Author: EchoAsiaNews

The United States Embassy and its consulates in Karachi and Lahore on Monday cancelled all US visa and American Citizen Services appointments scheduled for March 2, citing ongoing protest activity and security concerns across the country. The missions advised US nationals to monitor local news and follow safety precautions as the situation evolves. In a security alert issued on March 1, the mission said it was tracking reports of demonstrations outside the US Consulate General in Lahore and violent protests at the US Consulate in Karachi, as well as calls for further demonstrations at the US Embassy in Islamabad and the US…

Russia’s manufacturing sector continued to contract in February, but the pace of decline eased for the second month in a row, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data released on Monday. The S&P Global PMI for Russian manufacturing rose slightly to 49.5 in February from 49.4 in January, remaining below the 50 mark that separates contraction from expansion but signalling a slower rate of downturn. The stabilization was supported by a modest improvement in new orders, which firms reported as steadier compared with previous months, although demand conditions across the sector remained subdued. Output continued to fall, extending…

Israeli forces launched air and military strikes across Lebanon on Monday after the Iran‑backed militant group Hezbollah fired rockets and drones into northern Israel in retaliation for the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in strikes by United States and Israel earlier in the weekend, marking a significant escalation of hostilities across the wider Middle East. The Israeli military said it had widened its operations to strike Hezbollah targets across Lebanon after projectiles fired from Lebanese territory triggered the latest round of combat. Explosions were reported in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, as Israeli strikes hit areas where…

At least 11 international flights have remained stranded at airports across Pakistan for the past three days as escalating conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt regional and global aviation networks. The crisis intensified after joint strikes by the United States and Israel targeted sites in Iran on Saturday. The attack reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, marking a dramatic escalation in regional tensions. US President Donald Trump vowed further action aimed at dismantling Tehran’s missile capabilities and preventing nuclear development. Tehran responded with a large-scale missile barrage directed toward Gulf states and…

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened sharply lower on Monday, March 2, 2026, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index plunging more than 15,000 points, roughly a 9 % drop, marking one of the steepest intraday declines in recent history. The index slid to 152,991.15 points, down from the previous close of 168,062.16 as investors engaged in heavy selling. The fall triggered automatic trading halts under PSX regulations, suspending activity for about 45 minutes to contain volatility before trading resumed later in the morning. Market participants and brokers attributed the sell-off to panic selling amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East,…

The federal government on Saturday announced an increase in petrol and diesel prices for the next fortnight, as notified by the Petroleum Division, in response to shifting global oil market conditions and regulatory review. Under the new price structure effective March 1, 2026, the price of petrol has been raised by Rs8 per litre, taking it to Rs266.17 per litre from the previous rate of Rs258.17. Similarly, high-speed diesel (HSD) has been increased by Rs5.16 per litre, bringing its price to Rs280.86 per litre. The Petroleum Division said the revised petroleum product prices were notified after recommendations by the Oil…

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has temporarily suspended flights to key Gulf destinations in response to the ongoing security crisis in the Middle East, the national carrier announced on Saturday. In a statement shared on its official social media account, PIA said it has halted services to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait and Doha, Qatar as the regional situation continues to evolve. The airline attributed the suspension to airspace closures and heightened risk across conflict-affected zones, urging customers to contact its call centre for updated flight information and rebooking options. Flights bound for Saudi Arabia will continue, but have…

Pakistan’s armed forces have eliminated at least 352 Afghan Taliban operatives and seized 26 enemy posts as retaliatory Operation Ghazab lil-Haq entered its third day on Saturday, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed. Providing an operational update, the minister said more than 535 Taliban fighters were injured, while 130 enemy posts were destroyed during precision strikes and coordinated ground offensives across multiple hostile positions. The large-scale military response was launched following repeated cross-border aggression and militant attacks originating from Afghan territory. Pakistani authorities have maintained that outlawed elements operating from across the border were responsible for escalating violence targeting security…

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared early on February 28, 2026, that it was launching what it called “the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, directed at Israeli territory and U.S. military bases in the region, according to official statements carried by Iranian state media and affiliated agencies. The announcement framed the operation as retaliation for a major U.S.–Israel military campaign against Iranian targets and was accompanied by reports of extensive missile and drone strikes toward Israel. This declaration came amid a dramatic escalation of hostilities that began when the United States…

A major military escalation unfolded today as the United States and Israel launched coordinated air and missile strikes against multiple targets inside Iran, including in the capital Tehran and other cities. The operation, described by U.S. officials as “major combat operations”, targeted Iranian military infrastructure and leadership sites; initial strikes reportedly occurred near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, although Iranian authorities say he was not in Tehran and was moved to a secure location. Explosions and smoke were widely observed in Tehran, prompting closures of airspace and emergency measures within Iran and across the region. Iran responded…