Punjab to support students from other provinces, Education Minister

Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has rejected Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s claim about the death of a party worker during the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections. Rana Sanaullah said Bilawal Bhutto had not received complete information about the incident. He said the PPP worker was killed during an exchange of fire between two groups. He also clarified that the PML-N candidate was not present at the scene when the firing took place. The incident occurred in the Nikyal area of Kotli during the first phase of the AJK Legislative Assembly elections. Rana Sanaullah said tensions had already existed between the two sides in the area. He said the dispute was not limited to election day. He recalled an earlier incident involving a PML-N election rally. According to him, the rally had come under fire. One PML-N worker was killed in that incident, while four others were injured. Rana Sanaullah said another firing incident during polling resulted in one death and injuries to several people. He described the incidents as isolated. He said no major incident had been reported across AJK apart from the Nikyal incident. The PML-N leader also praised the overall election arrangements. He said authorities had made satisfactory preparations to facilitate polling and maintain security. The comments came after Bilawal Bhutto expressed concern over the death of a PPP worker in Nikyal. Bilawal had questioned the authorities over the incident. He also asked where the relevant officials were and demanded action over the death of his party worker. The incident added to political tensions during the first phase of the AJK elections. Political parties had already raised concerns about alleged disruptions and security issues at some polling stations. Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said the people of AJK had rejected calls for unrest. She said voters had chosen the democratic process instead. According to Bukhari, polling was taking place despite attempts to create disorder. Bukhari also highlighted the performance of the Punjab government. She said the provincial government’s development work was being discussed among voters in AJK. She referred to the government’s response to heavy monsoon rains in Punjab. Bukhari said Lahore received several hours of continuous rainfall. She claimed that underpasses were cleared within a few hours. She also said government officials and administrative teams remained present in the field during the rain. The minister said monsoon rains had also caused rising water levels in Punjab’s rivers. She said authorities were monitoring the situation continuously. According to Bukhari, a central digital control room has been established for round-the-clock monitoring. She said the system was being used to track the situation and coordinate the government’s response. Bukhari also spoke about the Punjab Beautification Programme. She said plans were being made to shift hanging utility wires underground. The programme is aimed at improving the appearance and infrastructure of urban areas, according to the minister. The political statements came as vote counting began after polling ended in the first phase of the AJK elections. The first phase covered 13 constituencies in Mirpur Division. The constituencies are spread across Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber. Election authorities have said that security arrangements were put in place to protect voters and election staff.

Major landmarks in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were illuminated with the national flags of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye following the signing of a landmark defence agreement between the three countries. The agreement was signed in Makkah a day earlier by the leaders of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, marking a significant development in defence cooperation among the three countries. In Islamabad, key government buildings, including the President’s House, Prime Minister’s House and Parliament House, were decorated with the flags of the three nations to mark the agreement. The flags of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye were also displayed along major roads across the federal capital. Welcome banners highlighting the Makkah defence agreement were placed at prominent locations across the city. The celebrations extended to Saudi Arabia, where major landmarks and towers in Riyadh and other cities were illuminated and decorated with the flags of all three countries. The coordinated displays reflected the close ties and growing strategic cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye following the signing of the defence pact.

Pakistan’s passport has been ranked the fourth weakest in the world in the latest Henley Passport Index. The Pakistani passport stands at 101st place in the global ranking. Its holders can access 29 destinations without obtaining a visa in advance or through visa-on-arrival facilities. The Henley Passport Index evaluates passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without securing a visa before travelling. The index covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. The latest ranking shows that Pakistan’s passport remains ahead of only three passports. These belong to Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. The ranking highlights the limited international mobility available to Pakistani passport holders compared with citizens of many other countries. Pakistan’s neighbouring countries have performed better in the latest index. China ranks 60th globally. India is placed at 81st. Iran stands at 96th. Despite its low overall ranking, Pakistani citizens can travel to several destinations without obtaining a visa before departure. Visa-free access is available for Pakistani passport holders to Barbados, the Cook Islands, Dominica, Haiti, Micronesia, Montserrat, Rwanda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, The Gambia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu. Pakistani travellers can also obtain visas upon arrival in a number of countries. These include Burundi, Cambodia, the Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mozambique, Nepal, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu. In addition, Pakistani citizens can obtain electronic travel authorisations for Kenya, Seychelles and Sri Lanka. The passport ranking is widely used as an indicator of international travel access. A higher position generally means that passport holders can enter more destinations without obtaining a visa in advance. Singapore continues to hold the strongest passport in the latest ranking. It tops the index with access to 192 destinations. Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates share second place. Their passport holders can access 188 destinations. Sweden ranks third, with access to 187 destinations. The latest figures underline the significant gap between Pakistan and the countries at the top of the global passport ranking.