Authorities say that the revised curriculum will reduce the burden of textbooks and would steer a shift away from rote learning.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam gave her approval for the new curriculum while chairing a meeting in Lahore, in which the curricula for English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Urdu and Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) were reviewed.

Punjab Education Curriculum, Training and Assessment Authority (Pectaa) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Musa Ali Bukhari told Dawn that Pectaa developed new curriculum for ECCE to grade 5 that was later sent to the Cambridge International Education (CIE) for assessment and comparison with international curricula.

The CIE — a globally recognised international education framework for students — would provide the final content of the curriculum in December 2026 and Pectaa would begin printing the textbooks in January, Bukhari said.

Books under the new curriculum would be made available for the new academic session beginning in April 2027, he added.

The official said the revised curriculum was also aimed at reducing the cost of textbooks as the number of pages in books would be reduced.

According to Bukhari, the volume of textbooks will reduce by 25 per cent and each textbook will carry QR codes through which students will be able to access video lessons.

Moreover, the focus under the new curriculum would be on improving learning outcomes instead of memorisation, he said.

Bukhari said that Cambridge officials, who were involved in developing the curriculum content, would also train teachers for teaching the new syllabus.

AI curriculum

According to a statement issued by the CM’s Office, the meeting chaired by Maryam agreed that Saturdays would be “dedicated to teachers’ training across Punjab, while authors of the new textbooks would conduct training sessions for teachers”.

It said that during Thursday’s meeting, the provincial chief executive directed the relevant officials to finalise an artificial intelligence (AI) curriculum for grade 1-12 and stressed that computer laboratories should be developed alongside the new curriculum.

The meeting’s participants also agreed to introduce mental health training for teachers and considered appointing visiting psychologists in every district. Online counselling facilities for students were also proposed.

They also agreed in principle on the need for a legislation against corporal punishment in schools, the statement said, adding that the establishment of “discipline corners” in classrooms was proposed to replace physical punishment.

According to the statement, CM Maryam stressed that physical violence in schools could have a lifelong impact on children and called for constructive disciplinary measures instead of corporal punishment.

It was further agreed that Saturdays would be “dedicated to teachers’ training across Punjab, while authors of the new textbooks would conduct training sessions for teachers”.

Moreover, the CM was informed that English-language training had been completed for 35,000 teachers in 31 tehsils of 12 Punjab’s districts.

“This morning journalists from each of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico attempted to enter the White House and were turned away,” the news outlets said in a court filing.

“Plaintiffs respectfully request that the court set a hearing by video conference or teleconference as soon as possible,” they said. “Defendants have already repeatedly violated the court’s order.”

District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled overnight that the three news organisations banned by US President Donald Trump last week should have their access to the White House immediately restored.

Revoking their press credentials “likely violated their constitutional due process rights,” Kelly said. “The ‘general rule’ is that ‘individuals must receive notice and an opportunity to be heard before the government deprives them’ of a constitutionally protected interest.”

Trump has long attacked news outlets that have aired critical coverage of him, repeatedly blasting the press as the “enemy of the people”.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico were barred from the White House on Friday for distributing what the Republican president branded “fake news” and “fiction and lies.”

They filed a joint lawsuit asking for a temporary restraining order against the ban on the grounds that it violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which upholds the right to a free press.

Ahead of the ruling, the Department of Justice had argued that Trump can “control reporters’ access to restricted presidential areas, such as the Oval Office.”

“Access to the White House is a privilege — not a right,” it said.

National security?

The White House Press Office accused CNN in a letter to the cable news outlet of “trafficking in verifiable falsehoods about national security and other issues, and publishing sensitive or classified information,” with similar accusations leveled against MS NOW and Politico.

The letter to CNN cited several stories about the US-Israeli war on Iran and a story on Trump’s plans to build a military bunker below the planned East Wing ballroom which allegedly “disclosed ‘top-secret’ construction details”.

