Karachi: An analysis conducted by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan has revealed that the US-Israel war on Iran was the most discussed topic in Pakistani print media during March 2026. Covering 2224 opinion columns and editorials across 12 national newspapers, the study found that this theme commanded 29% of the coverage, followed by Culture and Tourism and Social issues, each accounting for 15%.

According to the Monthly Newspaper Content Analysis Research Study conducted by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan under the supervision of Executive Director Bilal I. Gilani, the analysis aimed to empirically understand opinion leaders’ views on both national and international issues. This is the 71st edition of the series, which has been tracking thematic focus in Urdu and English print media since 2015.

The study highlighted a hierarchy in editorial attention, with Foreign Relations capturing 8%, the Economy 7%, and Politics receiving 6% of the coverage. Crime and Terrorism, Sports, Climate and Environment, and Middle East Crisis each received less than 4% attention, with other issues like Health, Education, and Security accounting for even smaller percentages.

The research also noted differences in thematic focus between English and Urdu newspapers. The US-Israel war on Iran was discussed more in English publications at 21%, compared to 9% in Urdu. The study also documented shifts in coverage from February to March, with the US-Israel conflict seeing a significant increase and topics like Politics and Social issues experiencing a decline.

Bilal Ijaz Gilani explained that the series aims to understand agenda-setting in mainstream media and how themes move between print and broadcast media, contributing to discussions on media quality and outreach in Pakistan. The study was released by the Gilani Foundation and carried out by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan, the Pakistani affiliate of Gallup International.