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London mayor praises PM Shehbaz’s statesmanship in US-Iran peace talks

London: London Mayor Sadiq Khan has praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for Pakistan’s role in supporting peace efforts between the US and Iran, stressing that the premier has shown considerable statesmanship and deserves lots of credit for the role he has played.

Speaking to Geo News at the Vaisakhi celebrations in Trafalgar Square of London, Mayor Khan said: “PM Shehbaz deserves great credit. We’ve seen Vice President JD Vance in Pakistan. We’ve seen the Iranian team in Pakistan. We want this ceasefire to be permanent. It’s really important to recognise the importance of peacekeeping. Disputes are solved amicably and peacefully, and diplomacy is really important.”

President Donald Trump has openly and repeatedly criticised Khan. In fact, the London mayor was among the first to be targeted by Trump, and Khan has responded to him in a similar manner through the media.

Khan said, smiling, that President Trump is not known for appreciating people, but the fact that he has been praising PM Shehbaz and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir says a great deal about the significance Pakistan has achieved through its peace efforts.

He said: “President Trump is praising PM Shehbaz. We’ve got to recognise that had this meeting not taken place in Pakistan, had Pakistan not offered to host as a trusted partner, and the big thing about Pakistan being a trusted partner is that both Iran and the US agreed to go to Islamabad and have these talks.

“We’ve got to hope, Inshallah, that there is peace that this ceasefire holds, because look, it’s affecting all of us. It’s affecting the economy in Pakistan. It’s affecting the economy in the UK. It’s affecting the economy in Europe because of Iran and the US. And so peace is good for everyone, and Pakistan should be very proud of the role it has played.”

Mayor Khan joined Vaisakhi celebrations in Trafalgar Square, praising the Sikh community and describing the festival as a joyful and important occasion.

He said people could be proud to be Londoners, British, English, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh at the same time. Thousands of Sikhs gathered in the Square to celebrate the festival by singing, dancing, praying, eating and playing Gatka.

The London mayor used the event to highlight the importance of unity and respect, while warning about the rise in anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia.

He said that only a few weeks ago, he was attacked for hosting the Eid ul Fitr event at the same venue by right-wingers and nativists — from Reform, the Tories, some sections of the media and racist groups — who claimed Muslims had shown dominance by praying in the Square and that Eid celebrations should be banned.

He asked what the same people would say about the fact that he was now celebrating a Sikh event, had celebrated a major Christian event two weeks earlier, and would soon host Hindu, Jewish and other festivals at the same venue.

He said that such criticism was unfair and baseless, and showed how there has been, across the UK and “across the globe, an increase in hatred, anti-Muslim hatred, Islamophobia”.

“We are deeply suspicious across the globe. You’ve got right-wing, nativist populists bringing to the centre views that are unacceptable. The good news, we’ve got fantastic allies. Keir Starmer defended the British values of respect and celebration. But also many others came to our defence. The Jewish community came to our defence as well during Ramadan. We’ll be celebrating Eid, we’ll be fighting for it again. Happy Vaisakhi!” he concluded.

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Health minister orders probe into Sindh MDCAT complaints

ISLAMABAD:Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal has taken notice of alleged irregularities in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) held in Sindh and ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the complaints.

According to official sources, the minister directed a five-member committee, including the President of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), to conduct a transparent investigation and submit its report within 15 days.

The committee has been tasked with examining the complaints and reviewing the circumstances surrounding the alleged irregularities during the examination, sources said.

The minister directed the committee to complete the inquiry within the stipulated timeframe and present its findings for further action in accordance with the applicable rules.

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CDA chairman directs faster work on Expressway East project

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Sohail Ashraf has directed officials to accelerate work on the Islamabad Expressway Service Road East project while ensuring strict compliance with approved designs and construction standards.

During an inspection of the project on Saturday, the chairman reviewed progress and was briefed on ongoing works and the next phase of development.

He directed the project director and relevant departments to maintain continuous field monitoring and quality control and ensure effective traffic management to minimise inconvenience to commuters.

The chairman described the Expressway East project as an important infrastructure scheme for improving connectivity, traffic flow and road capacity in the capital. He also stressed that construction quality should not be compromised in efforts to meet the project timeline.

During the visit, he was also briefed on an ongoing enforcement operation against unauthorised and illegal construction along the Islamabad Expressway.

According to the CDA, 377 buildings have been identified for action, including 281 commercial structures. So far, 58 buildings have been sealed, while 124 buildings between Sohan and Khanna bridges have been marked for demolition.

The authority said Rs234.685 million had been recovered through land-use conversion, unauthorised construction and de-sealing charges. Around Rs3 billion remained recoverable under applicable regulations in connection with land-use conversion and violations relating to unauthorised construction, setbacks, floor area ratio and covered area.

The chairman directed the relevant departments to ensure strict enforcement of building-control and land-use regulations, particularly mandatory fire-safety requirements.

The enforcement operation is being conducted by the CDA’s Building Control Section and Enforcement Directorate in coordination with the district administration and Islamabad police.

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GB ministers call on Governor Kundi

PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday held a meeting with a delegation of Gilgit-Baltistan ministers at the Governor’s House here and discussed the country’s political situation and other matters of mutual interest.

The delegation comprised Gilgit-Baltistan Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Zulfiqar Ali Murad, Minister for Health Iqbal Hassan and Minister for Education Aman Ali Ameer.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the prevailing political situation in the country and various issues of mutual interest. They also discussed the recent elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and the Pakistan Peoples Party’s success in the polls.

The visiting ministers were taken on a tour of the Governor’s House. Governor Kundi presented them with traditional shawls and caps.