ISLAMABAD, DEC 26: United Arab Emirates (UAE) President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday wrapped up his maiden one-day visit to Pakistan after holding “substantive talks” with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The talks focused on the exchange of views on further strengthening bilateral ties between Pakistan and the UAE, read a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The two leaders also reviewed the progress achieved in ongoing areas of cooperation and explored avenues to deepen engagement across a wide range of sectors.

The UAE president and PM Shehbaz underscored the importance of expanding collaboration in economic cooperation, investment, energy, infrastructure development, IT, technology, and people-to-people exchanges.

They also emphasised the importance of enhancing bilateral trade, and exchanged views on important regional and international developments.

President Al Nahyan and PM Shehbaz reaffirmed their shared commitment to continue close coordination on matters of mutual interest.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the trajectory of bilateral relations and reiterated their determination to continue working closely to advance the shared objective of peace, stability, and sustainable development.

The UAE president, accompanied by a high-level delegation, arrived in Islamabad earlier today on an official visit to Pakistan at the invitation of PM Shehbaz.

As the president’s aircraft entered Pakistani airspace, it was escorted by a formation of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets in a gesture of welcome and respect.

Upon his arrival at Nur Khan airbase, he was received by PM Shehbaz, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, along with a number of ministers and senior officials.

The national anthems of both countries were played, a 21-gun salute was fired, and an honour guard lined up to salute the UAE president.

Military and traditional bands delivered ceremonial performances, while groups of children waving the flags of both nations lined the route.

The UAE president was also presented with a guard of honour by a smartly turned-out contingent of Pakistan Armed Forces.

Children dressed in traditional attire welcomed President Al Nahyan, holding the national flags of Pakistan and the UAE, adding colour to the reception ceremony.

The UAE president’s delegation comprised his advisers, Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, and UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Salem Mohammed Al Zaabi.

The UAE delegation also included several federal ministers and senior officials.

According to the Foreign Office, this was Al Nahyan’s first official visit to Pakistan as the UAE president. He had earlier visited Pakistan on a private trip in January this year.

The FO, in its earlier statement, stated that the visit would provide an important opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

The government had declared a public holiday in Islamabad in view of President Al Nahyan’s visit to Pakistan.

Following a notification issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) registrar, the Islamabad High Court and Islamabad district courts remain closed, along with the Senate Secretariat and the National Assembly Secretariat.

The registrar of the Federal Constitutional Court also announced a public holiday, canceling today’s cause list.

However, under a Cabinet Division notification, banks, essential services offices, including those of Capital Development Authority (CDA), police, IESCO, and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, remained operational.

Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, DEC 26 /DNA/ – Poets, writers, former colleagues and members of the Parveen Shakir Trust (PST) under leadership of Chairperson of the trust Mrs Parveen Qadir Agha observed on Friday (Dec 26, 2025) 31st death anniversary of their dear colleague and Pakistan’s prominent poet Parveen Shakir who breathed her last on Dec 26, 1994 in a car accident.

They gathered at her grave to offer ‘Fateha’ and pay respects to the departed poet.A contingent of the Pakistan Customs led by Assistant Collector (AC) Shazra Saeed also joined the mourners and laid floral wreaths on her grave in the H-8 graveyard.

Members of the PST Riffat Haider, Dr Rubina Siddique, Salman Nabi, Muhammad Siddique, Majid Qureshi Anwar Jahangiri and a large number of her fans paid glowing tributes to Parveen Shakir on the occasion and shared their memories of the late poetess, her poetry and her personally.

Parveen Qadir Agha on the occasion briefed the media about the PST’s literary activities and Aks-e-Khushbu Award given annually under Parveen Shakir’s name to the young writers, poets and translators.

She said the PST would continue to relive Parveen Shakir’s memory from the trust’s platform through various events such as ‘mushaira’, seminars, literary dialogue and above all the annual ‘Aks-e-Khushbu’ Award for the best works of poetry and fiction, etc. One such event is being organized next year in February, said she.

Member PST

Salman Nabi said that PST was expanding its literary activities not only in Pakistan but also overseas. Last year Parveen Shakir Festival was celebrated in Canada by the PST Canada chapter. Soon the PST will also organize a literary festival in Malaysia, he said.

Ms Shazra Saeed AC Customs said it was an honour to lay a floral wreath on Parveen Shakir’s grave who was a represntative of women’s sensitivities. Her father Rana Saeed Akhtar who is also a poet recited Parveen Shakir’s poems on the occasion and called her a role model for the young generation, paticularly girls.

Parveen Shakir’s fans on the occasion pledged to continue to spread  Parveen Shakir’s message particularly among the youth.

Parveen Shakir’s poetry collections ‘Khushbu’ and others are among the best sellers even today.

LAHORE, DEC 26: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi arrived in Lahore on Friday for a three-day visit, during which he is expected to hold a series of political meetings.

The KP chief minister, accompanied by a delegation, entered the city after crossing the Ravi Toll Plaza, marking his formal entry into the provincial capital.

