Author: Theph

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday paid tribute to Allama Muhammad Iqbal — the poet of the East — on his 149th birth anniversary, stressing that his message of unity and peaceful coexistence continued to serve as a “guiding beacon” for the country.

Born in Sialkot in 1877, Iqbal was a distinguished poet, a scholar, a gifted philosopher and Pakistan’s ideological founder. It was at the Allahabad session of the Muslim League in 1930 that Iqbal became the first politician to articulate the two-nation theory that ultimately led to the creation of Pakistan on August 14, 1947.

Last week, the federal government announced November 9 as a public holiday on account of Iqbal Day. A Change of Guards ceremony was held at Iqbal’s mausoleum in Lahore on Monday morning, Radio Pakistan reported.

In his message, the prime minister said that Iqbal was responsible for awakening political consciousness among the Muslims of the subcontinent, inspiring them to recognise and assert their distinct national identity.

“This consciousness of a separate identity played a pivotal role in their historic struggle for the creation of an independent homeland,” the premier wrote.

“Allama Iqbal was a person of exceptional intellectual stature and profound wisdom. The enduring thought of this eminent philosopher and visionary continues to broaden intellectual horizons and foster the intellectual growth of our youth and future generations.”

PM Shehbaz further stated that Iqbal, as a distinguished philosopher of Islam, explored the intellectual dimensions of Islamic teachings.

“His Islamic thought continues to offer meaningful and practical guidance to Muslims in their individual and collective lives.”

The premier also announced that the government will be holding a year-long commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Iqbal, culminating on November 9, 2027.

“A comprehensive programme of national and international events is being formally launched, featuring international conferences, academic and research seminars, literary festivals, exhibitions, educational competitions and cultural activities.

“These commemorative initiatives aim to preserve and transmit Iqbal’s rich intellectual legacy to future generations.”

He further added that the government remained committed to ensuring that Iqbal’s philosophy was a part of the education system and national discourse as well as development priorities.

“Intellectual awakening, character building and collective renewal must, undoubtedly, form an essential part of our national objectives.”

Speaking of Iqbal’s concept of Khudi (selfhood), the prime minister said that it taught that “Individuals and nations can transform their destinies through self-realisation, purposeful endeavour and spiritual emancipation.”

PM Shehbaz further stated that Iqbal had regarded youth as “architects of the nation’s future.”

“His concept of the Shaheen (falcon) embodies courage, independence, lofty aspirations and an unwavering pursuit of excellence.”

PM Shehbaz said that Iqbal’s thoughts spoke of peace, social harmony, tolerance, and justice as “indispensable pillars of sustainable national development.”

“His philosophy of life categorically rejects hatred, extremism, sectarianism and discrimination.”

He also noted that Iqbal’s message of “muslim unity, universal brotherhood and peaceful coexistence” held relevance on an international level. He added that Pakistan will continue to work on developing unity and solidarity among the Muslim ummah and the resolution of international disputes.

“Allama Iqbal’s timeless message, rooted in individual, national and universal values, continues to illuminate our path and serve as a guiding beacon for the nation.”

Concluding his statement, the prime minister pledged to renew resolve to deepen the understanding of Iqbal’s message, promote “rigorous” scholarly research into his thought, foster creative thinking and strengthen our national character.

Must take inspiration from Iqbal’s poetry to boost ‘spirit of inquiry, develop critical faculties’

President Zardari also spoke of Iqbal’s role in developing political consciousness among the Muslims of the subcontinent as he paid tribute to the poet, urging the country’s youth to take inspiration from Iqbal’s poetry “as a catalyst to boost the spirit of inquiry, develop critical faculties.”

“Iqbal gave intellectual direction to the aspirations of the Muslims of the Subcontinent. His poetry also spoke to a wider human struggle: the pursuit of freedom, equality and a life of self-respect,” a statement issued by the president’s office quoted him as saying.

He continued: “Iqbal envisioned a society in which wealth, privilege and inherited status would no longer determine a person’s worth or opportunities.”

The statement added that Iqbal’s poetry sought to challenge exploitation, awaken the poor, and uphold the dignity of labour.

President Zardari stressed that Iqbal’s vision called to “build a Pakistan where the worker receives a fair wage, the farmer enjoys the fruits of his labour, and every child can learn and advance, regardless of family circumstances, gender or faith”.

He also spoke of Khudi, stressing that “national self-respect demands the capacity to make independent decisions, develop our own strengths and engage with other countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect.”

“For me, fidelity to Iqbal’s vision means building a Pakistan where no citizen’s dignity is diminished by poverty, no child’s future is limited by birth, and our nation stands among others with confidence and self-respect,” the president was quoted as saying.

He further stated that Iqbal’s vision had gained renewed significance as the region looked towards the “dawn of an Asian century”.

