LAHORE: As the sun dips below the horizon, signaling the end of the day’s fast, the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore begins to stir with renewed vitality, attracting people to the historic site of worship for special Ramadan night prayers.
Most of these people are residents of different neighborhoods of the city, but a significant chunk of them also travels from nearby towns and settlements, all drawn by the profound spiritual gravity of the last ten days of the Muslim fasting month.
These days have unparalleled significance since they contain Laylat Al-Qadr, the Night of Power, when the first verses of the Holy Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The air is charged with devotion, as the faithful seek to immerse themselves in prayer and reflection to maximize their spiritual experience.
Among the sea of believers is Irfan Hussain, who has traveled all the way from London. For him, this pilgrimage is an inward journey and a chance to experience the collective fervor of the special Taraweeh prayers in the mosque’s expansive courtyard, under the expanse of the night sky.
“To be honest, I’ve always dreamed to come to the Badshahi Mosque,” he told Arab News. “I’ve been to many mosques across the world but this Masjid is truly beautiful.”
What made his experience even more exhilarating is Jumu‘ah-tul-Wida‘a, the last Friday of Ramadan, which is considered sacred since it marks the biggest congregational prayer of the month before Eid Al-Fitr.
“Praying outdoors especially is amazing,” he continued. “In the UK, [and other] parts of the world, [we] don’t get a chance to pray outdoors.”
Hussain’s presence at the mosque, amid the throng of worshippers, reflects the timeless allure of the Badshahi Mosque, a place where history and holiness converge, offering a sanctuary for those seeking spiritual renewal in the sacred nights of Ramadan.
Constructed in the 17th century under the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, the mosque offers a glimpse into the magnificence of Mughal architecture. Its red color enhances the grandeur of the large central dome, which is framed by grand minarets at each of the building’s four corners. Worshippers entering the main hall also marvel at the intricate marble work.
Unlike other mosques in much of the rest of the country, women also play a significant role in the communal life here, with dedicated areas for them to perform the Taraweeh and Friday prayers.
“[We want to ensure] that women can offer communal prayers as they’re meant to during special occasions like Ramadan, instead of just praying at home,” Bashir Azad, a mosque administrator, told Arab News.
The iftar offerings at the mosque, free and sizeable, start with the traditional dates, following Islamic custom. This also attracts many people, who had come for the Friday prayers, to stay through iftar, followed by the Isha and Taraweeh prayers.
Azad said the mosque’s ability to provide respite from the sun, combined with its historical significance in Old Lahore, created one of the finest communal prayer experiences.
“We offer one of the best experiences of communal prayers, so I think this all ties in together,” he continued. “People come early and they don’t want to leave till late.”
Dozens of people in the mosque are also practicing spiritual seclusion, known as i‘tikaf, observed during the last ten days of Ramadan, where Muslims dedicate themselves to prayer and Qur’anic reflection.
Dr. Mustafa Kamal, a radio presenter, is one of them.
“Yes, I’ve been coming here [in Ramadan] for a number of years now,” he said. “It’s difficult to say why I choose this mosque. There’s a sense of peace and calm here. I think my mind [stays] at ease here.”
Unlike such regulars, many people, like a woman named Shumaila, said they were offering Taraweeh prayers at the Badshahi Mosque for the first time.
“This is the first time I’ve been here for Taraweeh prayers. My son brought me here. The atmosphere here is great,” she said, attributing the tranquility of the place to the separate praying enclave for women.
Another woman, Hafsa, said she had come to the mosque with her sister and father on Jumu‘ah-tul-Wida‘a, even as their own home was situated in a different corner of the city in Raiwind.
“We come to the Badshahi Mosque very often,” she told Arab News. “Every Eid prayer and especially to say Taraweeh prayers during Ramadan.”
Asked why so many people within the city preferred to commute for an hour to come to this mosque, she said: “Because it’s a historical place [built] around 500 years ago by [Mughal Emperor] Aurangzeb Alamgir. So, a lot of people get together so they can perform Taraweeh in one of Allah’s grandest houses on earth.”
Nightly prayers transform historic Badshahi Mosque into Ramadan retreat in Pakistan’s Lahore
https://arab.news/bez2m
Nightly prayers transform historic Badshahi Mosque into Ramadan retreat in Pakistan’s Lahore
- Built in the 17th century, the mosque hosts thousands of people every week, with a large percentage of them women
- The number of people going to the mosque for worship has even increased further during the last ten days of Ramadan
Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief continues relief efforts in Pakistan, Lebanon and Syria
- The charity distributed 2,160 food packages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Battagram and Buner districts as well as Sukkur in Sindh
- The aid was given to families in flood-affected areas as part of the Saudi organization’s Food Security Support Project 2025
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center’s (KSrelief) humanitarian and relief efforts continue with the distribution of food, hygiene supplies as well as the provision of emergency transport services.
