CONSTRUCTING SOLIDARITY AND RESISTANCE: A CDA OF PAKISTANI NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS ON THE IRAN–ISRAEL CONFLICT 2026

Abstract

This study aims to investigate how Pakistani newspaper editorials construct notions of solidarity and resistance in their coverage of Iran-Israel conflict 2026. The study is qualitative in nature and employed Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional model to examine selected editorials from four major English-language Pakistani newspapers, including Dawn, The Nation, The Express Tribune, and Daily Times, published during March and April 2026. The results show that the Pakistan's newspaper editorials portray Iran-Israel conflict 2026 in the light of humanitarian and political crisis characterized by civilian suffering, environmental destruction, and diplomatic failure. The analysis shows that the language is systematically used through such items as evaluative words, metaphors, modality, and pronouns to create the ideological meanings and to shape public perception. The editorials consistently disrupt prevailing international narratives by depicting the US–Israel alliance as a hegemonic power while regional actors as seeking for peace, dialogue, and regional cooperation. Moreover, the discourse constructs solidarity through a common regional identity and sense of resistance through critiques of war, imperialism, and global power imbalance. Overall, the findings demonstrate how Pakistani media actively participates in building alternative geopolitical narratives and fostering a global South perspective on conflict, justice, and international relations