Abu Dhabi T10 League faces big changes after scandals

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has welcomed the Supreme Court’s order directing the transfer of party founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment. The party described the decision as an important step toward protecting Imran’s health and ensuring his constitutional and legal rights. PTI also welcomed the court’s direction allowing him to meet his family once a week. According to the court’s order, Imran will be shifted to the hospital for treatment for the next few days. A medical board will examine him and assess his condition. The board will include specialists in eye care, general medicine and cardiology. PTI said the involvement of Imran’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan, would help ensure a comprehensive review of his medical history and current condition. The party said concerns over Imran’s health had increased in recent weeks. It maintained that he should receive treatment under the supervision of specialist doctors and have access to his personal physicians. PTI also appealed to its workers and supporters not to gather outside Shifa International Hospital after Imran’s transfer. The party urged them to maintain a peaceful environment and cooperate with authorities so the court’s directions could be implemented without disruption. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also welcomed the Supreme Court decision. He said the order for Imran’s hospital transfer and weekly family meetings should be implemented without delay. Afridi said PTI had repeatedly demanded medical treatment and examinations under the supervision of Imran’s personal doctors. He argued that the decision should have been taken earlier but said the party would respect the court’s directions. Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser described the ruling as an important development for Imran’s fundamental, constitutional and legal rights. He called for the decision to be implemented fully and without delay. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said obtaining reliable information about Imran’s health and ensuring his recovery remained the party’s primary concern. He also reminded supporters of the commitment given to the Supreme Court that workers would not gather outside the hospital. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan similarly urged the government to implement the order. Speaking outside Parliament, he said Imran had spent a prolonged period in detention and should now receive the medical care ordered by the court. Former federal minister Asad Umar also welcomed the ruling while questioning why similar action had not been taken earlier. He referred to previous concerns over Imran’s eyesight and said the decision was better late than never. Imran’s international affairs adviser, Zulfikar Bukhari, also welcomed the development, saying that when courts perform their constitutional role, the country benefits. He expressed hope that there would be no unnecessary obstacles to implementation. Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan chief and opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai also backed the ruling. He said prisoners, regardless of the charges against them, retain basic rights to medical treatment, family contact and legal representation. The Supreme Court’s decision followed reports concerning Imran’s health and recommendations for increased contact with his immediate family. A medical board and the Adiala Jail superintendent had earlier submitted reports to the court regarding his condition and access to family members and doctors. A three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed heard matters relating to Imran’s access to his sisters, personal physicians and medical records. The court directed that Dr Faisal Sultan be allowed to examine Imran and ordered the formation of the new medical board. Dr Uzma Khan will also be associated with the board. The court further directed Imran’s family to bear the cost of his treatment at the hospital. It also ordered that his family and lawyers refrain from sharing his medical reports with the media. Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan directed that Imran’s medical report be kept confidential.

ISLAMABAD: Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide arrived in Islamabad on Thursday for an official two-day visit, marking the first visit by a Norwegian foreign minister to Pakistan in a decade and opening a fresh chapter in bilateral engagement. Eide, who is visiting Pakistan on the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, was received at Islamabad International Airport by Additional Foreign Secretary for Europe Ambassador Ayesha Ali. He later held a meeting with Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the two sides are expected to discuss a broad range of issues concerning Pakistan-Norway relations. According to the Foreign Office, Eide’s visit will continue through August 14 and include delegation-level talks between the two countries. The discussions are expected to focus on areas where Islamabad and Oslo see potential for stronger cooperation. Trade and investment will be among the key subjects, while climate change, renewable energy and education are also expected to feature prominently in the talks. The two sides will additionally explore ways to strengthen people-to-people contacts. The visit comes at a time when Pakistan is seeking to deepen economic and diplomatic partnerships with European countries, particularly in areas linked to investment, clean energy and sustainable development. Beyond bilateral matters, the foreign ministers are also expected to exchange views on important regional and international developments. This could give the two sides an opportunity to discuss shared concerns and assess developments affecting the wider region. The Foreign Office said the visit builds on a series of high-level contacts between Pakistan and Norway in recent months. Dar and Eide held telephone conversations in March and April, while Norwegian State Secretary Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik visited Islamabad in May. The two countries have also maintained engagement through diplomatic channels, with both sides showing interest in expanding cooperation beyond traditional areas. Eide’s arrival therefore carries significance not only because of its timing but also because of the gap since the last visit by a Norwegian foreign minister. The trip provides an opportunity to translate recent diplomatic contacts into practical cooperation. For Islamabad, stronger ties with Norway could bring opportunities in trade, investment, renewable energy and education. For Oslo, deeper engagement with Pakistan offers a chance to strengthen relations with an important South Asian partner. The Foreign Office described the visit as an opportunity to further strengthen the “longstanding and cordial relations” between the two countries and identify new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation. With formal talks now underway, attention will turn to whether the two-day visit produces concrete initiatives that can give Pakistan-Norway relations fresh momentum.