UK cancels military training exercise in Kenya amid legal jurisdiction and funding dispute

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) over its recent political gathering in Lahore. She also extended birthday wishes to former president and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari. In a statement, Bukhari said Zardari should be thankful that he had been spared the embarrassment of another poorly attended gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan. Her remarks came after the PPP announced a Lahore gathering to mark Zardari’s birthday. Bukhari questioned the decision to organise the event in Lahore. She said holding a gathering with a large number of empty chairs would be disrespectful to Zardari. She also criticised those who advised the PPP leadership to hold the event in Lahore. She said the party should review the advice it receives from its provincial leadership. Bukhari claimed that the Governor House Punjab had a large number of empty chairs during the gathering held the previous night. She claimed around 2,000 chairs had been arranged for the event. However, she alleged that only around 150 people were present. The minister used the reported attendance to question the PPP’s political standing in Punjab. She said the party’s poor position in the province was partly linked to the information being provided to its leadership. According to Bukhari, some party leaders are giving senior leadership inaccurate reports about the party’s popularity and political strength. She said such reporting could prevent the PPP leadership from understanding the actual situation on the ground. Bukhari also criticised the PPP’s Punjab leadership for what she described as misplaced priorities. She alleged that the provincial leadership was more focused on the Punjab government than on strengthening the PPP itself. The minister said the party should focus on expanding its political presence and improving its organisational structure in Punjab. She argued that greater attention to party affairs could have prevented the PPP from reaching its current political position in the province. Bukhari’s comments reflect the continuing political rivalry between the ruling Punjab setup and opposition parties in the province. The PPP has traditionally maintained a political presence in Punjab. However, its influence in the province has faced challenges from major political parties. The latest exchange also highlights the importance of public gatherings for political parties. Large rallies are often used to demonstrate public support and organisational strength. Bukhari’s criticism focused heavily on the reported attendance at the Lahore event. She suggested that the number of participants did not match the scale of the arrangements. The PPP has yet to publicly respond to all of Bukhari’s allegations.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has welcomed the joint defence agreement signed between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, calling it a decisive moment in the history of the Muslim world. In a statement, Maryam said the agreement sent a strong message to the world from the holy city of Makkah that the Muslim world was united. She said the coming together of three major economic, military and political powers was a positive development for the entire Muslim Ummah. Maryam described the agreement as the beginning of a new chapter for the Islamic world. She said the pact would strengthen collective security and defence cooperation among the three countries. She praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for standing alongside the Saudi and Turkish leadership, saying their efforts had raised the nation’s pride. “The agreement will not only strengthen the security of our borders but also raise the head of the Muslim Ummah with pride,” she said. Maryam added that the Makkah defence agreement had reinforced the message of unity among Muslim countries. The agreement was signed in Makkah by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, the agreement stipulates that an attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all three. The pact aims to strengthen their joint defence capabilities against any aggression and expand defence cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi arrived in Karachi on Monday to preside over a two-day sitting of the Supreme Court’s Karachi Registry. Following his arrival, the Supreme Court issued the official cause list outlining the benches that will hear a wide range of civil and criminal cases during the proceedings. According to the cause list, Bench No. 1 will be headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and include Justice Musarrat Hilali. The bench will hear several important civil and criminal matters listed before the Karachi Registry over the next two days. Bench No. 2 will comprise Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail. The judges will hear cases assigned to them under the published schedule and dispose of pending matters brought before the court. Bench No. 3 will consist of Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Irfan Saadat Khan and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi. The three-member bench is also expected to hear a number of civil and constitutional cases during the two-day session. The Karachi Registry is scheduled to hear a variety of petitions and appeals filed by individuals, government departments and private parties. The hearings are part of the Supreme Court’s regular judicial work aimed at ensuring timely disposal of pending cases across the country. Lawyers and litigants are expected to appear before the respective benches according to the published cause list. The two-day sitting will provide an opportunity for the court to hear several pending matters and issue rulings in accordance with the law. The Supreme Court periodically holds sittings at its regional registries to improve access to justice and reduce the backlog of cases. The Karachi Registry remains one of the court’s busiest benches, handling a significant number of legal disputes from Sindh and surrounding areas. During the current session, the three benches will conduct hearings simultaneously to ensure efficient disposal of cases listed before the court.

HEIDELBERG: Pakistan’s Ambassador to Germany, Saqlain Syedah, has announced that the restoration of the Allama Iqbal Chair at Heidelberg University is in its final stages, describing it as a major step towards strengthening academic and cultural ties between Pakistan and Germany. She made the announcement while addressing a literary gathering and mushaira held at Iqbal-Ufer, located on the banks of the River Neckar in the historic German city of Heidelberg. The event brought together members of the Pakistani community, writers, poets, academics and representatives of local organisations. The ceremony was chaired by renowned poet and community leader Syed Iqbal Haider, while Pakistan’s ambassador attended as the chief guest. Among the distinguished participants were Heidelberg City Council member Waseem Butt and German professor Hans Herder, whose speech in Urdu received warm appreciation from the audience. Speaking at the event, Waseem Butt announced that Allama Iqbal’s 150th birth anniversary in 2027 would be celebrated in Heidelberg with special ceremonies and cultural events. In her address, Ambassador Saqlain Syedah highlighted the importance of literary gatherings in promoting the Urdu language and preserving Pakistan’s cultural heritage abroad. She also spoke about the deep historical and intellectual connection between Allama Muhammad Iqbal and the city of Heidelberg, where the philosopher-poet spent part of his academic life. The ambassador praised Syed Iqbal Haider for organising the literary event and thanked all participants for keeping Urdu literature and Pakistani cultural traditions alive in Germany. Syed Iqbal Haider also reflected on Allama Iqbal’s close association with Heidelberg and the River Neckar. He said Iqbal’s message of selfhood, human dignity and intellectual awakening continues to serve as a bridge between Eastern and Western thought. During the ceremony, the ambassador shared the encouraging news that practical steps to restore the Allama Iqbal Chair at Heidelberg University had reached their final phase. She expressed hope that the initiative would further enhance educational cooperation and cultural exchanges between Pakistan and Germany.