Cambodia Flies Over 250 Drones Across Thai Border, Violating Ceasefire

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the recently signed trilateral agreement is aimed at promoting peace, development and prosperity in the region and has no aggressive objectives. Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister said efforts to formalise the arrangement had been underway for several years. He said the framework was officially formalised last year to pave the way for a formal agreement. Shehbaz said the latest development was another step in the ongoing dialogue and cooperation, culminating in the signing of a trilateral agreement on Friday. He stressed that the agreement was entirely defensive in nature and was not directed towards aggression against any country. According to the prime minister, the pact is intended to strengthen peace, stability and progress in the region. He described the agreement as a significant development not only for the three participating countries but also for the wider Muslim world. Shehbaz congratulated Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their efforts towards finalising the agreement. He said the agreement was not the result of a recent initiative. Work on the arrangement had continued for several years before it was finally concluded on Friday. The prime minister expressed appreciation for the officials and leaders who contributed to the process and said the agreement represented an important step towards greater regional cooperation. He reiterated that the objective was to strengthen collective security while supporting peace, stability, development and prosperity across the region.

The Punjab government is expected to consider a request for Rs12.5 billion to finance the upcoming local government elections in the province. According to official sources, the Punjab Local Government Department has formally sought the funds from the provincial government to meet the financial requirements for conducting the elections. The requested amount is intended to cover the expenses associated with organising the electoral process, including administrative arrangements, polling operations, election staff, logistics and other necessary preparations. Sources said the proposal for the release of funds will be presented before the Punjab Cabinet for approval. The cabinet will review the request and decide whether to allocate the required amount for the elections. An important meeting of the Punjab Cabinet has been convened for today. The meeting is expected to discuss several major policy and administrative matters, with the funding proposal for local government elections among the key agenda items. If the cabinet approves the request, the release of funds will pave the way for the Election Commission and the provincial authorities to begin practical preparations for the long-awaited local government elections. The financial allocation is considered a key step toward ensuring that the electoral process is conducted smoothly and that all logistical and administrative requirements are met on time. Officials believe that timely approval of the funds will help avoid delays in election preparations and support the successful organisation of local government polls across Punjab.

LAHORE: Ten additional judges of the Lahore High Court took oath on Tuesday after President Asif Ali Zardari approved their appointments, bringing an end to a weeks-long delay over their induction. Chief Justice Aalia Neelum administered the oath to the newly appointed judges during a ceremony at the Lahore High Court. The judges who took oath were Ghulam Sarwar Nihung, Muhammad Ajmal Khan Zahid, Aamir Ajam Malik, Shireen Imran, Asad Ali Bajwa, Muhammad Amjad Pervez, Khalid Ibn-i-Aziz, Munawar Iqbal Duggal, Syed Farhad Ali Shah and Muhammad Usman Ghani Rashid Cheema. Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa also took oath as a permanent judge of the Lahore High Court after completing his probationary period. The newly appointed additional judges will serve for one year from the date they took oath. Despite the latest appointments, the Lahore High Court still has 10 vacant positions against its approved strength of 60 judges. The number of vacancies is expected to rise to 11 following the retirement of Justice Shahid Karim next week. Earlier on Tuesday, President Zardari approved the appointment of 19 additional judges to five high courts. He also confirmed five judges as permanent members of the superior judiciary. The appointments had remained pending since July after the Judicial Commission of Pakistan recommended the candidates for the positions. The delay had led to a dispute over the presidential approval process. The oath-taking ceremony had initially been scheduled for July 27 but was postponed indefinitely. The issue gained further attention after the president neither approved the appointment summary nor returned it for reconsideration within the expected period. The government had maintained that there was no legal basis for keeping the recommendations pending. At one stage, officials even considered constitutional options to address the delay. Meanwhile, legal teams representing the presidency and the federal government held discussions to resolve the matter. Sources said the talks between the two sides made progress and helped pave the way for the appointments to be approved. The president’s legal team had previously raised concerns about the proceedings of the Judicial Commission. Questions were also raised over the rejection of several nominees and the eligibility of some recommended candidates. The dispute had also raised concerns about delays in filling vacant judicial positions in the high courts.