LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president, Shehbaz Sharif called, Friday late night PML’s workers and supporters to end all the rallies in Lahore.
The former chief minister of Punjab told media, that he has ordered the party workers and supporters to return to their homes and that the people would now announce their “verdict on July 25.”
Earlier, the rallies, of PML-N workers and supporters, had attempted to make its way to Allama Iqbal International Airport to welcome their leader, Nawaz Sharif, who arrived in the city that night.
Both, Nawaz and his daughter Maryam have been arrested by authorities immediately upon their arrival, and sent to a jail in Islamabad.
The three-time prime minister and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, were returning from London to face lengthy prison sentences, a week after an accountability court convicted them of “owning assets beyond their means” as part of a corruption case linked to property deals in London.
The province’s caretaker home minister on Friday announced that Section 144 had been imposed in the city and no political rallies could take place. Minister Shaukat Javed warned PML-N workers not to take the law into their own hands.
The city administration made special arrangements to keep PML-N workers away from the airport, including blocking with shipping containers all roads that lead there. Roads in and out of Lahore city were similarly blocked, making it nearly impossible for any vehicle to enter.
Metro and Speedo bus services were suspended in the city, along with cellphone and Internet services. Markets in Lahore were shuttered down and not a single shopping center was open after 2pm. There was little traffic on the roads, and people mostly seemed to be staying at home.
Police had carried out raids at the homes of PML-N leaders and workers during the previous two days, arresting them and moving them to police stations.
On Friday, heavy police contingents were deployed in a number of neighborhoods, and the airport was handed over to the Rangers “to avoid any security situation.”
Several PML-N leaders, including former federal railways minister Saad Rafique, his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique, Mian Marghoob, Bilal Yasin, Khwaja Imran Nazir, Malik Saiful Maluk and Waheed Alam Khan, have been put behind bars for one month under the Pakistan Public Ordinance.
Shehbaz Sharif ends Lahore rallies, says people’s verdict is on 25 July
Shehbaz Sharif ends Lahore rallies, says people’s verdict is on 25 July
- Section 144 imposed in Lahore, political rallies declared illegal
- All roads leading to the airport closed
Pakistan minister in Saudi Arabia to attend World Defense Show exhibition
- Defense Minister Khawaja Asif to attend five-day event featuring global companies specializing in defense, security sectors
- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia signed a strategic defense pact last year formalizing decades of decades of military cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif arrived in Riyadh this week to attend the five-day Saudi Defense Show exhibition, state media reported, where more than 700 exhibitors are expected to showcase their products.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) is organizing the event from Feb. 8-12 in Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The event brings together official delegations, government entities and leading international companies specializing in the defense and security sectors.
GAMI Governor Ahmad Al-Ohali has said the event will feature a comprehensive program, including live air and land demonstrations, static displays and newly developed zones, enhancing opportunities for partnership and integration between Saudi government entities and major national and global defense companies.
“Defense Minister of Pakistan, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, has arrived in Riyadh on the official invitation of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to attend the World Defense Show,” the state-run Pakistan Television News (PTV) said on Saturday.
It said Asif was received by senior Saudi officials and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Farooq, after arriving in Riyadh.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have strengthened their economic and defense ties in recent years as regional tensions and militant violence escalate.
The two nations signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement on Sept. 17, 2025, pledging that aggression against one country would be treated as an attack on both, enhancing joint deterrence and formalizing decades of military and security cooperation.
The pact was signed during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
A month later, the two countries complemented their defense pact with an economic cooperation framework to boost trade and investment ties.
Pakistan regards Saudi Arabia as a critical ally, with the Kingdom hosting over 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates. This makes Saudi Arabia the largest source of remittances for cash-strapped Pakistan worldwide.
