In global politics, military action often seems a grim necessity; yet, this logic rarely accounts for the true costs. Operation Rising Lion, the latest Middle East escalation between Israel and Iran, pushes the region toward an unthinkable precipice. Reports indicate over 70 dead, including civilians, from unprecedented strikes on Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities in Natanz and Tabriz, and key military sites. These costs fall on civilians, destabilising our energy markets, complicating diplomacy, and threatening borders. For Pakistan, this is an unfolding catastrophe in our backyard.
\nThe idea that security comes from endless preemption is a dangerous fantasy. Aggressive actions slam doors on dialogue. Provocations highlight an unwillingness to imagine stability without coercion. This militarism, fueled by unquestioning support, emboldens unilateralism and erodes sovereignty. Experts warn that an out-of-control war could mean hundreds of thousands of casualties, shattering economies, sending global oil prices soaring (gravely harming Pakistan\u2019s energy security) and triggering unprecedented refugee crises. Regional players are already aligning; Jordan has closed its airspace as Hezbollah mobilises. Anyone claiming that this war can be contained is living in a dangerous fantasy. From the looks it, there are very real and very high risks of current events pulling in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, the Gulf, and potentially Pakistan. Our millions of workers in the Gulf and critical energy ties to Iran are vulnerable. Escalation risks turning our neutrality into tragic collateral damage.
\nMuslim capitals\u2019 responses are fragmented, but Pakistan stands firm. Parliament condemned Israeli strikes as \u201cillegal and unjustified\u201d; the Foreign Office reaffirmed Tehran\u2019s right to self-defence, calling aggression a \u201cblatant violation of sovereignty.\u201d
\nHowever, words aren\u2019t enough. The need for a collective Muslim diplomacy could not be felt more urgently. The OIC must activate as a de-escalating force. Pakistan must leverage its unique position, with ties to Tehran and Riyadh, to reignite dialogue for a regional security framework, including Iran. The Middle East desperately needs diplomacy, not missiles.
\nPakistan\u2019s national interest lies squarely in a sovereign, stable, and secure Middle East. We must resist imported scripts that pit Muslims against each other or present military aggression as peacekeeping. Let others talk of red lines because Pakistan will (hopefully) keep talking of restraint. Let us be the consistent voice in a theatre deafened by war drums, saying: No more. No more masked killings. No more crises engineered for foreign interests.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In global politics, military action often seems a grim necessity; yet, this logic rarely accounts for the true costs. Operation Rising Lion, the latest Middle East escalation between Israel and Iran, pushes the region toward an unthinkable precipice. Reports indicate over 70 dead, including civilians, from unprecedented strikes on Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities in Natanz and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-484219","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-editorial"},"yoast_head":"\n