Author: Uzma Ehtasham

By Uzma Ehtasham In the grand conference halls where the future of nations is so often mapped out, the air is thick with promise. It was no different recently, as Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, stood before a gathering of regional transport ministers and articulated a vision of transformative ambition. He spoke of steel arteries – railways and freight corridors – stitching together the fractured geography of the region, from the bustling ports of the Arabian Sea to the landlocked heart of Central Asia and beyond. The Trans-Afghan Railway, the revitalized Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul corridor; these are not merely infrastructure projects. They…

By Uzma Ehtasham In a capital often weary of political pronouncements, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the Regional Transport Ministers’ Conference struck a note of ambitious, almost hopeful, regionalism. His speech, brimming with the lexicon of connectivity and shared destiny, presented the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor not merely as a piece of national infrastructure, but as an open artery for the entire region’s economic lifeblood. He extended a hand to neighboring nations, inviting them to partake in what has long been billed as a “game-changer,” painting a picture of a future where prosperity is a collective, not a solitary, pursuit.…

By Uzma Ehtasham There is a particular weight to words spoken in a place like Balochistan. The air, often thick with heat and history, carries declarations beyond their immediate sound, echoing into the rugged mountains and across the vast, resource-rich plains. When Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the nation’s chief of army staff, addressed the 17th National Workshop in the province, his message was twofold, a delicate yet firm balance between a promise and a warning. It was a statement that sought to define the very soul of the modern Pakistani state: a commitment to build and prosper from within,…

By Uzma Ehtasham In the air-conditioned halls of Doha, a conversation of profound consequence is tentatively beginning. The arrival of a high-level Pakistani delegation, led by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, to sit with representatives of the Afghan Taliban, mediated by Qatari intelligence, represents a fragile flicker of hope in a landscape too often defined by shadow and violence. The agreement for an immediate ceasefire, a product of these talks, is more than a diplomatic formality; it is a vital, if precarious, breath of air for communities along the Pakistan-Afghan frontier for whom the sound of gunfire has been a…

By Uzma Ehtasham An important meeting was convened in Islamabad the previous day, chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, to deliberate and decide on critical national security issues. The attendees included Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. However, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sahibzada Saeed Afridi, was notably absent from this crucial gathering. The meeting had been specifically called to formulate a plan of action to counter the incursions orchestrated by the Afghan Taliban and the Fitna al-Khawarij, which operate as Indian proxies,…

By Uzma Ehtasham Pakistan’s recent descent into violent unrest, orchestrated under the banner of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), has drawn sharp condemnation from federal ministers, who have stressed that while the nation stands unwaveringly in solidarity with Palestinians, it will not tolerate lawlessness. The protests, which erupted in several cities, have tragically claimed lives and injured scores of security personnel, highlighting a dangerous pattern of extremism cloaked in political and religious rhetoric. Speaking at a press conference alongside colleagues Mohsin Naqvi, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, and State Minister Talal Chaudhry, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar painted a stark contrast between peaceful demonstrations…

By Uzma Ehtasham Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent two-day state visit to Malaysia unfolded with all the trappings of ceremonial grandeur: red carpets, honor guards, and meticulously choreographed protocol. Onlookers, both domestic and international, might have been struck by the fanfare, the carefully staged handshakes, and the aura of political warmth that accompanied each photograph. But beneath the optics, the more pressing question remains: does the visit signify substantive diplomatic progress, or is it simply another pageant of flags and formalities? State visits, for all their pomp, are valuable only when they translate into tangible outcomes that improve the lives…

By Uzma Ehtasham KARACHI: On the International Day of Older Persons, the consul general of the United Arab Emirates in Karachi, H.E. Bakheet Ateeq Al Romaithi, paid a compassionate visit to Aaghosh Old Home, a charitable institution that for 25 years has provided shelter, dignity and care to elderly, destitute and differently-abled women. His visit lifted the spirits of residents and offered fresh hope for the expansion of Aaghosh’s humanitarian mission. During the visit, Al Romaithi met elderly women living at Aaghosh, presenting them with gifts and flowers, listening to their concerns and offering words of encouragement. His warmth and…