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Pakistan amends law to extend powerful army chief’s service tenure

Under the new law, General Munir, who took office in November 2022 with a timeline to retire in 2025, will serve until 2027 irrespective of a retirement age of 64 for a general

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Pakistan on Monday passed an amendment to a law that will extend the terms of the heads of the armed forces to five years from three, in a rowdy parliamentary session opposed by jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, Reuters reported.

Extending the term of commanders including Army Chief General Asim Munir would deal another blow to the embattled Khan and his party, which blames the military for his downfall.

The measure from the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who leads a coalition of parties opposed to Khan that took power after an election in February, could be aimed at shoring up support from powerful military figures.

The bill to amend the Pakistan Army Act of 1952 was moved by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif. House Speaker Ayaz Sadiq announced in a live telecast of the proceedings that the bill had passed.

Geo TV reported that it took 16 minutes for the senate to pass the amendment into law, which Khan’s party lawmaker Omar Ayub termed as bulldozing the legislation by the ruling alliance without any debate in either house.

“It is neither good for the country nor for the armed forces,” Ayub said.

Khan’s party’s lawmakers opposed the bill during the sessions and some tore apart copies of it.

Under the new law, General Munir, who took office in November 2022 with a timeline to retire in 2025, will serve until 2027 irrespective of a retirement age of 64 for a general.

The former prime minister, who has been in jail since August last year, has been at odds with generals he blames for his 2022 ousting, after he fell out with then-army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.

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Tiny Persian Gulf oil hub at centre of high-stakes military calculations

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A small but strategically critical island in the Persian Gulf has emerged as a potential flashpoint in escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, with analysts warning that any attempt to seize it could have far-reaching economic and military consequences.

Kharg Island, which accounts for the vast majority of Iran’s oil exports, has reportedly been discussed within US policy circles as a possible target. The island, located about 26 km Iran’s coast near the Strait of Hormuz, plays a central role in the country’s energy trade and government revenue, Reuters reported.

According to reports, US President Donald Trump has deployed thousands of US troops to the Middle East, while leaving open the possibility of a ground operation. In recent remarks, he suggested that control of Iran’s oil infrastructure could form part of Washington’s strategy, even as diplomatic efforts are publicly emphasised.

Military analysts say that while US forces could potentially capture the island quickly, holding it would be significantly more difficult and could prolong the conflict.

Former US Central Command chief Joseph Votel noted that although a relatively small force might secure the island initially, sustaining operations would require extensive logistical support and expose troops to considerable risk.

Iran has reportedly reinforced defences on Kharg Island, deploying additional air defence systems and laying mines in surrounding waters. Officials in Tehran have also issued strong warnings, with senior figures threatening severe retaliation if US ground forces attempt to land.

Iran’s Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said recently Iran was prepared for such a scenario, accusing the US of signalling negotiations publicly while preparing for military escalation behind the scenes.

Regional allies have also expressed concern, cautioning that any ground invasion could trigger wider retaliation across the Gulf, potentially targeting energy infrastructure and civilian sites.

Despite speculation, the White House has maintained that no decision has been taken to deploy ground troops, stressing that all options remain under consideration.

Experts say however that seizing Kharg Island could effectively cut off Iran’s primary source of income, dealing a severe blow to its economy. However, they warn that such a move could also destabilise global energy markets and escalate the conflict further.

The situation is compounded by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping traffic has slowed significantly amid rising tensions. Analysts caution that prolonged disruption could have serious implications for global supply chains and oil prices.

While some policymakers view control of the island as a potential bargaining chip in future negotiations, others argue it could entrench a prolonged standoff, with Iran retaining control over production while the US controls export routes.

Energy and foreign policy experts warn that any attempt to seize the island would likely send shockwaves through global markets and risk drawing the region into a broader and more sustained conflict.

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Pakistan hosts regional powers for Iran talks, with focus on Hormuz proposals

Dar said all sides had expressed confidence in Pakistan’s ​role, adding that China “fully supports” the initiative.

