ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s close aide and ruling party lawmaker Sen. Faisal Javed on Monday praised the Makkah summit which saw Arab and Muslim leaders meet and discuss cooperation and mutual challenges.
He also stressed on the strength of the relationship with the kingdom after some social media accounts pointed out a lack of coordination during the translation process. He also stressed on the strength of the relation between the premier and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz on the eve of the 14th two-day Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Makkah.
“The prime minister exchanged greetings with King Salman and listened to him as well through the translator,” said Javed, who is also the chairman of Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting.
He said that the prime minister “enjoys an excellent relationship with the Saudi royal” and there was no question of disrespecting the king.
“Pakistan’s bilateral relationship with Saudi Arabia has improved tremendously under the leadership of Imran Khan,” he said. “The social media criticism is just the opposition’s propaganda as they are trying to play down the prime minister’s brilliant speech at the OIC summit.”
Javed said that the prime minister also held a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the summit and “thanked him for extending financial support to Pakistan at this difficult juncture.”
“Let me make it clear that the Pakistani people and Prime Minister Imran Khan will continue to stand with Saudi Arabia, and we are ready to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom,” he said. “This social media criticism is nothing but baseless propaganda by some nefarious elements, which can never succeed.”
Pakistan PM’s aide praises Makkah summits, Saudi King
Pakistan PM’s aide praises Makkah summits, Saudi King
- Imran Khan enjoys excellent rapport with Saudi leadership: Sen. Faisal Javed
- Says the social media criticism is nothing more than opposition’s propaganda to downplay prime minister’s speech
Punjab imposes curbs ahead of Basant kite festival’s return after 18-year hiatus
- Basant to be celebrated in Lahore from Feb. 6-8 for first time since 2007, officials say
- Section 144 enforced to bar religious and political imagery on kites amid security concerns
ISLAMABAD: Punjab authorities have enforced Section 144 and imposed strict limits on kite materials and imagery ahead of the Basant kite-flying festival, which is set to return in Lahore next month for the first time since 2007 under tight safety and public-order conditions.
The move comes as the three-day Basant celebration — a traditional spring cultural festival marked by kite flying — is scheduled from Feb. 6 to 8 under the Punjab Kite Flying Act 2025, ending an 18-year hiatus after years of ban amid deadly accidents and safety concerns.
Basant, once a vibrant tradition signaling the arrival of spring with colorful kites and rooftop festivities, was outlawed in the mid-2000s after authorities linked metal-coated kite strings and celebratory gunfire to multiple deaths and injuries.
“A 30-day ban has been imposed under Section 144 on the manufacture, sale, purchase and use of kites bearing religious or political symbols or imagery,” the Punjab Home Department said in a statement.
“Kites displaying the image of any country’s flag or a political party’s flag will also be prohibited,” it added. “The manufacture, transportation, storage, sale and use of kites in violation of these restrictions have been declared punishable offenses.”
Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure allows authorities to impose different kinds of restrictions to maintain public order and safety.
The statement highlighted “concerns that provocative elements could use religious or political symbols during Basant.”
It said that authorities have permitted only plain or multicolored kites during the event.
“The Punjab government has allowed Basant as a recreational festival under a ‘safe Basant’ framework,” the statement added. “No violations of the law will be permitted during Basant.”