He is scheduled to visit the Punjab Assembly and meet the party’s parliamentary members in the province.

Meanwhile, sources said that the Punjab Assembly secretariat has approved CM Afridi and his delegation’s entry into the provincial legislature, with the complete list of the delegation shared with assembly security.

According to sources, Afridi will be accompanied by provincial ministers, cabinet members, and parliamentarians during his visit to the Punjab Assembly.

The KP chief minister is also scheduled to meet opposition members inside the Punjab Assembly and address them during the visit.

CM Afridi is also expected to address lawyers at the Lahore High Court Bar on Saturday and visit various locations, including Liberty Chowk.

PTI sources said that CM Afridi may call on senior PTI leaders, including Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, Hammad Azhar and Ejaz Chaudhry, and meet senior journalists and anchorpersons during his visit.

He is also expected to visit incarcerated PTI leaders in Kot Lakhpat jail.

In a statement, Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channer said that the KP chief minister would be welcomed on his visit to the Punjab Assembly if he decides to do so.

The visit comes as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) federal government and the opposition alliance have signalled readiness for talks to calm down the political environment.

The possibility of renewed negotiations between the government and the opposition arose on Wednesday as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended an offer for talks on the floor of the National Assembly.

In an address to his cabinet, the premier said that the PTI founder and his associates were also discussing the possibility of talks.

Later, leaders of the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP), a multi-party opposition alliance, said that they were ready to hold talks on a range of national issues.

The announcement was made after a meeting of the TTAP under the chairmanship of Mahmood Khan Achakzai.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser was in attendance alongside Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, BNP-M leader Sajid Tareen, and Khokhar.

ISLAMABAD, DEC 26: The Foreign Office said on Friday it had issued a demarche to the United Kingdom’s envoy in Islamabad over threats made against Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir during a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford.

FO spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi, confirming Geo News’ report, said UK Acting Head of Mission Matt Cannell was handed the demarche — a protest registered through diplomatic channels — over the former ruling party’s event abroad.

In a video uploaded by the “UKPTIOFFICIAL” account, a woman speaker — during the event held earlier this week — can be heard making a car bomb violence threat against Field Marshal Munir, similar to the plane blast that took the life of General Zia ul Haq nearly three decades ago.

According to sources, the political party’s official account was used to mobilise protesters in the United Kingdom. “During the protest, demonstrators used highly provocative and objectionable language against the CDF.”

They added that death threats were also issued against the Field Marshal, with protesters allegedly saying he would be killed in a car bomb attack.

The sources said the Pakistani government had taken serious notice of the threats issued from British soil and stressed that the UK should not allow its territory to be used to destabilise Pakistan.

Pakistan hopes, the sources said, that the British authorities will take strict action against such miscreants and hold them accountable under the law.

According to sources, the United Kingdom’s Deputy Head of Mission, Cannell, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at around 2pm as British High Commissioner Jane Marriott was not present in the country.

Hours before the demarche, the Pakistan government handed over the video and its transcript to the UK authorities — in Islamabad and London — expressing “grave concern regarding a serious and unprecedented misuse of British territory for activities that amount to incitement to terrorism, violence, and internal destabilisation of a sovereign state”.

The letter pointed out that the official social media account of PTI UK has circulated video material in which individuals, while physically present in the United Kingdom, are openly calling for the assassination of Field Marshal Munir.

“This content is neither rhetorical nor political. It constitutes explicit incitement to murder and the glorification of violence against the senior military leadership of a UN Member State.”

Equally alarming is that this messaging is deliberately amplified to audiences inside Pakistan, with the clear intent of provoking unrest, street violence, and confrontation with state institutions, the letter mentioned.

It added that PTI-linked platforms operating from the UK have repeatedly issued calls encouraging disorder, agitation, and violent mobilisation within Pakistan — effectively seeking to instigate internal violence from abroad while remaining beyond domestic accountability.

The letter states that the actions violated multiple international laws and that Pakistan has, over the years, raised concerns regarding the repeated use of UK territory by individuals and groups engaged in militancy, separatism, and violent agitation against Pakistan.

“While such matters have strained bilateral confidence in the past, the present incident represents a qualitative escalation: the open call for assassination combined with sustained incitement to violence and unrest inside Pakistan.”

“Freedom of expression does not include the freedom to incite murder or civil violence. Political activism does not extend to conspiracy or encouragement of bloodshed. Political asylum does not confer immunity to promote terrorism or destabilisation abroad.”

RAWALPINDI, DEC 26: United Arab Emirates (UAE) President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, accompanied by a high-level delegation, arrived in Islamabad on Friday on an official visit to Pakistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The UAE president was received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir along with a number of ministers and senior officials upon his arrival at Nur Khan airbase.

As the president’s aircraft entered Pakistani airspace, it was escorted by a formation of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets in a gesture of welcome and respect.

The national anthems of both countries were played, a 21-gun salute was fired, and an honour guard lined up to salute the UAE president.