“The promise of that century must reach beyond economic growth to embrace freedom from hunger, access to knowledge and opportunity, and respect for the sovereignty of nations. Pakistan must help realise this promise through education, scientific progress, regional cooperation and peace.”

President Zardari urged the youth to translate Iqbal’s concept of Khudi into “confidence rooted in knowledge, national self-respect into hard work to transform Pakistan into a developed and strong nation, and the ideal of equality into justice in everyday life.”

“This is how we can honour Iqbal and fulfil the promise of Pakistan.”

Source: dawn

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was “only kidding” when he suggested Ultimate Fighting ​Championship (UFC) Chief Executive Officer Dana White could become his next White House press secretary, after a social media post a day earlier stirred speculation about recruiting his feisty ally and signalled a combative approach to dealing with Democrats as they prepare to take control of Congress.

Trump said White, a prominent supporter, “loves the idea” of taking the job but insisted he had not been serious about the prospect, describing the suggestion as “just a little fun”.

“I will tell you, I was only kidding,” Trump told reporters, explaining that he had posted photographs of prominent UFC fighters as potential assistants to White as part of the joke.

In Saturday’s post, Trump described White as a “violent Fighter and Warrior” and suggested he bring several current or former UFC champions to serve as assistants, saying they were needed to “defend us against the Lunatic Left”.

Trump said White would visit him at the White House on Monday, but added that the meeting was planned for other reasons.

White, who has led the UFC for more than two decades, has been a close Trump ally and helped mobilise support for his 2024 presidential campaign.

He has also appeared alongside Trump at several political events and helped bring UFC fights to the White House lawn this year.

Source: dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday he had directed the foreign ministry to pursue all possible means to urgently “escalate humanitarian assistance” to Gaza, where heavy rains have flooded tens of thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians.

The Gaza government media office said on Sunday that at least 70,000 tents had been flooded in the past 12 hours, affecting tens of thousands of displaced people and causing injuries, although no fatalities had been reported. The rains and subsequent flooding has also washed away shelters, according to authorities.

Gaza’s civil defence service said it had received 1,500 distress calls from displaced residents.

Municipal and civil defence officials ​said they were unable to cope with the storm because of fuel shortages and damage to equipment. They said Israel had destroyed hundreds ​of vehicles, including bulldozers and others used to pump water, during its assault on the territory.

PM Shehbaz said photos from Gaza had been “heart rending”, with tents being flooded and Gazan children, with nowhere to go, being trapped and subject to starvation and extreme cold.

“I have directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pursue all possible means to escalate humanitarian assistance urgently,” he posted on X.

The premier added that he was also “deeply concerned about continued Israeli illegal actions to deny basic humanitarian assistance to the brave Palestinian people of Gaza”.

“I strongly condemn these violations of the ceasefire and international law, and this continued aggression toward the Palestinian people.”

Gaza has been subjected to Israeli assault for long, particularly following an attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct 7, 2023. Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its assault on the territory.

Last year’s US-brokered Gaza ceasefire calls for ​the eventual reconstruction of the territory. But little progress has been made towards implementing a deal and Israel continues to violate the ceasefire.

Israeli forces still hold more than 60 per cent of the territory and conduct almost daily airstrikes, while Hamas controls most of the area where more than two million Palestinians live, ​mostly in temporary shelters with what aid agencies call inadequate aid supplies.

A majority of Gazans are dependent on aid supplies, following three years of Israeli assault, repeated ​displacement and severe restrictions imposed by Israel on aid deliveries.

Heavy rains and flooding has worsened their condition.

On Sunday, at a tent encampment in Gaza City, some people tried to repair their tents, while others ​used sand to reinforce them and prevent water from entering. Some were busy getting their children out ⁠of flooded tents.

Olfat Magdoub, a Gaza resident, tried in vain to sweep water away from her tent.

“This is the first day of ​rain, and of course we are already flooded. What will happen if it rains again the next day? This is only the ​first day and we’re already overwhelmed,” said the woman.

“Two weeks ago when it rained, I swear to God, I spent four days sleeping on blankets spread on the floor because the rainwater had flooded the bedding. Same now, the mattresses are wet so we sleep on the ground.”

Another resident, Rafiq Ghattas, standing barefoot in the middle of ​a large pool of rainwater, said: “We have no resources, no tarpaulins, no tents and no one is ⁠checking on ​us.”

Source: dawn

LAHORE: Lahore was ranked the world’s most polluted major city on Monday as its Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 590, according to IQAir. A separate historical reading on the platform, however, showed an hourly index of 647, placing the city in the hazardous category.

The IQAir live global major city ranking for 9am to 10am on Nov 9 placed Lahore at the top, followed by Ulaanbaatar with an AQI of 177, Delhi with 174, Kolkata with 173 and Sarajevo with 170.

