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A quiet but potentially consequential shift is under way in the strategic calculations of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. It has unfolded without fanfare, through months of discreet consultations rather than dramatic announcements. Yet the recent confirmation by Pakistan’s minister for defence production that a draft framework for trilateral defence cooperation exists, even if still under review, marks a point of transition. What was once an abstract idea has edged closer to policy. The process remains cautious and deliberately understated, but it reflects deeper forces reshaping how these three states view their security in an unsettled world. This emerging conversation…

By Uzma Ehtasham For the third time in a matter of months, the world has edged uncomfortably close to a confrontation between two of its most volatile capitals. Washington and Tehran, long locked in an antagonistic embrace, find themselves again at the center of global unease as reports circulate of a possible United States military strike on Iran. This is not a distant strategic abstraction, but a tangible escalation that has prompted European states to evacuate their citizens, airlines to reroute flights, and governments to withdraw diplomats. The suddenness of these movements, and the gravity that underpins them, speaks volumes…

By Alia Zarar Khan I came across an inappropriate video that recently went viral across Pakistan, shameless, morally objectionable eliciting a strong public reaction. The content not just compelled widespread discussion, not because it demanded reflection, but because it was turned into entertainment. As an active social media user, the reaction caught my eye, leading me to further look into the full context. What followed was not merely a controversy about a video, but a troubling reflection of how quickly public outrage in the digital age can mutate into casual amusement. The speed with which such content circulates, and the…

By Dr. Zawwar Hussain What follows may unsettle some readers. It may irritate others. Yet societies rarely reform themselves through comfort. History suggests that nations begin to awaken only when they develop the courage to confront unpleasant truths without denial. One such truth confronts us today with painful clarity: our education system is no longer designed to produce thinkers, scientists, writers, innovators or leaders. With quiet efficiency, it has become a factory for clerks. Not clerks merely as an occupation, but clerks as a mindset. Young people trained to obey rather than to think, to execute instructions rather than to…

By S.M. Inam Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif was right to acknowledge the importance of Pakistan’s overseas citizens after record remittances of $3.6bn flowed into the country in December, marking a striking 16.5% increase over previous months. For a cash-strapped economy under constant external pressure, such inflows matter enormously. They help stabilize foreign exchange reserves, ease balance-of-payments stress and, in many respects, keep the economy afloat when other sources of financing dry up. The gratitude expressed towards the diaspora was therefore justified, and long overdue. Yet celebration alone risks masking deeper structural weaknesses. Remittances may now exceed the funds Pakistan receives…

Donald Trump once again placed the world on edge by turning diplomacy into a threat and threats into theatre. In a single statement, the US president claimed Iran had reached out to negotiate a nuclear deal and that preparations for a meeting were under way, only to warn that military action could come first. He spoke of “powerful options” and red lines crossed, suggesting force was not only possible but imminent. The contradiction was not subtle. It was deliberate. The signal sent to Tehran, and to the wider world, was that dialogue existed only at the pleasure of American power…

By Uzma Ehtasham The growing international interest in Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder fighter jet marks a moment that deserves closer attention than it has so far received. At first glance, it may appear to be another routine development in the competitive world of defence sales, where countries constantly showcase platforms and court potential buyers. In reality, it points to something deeper: a gradual but meaningful shift in how Pakistan is perceived within an evolving regional and global security environment. For a country more often discussed in the context of instability or dependency, this emerging confidence in its defence capability signals a…