Kelly, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, appeared unconvinced.

“The court is skeptical — at least on this record — that defendants’ interest in safeguarding national security is the actual motivation for, or is even advanced by, the revocation of plaintiffs’ hard passes,” the judge said.

In a rare move, the top five US broadcasters said that they were halting pool coverage of the White House — where a broadcaster films on behalf of all television outlets for the day — in solidarity with CNN.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting,” ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC said.

In their request to Kelly to hold an emergency hearing on Thursday, the media outlets said “time is of the essence”.

“CNN is scheduled to be the television pool this evening for (Chinese) President Xi Jinping’s visit to the White House,” they said.

In a judgement on disputes arising from entries in the nikahnama, the court has made clear that mahr must be paid in good faith, at the agreed time and without conditions that humiliate or pressure a woman. A husband cannot say, in effect, that he will pay only if his wife ‘behaves’ or does not seek divorce. Such terms defeat the very purpose of dower.

The ruling matters because what should be a clear legal entitlement is too often dragged into bitter marital disputes, with women forced to spend years in court seeking what was promised to them at the time of marriage. The judgement also turns attention to a familiar source of complications: the nikahnama itself.

Too often, this important legal document is filled out casually, with columns left blank, vague descriptions of property and little effort made to ensure that both parties understand what has been written. Such carelessness becomes costly when disputes arise later.

The court has now told nikah registrars to record the terms carefully, particularly those concerning dower, property and the delegated right of divorce. Relevant entries must be explained before signatures or thumbprints are taken, while property given as dower should be described clearly enough to identify it. Union councils have also been told to train registrars, inspect records and act against those who fail to perform their duties.

These directions could prevent many disputes before they begin. A carelessly filled nikahnama can turn a straightforward promise into years of argument over what was agreed and what can actually be enforced. Proper documentation protects both parties, but for women it is especially important because dower is often one of the few financial rights expressly written into the marriage contract. The court is therefore right to insist that it be treated seriously from the start.

Its message is simple: marriage cannot become a bargain in which a woman receives her lawful entitlement only on terms set later by her husband. Nor should she have to spend years in litigation to obtain what was already promised. Mahr is hers. The law says so, the marriage contract records it, and the courts must enforce it.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2026

Pakistan hockey maintained their winning run with a 3-0 victory over China at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium, recording their third win in as many matches.

China had the early chances but failed to make the most of two penalty corners, while Pakistan squandered two of their own.

The national side came out all guns blazing in the second quarter, earning two penalty corners before being awarded a penalty, which Abu Mahmood converted.

Sufyan Khan then struck five minutes later from a penalty corner before Hannan Shahid added a field goal two minutes before half-time.

Both teams traded chances in the second half but could not breach the goal.

Sufyan has now scored five goals in three matches, all from penalty corners. Pakistan next face Malaysia in their Pool B fixture on Saturday.

In squash, Noor Zaman and Mohammad Ashab Irfan cruised into the quarter-finals with comfortable victories at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena.

Third-seeded Noor swept aside Kuwait’s Ammar Altamimi 11-4, 11-9, 11-4 in 26 minutes, while Ashab downed Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad Al Alnafsan 11-9, 11-3, 11-5 in 36 minutes.

Pakistan’s top-ranked Noor faces Chi Hin Henry Leung on Friday, while Ashab, ranked 49th in the PSA standings, takes on India’s Veer Chotrani for a spot in the semi-finals.

Earlier, Asim Khan and Mehwish Ali survived a scare, coming back from a game down to reach the mixed doubles quarter-finals.

The pair lost the first game 11-8 to Japan’s Naoki Hayashi and Erisa Sano but kept their nerve to take the second 11-10, before regrouping to claim the decider 11-4, to wrap up the triumph in 39 minutes.

The other Pakistani team of Nasir Iqbal and Sehrish Ali crashed out after losing their last-16 clash to Hong Kong’s Ming Hong Tang and Ka Yi Lee 11-2, 11-6.

