Israel’s obligations remain in question

The war in the Middle East is not shrinking. It is spreading. The recent Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea are proof that a conflict once confined to Yemen’s borders is now reaching into international waters, threatening ships that carry oil and goods for the whole world. This is a dangerous moment, and it deserves plain, honest words rather than diplomatic silence. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was right to call these attacks a violation of international law. Commercial ships are not military targets. When tankers are attacked in the Red Sea, it is not just Saudi Arabia that suffers. Shipping costs rise, insurance costs rise, and ordinary families far from the region end up paying more for fuel and food. This is why the prime minister called it a threat to the global economy, not only a regional dispute. Pakistan’s response also reflects a long and real relationship. For decades, Islamabad and Riyadh have stood together, through shared faith, economic support, and security cooperation. Millions of Pakistani workers live and earn their livelihood in Saudi Arabia. When Saudi Arabia faces a security threat, it is natural that Pakistan feels it too, not as a distant headline, but as something close to home. The prime minister’s message of solidarity, delivered alongside Field Marshal Asim Munir, reflects this old and genuine bond, not a hollow diplomatic gesture. But solidarity with a friend does not mean closing our eyes to the wider picture. A war that keeps expanding helps no one, not Saudi Arabia, not Yemen, and not the region as a whole. Yemen has already endured years of war, hunger and displacement. Its people deserve peace, not another chapter of conflict. At the same time, attacks on tankers cannot be excused as a fair response to that suffering. Two wrongs will only deepen the crisis. This is why Pakistan’s call for restraint must be addressed to both sides. The Houthis must stop attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia and its partners must also avoid actions that push the conflict further, and instead pursue a political settlement in Yemen. The Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz are lifelines for global trade. Keeping them open and peaceful is not just in Saudi Arabia’s interest, or Pakistan’s interest, but in everyone’s interest. The world cannot afford another war zone at sea.

The Sindh cabinet’s decision to keep Dr Nighat Shah on as a professor at Jinnah Sindh Medical University, right after her retirement, and while the same post is already advertised, is a troubling example of a culture this country must abandon. Rehiring retired officials is not a reward. It is a curse. Every time a retired person is brought back through a special order, one door closes for someone else. Younger doctors, teachers, and officers who have spent years waiting patiently in line for promotion suddenly find that the position they worked toward has been given to someone who was supposed to have already left. This is deeply unfair. It sends a clear message to hardworking juniors that seniority, patience, and merit do not matter. What matters instead is influence. This problem is not limited to government departments. Private organisations often do the same thing. A senior executive retires, and instead of allowing a deserving junior to rise, the company brings the retired person back on contract. The result is always the same. Staff morale suffers. Younger employees lose motivation, because they see no real chance of advancement. Over time, these organisations lose their best talent to competitors who do offer growth. This is one of the quiet reasons many institutions eventually decline. We do not doubt that Dr Nighat Shah has had a distinguished career. Her contributions to gynaecology and obstetrics, and to medical education, are acknowledged. But outstanding achievement does not require staying in the same chair forever. A person of her experience can serve the nation in many other ways. She can mentor young doctors informally. She can join advisory boards. She can write, train, and guide the next generation without occupying a post that others are competing for through proper process. The PMDC policy allowing retired faculty to be retained until the age of sixty five is optional, not mandatory. Institutions are not required to use it. The Sindh cabinet should withdraw this order and let the ongoing selection process proceed fairly. Retired professionals deserve respect and gratitude for their service. What they do not need, and what the country cannot afford, is another door closed on the next generation.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has given a clear warning. Heavy monsoon rains, thunderstorms and strong winds will hit most of the country from July 24 to July 28. Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir are all on the forecast list. This is not a small warning. It is a signal that the country needs to prepare now, not after the flooding starts. The pattern is familiar. Every monsoon season, cities like Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Hyderabad and Sukkur face urban flooding when drains fail to handle the water. Every year, weak buildings, electric poles and trees fall in strong winds. Every year, people in the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir face landslides and flash floods on slippery roads. These are not surprises anymore. They are known risks, and known risks can be managed if the response starts early. This time, the warning has come with enough notice. Provincial governments and disaster authorities have reportedly been placed on alert, and rescue teams and drainage machinery are said to be on standby. This is a good start. But standby is not the same as action. Drains in major cities need to be cleared before the rain falls, not after water is already standing in the streets. Weak buildings and old electric poles in flood-prone areas need urgent inspection now. Ordinary citizens also have a role to play. Farmers should secure their crops and move livestock to safer ground. Families living near canals, rivers and low-lying areas should keep emergency supplies ready and know their nearest safe shelter. Tourists heading to Gilgit-Baltistan, Hunza, Skardu or Neelum Valley should check road conditions before travelling and avoid unnecessary risks during heavy rain. We cannot control the weather. But it can control how ready it is when the weather turns dangerous. The five days ahead will test how well lessons from past floods have actually been learned. 

