ISLAMABAD, MAR 28: A heated on-air exchange between Senator Mushahid Hussain and a former Israeli national security adviser brought into focus the sharp divide over the ongoing Iran war, as Mushahid insisted that the conflict was part of a broader “Greater Israel” agenda and argued that Iran had emerged in a position of strength despite continued fighting.

The clash occurred during a televised debate on Al Arabia English, where participants discussed competing claims by the United States and Iran over a proposed peace deal, as well as the broader strategic balance in the conflict. The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, creating regional and global challenges, particularly disruptions to oil supplies.

Former Israeli national security adviser and former Maj Gen Yakov Amidror defended Israel’s military campaign, arguing that operations were proceeding according to plan and significantly degrading Iran’s capabilities. He rejected claims that Israel was running low on defensive resources and insisted that the country could sustain military operations for weeks.

He also claimed that the situation inside Israel remained normal and said fewer interceptors had been used than initially expected. When challenged by Mushahid Hussain over the effectiveness of the Iron Dome, which has often been portrayed as nearly unbeatable, Amidror said the system was performing very well and claimed it had intercepted 90% of incoming attacks.

However, during the same exchange, he went on to acknowledge that the majority of interceptions had in fact been carried out not by the Iron Dome, but by Arrow-3.

In contrast, Senator Mushahid maintained that Iran had demonstrated resilience and strategic leverage, particularly through its control over the Strait of Hormuz. He said both Washington and Tel Aviv had miscalculated, and claimed that the conflict was part of a wider attempt to politically reshape the Middle East in line with what he described as a “Greater Israel” vision.

Mushahid further said that Iran held the upper hand in the war and argued that neither US President Donald Trump nor Jsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could have imagined that Iran would still be standing firmly in the fourth week of the conflict with full force.

He also maintained that Iran had managed to keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut with considerable success, calling it a major strategic achievement that had exposed the weakness of the Israeli-American plan.

According to Mushahid, the US-Israeli strategy had “badly failed”, and he claimed that Trump was now compelled to seek peace after the conflict had not unfolded as Washington and Tel Aviv had expected.

The debate also featured US analyst Brandon Weichert, who warned that the conflict risked turning into a prolonged war of attrition, with mounting economic and political costs for the United States. He suggested that neither side appeared ready for meaningful negotiations, raising concerns of further escalation.

The exchange highlighted broader disagreements over whether Iran or the US-led alliance currently holds the upper hand, with conflicting narratives on military effectiveness, economic strain, and political resolve continuing to shape perceptions of the war.

ISLAMABAD, MAR 28 /DNA/ – In a significant diplomatic development, the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt are set to arrive in Islamabad on a three-day official visit beginning March 29, 2026. The dignitaries are visiting at the invitation of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

According to an official statement, Saudi Foreign Minister H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Turkish Foreign Minister H.E. Hakan Fidan, and Egyptian Foreign Minister H.E. Dr. Badr Abdelatty will engage in in-depth discussions with their Pakistani counterpart during the visit, which will conclude on March 30.

The talks are expected to focus on a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, with particular emphasis on efforts to de-escalate rising tensions in the region. In addition to the trilateral meetings with Foreign Minister Dar, the visiting dignitaries are scheduled to call on the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

The Foreign Office emphasized that Pakistan highly values its relations with the brotherly nations of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt. The visit, it added, will serve as a vital opportunity to further strengthen cooperation and coordination across multiple sectors of mutual interest.

Observers note that the simultaneous arrival of top diplomats from three key Middle Eastern and regional powers underscores the growing diplomatic momentum to address pressing regional challenges and enhance strategic partnerships with Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD, MAR 28 /DNA/ – The Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad (IRS) convened an expert webinar featuring Dr. Feras Qawasmeh, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Joaan Bin Jassim Academy for Defence Studies in Qatar, on the theme “A United Front Against Illegal Settlement Expansion: The Role of The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.”

The discussion focused on the changing patterns of Israel’s expanding illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, and the value of the collective consensus among Pakistan and its OIC partners at the extraordinary open-ended ministerial session recently. Dr. Qawasmeh underlined the need for greater regional diplomacy to leverage grass-root campaigns – including those that involve Palestinian-led movements focused against settlement expansion.

The discussion underlined how Pakistan has continued to back the two-state solution, the sanctity of Palestinian liberties, and a clear stance against any illegal aggression or violence that threatens Palestinian statehood. Recognizing the value of the OIC to meaningful progress, Dr. Qawasmeh built on the significance of Muslim-majority states presenting a consensus against settlement expansion.

His talk put a premium on countries to navigate complex challenges that prevent sufficient international scrutiny towards the expanding settlement challenge, considering how rising arson attacks and impediments to life carry on.

His talk delivered a critical value addition on the role of key movements, such as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), in lending international scrutiny and awareness to the settlement issue.

These considerations were part of policy recommendations, including a set pipeline of Palestinian rights advocates and organized groupings that can derive traction with Pakistan and key Gulf partners within the OIC, to collectively advance their own consensus against any forced annexation with grass-roots advocacy.

Hannan Hussain, head of the West Asia Program at the Institute, added that the talk provided an in-depth assessment of the conditions on-ground in occupied West Bank, where rising tensions between recipient populations and those spearheading violence, deserves ample attention.

Core reference points included the lasting effects of the Oslo Accords which have led to a geographical shift in terms of the security controls and political liberties enjoyed by Palestinians at present, and how these elements of control continue to shift to their detriment amid settlement expansion.

These dynamics – largely understudied in official discourse on the occupied West Bank – closely align with Pakistan’s principled position on ending settler violence and growth in illegal settlements as international attention focuses on the tensions within the Middle East. Major proof points for Pakistan’s position include its latest alarm at the UN Security Council, where support for Palestinian liberties – and an end to Israel’s alarming growth in settlements – was amply reinforced.

The talk concluded with an interactive Q&A session, with in-depth assessments on the constraints and opportunities facing key regional players on improving Palestinian freedoms, and marking a break from a potential entrenchment of the occupation – all in line with international legal obligations and the trajectory of the OIC.

Prices of petrol and diesel should be Rs544 and Rs790 per litre respectively, but govt shouldering burden, says premier

Fiaz Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has rejected a summary to hike petrol and diesel prices once again despite a surge in global oil rates. He made the announcement during an address to the nation, saying that he had received a summary to increase the price of petrol by Rs56 per litre and that of HSD by Rs203 per litre.

“However, I have rejected this summary,” he said.

The premier began his address by speaking about the ongoing war in the Middle East, saying that the government was trying its best to cushion the effects of the skyrocketing prices of oil while also making efforts for the restoration of peace in the region through diplomacy.

“Pakistan is making sincere and full-fledged mediatory efforts on the diplomatic front for an end to this war, so that the region and brotherly Muslim countries no longer face the destructive and negative consequences of this war,” he said. The PM further said the purpose of these efforts was to pave the way for lasting peace through “collective wisdom and consultation”.

“Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts are not merely an international diplomatic responsibility, but they are also purely for the will of Gold and the benefit of ummah,” he said.