In in Ma’arrat Misrin of Syria’s Idlib Governorate, KSrelief handed out 672 food boxes and 672 hygiene kits as part of the second phase of the food aid and hygiene kit distribution project for populations affected by the earthquake in 2025.
In Lebanon’s Akkar Governorate and Miniyeh district, the aid agency during the past week distributed 175,000 bags of bread to Syrian and Palestinian refugees as well as residents of host communities. The initiative was part of the fourth phase of Al-Amal Charitable Bakery Project in the country.
In the Battagram and Buner districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as well as the Sukkur district in Sindh province of Pakistan, 2,160 food packages were given to families in flood-affected areas as part of the Food Security Support Project 2025
Meanwhile, KSrelief delivered 125 tons of dates to Sudan as a gift from the Kingdom.
In north Lebanon, the KSrelief-funded ambulance service of Subul Al-Salam Social Association in the Miniyeh district carried out 61 missions during the past week, including transporting patients to and from hospitals and treating burn injuries.
Islamabad lawyers call strike today over ‘unconstitutional’ transfer of judges
- The development comes a day after Pakistan’s president approved transfer of three judges from Sindh, Balochistan and Lahore to Islamabad High Court
- Pakistan’s constitution empowers the president to transfer a judge from one high court to another after the concerned judge consents to the decision
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Bar Council (IBC), Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) and the Islamabad District Bar Association (IDBA) have announced a strike on Monday to protest recent transfer of judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), calling them “unconstitutional measures affecting the judiciary and the legal profession.”
The announcement was made after a joint meeting of lawyer bodies a day after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the transfer of three judges from the high courts of Sindh, Balochistan and Lahore to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), amid opposition from five IHC judges.
Zardari approved the transfers of Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar from the Lahore High Court (LHC), the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro and the Balochistan High Court’s (BHC) Justice Muhammad Asif to the IHC. Local media reported the government was considering elevating Justice Dogar to the post of the IHC chief justice.
In a statement issued after Sunday’s meeting of lawyer bodies, the IBC said the legal fraternity of Islamabad “strongly condemns” the recent notification regarding the transfer of judges from other provinces to the Islamabad High Court, describing the move as a “direct violation of the principles of judicial independence and regional representation.”
“It undermines the autonomy of the Islamabad high Court,” the IBC said. “The legal fraternity of Islamabad ensures its commitment to resist the unjustified transfers and appointments of judges from other provinces.”
Pakistan’s constitution empowers the president to transfer a judge from one high court to another after the concerned judge consents to the decision. The president can approve the transfer after consulting the chief justice of Pakistan and the chief justice of both high courts.
On Friday, five of 10 IHC judges opposed Justice Dogar’s transfer in a letter addressed to the chief justices of the Supreme Court and high courts. The five judges said if the decision to transfer the judge was aimed at elevating him to the post of IHC chief justice, it would be a “fraud on the constitution.”
The IBC said the lawyer bodies will pursue all legal and constitutional avenues to challenge the move and safeguard the “judicial independence of Islamabad.”
“An All-Pakistan Lawyers’ Convention will be held under the Islamabad Bar Council tomorrow... to formulate future strategy,” it said on Sunday.
Pakistan deputy PM reviews preparations for key talks with Qatar next week
- The bilateral talks in Doha, starting on Feb. 5, are expected to cover areas such as trade, investment and defense collaboration
- They come at a time when Pakistan is seeking to boost foreign investment and trade to put its fragile economy on path of recovery
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Senator Ishaq Dar, has held an inter-ministerial meeting to review preparations for the upcoming Pakistan-Qatar Bilateral Political Consultations in Doha next week, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday.
The bilateral talks in Doha, starting on Feb. 5, are expected to cover key areas, including trade, investment, defense collaboration, and mutual diplomatic interests.
Besides leading Pakistan’s delegation at the talks, Dar will hold meetings with the Qatari leadership, a Pakistani foreign office spokesperson said on Friday.
During Sunday’s meeting, officials briefed the deputy prime minister on the status of various Pakistan-Qatar initiatives, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The deputy prime minister and foreign minister underscored that preparations should be made for substantive, productive and result oriented discussions in Doha,” the report read.
The talks come months after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Qatar in Oct. 2024 to bolster economic cooperation between the two countries. Sharif led delegation-level talks with the Qatari emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, before holding a separate meeting with him to discuss a wide array of issues.
“The leaders reviewed the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Qatar relations, exploring potential avenues for enhanced cooperation in trade, potential areas of investment, energy, and culture,” Sharif’s office said at the time.
Pakistan and Qatar have longstanding economic, defense and cultural relations. In 2022, the Qatar Investment Authority committed $3 billion for projects in Pakistan, spanning airport management, renewable energy and hospitality.