Arshad Nadeem remains one of the finest athletes Pakistan has ever produced, and one disappointing outing in Glasgow cannot erase that fact. His early exit from the Commonwealth Games javelin event has understandably worried fans, but this is a moment for support, not despair. Every great athlete faces setbacks. What matters is how they respond. Former coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari has raised a valid point about fitness levels ahead of the Glasgow event. He noted that Nadeem did not appear to have the same intensity he showed during earlier training sessions under his guidance. Bukhari, who worked closely with Nadeem for eight years and helped him reach the Tokyo Olympics, believes physical preparation is the foundation of success in any sport. He also called for regular fitness testing before athletes compete internationally, a suggestion authorities should take seriously. It is worth remembering that Nadeem has already given Pakistan its proudest sporting moment. His gold medal throw of 92.97 metres at the Paris Olympics in 2024 remains a historic achievement that will be remembered for generations. A single poor performance in Glasgow does not undo that legacy. Sport, by nature, involves highs and lows, and no athlete performs at their peak every single time. Bukhari believes Nadeem does not need another extraordinary throw to prove himself. He has already shown the world what he is capable of. What he needs now is to refocus, correct small mistakes and rebuild his mindset. This is completely achievable for an athlete of his caliber. Questions raised about coordination between Nadeem, his current coach Salman Butt and the Athletics Federation of Pakistan deserve honest attention. Stronger cooperation between all parties can only help Nadeem perform better on the international stage. This is the time for Pakistan to stand behind Arshad Nadeem, not criticize him. Defeat is part of every sportsperson’s journey, and true champions are defined by how they bounce back. 

Rising oil prices are becoming a global emergency, and the blame lies squarely on the actions of the United States, Israel, and their Gulf allies for initiating this ugly war. Crude oil prices are rising fast, and ordinary people everywhere will pay the price. This week, global oil benchmarks jumped to their highest levels in nearly two months. Some cargoes are now trading close to one hundred ten dollars a barrel. Dated Brent, the price used for most of the world’s oil, touched one hundred five dollars and seventy cents on Thursday. This is not a small change. When oil becomes expensive, everything else becomes expensive too. Transport costs rise. Food prices rise. Electricity bills rise. Factories pay more to run machines. Poor countries suffer the most because they cannot absorb these shocks. Rich countries feel the pain too, but developing nations face hunger, inflation, and unemployment on a much larger scale. The real question people should ask is simple. Why is this happening now. The answer points directly at the ongoing confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Tensions between these sides have pushed the region toward war. Gulf partners aligned with Washington have allowed this dangerous situation to continue instead of pushing for peace. Their silence and their support for aggressive policies have made the crisis worse. The world cannot afford this. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important routes for oil shipments. Roughly one fifth of the world’s oil passes through this narrow waterway. Threats to this route create fear across markets, and fear pushes prices higher even before real disruption happens. Kazakhstan’s export terminal on the Black Sea was also hit by drone attacks, cutting the country’s oil output nearly in half. This shows how connected today’s conflicts have become. War in one region shakes markets everywhere. The solution is not complicated. The fighting must stop. The Strait of Hormuz must remain open and safe for all shipping. Iran has suffered heavy losses from sanctions and military pressure, and fair compensation should be part of any lasting settlement. World leaders often speak about protecting the global economy. Now is the time to prove it. The United States, Israel, and their Gulf partners hold real power to de-escalate this crisis. They must choose diplomacy over confrontation, before ordinary families across the world are forced to pay for a war they did not start.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has told all ministries to meet their deadlines under the privatisation programme. This push for speed and coordination is the right instinct. Pakistan cannot afford more delays in selling off loss making state enterprises. The government has listed 27 public sector organisations for privatisation in three phases. Officials briefed the prime minister on progress at Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi airports. They also updated him on the sale of IESCO, FESCO and GEPCO. Expressions of Interest have already been invited for all three power companies. FESCO submissions close on August 7. GEPCO closes on August 21. IESCO closes on September 7, 2026. International investors are showing interest and roadshows are continuing. This pace is encouraging but Pakistan has been here before. The privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines dragged on for years through failed bids, legal challenges and political hesitation. That delay cost the national exchequer billions in continued losses. It also damaged investor confidence in Pakistan’s ability to complete a sale once it starts one. The government must not let IESCO, FESCO and GEPCO suffer the same fate. Speed alone is not enough. Every step of this process must remain transparent. Bidding criteria, investor qualifications and final sale terms should be made public and open to scrutiny. Citizens deserve to know that state assets are being sold at fair value, not handed over through backroom deals. The prime minister was right to direct that ZTBL continue serving farmers after privatisation. Agriculture remains central to Pakistan’s economy and food security. Any new owner must be bound by clear conditions to protect farmer access to credit. The economy needs the discipline that privatisation brings. But the PIA experience proves that half measures and delays only deepen losses. The government must finish what it starts, openly and on schedule.