Pakistan’s kabaddi campaign ended with a heavy 51-30 defeat to Iran in their final Group B match at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium.

Iran led 20-14 at the interval and pulled away in the second half, outscoring Pakistan 31-16.

Iran’s dominance showed in the stats: 41 outs, eight all-out points and two bonus points, while Pakistan managed 23 outs, four bonus points and three super-tackle points.

Pakistan, who had won their opening two fixtures against Malaysia and Nepal, finished with two wins and two losses.

Iran and Thailand advance to the semi-finals from Group B, while India and Chinese Taipei moved ahead from Group A.

At the Nishio Gymnasium, Maria Rind was eliminated from the women’s 51kg boxing competition, stopped by Mongolia’s Yesugen Oyuntsetseg at 0:31 of the third round.

Maria had been down once in the second before two more knockdowns in the third prompted the referee to halt the contest. She trailed on all five scorecards after two rounds.

On the track, Faiqa Riaz failed to qualify from her heat, finishing fifth in 11.96 seconds. The national champion missed out on the semi-finals by 0.48 seconds, behind Pui Kei Chen of Hong Kong.

In the pool, Pakistan’s struggles continued as Mishael Aisha Hayat Ayub and Hamza Asif failed to advance from their respective heats at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

Competing in the women’s 50m freestyle, the 24-year-old Mishael finished third in her heat in 30.04 seconds, behind Laos’ Tamsiri Niyomxay (29.80) and Turkmenistan’s Valeriya Mirenskaya (29.11).

Overall, she finished 30th out of 35 swimmers, with Chinese Taipei’s Pei-yin Liu the last to qualify in 25.64.

Hamza finished last in his heat of the men’s 50m butterfly with a time of 26.37 seconds, 3.14 seconds behind Bahrain’s Mikhail Arkhangelskiy, who won heat 5.

Overall, the 20-year-old finished 36th among 44 competitors.

The slide continued in fencing as Mohammad Waqas and Abdul Musawir both lost all six of their bouts in the men’s epee individual at the Aichi Sky Expo Hall.

Waqas, 25, opened with a 5-3 defeat to Kyrgyzstan’s Uulu Ilim Bakytbek, then lost three bouts 5-2 against Qatar’s Abdulrahman Aljadra, Japan’s Masaru Yamada and Mongolia’s Munkhkhasar Ulaankhuu. He produced an improved display against Bangladesh’s Md Imtiaj but still lost 5-4, before closing with another 5-2 defeat to Hong Kong’s Ho Tin Ng.

In Pool 5, Musawir was first beaten 5-3 by Gandul Batbyamba, before Singapore’s Simon Renjie Lee downed the 26-year-old 5-2. Hong Kong’s Hoi Sun Fong then brushed him aside 5-1, before Uzbekistan’s Meyirkhan Timurov, Saudi Arabia’s Khalifah Khalil Alomairi and the UAE’s Khalifa Alzarooni all handed him 5-2 defeats.

More defeats followed in table tennis as Mohammad Khan and Taha Bilal both lost their fixtures 4-0 at the Sky Hall Toyota.

Mohammad was routed by Thailand’s Thitaphat Preechayan, while Bahrain’s Rashed Rashed overpowered Taha.

At the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course, Pakistan’s Asad Iqbal finished second in Final B with a time of 7:06.72, behind India’s Ajay Tyagi, leaving him eighth overall.

According to a senior CTD official, the department had received information about the presence of terrorists in the Garhi Sherdad area near Warsak Road, following which the authorities planned an operation against them.

“The moment the CTD team reached the area, the terrorists opened fire at the raiding party,” the official said.

In a subsequent post about the raid, KP Police said one CTD personnel embraced martyrdom, while three were injured in exchange of fire.

“In retaliatory action, one terrorist [was] killed,” the statement added, highlighting that a “major terrorist plot” was foiled.

