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  LAHORE, Aug 12 (APP): Senior journalists, defence analysts and experts have described the Makkah Joint Defence Pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as a significant step towards regional peace, collective security and stronger defence cooperation. The views emerged during a panel discussion titled “Makkah Pact: Peace, Security and Stability”, organised by the Press Information Department (PID) Lahore. PID Lahore Director General Shafqat Abbas said the agreement aimed to strengthen peace, stability and mutual trust rather than target any country. He stressed the importance of diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation in resolving regional disputes. He said Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye brought different strengths and experiences to the partnership, creating opportunities for cooperation in defence, diplomacy, trade and investment. Abbas also said Pakistan’s national strength should extend beyond defence and include education, science, technology, skilled human resources and a strong economy. He urged the country to turn its defence capabilities into broader economic gains through research, skills development and increased exports. Senior journalist and analyst Mujeebur Rehman Shami highlighted Pakistan’s achievements in defence and diplomacy but called for greater investment in education, science, technology and skills. He also stressed the need to increase exports and improve economic productivity. Journalist Salman Ghani said the three countries offered complementary strengths, with Pakistan contributing its defence capabilities, Saudi Arabia its economic influence and Türkiye its advanced defence industry and technology. He said the pact could also encourage investment and economic cooperation. Defence analyst Col (retd) Abid said Pakistan’s leadership and military diplomacy played an important role in developing the agreement. He noted that its impact could extend beyond defence to economic, diplomatic and strategic affairs. Other speakers, including Dr Faleha Afzal, Malik Salman, Dr Farzana Riaz and journalist Noorullah, called for greater unity among Muslim countries and urged Pakistan to pursue economic development alongside defence preparedness. The participants agreed that stronger cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye could contribute to regional peace and stability. They also emphasised dialogue, common interests and coordinated efforts to address shared challenges. At the end of the session, Shafqat Abbas thanked the participants and said such discussions helped promote informed public debate on important national and international issues.

RAWALPINDI: The Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) held a special interactive session with participants of the ISPR Summer Internship 2026, discussing national security, terrorism, misinformation and the responsible use of social media. According to ISPR, the internship programme has attracted more than 6,000 students from across Pakistan, who are participating at 21 different stations nationwide. The initiative aims to provide young people with greater awareness of national institutions, security issues and the challenges facing the country. During the session, the DG ISPR responded to a wide range of questions from students, offering detailed explanations on issues related to Pakistan’s security environment, information warfare and the importance of verifying information before sharing it on digital platforms. A key focus of the discussion was the growing challenge of misinformation, disinformation and propaganda. Students were encouraged to critically evaluate online content and avoid circulating unverified news that could mislead the public or harm national interests. Participants said the session provided valuable guidance on identifying false narratives and understanding the impact of digital misinformation. They described the interaction as informative and said it helped clear up several misconceptions surrounding national security and current affairs. The briefing also covered the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where participants were given an overview of Pakistan’s official position and regional developments. Students said the discussion helped them better understand the ground realities and the broader context of issues affecting the region. According to participants, the DG ISPR also addressed questions regarding what the military described as hostile propaganda campaigns and security threats. Students noted that the detailed responses helped clarify several issues that had previously caused confusion or uncertainty. At the conclusion of the session, participants expressed their commitment to promoting accurate information and exercising greater responsibility while using social media platforms. They also pledged to play a constructive role in countering false information by relying on verified sources and encouraging informed public discourse. The ISPR Summer Internship has become one of the military’s flagship youth engagement initiatives, bringing together students from universities across the country for interaction with officials, educational activities and discussions on national issues. Officials said the programme is intended to strengthen awareness among young Pakistanis, encourage critical thinking and promote responsible digital citizenship at a time when misinformation and online propaganda continue to pose growing challenges worldwide.

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has warned the government that his party could expand its ongoing protests into a nationwide wheel-jam and shutter-down strike if the petroleum levy is not abolished. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, Rehman said the nationwide strike could begin after August 26, following 12th Rabiul Awwal. He said the party would also establish protest camps in different parts of the country as part of its campaign. If the government failed to respond to its demands, he warned that JI could consider marching towards Islamabad on foot. The JI chief said he would address the party’s sit-in in Lahore, while a public gathering was scheduled at its Karachi protest site on Friday. Rehman said rising inflation had placed a heavy burden on ordinary citizens. He criticised the petroleum levy, describing it as an unfair additional charge on consumers. According to him, consumers were paying around Rs80 per litre under the levy. He claimed the charge was originally introduced to support the modernisation of Pakistan’s oil refineries but that the government had collected more than Rs8 trillion through it while spending less than Rs100 billion on refinery upgrades. He called for the immediate abolition of the levy and urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to reduce petrol and diesel prices by Rs130 per litre. The government recently revised fuel prices, reducing the price of high-speed diesel while increasing the price of petrol. Rehman said the JI’s protests in Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar were gaining support from traders, religious scholars, young people and members of civil society. He said the demonstrations had grown beyond the petroleum levy issue and were now highlighting broader public concerns. He said JI would not attend government briefings as part of negotiations. Instead, he demanded that government representatives visit the protesters and engage with them directly. The JI leader also referred to the party’s previous campaign against independent power producers. He claimed that negotiations following that protest resulted in the closure of several power projects and new agreements that saved the national exchequer Rs3.36 trillion. He called for a review of the remaining independent power producers, arguing that negotiations could help bring down electricity costs within 12 to 18 months. Rehman also criticised the government over the country’s growing debt, taxes and electricity prices. He claimed Pakistan’s total debt had reached Rs98 trillion and urged authorities to reduce reliance on interest-based financing. He called for greater austerity in government spending and suggested limiting official vehicles to engines of up to 1,300cc. The JI emir also criticised what he described as excessive privileges for the political elite while ordinary citizens continued to face rising living costs and taxes. On provincial matters, Rehman accused successive governments in Sindh and Punjab of failing to resolve major economic and social problems. He also criticised Punjab’s education policy and raised concerns over the outsourcing of thousands of schools.