A young and relentless Deputy Commissioner of Layyah has locked horns with one of the oldest forces in this part of Pakistan: the Sindh River, the mighty Indus that has spent centuries…

Iran Economic Sanctions have pushed inflation to an all-time high of 87.9%, destroying domestic purchasing power across major cities. Stalled local refineries are leaving the nation without basic petrol and diesel as vital maintenance parts remain blocked. The sudden freeze on trade financing from the UAE has completely cut off Tehran’s primary offshore banking lifeline. On August 20, 2026, President Donald Trump threatened an “economic D-Day” against Iran. In the past, Iran had a dual policy regarding U.S. economic pressure, balancing controlled military retaliation with state-directed economic endurance. A new era and a confident Iran could mean a modified version…

Balochistan terrorism remains a major security challenge, but Pakistan’s armed forces continue sustained counterterrorism operations across the province. Field Marshal Asim Munir says foreign-sponsored proxies are attempting to destabilise Balochistan and create a wedge between the state and its people. Pakistan’s Army, political leadership and Balochistan’s people are presenting security, youth empowerment and economic development as pillars of the province’s future. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir looked composed, confident and determined in his commando uniform as he sat alongside Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, a well-educated and widely respected political leader of the province. The scene itself carried unusual political…

1. FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Pakistan’s moment is arriving—but so is the test The most consequential geopolitical development for Pakistan today may not be happening in Islamabad alone. It is unfolding across a widening arc stretching from the Gulf to Syria, Iran, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia. Pakistan is increasingly positioned at the intersection of competing strategic blocs. On one side is Washington, which is now threatening unprecedented economic pressure on Iran. On another are Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, with whom Pakistan signed the landmark Makkah Joint Defence Agreement earlier this month. Tehran remains an important neighbour and diplomatic interlocutor.…

Prince Harry return to UK comes as Britain faces major questions over its post-Brexit identity, domestic political instability and declining influence on the international stage. Harry’s military service in Afghanistan and his leadership of the Invictus Games could give him unusual credibility in veterans’ diplomacy, humanitarian affairs and international soft power. While there is no evidence of an official royal or government role, Harry’s return could eventually provide King Charles III with another potentially valuable instrument of Britain’s global influence. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are returning to Britain after six years in the United States, bringing their children, Prince…

Trump Kim Jong Un meeting is being quietly pursued by President Trump as he seeks to revive direct nuclear diplomacy with North Korea. Washington’s decision to reduce major U.S.-South Korea military exercises signals a significant shift in Trump’s strategy toward the Korean Peninsula. Kim Jong Un enters potential negotiations from a stronger position, with an expanded nuclear arsenal and deeper military ties with China and Russia. WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is quietly reopening one of the most consequential diplomatic channels of his first presidency, sending indirect messages to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that he wants to meet…