National

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye has received broad political support, with major leaders describing the trilateral arrangement as a landmark step toward stronger collective security among Muslim countries. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari welcomed the agreement, saying it would enhance Pakistan’s defence capabilities while contributing to regional stability and international peace. He also praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for their role in finalising the pact. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also described the agreement as an important development for Muslim unity. He said the arrangement could evolve into a broader collective security framework and called on other Islamic countries to join the initiative. Fazlur Rehman said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had the potential to play a leading role in strengthening cooperation among Muslim states, adding that a unified defence mechanism had long been part of his party’s political vision. Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman likewise endorsed the pact, saying greater cooperation could reduce Pakistan’s reliance on hostile powers. He proposed expanding the arrangement to include Qatar, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia and Indonesia. The leaders’ statements reflect growing political support for the Pakistan-Saudi-Türkiye security partnership, with calls emerging for it to develop into a wider alliance capable of promoting collective defence and stability across the Muslim world.

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed authorities to intensify sanitation efforts across the province, ordering daily early-morning washing of major roads and improved cleanliness in housing societies, markets and residential areas. Chairing a review meeting on the Suthra Punjab programme, the chief minister instructed officials to ensure effective waste management in both cooperative and private housing societies. She also directed the introduction of uniform dustbins and garbage bags in commercial areas, along with fixed schedules for waste removal. Maryam ordered the daily washing and cleaning of main roads at 5am and stressed that sanitation efforts must extend beyond major thoroughfares to streets, neighbourhoods and vacant plots. Authorities were also told to ensure door-to-door garbage collection across Punjab. The chief minister directed that Suthra Punjab workers receive their salaries by the fifth of every month and called for monthly reports to verify timely payments. She also ordered the early clearance of contractors’ outstanding dues and warned of immediate action if delays in workers’ salaries occurred. Special attention was ordered for areas surrounding schools, colleges, universities and hospitals, as well as parks and green belts. Officials were directed to remove discarded bottles, juice boxes and other waste from these locations. Maryam further instructed authorities to improve sanitation around railway tracks in urban areas and ensure that the entry and exit points of cities are cleaned regularly. Deputy commissioners were asked to maintain close coordination with contractors and the managing directors of Water and Sanitation Authorities to monitor progress. The chief minister also called for uniform standards for field monitoring officers and directed that their motorcycles carry proper branding. Standard operating procedures are to be developed to evaluate sanitation performance at every level, from field workers to senior officers, with particular attention to cleanliness in fruit and vegetable markets. She directed that contractors violating sanitation standards should initially be given 24 hours to correct shortcomings before any financial penalty is imposed. “Imposing fines is not our objective; the focus should be on ensuring cleanliness,” she said, while calling for zero tolerance against persistent negligence. The chief minister also ordered regular cleaning of Suthra Punjab vehicles, waste containers and collection points. She praised sanitation efforts in Lahore, Khanewal, Okara, Attock, Kasur and Murree but directed teams in Faisalabad, Sialkot, Sheikhupura and other areas to improve their performance. Maryam Nawaz said the next review meeting would be held the following week to evaluate implementation of the directives and measure progress under the province-wide cleanliness campaign.

JERUSALEM: Israel has withdrawn the entry permits of several American Jewish activists who took part in protests in the occupied West Bank against attacks on Palestinians and damage to their property, according to a report by US Jewish publication The Forward. Among those affected was activist Sam Sherman, who said his travel permit was canceled while he was participating in a seven-week volunteer programme in Masafer Yatta, where he had been working alongside Palestinian residents. Sherman told the publication that several members of his group received cancellation notices within minutes of one another. He said Israeli soldiers, police and armed settlers had photographed his passport during confrontations that he described as being initiated by settlers. According to Sherman, the activists had been peacefully spending time with local Palestinians but were treated by Israeli authorities as though their presence itself constituted a serious offence. The reported permit cancellations come amid continued tensions in the occupied West Bank, where confrontations involving Palestinians, Israeli settlers and security forces remain a major source of concern.

JAZAN: Firefighters have extinguished a blaze that erupted early Sunday at a facility within Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery in southwestern Saudi Arabia, with authorities confirming that no injuries were reported. The Saudi Energy Ministry said Aramco’s industrial security teams quickly brought the fire under control. Relevant authorities were subsequently working to complete procedures related to the incident. The ministry did not disclose what caused the fire or provide details about the extent of any damage. Located on the Red Sea near Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen, the Jazan refinery has a processing capacity of around 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The facility produces several refined petroleum products, including gasoline and ultra-low-sulfur diesel. The latest incident comes shortly after the refinery was shut down following an attack in late July that Saudi authorities attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement. The attack reportedly damaged parts of the refinery’s integrated gasification complex and tank storage facilities. The Houthis had previously claimed responsibility for strikes targeting Aramco facilities in Jazan and Yanbu, raising concerns over the security of Saudi energy infrastructure and shipping routes in the Red Sea. Aramco Chief Executive Amin Nasser said last week that recent attacks had caused some temporary production disruptions but expressed confidence that operations could be restored quickly. He said the incidents had not caused a significant operational or financial impact on the company. The latest fire comes amid heightened regional tensions involving Saudi Arabia, Yemen and wider disruptions affecting energy and maritime security across the Middle East.