BetweenTheLines

Sameer Arshad Khatlani Pakistan's top court ordered former Prime Minister Imran Khan's transfer to a private hospital amid concerns about his health. Khan, 73, who was ousted in 2022 and has been imprisoned since August 2023 on what are largely believed to be politically driven convictions, is reported to have lost significant vision in his right eye.  Pakistan's Supreme Court cited Khan's fundamental right, while ordering the authorities to ensure his health and safety. A federal minister promised to implement the order in letter and spirit, while another said they seek Khan's treatment at a public hospital.  Khan's arrest after falling out with the military establishment sparked unprecedented protests and attacks on military installations. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was stripped of its election symbol, the cricket bat, ahead of the 2024 election, and its candidates were forced to contest as independents. Yet they emerged as the single largest ...

By Sameer Arshad Khatlani Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed a defence agreement on August 7 in Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, stating that an attack against any of the three countries will be regarded as an assault on them all. The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement comes amid growing doubts about the US as a security provider, even as Saudi Arabia signed a civilian nuclear pact with Washington in July. In 1963, the then-Saudi Crown Prince Faisal told US ambassador Parker T Hart that “after Allah, we trust America,” underlining the depth of their relationship.  The Saudi-US ties remain strong, but successive US administrations have sought to reduce their involvement in West Asia.  President Donald Trump has vocally articulated the need for allies across regions to spend more on their defence and take more responsibility. The Trump administration’s National Defense Strategy is categorical in saying the US is stretched and cannot shoulder the responsibility alone amid simultane...