LAHORE – Metro bus service, electric buses, speedo bus service will remain closed on 9th and 10th Muharram across Punja. According to Punjab Mass Transit Authority, metro, electric and speedo bus services have been closed due to security concerns. Services will remain suspended in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi. Meanwhile, City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL) has issued a traffic advisory for the 9th Muharram mourning procession scheduled to proceed from Islam Pura to Khaima-e-Sadaat via Pando Street. Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Raheem Shirazi said that all necessary arrangements had been completed to ensure smooth traffic flow and facilitate mourners during the procession. He said SP City Maqsood Lone would supervise the traffic arrangements, while special measures had been taken to keep routes clear for emergency vehicles throughout the procession. The CTO said traffic diversions would remain temporary and roads would be reopened immediately after the passage of the procession. “Traffic at diversion points would only be stopped for a short time and restored as soon as the procession moves forward,” he added. According to the traffic advisory, traffic coming from Chowk Civil Secretariat towards Islam Pura would not be allowed, while all kinds of traffic from Sanda Road towards Pando Street will remain restricted. Similarly, traffic from Chowk Sanda Khurd via Haider Road towards Neeli Bar, as well as traffic approaching from Last Bus Stop and Sanda Road towards Noori Building, would not be permitted during the procession. Restrictions would also remain in place from Neeli Bar Turn towards Neeli Bar Chowk, Chowk Tollinton Market towards Old Anarkali, Baba Mauj Darya towards Khaima-e-Sadaat, and from Jain Mandar Chowk towards Edward Road and Khaima-e-Sadaat. Traffic from Farid Kot Road towards Jain Mandar and Khaima-e-Sadaat, as well as from Jain Mandar Chowk towards Old Anarkali, would also be diverted. The CTO said alternative routes had been designated to minimise inconvenience to commuters. Traffic from Last Bus Stop would be diverted through Sanda, Firdous Cinema, Sanda Road and MAO College, while vehicles from MAO College and Sanda Road would be able to access Sanda through Last Bus Stop. Traffic coming from Azadi Flyover would be diverted at District Courts Chowk towards the G.C. College roundabout, while heavy traffic from Ferozepur Road would be diverted from LOS Chowk towards Ganda Nala. Likewise, traffic approaching from Multan Road would be diverted from Samanabad Mor towards Double Roads and Ring Road. Shirazi urged citizens to cooperate with traffic wardens, follow the advisory and use alternative routes to avoid inconvenience. He said no diversion would remain permanent and traffic would be managed according to the movement of the procession. The restricted areas include Pando Street Islam Pura, Block Sadaan Islam Pura, Main Bazaar, Chishtia High School Road, Haider Road, Civil Secretariat Chowk, Nabha Road, Church Road, Edward Road, Khaima-e-Sadaat, Jain Mandar Chowk, McLeod Road and Old Anarkali.

LAHORE – The Suthra Punjab Agency Lahore (SPAL) deployed its sanitation operational teams across the city on the 9th Muharram-ul-Haram to ensure cleanliness at religious gatherings and along procession routes. According to a press release issued here on Thursday special cleaning measures were undertaken on the routes of the Ashura procession originating from Nisar Haveli, where sanitation workers and machinery remained active to maintain a clean environment for mourners and visitors. SPAL also carried out extensive cleanliness operations during the 983rd annual Ghusl ceremony of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hajveri (RA). More than 150 workers participated in the cleanliness operation around Data Darbar, supported by 2 washer vehicles, 3 compactors, 1 mechanical sweeper and 2 loader dumpers. Six supervisors, 2 zonal officers and the town manager personally monitored the operation in the field. Mechanical sweeping was conducted on roads and streets surrounding the Darbar, while pathways leading to the Data Darbar were washed and sprayed with a mixture of phenyl and rose water to maintain hygiene and improve the environment for devotees. On the instructions of Suthra Punjab Authority DG Babar Sahib Din, 10 additional waste containers were installed around the Darbar. Roads, markets and adjoining streets were cleaned and washed, while lime was also sprinkled on routes leading to the Darbar. As part of the Muharram sanitation plan, workers were engaged in manual sweeping and waste clearance in ‘Lakri Mandi’ and Main Bazaar Mochi Gate, while cleanliness measures were also ensured in Mughal Haveli, Taveela Nawab Sahib and Mohalla Shian. 
Waste containers placed along all procession routes were cleared regularly to facilitate mourners and residents. 
DG Babar Sahib Din said all available resources had been utilised to provide a clean and hygienic environment for visitors and devotees. He also thanked citizens for cooperating with Suthra Punjab teams and disposing of waste in designated bins.