The ranking showed Lahore’s pollution level to be more than three times that of the second-ranked city. The platform’s historical air quality graph separately displayed an hourly reading of 647 for Lahore during the same period.

According to global health statistics, air pollution, both outdoor and indoor, is the second-leading risk factor for deaths worldwide, claiming an estimated 8.1 million lives annually. Outdoor particulate matter alone accounts for 4.7 million deaths.

Within Lahore, air pollution is affecting several neighbourhoods. IQAir’s station ranking for the city shows multiple areas experiencing extremely poor air quality. Allama Iqbal Town recorded an AQI of 1,033, while CERP Office (864) and Burki Road Paragon (748) also reported hazardous levels. Hourly historical graphs indicate that pollution levels rise sharply during the early morning and late-night hours, creating dense smog that forces residents to remain indoors.

The crisis is not confined to Lahore. Other parts of Punjab are also experiencing hazardous air quality. IQAir’s real-time Pakistan city ranking showed Raiwind (688), Multan (655), Lahore (639) and Faisalabad (600) all recording air quality levels in the hazardous category.

The deterioration came a day after the Punjab government warned that smoke from Diwali fireworks in neighbouring Indian Punjab, crop-residue burning and easterly winds could aggravate air pollution in Lahore and adjoining districts.

A special report issued by the provincial government on Nov 8 had predicted that smoke from Diwali fireworks could reach Lahore within five to 13 hours. It forecast an increase in pollution levels in Lahore, Kasur and border areas on the morning of Nov 9, as easterly winds were expected to carry polluted air from Indian territory towards Pakistan.

The report identified fireworks, crop-residue burning and stagnant air during the night as factors that could contribute to a deterioration in air quality.

Amritsar, located around 50 kilometres from Lahore, was identified as a potential source of cross-border pollution. However, a measurement-based assessment would be required to establish how much of Lahore’s pollution could be attributed to fireworks and other sources across the border.

Indian media reports also highlighted deteriorating air quality after Diwali celebrations in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Patiala. The AQI in Mandi Gobindgarh reportedly reached 445, while New Delhi also experienced a sharp increase in pollution following the fireworks.

The Punjab government’s report recorded 2,347 incidents of crop-residue burning in Indian Punjab up to Nov 4. Of these, 1,081 were reported in three districts — Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Amritsar — located opposite Lahore and Kasur. These accounted for 46 per cent of the reported incidents in Indian Punjab.

However, satellite-based fire detections indicate that agricultural fires are also a major concern in Pakistan. An analysis by Hamari Hawa using NASA’s VIIRS satellite data recorded 13,241 fire detections in Pakistani Punjab, compared with 3,158 in Indian Punjab, between Oct 1 and 29, 2026, showing more than four times as many detections on the Pakistani side. The analysis found that 92 per cent of the detections in Pakistani Punjab were on farmland.

A separate analysis covering Oct 15 to Nov 1 identified 7,130 crop-associated fire detections within a 100-kilometre radius of Lahore on both sides of the border, including 781 within 40 kilometres of central Lahore.

The district-wise figures included 322 detections in Sheikhupura, 149 in Tarn Taran, 106 in Amritsar, 77 in Nankana Sahib, 62 in Lahore and 50 in Kasur. These satellite detections indicate fire activity and should not be treated as individually verified crop-burning incidents.

The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab, meanwhile, reported 679 agricultural fire incidents across the province, of which 650 had been extinguished through coordinated surveillance and firefighting operations. The agency said it had intensified its crackdown on stubble burning by deploying specialised night squads, drones, tractor-mounted fire bowsers and Quick Response Units in agricultural hotspots.

According to the EPA, the Punjab Climate Watch Hub was using satellite-based fire-anomaly detection to identify vulnerable locations and alert district field formations for on-ground verification and firefighting. The campaign was being conducted in districts including Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Kasur, Sialkot, Sargodha and Gujranwala.

EPA Director General Abdullah Nayyar Sheikh has directed regional directors and field formations to prioritise anti-stubble-burning operations and personally monitor enforcement. He has also conducted surprise inspections along motorway corridors and GT roads to assess surveillance and firefighting arrangements.

The EPA said its operations against agricultural burning were being reinforced through coordination with district administrations and Agriculture Department officials, while legal action was being taken against those involved in illegal crop-residue burning.

The provincial government’s report also noted that Lahore’s nighttime PM2.5 concentration had already reached 202 micrograms per cubic metre before Diwali. It said prevailing weather conditions had increased the likelihood of pollution from fireworks and agricultural fires accumulating and spreading.

The government had forecast that pollution levels would remain high on Nov 9 and 10, with a slight improvement expected from Nov 11.

The Environment Protection Department is expected to release comparative findings on Nov 10 to assess the contributions of different pollution sources and weather conditions. Such an assessment would be important in establishing the extent of cross-border pollution and distinguishing it from emissions generated within Punjab.

Source: dawn