NSC huddle

With Israel’s reckless military strikes on Iran and the US’s brazen bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, the Middle East stands on the edge of a war that could consume the region and drag much of the world down with it. In this moment of crisis, Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) has rightly warned that Israeli aggression is driving the region towards catastrophe, and has called for de-escalation through diplomacy. The NSC meeting came a day after Pakistan unequivocally condemned the US strikes on Iran and expressed full support for Tehran’s right to self-defence, citing clear violations of international law. Perhaps the NSC statement too could have used the same words to condemn the US action. Regardless, Pakistan has shown clearly that it stands with Iran at this critical moment. The fact is that the world has witnessed the consequences of unchecked militarism, and no country should fall into the trap of strategic silence again. For now, Islamabad has rightly aligned itself with China and Russia in pushing for an unconditional ceasefire and supporting efforts at the UNSC. But as the situation escalates, these efforts must be amplified. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has already sounded the alarm, calling the US bombing of Iran’s IAEA-monitored nuclear sites “a perilous turn” and urging all parties to return to serious negotiations. Within Pakistan, former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has sounded a warning that captures the growing unease: “If we don’t speak out for Iranians, there will be no one left when they come for us". He is right. If Israel’s genocidal regime is allowed to continue its unchecked aggression, the war it is stoking could easily spiral into a global catastrophe.

Now, the US is openly floating the idea of regime change in Iran. Let no one be deluded into thinking that this is even remotely about democracy or disarmament. This is purely about installing a pro-Israel regime that will serve the interests of Tel Aviv and its allies. And a pro-Israel regime in Tehran is, by default, a pro-India regime – one that will work in tandem with Hindutva forces to destabilise Pakistan. We have seen this script before. We have borne the costs of foreign wars in Afghanistan. We know who funds Baloch separatist groups. We know that the Zionist-Hindutva nexus dreams of a ‘Greater Balochistan’ to carve out strategic access to our western borders and cripple our internal stability. Their endgame is clear: weaken Pakistan, neutralise its nuclear capability and erase it as a strategic power in the region. But this time, the consequences could be graver than ever before. With a significant Shia population and a long, shared border with Iran, Pakistan will be among the first to suffer the fallout of any further escalation. Instability in Iran will bleed into Pakistan. And if the regime change project succeeds, Pakistan could find itself caught in a pincer movement – surrounded by hostile governments to the east and west.

The Zionist-Hindutva alliance understands that Pakistan is the last major barrier in their path. But it also knows that Pakistan is not an easy target. Our military strength, resilience and strategic importance have all been proven time and again. That is precisely why the pressure is intensifying. Pakistan must now lead from the front – not just in solidarity with Iran, but also in defence of its own sovereignty and future. This is about defending the region from being handed over to apartheid regimes and fascist ideologies.