• DPM Dar says Pakistan acts cautiously in mediation role.
• PM, CDF remain engaged in diplomatic efforts: Dar.
• Prolonged conflict may impact oil, economy: DPM.
  

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday blamed Israel for seeking to derail Islamabad’s efforts to facilitate ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran by launching an attack on Tehran at a moment when both sides were preparing to engage.

“A major Israeli attack on Iran and the subsequent strike on Jubail in Saudi Arabia had made the situation more dangerous and sensitive,” he said while briefing the Senate on the current regional situation in the Middle East and Islamabad’s mediation efforts.

Pakistan emerged as a key mediator in one of the region’s worst conflicts, which erupted after joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.

The war has since resulted in a sharp increase in global fuel and energy costs, triggered by the effective blocking of the Strait of Hormuz by Tehran.

Speaking in the Upper House on the current Mideast situation, DPM Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister,  thanked Leader of the Opposition Senator Raja Nasir Abbas for acknowledging the government’s efforts and said Pakistan had remained actively engaged from the very outset of the crisis.

He said that when the first attack on Iran took place, he was in Madina after attending an OIC meeting and immediately contacted the Foreign Office, directing it to issue a strong condemnation of the Israeli attack on a sovereign country.

FM Dar said he also established immediate contact with the Iranian foreign minister and conveyed Pakistan’s support and sympathy, assuring him that Islamabad would make efforts to rally regional countries behind de-escalation.

He said Pakistan had since remained in continuous contact with countries in the region and beyond, including China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada and several European states, in an effort to promote restraint and prevent escalation.

The DPM said Pakistan had worked as a facilitator and mediator and had to proceed with caution so as not to undermine sensitive diplomatic efforts.

He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and the Foreign Office remained fully engaged in the diplomatic process.

DPM Dar said Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting of 12 countries on March 19 in Riyadh on the issue, where Pakistan represented its position and helped secure a balanced joint statement, including condemning Israel.

He said a four-country group comprising Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkiye and Pakistan had also been working for peace, and its follow-up meeting, initially planned for Istanbul, was later shifted to Islamabad.

FM Dar further informed the Senate that the foreign ministers of the three countries visited Pakistan on March 29, where bilateral meetings as well as a quadrilateral meeting were held as part of efforts to advance peace diplomacy.

He went on to say that Pakistan had also engaged China at a high level, and during his visit there on March 31, the two sides discussed a five-point peace initiative for the region, which was later made public.

Dar said the United Nations Secretary-General had also telephoned him to appreciate Pakistan’s role and offered support for its peace efforts.

He said Pakistan had tried until the last moment to create space for a pause and meaningful engagement between the parties, but regretted that fresh developments had again complicated the situation.

He cautioned that prolonged conflict in the region could have serious consequences for the wider world as well as Pakistan, including on oil prices and the economy.

The deputy prime minister expressed hope that diplomatic efforts would ultimately help restore peace in the region and lead to a dignified resolution of the conflict.

Stocks fell on Tuesday, April 7, as President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran is approaching.

Since the Strait of Hormuz has not opened yet, the stock market rattled as hopes of a ceasefire are fading.

Dow Jones Industrials fell by 256 points or 0.6%, while the S&P 500 declined by 0.5%. Nasdaq fell by 0.8%, performing relatively poorer than the two indices due to weak chip stocks.

According to The Wall Street Journal, negotiators don’t hold hope that an agreement will be made before the deadline since there’s still too much space between both parties, according to US officials. Despite this, Iranian news sources have suggested that the negotiations aren’t over yet.

Oil prices jumped due to the increased tensions. West Texas Intermediate crude futures climbed by 3%, trading at above $116 a barrel. At the same time, Brent crude climbed above $110 a barrel.

A standout performer was Broadcom, gaining 3% after entering into more agreements regarding artificial intelligence with Google and Anthropic. Arm Holdings, in turn, dropped by almost 6% after being downgraded by Morgan Stanley.

UBS cut its year-end S&P 500 target to 7,500 from 7,700, citing uncertainty from the U.S.-Iran war. 

Demi Lovato is excited for her first tour as a married woman.

The Grammy-nominated singer will embark on her It’s Not That Deep Tour next week — her first tour since tying the knot with fellow musician Jordan “Jutes” Lutes on May 25, 2025. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight on Monday, April 6, the Grammy-nominated singer explained why she believes this tour will be “easier” since Lutes will also be on the road at the same time.

“I’m so excited for him,” Lovato said of Lutes’ upcoming Far From Dilworth Tour.

“We both play a show on our [one] year anniversary,” she continued. “He’ll be in Europe, I’ll be here in the states. And the next day I’ll fly out to see him. I wish we were together, but it’s okay, we’ll be together the next day.”

Indeed, Lutes will be playing a show in Amsterdam while Lovato will be performing in Texas on their one-year anniversary.

The Camp Rock star noted that she and Lutes “do a really great job at balancing work and spending time together” by “staying busy” when the other is at work.

“I think it’ll be a lot easier since he’ll be on the road at the same time, we’ll both be busy,” she explained.

The Sonny With a Chance alum added, “He knows the life and he’s just so supportive, and I wanna be equally as supportive for him.”

Lutes will additionally embark on another newly announced tour, the Smile You’re on Tour, from August. He will be performing in Toronto on Lovato’s 34th birthday on August 20.

Lovato, 33, and Lutes, 34, sparked a romance while working together on her eighth studio album, Holy Fvck, in 2022. The couple went Instagram official shortly after.