PM Shehbaz says trilateral pact aims to promote re…

The Lahore district administration has declared Tuesday, August 4, as a public holiday across the district to facilitate devotees attending the annual Urs celebrations of the revered Sufi saint Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh. According to an official notification, the holiday will remain effective only within the limits of Lahore district, allowing worshippers to participate in the religious events without disruption. The 983rd annual Urs officially commenced with a traditional chadar-laying ceremony and the inauguration of a milk sabeel at the shrine. The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, who paid tribute to the great Sufi saint and highlighted his enduring message of peace, tolerance, and unity. The Urs is observed over three days and attracts thousands of devotees from across Pakistan. Religious scholars, spiritual leaders, and followers gather at the shrine to offer prayers, recite the Holy Quran, and take part in various religious and spiritual activities held throughout the celebrations. Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, also known as Hazrat Ali Hajveri, was an 11th-century Persian Sufi scholar born in Ghazni. He later settled in Lahore, where he dedicated his life to spreading the teachings of Islam, compassion, and brotherhood through Sufism. His shrine has since become one of the most significant spiritual landmarks in the region. Data Darbar is widely regarded as South Asia’s largest Sufi shrine and receives millions of visitors every year.

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has extended the physical remand of former Jamaat-e-Islami senator Mushtaq Ahmad and his co-accused, Daniyal, by four more days in connection with a case linked to a protest over the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The two accused were produced before the court after completing an earlier three-day physical remand. During the hearing, the prosecution sought a 30-day remand, arguing that investigators still needed additional time to recover a vehicle and weapons allegedly connected to the case. According to prosecutors, the investigation remains incomplete because the alleged recoveries have not yet been made. They requested extended custody to continue the inquiry. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court rejected the request for a 30-day remand and instead approved a four-day extension in police custody. The case was registered at Islamabad’s Shalimar Police Station under charges related to a protest concerning recent unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Mushtaq Ahmad’s legal team has previously claimed that he was detained after attempting to enter AJK to express solidarity with people affected by recent violence in the region. They alleged he was stopped by security personnel at Azad Pattan Bridge, denied entry into AJK and later taken into custody by Punjab Police while returning to Islamabad. Following his release from the earlier detention, Mushtaq Ahmad announced plans to organise a peaceful gathering in Islamabad to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. He invited political activists, students, journalists and members of the Kashmiri community to participate in the event. The case comes amid heightened political tensions following recent protests in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where clashes reportedly resulted in casualties and injuries, drawing criticism from several political parties and human rights groups.