Author: Uzma Ehtasham

By Uzma Ehtasham The deaths of two miners and the loss of consciousness of four others after toxic gas filled a coal mine in Dukki are a grim reminder of the price paid by workers in Balochistan’s mining industry. For those who descend into the pits each day, the danger is not an abstract possibility. It is part of their working lives, and for their families the fear of an accident never entirely disappears. A job that should provide a livelihood can, within minutes, become a cause of mourning.Coal mining accidents have become a painfully familiar feature of life in…

By Uzma Ehtasham US President Donald Trump’s endorsement of the Mecca joint defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey may look like a welcome sign of regional cooperation. He has described the pact as a courageous step towards a more united Middle East, one better able to protect itself and respond to threats. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed the remarks, saying Pakistan valued the American support and would continue working with Saudi Arabia and Turkey to strengthen regional security. His emphasis on peace was well placed. No military arrangement can ultimately provide security if it is not accompanied…

By Uzma Ehtasham The latest release of water from India’s Salal dam has once again exposed Pakistan’s vulnerability to events beyond its borders, but it has also highlighted a more uncomfortable truth: the country remains dangerously unprepared for threats that return with depressing regularity. India has reportedly opened the gates of the Salal dam for the 12th time, releasing a flood surge of about 150,000 cusecs. The increased flow is expected to place heavy pressure on Head Marala, Chanaki, Qadirabad and Hariyani along the Chenab. Authorities in areas bordering the river have been placed on alert, while a high-level flood…

By Uzma Ehtasham Political disagreement is not a problem for democracy. It is one of its essential features. Parties are expected to challenge one another, question decisions, expose failures and offer competing visions of government. But there is a line between political rivalry and personal hostility, and Pakistan’s political class has crossed that line too often. The recent remarks by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Nawaz Sharif, urging politicians not to turn differences into enmity, therefore deserve more than passing attention. Speaking to the PML-N parliamentary party in Azad Kashmir, Nawaz Sharif said political opposition should not be transformed into personal…

By Uzma Ehtasham The world is passing through a dangerous period in which a crisis in one region can quickly become a problem for the entire international community. The confrontation between the United States and Iran is a clear example. Its consequences extend far beyond the two countries, threatening the fragile peace of the Middle East while creating uncertainty for energy markets, global trade and international diplomacy. In such circumstances, the instinct to escalate must give way to the harder but more necessary work of negotiation. Pakistan has consistently argued for that course. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad…

By Uzma Ehtasham The inauguration of the Victory Memorial in Islamabad was presented as a celebration of national pride, military sacrifice and the resolve to defend Pakistan. But the significance of the ceremony went beyond its pageantry. In their speeches, both the president and the prime minister sought to define the issues on which the state says it will not compromise, placing water, Kashmir and Palestine at the center of Pakistan’s strategic outlook. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir attended the ceremony alongside senior civilian and military officials, diplomats and contingents from…

By Uzma Ehtasham The inauguration of the Victory Monument in Islamabad was designed as a moment of national remembrance. It brought together Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership to honour those who, in the official narrative, sacrificed their lives and served the country during what the authorities describe as the Battle of Truth. Yet the significance of such a monument should not end with the celebration of a military victory. Its deeper value will depend on what Pakistan chooses to remember, and what it chooses to build, in the years that follow. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif…

By Uzma Ehtasham The confrontation between the United States and Iran has reached a point where neither side can easily claim that continued conflict serves its interests. The military and economic costs are mounting, the wider Middle East remains exposed to further instability and the international community is increasingly concerned about the consequences of another prolonged crisis. Yet ending a war is often harder than starting one. Governments can order military action within hours, but rebuilding trust, negotiating compromises and persuading domestic constituencies to accept them can take months or years. The greatest danger now is that the conflict develops…

By Uzma Ehtasham The confrontation between the United States and Iran shows little sign of ending. Both sides have already paid a heavy price in lives, resources and economic disruption, while the wider world has watched the conflict with growing alarm. There are now compelling reasons for Washington and Tehran to recognize that the fighting must end. Yet the most difficult obstacle to peace is often not the absence of a diplomatic route, but the presence of interests that have learned to thrive on confrontation. The Middle East has too often been trapped in precisely this cycle. Every escalation creates…

Thar coalfields emerge as Pakistan’s energy cornerstone, transforming Sindh’s resources into a powerful symbol of development, investment and national progress By Uzma Hashmi KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said Thar had undergone a remarkable transformation, moving from a drought-affected and neglected region into Pakistan’s largest energy and mining hub. He said the development of the area had demonstrated the power of investment, modern technology and responsible resource management. Addressing the country’s first-ever Mining Technical Conference 2026 at a local hotel, the chief minister highlighted the importance of innovation and sustainable practices in expanding Pakistan’s mining sector. He…