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Pakistan hosted talks with Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia on Sunday as part of its efforts to broker ‌an end to the Iran war, with initial discussions focused on proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, sources familiar with the matter said.

At the end of the first day of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said foreign ministers from the regional powers had discussed “possible ways ​to bring an early and permanent end to the war in the region,” and had been briefed on potential U.S.-Iran ​talks in Islamabad, Reuters reported.

The talks were held as Iran warned the U.S. against launching a ground attack and global ⁠oil prices surged amid continued fighting between Iran, the U.S. and Israel.

The countries meeting in Pakistan have floated proposals to Washington ​tied to maritime traffic in the Gulf, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as part of wider efforts to stabilise shipping ​flows.

The Strait of Hormuz was previously a conduit for about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, but Iran has effectively halted shipping flows through it in response to the U.S. and Israeli air strikes that began a month ago.

Dar said all sides had expressed confidence in Pakistan’s ​role, adding that China “fully supports” the initiative.

Pakistan, which like Turkey borders Iran, has leveraged its close ties to ​both Tehran and Washington to emerge as a key diplomatic channel in the conflict, while Ankara and Cairo have also played a role.

A source from ‌Pakistan ⁠said proposals, including from Egypt, had been forwarded to the White House before Sunday’s meeting and that they included Suez Canal-style fee structures.

Two other Pakistani sources said Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia could form a consortium to manage oil flows through the waterway, and had asked Pakistan to participate. The first Pakistani source said Islamabad had not been formally asked to join and maintains that it will ​not, read the report.

The proposal for a management consortium ​had been discussed with the ⁠U.S. and Iran, the sources said. The first Pakistani source said the country’s army chief Asim Munir had been in regular contact with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

Egypt’s and Pakistan’s foreign ministries did ​not respond to a request for comment on the reported proposals. The Saudi government media office ​and the White ⁠House did not immediately reply to a comment request.

A Turkish diplomatic source said Ankara’s priority was securing a ceasefire.

“Ensuring the safe passage of ships could serve as an important confidence-building measure in this regard,” the source said, requesting anonymity.

Earlier on Sunday, Dar held separate one-on-one meetings with ⁠his Turkish ​and Egyptian counterparts, his office said.

He said in a post on X that ​Iran had agreed to allow 20 more Pakistani-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

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Pakistan to host talks with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt amid Iran war diplomacy

Turkish Foreign Minister ⁠Hakan Fidan said the meeting would seek to establish a mechanism aimed at ​de-escalation.

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Pakistan ​will host Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt for talks from Sunday ‌on the Iran war as Islamabad positions itself as a potential venue for U.S.-Iran negotiations on the month-old conflict, Reuters reported.

The four countries’ foreign ministers will hold “in-depth discussions on a range of issues, ​including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region” during the two-day talks, ​Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

Turkish Foreign Minister ⁠Hakan Fidan said the meeting would seek to establish a mechanism aimed at ​de-escalation.

“We would discuss where the negotiations in this war are heading and how ​these four countries assess the situation and what can be done,” he told broadcaster A Haber late on Friday.

The four nations have been involved in trying to mediate between Washington and ​Tehran in the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, ​and all are acutely vulnerable to threats to energy supplies and trade routes.

Pakistan has conveyed to ‌Tehran ⁠a U.S. proposal for ending the war and offered to host talks, with Iranian officials indicating any negotiations could take place in Pakistan or Turkey.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said talks with Iran were going “very well,” but Tehran denies talking with ​Washington.

Iran has been reviewing ​the 15-point U.S. ⁠proposal, although one official has dismissed it as “one-sided and unfair”. Its demands range from dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme to curbing ​its missile development and effectively handing over control of the ​Strait of ⁠Hormuz, according to sources and reports.

Turkey’s Fidan told an Istanbul conference on Saturday that the world’s new “polycentric system” requires a solution to guarding vital energy and trade routes. ⁠He ​said Turkey’s high-level dialogue aims to swiftly chart ​out “actionable steps” to end the war before there is further destruction to the region and global economy.

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