DAWN Editorials 28th July 2026

Lull in fighting

AFTER two weeks of escalating violence, the US has halted its strikes on Iran, with Tehran also silencing it guns. But rather than any newfound belief in the benefits of peace, the Trump administration may have made the U-turn on account of the mounting practical costs of continuing the conflict.

Moreover, efforts by regional states, including Pakistan, may have also helped convince both sides to give diplomacy another chance. Whatever the motivations for the belligerents to refrain from hostilities, the cessation of conflict in the Gulf is a welcome development, and it is hoped that the dialogue process can be brought back on track and a more permanent peace established in the region.

America’s ambassador to the UN said that President Donald Trump wanted to give “talks some space”. While that may be so, there are also reports in the US media — denied by Mr Trump — that America was running low on munitions. Besides, some of America’s top generals have reportedly advised their bosses in the Pentagon and White House not to escalate matters with Iran. Mr Trump’s decision to halt hostilities may also have been impacted by the rising economic cost of the war.

Furthermore, hostilities in the Gulf have expanded to the Red Sea, with the pro-Iran Houthis enforcing a blockade of Saudi ships. If this conflict escalates, it could have a devastating impact on the global economy, as two major chokepoints for marine traffic — the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb — face indefinite closure.

While Mr Trump has done the right thing by stopping the attacks, he should realise that this war was a mistake from day one, and a negotiated settlement with Iran would have a better solution. Tehran must also show flexibility over the Hormuz issue and ensure that a long-term arrangement guarantees free passage for vessels through this critical waterway.

Yet, this respite from attacks does not necessarily signal the return of peace. Related conflicts in Lebanon and Yemen can lead to the resumption of fighting in the Gulf. Therefore, the mediators who are trying to revive the peace process as per the Islamabad MoU also need to convince the Houthis and the Saudis to revive their ceasefire. In Lebanon, Israel continues its brutal attacks.

In this regard, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that peace with the US will only be possible if there is peace in Lebanon. It should be remembered that the Lebanese ceasefire was an integral part of the MoU. Also, Ukraine’s targeting of an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea is a dangerous escalation. Kyiv’s Western supporters should advise it to stay out of what is already a very complicated theatre. It is hoped that the current lull can lead to a sustainable peace across the Middle East’s volatile front lines.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2026

Water policy

THE country is caught in a crisis where there too much water at the wrong time and too little when it is most needed. The response remains reactive — managing emergencies instead of building resilience against mounting water insecurity. A new report, Water, Climate and Diplomacy: Securing Pakistan’s Indus Basin Future, has rightly called for a national water security policy. The challenge, it says, extends beyond managing rivers and reservoirs. Climate change is altering the hydrological cycle itself. Erratic rainfall, accelerated glacier melt and prolonged droughts are making historical assumptions about water availability unreliable. Pakistan must now stop treating floods, droughts, water scarcity and climate change as separate policy problems. Instead, these should be seen as a single national security challenge.

The report argues that extreme rainfall, inadequate storage, ageing irrigation infrastructure, poor groundwater governance and weak flood preparedness are together increasing Pakistan’s vulnerability and exposing weaknesses in water management. The policy scope should be extended to include the urban dimension, which also needs urgent attention. Cities now routinely face inundation after rainfall because of unplanned expansion, encroachments on natural waterways, inadequate storm-water systems and the loss of open spaces. A national water policy must strengthen urban drainage, protect waterways, enforce land-use rules and promote climate-resilient infrastructure. Agriculture, too, presents a critical challenge, consuming most of the country’s freshwater. Water security ultimately depends on producing more food with less water. This requires a shift from wasteful irrigation towards precision and climate-smart agriculture, improved crop choices, modern irrigation technologies, better water pricing and stronger incentives for conservation. Groundwater is a particularly urgent issue. Unchecked extraction is turning the water crisis into a catastrophe, with aquifers in many areas being depleted faster than they can recharge while pollution further reduces usable supplies. That said, Pakistan’s water and economic security largely hinges on smooth implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty, which has been illegally suspended by India. The country needs sustained global engagement for reversion of this arbitrary action. A national water security policy must therefore integrate water management, agriculture, urban planning, climate resilience and water diplomacy into a single strategy. The cost of reactive policymaking will only rise as climate pressures intensify.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2026

Ending hepatitis

WORLD Hepatitis Day is being observed under the theme ‘Hepatitis: Let’s break it down’, a call to remove the difficulties in accessing prevention, testing and treatment. The message has great relevance for Pakistan, which bears one of the world’s highest hepatitis C burdens despite the disease being both preventable and, in most cases, curable. Millions remain infected while countless others risk exposure through unsafe injections, poorly sterilised medical equipment, inadequately screened blood transfusions and lax infection-control practices. These are all problems born of weak regulation and inconsistent enforcement. Public awareness is also inadequate; many seek medical help only after irreversible liver damage has occurred. Every World Hepatitis Day brings renewed pledges, yet awareness campaigns alone cannot halt transmission if unsafe practices continue unchecked across both public and private healthcare settings.

Pakistan has taken an encouraging step by launching a national hepatitis C elimination programme that aims to expand screening and treatment. But ambitious targets alone will not achieve the goal of eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Provincial health authorities must rigorously monitor clinics, laboratories and blood banks, while professional bodies should ensure compliance with infection-control standards. Vaccination against hepatitis B, particularly the timely birth dose, also deserves emphasis, alongside affordable access to diagnostics and medicines. Just as importantly, stigma surrounding hepatitis must be challenged so that testing becomes routine rather than something delayed out of fear or shame. Pakistan has demonstrated through campaigns against polio and other diseases that sustained political commitment can mobilise health systems on a national scale. Hepatitis demands the same determination. The day should therefore serve as an opportunity to replace fragmented efforts with sustained action. Only by breaking down barriers to prevention, diagnosis and care can the country hope to end the cycle of infection itself.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2026