Military and traditional bands delivered ceremonial performances, while groups of children waving the flags of both nations lined the route.

The UAE president was also presented with a guard of honour by a smartly turned-out contingent of Pakistan Armed Forces.

Children dressed in traditional attire welcomed President Al Nahyan, holding the national flags of Pakistan and the UAE, adding colour to the reception ceremony.

The UAE president is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising his advisers, Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, and UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Salem Mohammed Al Zaabi.

The UAE delegation also includes several federal ministers and senior officials.

According to the Foreign Office, this is Al Nahyan’s first official visit to Pakistan as the UAE president. He had earlier visited Pakistan on a private trip in January this year.

The FO said that during the visit, the UAE president will hold a meeting with PM Shehbaz, where the two leaders will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The visit, the FO added, will provide an important opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, a public holiday has been declared in Islamabad in view of the President Al Nahyan’s visit to Pakistan.

According to a notification issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) registrar, the Islamabad High Court and Islamabad district courts will remain closed on December 26. The Senate Secretariat and the National Assembly Secretariat will also remain closed today.

The registrar of the Federal Constitutional Court has likewise announced a public holiday, canceling today’s cause list.

However, under a Cabinet Division notification, banks, essential services offices, including those of Capital Development Authority (CDA), police, IESCO, and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, will remain operational.

HYDERABAD, Dec 26 (APP):Deputy Mayor Chaudhry Mubashir Arain on Friday has taken immediate notice of serious civic issues caused by marriage halls operating along Maryam Road, including poor sanitation, cooking activities that block the road, discharge of dirty water onto streets, prolonged traffic congestion, and severe parking problems.

Taking cognizance of public complaints, the Deputy Mayor issued directives to the concerned municipal departments and assured citizens that marriage hall owners would be strictly bound to follow existing rules and regulations. He emphasized that there would be zero tolerance regarding cleanliness, drainage, traffic flow, and parking management.
He said that strict action would be taken against violators to ensure public convenience and restore order in the area. Citizens have welcomed the Deputy Mayor’s initiative and expressed hope that immediate and practical steps would be taken to resolve these long-standing issues.

ISLAMABAD, DEC 26 /DNA/ – Climate Action Forum (CAF) in collaboration of Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) and Institute of Rural Management (IRM) has successfully hosted Post-COP30 panel discussion with a strong focus on translating global climate commitments into national policies and grassroots action relevant to Pakistan’s context.

The event brought together over 100 participants from government departments, academia/students and civil society. 

The event was graced by Ms. Khalida Bashir, Joint Secretary, Climate Finance Wing, Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination(MOCC&EC), as Chief Guest, said a press release.

Distinguished panelists included Khalida Bashir (Joint Secretary, Climate Finance Wing, MoCC & EC), Dr. Roomi S. Hayat (Chair CAF & CEO IRM), Aisha Khan (CEO, CSCCC), Arif Goheer (Executive Director, GCISC), and Dr. Khalid Waleed (Research Fellow, SDPI) with Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President, IRS as the esteemed moderator of the panel discussion. The discussion featured diverse, intellectual, and substantive perspectives on COP30 outcomes by the esteemed panelists.

JS, MoCC & EC Khalida Bashir responding to a question regarding the loss and damage fund said, “Ministry is working on ideas to leverage this fund. NDRMF & NDMA is working in this regard & Ministry is also seeking provincial support to strengthen the institutional capacity to channelize these funding streams.”

Dr. Hayat, Chair of the Climate Action Forum and CEO of IRM, highlighted that strengthening coordination can significantly improve climate action in Pakistan. He emphasized the need for better integration of scientific research, technical data, and indigenous knowledge to enhance responses to climate shocks. He also noted that engaging civil society would greatly improve the efficiency and impact of climate action initiatives.

Mr. Arif Goheer, ED GCISC responding to the progress of NDCs mentioned, ‘Last 2 NDCs were delayed, they were submitted one year delayed from their deadline, however, this time we tried our best to meet the deadline which was 2025 and submitted them right in time before the COP30 this year’

CEO, CSCCC Aisha discussing regarding the COP30 outcomes stated, “We do not have limited resources for climate action, what we need to do is to translate those promises to protection and ground for the communities that are the badly hit by the climate change.”

Dr. Khalid Waleed furthered the discussion with the mention of Just Transition and Belem Political Package and added, ‘The Belem Political Package at COP30 this year was based on ‘Mutirão’ which means collective action. COP provides this multilateral platform to discuss local problems with global context. In terms of Pakistan, Institutional Mutirão should be given priority.’

During the concluding remarks, Joint Secretary, Khalid Bashir appreciated the efforts of organizing such events for the casue of knowledge sharing.

The session highlighted the importance of Post-COP dialogues in linking international agreements with local priorities. As many  practitioners, policymakers, and communities are not directly involved in COP negotiations, such forums are crucial for unpacking outcomes, fostering critical reflection, and ensuring that global agreements are understood, owned, and meaningfully followed up at home.