LAHORE  – The Punjab government has finalised an extensive province-wide security and facilitation plan for Muharram-ul-Haram, deploying more than 125,000 police personnel, launching a digital monitoring system for imambargahs, and introducing new public facilitation measures under the direct supervision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Officials said the administration had remained on high alert for the past eight days to ensure the peaceful conduct of Muharram processions and majalis across the province. This year, the government has adopted what it describes as a new administrative model that combines stringent security arrangements with measures aimed at facilitating mourners. In a first, anti-smog guns and sprinkler systems have been deployed in several districts to spray water along procession routes, providing relief from intense heat and humidity during the observances. A major feature of the plan is the introduction of a digital monitoring system linking all 4,836 imambargahs in Punjab through QR codes. Authorities said the system would enable organisers and government agencies to communicate more efficiently and allow real-time reporting and response. Organisers of majalis have been encouraged to use the QR-based platform. Special arrangements have also been made for the provision of cold drinking water, while mobile health units, field hospitals, Rescue 1122 teams, Civil Defence personnel and volunteers have been stationed along procession routes. Additional sanitation staff has been deployed to maintain cleanliness around imambargahs and gathering sites.
To maintain law and order, a three-tier security strategy has been enforced across the province. More than 125,000 police officers and personnel have been deployed, supported by 61 companies of the Pakistan Army, 76 companies of Rangers and over 30,000 trained volunteers.
The chief minister is personally overseeing the arrangements, while district administrations and law-enforcement agencies have been directed to remain on high alert throughout the mourning period. Authorities have also activated a cyber-patrolling unit to monitor social media platforms for hate speech, sectarian content and incitement. According to officials, more than 6,000 social media accounts and objectionable online posts have been reported to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for action. To ensure uninterrupted communication and coordination, particularly during any disruption of conventional networks, the provincial government has launched its own LTE-based communication system. Live CCTV feeds from processions and majalis are being monitored at the Provincial Intelligence Centre, while provincial and district-level control rooms have been placed on round-the-clock alert. Officials said over 5,600 CCTV cameras, 1,040 body-worn cameras and more than 1,000 4G event cameras have been deployed to strengthen surveillance and monitoring. In addition, 43 intelligence-based operations have been conducted across Punjab ahead of Muharram as part of preventive security measures.
The government has reiterated that no new processions or gatherings will be permitted beyond those traditionally held and officially licensed. A comprehensive digital map of all majalis and processions has also been prepared, while a dedicated hotline between the provincial government and religious scholars remains operational to promote inter-sect harmony and address emerging concerns. As part of security restrictions, Section 144 has been imposed across Punjab. Standing on rooftops along procession routes, displaying weapons, misuse of loudspeakers, wall chalking and delivery of provocative speeches have been prohibited. Officials warned that strict legal action would be taken against violators. Preventive measures have also been taken against individuals considered a potential threat to public order. Restrictions have been imposed on 794 clerics, while 1,418 individuals have been barred from entering specified areas. Motorcycle pillion riding will remain banned across the province on the 9th and 10th of Muharram. Officials said the provincial cabinet committee on law and order had completed visits to all nine divisions of Punjab to review preparations. Meanwhile, peace committees have held 1,220 meetings at the grassroots level to strengthen coordination among communities and stakeholders. According to official estimates, a total of 47,280 Muharram gatherings are expected to take place across Punjab, including 37,868 majalis and 9,412 processions.

LONDON: Singer Zayn Malik is reportedly facing new challenges in his career comeback after claims emerged that he has parted ways with his management, adding to a series of recent setbacks.

The Sun reported, citing a source, that the former One Direction star has split from Zenkai Management, the agency that had managed his career since 2022. The reported departure comes after last year’s alleged fallout involving former bandmate Louis Tomlinson.

According to the report, Zayn isn’t the easiest character to work with and his team stood by him through in all circumstances. However, things reached a point where his management felt they couldn’t do anything else, and they recently resigned. Now Zain is looking for the third manager of his career.

Neither Malik nor Zenkai Management has publicly commented on the reports.

Dispute with Louis Tomlinson

Earlier reports claimed that Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson clashed while filming a proposed travel series in 2025.

According to those reports, the show would have followed the former One Direction bandmates on a journey across the United States, where they planned to reflect on their careers, personal lives, and memories from their time in the globally successful boy band.

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The reports alleged that tensions escalated during filming after Malik reportedly became difficult to work with, leading to a heated argument. It was further claimed that Malik remarked on Tomlinson’s late mother, Johannah Deakin, who died of leukaemia in 2016 at the age of 43.

Following the reported dispute, two of Tomlinson’s sisters, Phoebe and Lottie, unfollowed Malik on Instagram.