The talks between both countries are occurring at a time when Islamabad is seeking to boost foreign investment and trade to support its dwindling economy, which is on a tricky path to recovery since Pakistan avoided a default in June 2023.
Pakistan demands ‘urgent action’ to protect world wetlands to mitigate climate crisis
- Wetlands are defined as both freshwater and coastal and marine ecosystems that are vital to human well-being and sustainable development
- These ecosystems act as natural buffers against floods and function as carbon sinks, which helps mitigate the effects of global warming
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday called on the world to take “urgent action” to safeguard wetlands, emphasizing their significant role in environmental preservation, biodiversity, and combating impacts of climate change.
The statement by Romina Khurshid Alam, the Pakistan prime minister’s coordinator on climate change, came on the World Wetlands Day being observed under the theme “Wetlands and Water.” Alam called for strengthened global and national efforts to safeguard these vital ecosystems.
The United Nations (UN) has designated Feb. 2 as World Wetlands Day to commemorate the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971. As part of Pakistan’s commitment to the Ramsar Convention, the country has designated 19 wetlands of international importance, including the famous Keenjhar Lake, Rann of Kutch, and the Haleji Lake, which support a wide variety of wildlife, especially for around 2 million migratory birds from countries in Central Asia, Siberia and northern parts of Europe.
The Pakistan PM’s aide stated that climate change has exacerbated the challenges faced by wetlands in Pakistan, with rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and increasing sea levels causing wetlands to shrink disrupting the delicate balance of these ecosystems.
“As we observe World Wetland Day, it is essential that we commit taking action not just today but every day to safeguard the wetlands and the countless species that depend on them,” Alam said. “By collaborating, we can preserve these precious resources and build a sustainable future of environment.”
Wetlands are defined as both freshwater and coastal and marine ecosystems, and include all lakes and rivers, swamps, marshes, peatlands, estuaries, deltas, tidal flats, mangroves, coral reefs, and underground aquifers.
These areas are vital to human well-being and sustainable development but despite their critical role, wetlands are among the ecosystems with the highest rates of decline, loss and degradation, according to environmental experts.
Alam noted that although Pakistan contributes only 1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, it has been ranked among top ten climate-vulnerable nations.
“This stark disparity highlights the country’s heightened risk to the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events, floods, droughts, and rising temperatures, which pose significant threats to its population, economy, and place additional pressure on its wetland resources,” she said, emphasizing that wetlands act as natural buffers against floods and function as carbon sinks, which helps mitigate the effects of global warming.
Pakistan last year recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall while some areas of the country faced a heat wave in May and June. In 2022, unusually heavy rains triggered flash floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting losses of around $30 billion, and affecting at least 30 million people.
Scientists have attributed Pakistan’s erratic weather patterns to climate change effects and called on countries around the world to take urgent steps to tackle the crisis.
Alam reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to protecting these vital ecosystems by strengthening environmental policies, promoting sustainable water management, and working closely with local communities to ensure that wetlands are preserved for future generations.
“Pakistan has shown resilience in the face of climate change, and our government is continuously taking steps to address environmental degradation,” she said. “Wetlands, especially in regions like the Indus Delta, play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance and supporting livelihoods.”
Pakistan launches first anti-polio drive of 2025, appreciates Saudi support in disease eradication
- Pakistan reported a total of 73 polio cases last year amid a resurgence of virus
- Shehbaz Sharif says Saudi Arabia has pumped in hundreds of millions to fight polio
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday thanked Saudi Arabia for joining hands with Pakistan and its global partners in their fight against polio as he launched a nationwide anti-polio drive, which aims to vaccinate more than 40 million children under the age of five years.
Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five is essential to provide children high immunity against this terrible disease.
The Pakistan polio program conducts multiple mass vaccination drives in a year, and this year’s first anti-polio vaccination campaign will formally begin on Monday, Feb. 3 and continue until Feb. 9.
PM Sharif noted that Pakistan reported over 70 cases of the virus last year, while the country has reported one polio case this year, launching the campaign by administering anti-polio vaccine to children in Islamabad.
“Now, our brotherly country, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has again joined hands [with Pakistan and global partners] against polio and they have pumped in hundreds of millions of dollars for this purpose,” Sharif said.
“I hope we will be able to, this time around, with coordinated and outstanding team efforts, [we] will be able to eradicate this disease from the face of Pakistan.”
Pakistan reported a total of 73 polio cases in 2024. Of these, 27 were from Balochistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 22 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. The country reported its first case of 2025 in Dera Ismail Khan on Jan. 22.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries in the world where polio remains an endemic.
Immunization campaigns have succeeded in most countries and have come close in Pakistan, but persistent problems remain. In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994 but efforts to eradicate the virus have since been undermined by vaccine misinformation and opposition from some religious hard-liners who say immunization is a foreign ploy to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western spies. Militant groups also frequently attack and kill members of polio vaccine teams.
