Overview
- Nationwide ceremonies honored Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s 149th birth anniversary, including a guard change at Mazar‑e‑Quaid and unity messages from the president and prime minister, with the premier also pledging full legal protection for minorities at a Christmas event.
- PTI publicly rejected the prime minister’s offer for dialogue, yet a spokesperson for the Tehreek Tahaffuz‑e‑Aain Pakistan said the PTI founder empowered Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasser Abbas to engage in negotiations.
- UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Islamabad for a state visit, with meetings scheduled with Pakistan’s top leadership and a focus on trade, investment, energy and regional stability.
- Pakistan’s national airline moved to expand UK operations, resuming Islamabad–Manchester service and planning London flights from March with four weekly Heathrow slots reported.
- A Supreme Court hearing underscored evidence‑based adjudication, as Justice Malik Shehzad remarked that Quran‑based oaths are not a substitute for legal proof while denying pre‑arrest bail in an arson case.