Author: EchoAsiaNews

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…

The Israeli military said it detected missiles launched from Iran toward Israel a short time ago. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), air defense systems were immediately activated to intercept the incoming threat. The Home Front Command issued precautionary alerts to residents in affected areas, sending emergency instructions directly to mobile phones. Authorities urged the public to follow safety guidelines as interception operations continued.

According to the Geo News, Israel announced on Saturday that it has launched a pre-emptive military strike against Iran, significantly escalating tensions in the Middle East and marking a major development in the long-running conflict over Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. According to Israeli officials, Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the strike saying it was intended to “remove threats to the State of Israel.” Explosions were reported across Tehran and other Iranian cities, including Isfahan, Qom and Karaj, shortly after the operation began. The strike follows months of rising tension between Jerusalem and Tehran, including a previous 12-day air war…

Bitcoin fell sharply over the weekend, sliding toward the $65,000 level as risk-off sentiment gripped global markets and investors moved away from volatile assets. The largest cryptocurrency traded near $65,735 in Asian hours on Saturday, losing ground after a brief rally earlier in the week and erasing much of its recent gains. Major altcoins also weakened, with Solana, Ether, XRP and Dogecoin all posting declines of more than 4% to 6% amid broader market pressure. Analysts attributed the sell-off to deteriorating sentiment in U.S. equity markets, hotter-than-expected inflation data and lingering macroeconomic uncertainty that has reduced appetite for risk assets,…