The reports also alleged that the confrontation turned physical, with sources claiming Malik punched Tomlinson, causing a head injury. However, these allegations have not been independently verified.

WASHINGTON: The U.S. Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump a victory on Thursday by backing the federal government’s authority to turn away asylum seekers when officials deem U.S.-Mexico border crossings too overburdened to handle additional claims.

The court, in a 6-3 ruling powered ​by its conservative justices, overturned a lower court’s finding that the policy violated federal law. The Republican president’s administration has said it may seek to revive the policy, known as “metering,” after it ‌was dropped by Trump’s Democratic predecessor Joe Biden.

The ruling was one of two in immigration-related cases issued by the court on Thursday backing Trump.

The metering policy allowed U.S. immigration officials to stop asylum seekers at the border and indefinitely decline to process their claims. It is separate from a sweeping policy to deny entry to asylum seekers at the border that Trump announced after returning to the presidency last year. That policy also faces an ongoing legal challenge.

Under U.S. law, a migrant who “arrives in the United States” may apply for asylum and ​must be inspected by a federal immigration official. The legal issue in the current case is whether asylum seekers who are stopped on the Mexican side of the border have arrived in the United ​States.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito, who authored Thursday’s ruling, wrote that the answer is “no.”

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“In ordinary speech, no one would say that a person ‘arrives in’ a place — for example, a house, a ⁠city or a country — before the person enters that place,” Alito wrote. “The context in which the phrase ‘arrives in the United States’ is used in the immigration statutes at issue here supports an ordinary-meaning reading.”

‘MORE PEOPLE WILL DIE’

Alito read ​a summary of his opinion from the bench, as is customary. Justice Sonia Sotomayor then read a lengthy summary of her dissenting opinion from the bench — an action that signals a justice’s strong opposition to a ruling.

Sotomayor, in a ​dissent that was joined by fellow liberal justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, wrote that Thursday’s ruling authorizes U.S. immigration officers to refuse to consider asylum applications by “physically blocking (applicants) from stepping foot onto U.S. soil.”

“The consequences of today’s decision are predictable,” Sotomayor wrote.

“More people will die. More people will attempt to cross the border illegally, and some will make it while others will not. More people will be forced to walk along the U.S.-Mexico border in dangerous conditions, trying to find a port that will inspect them. More ​people will turn back and be subjected to violence because of something they cannot or should not have to change about themselves, such as their race, religion, nationality or political opinion,” Sotomayor wrote.

In an unusual move, Alito then responded ​from the bench to Sotomayor with an additional defense of the ruling, saying there was much more he would have included in his opinion summary had he known that Sotomayor intended to air her dissent in court.

The other immigration-related ruling issued on ‌Thursday also was ⁠authored by Alito. In that one, the court cleared the way for the Trump administration to strip hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants of a humanitarian status that protects them from deportation. At issue was Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 people from Haiti and 6,100 from Syria.

‘AN IMPORTANT TOOL’

James Percival, general counsel at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, welcomed Thursday’s ruling, saying it “opens up an important tool to continue securing our southern border.”

“We had to go all the way to SCOTUS to vindicate the principle that an alien is not ‘in the United States’ until he is, in fact, in the United States,” Percival said, using shorthand for the Supreme Court of the United States. “We ​have yet AGAIN been vindicated by the Supreme Court.”

Melissa ​Crow, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, said the ⁠ruling “should sound the alarm for anyone who cares about human rights and the rule of law.”

The ruling, Crow said, “suggests the president may unilaterally override decades of established law and trample on people’s legal rights if doing so suits his political agenda.”

A MIGRANT SURGE

U.S. immigration officials began turning away asylum seekers at the border in 2016 under Democratic former President ​Barack Obama amid a migrant surge. The metering policy was formalized in 2018 during Trump’s first term in office, with border officials authorized to decline processing asylum ​claims when the government decides it ⁠is unable to handle additional applications. Biden rescinded the policy in 2021.

The Trump administration has said it likely would resume metering “as soon as changed border conditions warranted that step,” without providing specifics. Trump has pursued hardline immigration policies since his return to office last year.

The advocacy group Al Otro Lado launched the long-running legal challenge in 2017. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2024 ruled that federal law requires border agents to inspect all asylum seekers who “arrive” at designated ⁠border crossings, even ​if they have not yet crossed into the United States, and the metering policy violated that obligation.

The Supreme Court also backed Trump in ​several immigration-related rulings issued on an emergency basis since his return to the presidency, including allowing him to deport migrants to countries other than their own and to revoke temporary legal status for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants.

The court is expected to rule by around the end of ​June on the legality of Trump’s directive to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States.