The police said the operation was carried out on “credible intel” about the presence of three would-be suicide bombers.

A video, captured by a quadcopter camera, purportedly showed one of the terrorists climbing from a house and making his way to another, running along the rooftops. The terrorist, who succeeded in climbing up to the main door of the third house, was targeted right on top of the wall by the CTD personnel who had cordoned off the entire area.

The funeral of the martyred cop, Afaaq Khan, was offered at Peshawar’s police headquarters.

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, cabinet members, KP Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed, Additional IG CTD Jawad Qamar, Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Dr Mian Saeed Ahmad, and relatives of the martyred cop attended the funeral.

In a statement, Kundi strongly condemned the incident, expressed his condolences to the family of the martyred official and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.

“The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain deeply indebted to these brave sons of our soil who put their lives on the line so that others may live in safety,” he said.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed an increase in terrorist activity in recent months, with LEAs and security forces being targeted, prompting authorities to intensify counterterrorism operations.

Earlier this month, five terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with CTD of police in Shamshatoo area on the border between Peshawar and Nowshera districts.

Among them was a key commander of the banned ISKP, identified as Imran alias Abdullah alias Bilal alias Abu Bakar, police said.

It added that Imran was a proclaimed offender wanted by CTD as he was involved in a total of 20 cases of bomb blasts, targeted killings of police personnel and political leaders, and other acts of terrorism in Islamabad and other parts of the country.

A week before that, four terrorists, including a militant commander and an Afghan national, were killed in an encounter with CTD in Peshawar’s Badhber area.

A statement issued by CTD said that earlier, militant commander Tahir alias Muawiya, a resident of Shakas in Khyber tribal district, along with his other associates, was seen roaming the area to challenge the writ of the government.

“President Xi and I have forged a friendship — a truly great friendship, actually — built on mutual respect and the vital interests of our people,” Trump said as he and Xi delivered remarks in the White House.

Trump said he would discuss “pressing issues”, including artificial intelligence (AI), in talks with Xi.

“During this visit, we will also discuss pressing issues concerning security, technology, and super intelligence — SI. The decisions we make in these areas today can promote peace and prosperity for decades and decades to come,” Trump said.

In his remarks, Xi said that Washington and Beijing have a responsibility to “develop and manage AI for good”.

“We have both the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good and ensure that the development of AI is always under human control,” he said at the White House.

Trump had personally greeted Xi on the tarmac earlier, the first time in more than six decades that a US president has welcomed a foreign political leader at Joint Base Andrews near Washington.

He will lay on more pomp and ceremony on Thursday, treating his guest to talks in the Oval Office and finally a grand state banquet.

The state dinner will feature a host of top US tech and AI company bosses — although Xi’s delegation includes no chief executive officers (CEOs), sources told AFP.

Trump confirmed that his stalled Iran war would be discussed, despite earlier playing down reports that claimed that Beijing was giving Tehran intelligence.

AI is a key focus due to growing fears that it is out of control and even risks wiping out humanity as China and the US race for supremacy in the field.

Taiwan will also be on the cards, with Trump’s words likely to be watched for any sign of diminishing US support for the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory.

The programme includes a military inspection in the Rose Garden — which Trump recently paved over — and a gift-giving ceremony involving Trump’s wife Melania and Xi’s wife Peng Liyuan.

Xi’s visit will wrap up on Friday morning when the two presidential couples have tea at the White House and then visit the National Archives, home to the US Declaration of Independence.

‘A great greeting’

Trump and Melania had met the Chinese presidential couple on a red carpet at Joint Base Andrews, before a military band played the national anthems and US bombers roared overhead.

“I thought it was a great little meeting, a great greeting, and I think they appreciate it,” Trump told reporters, brushing off the fact that Xi had not welcomed him at the airport for his Beijing state visit in May.

Earlier, the US president sought to set the agenda by saying that both sides agreed no new controls were needed on fast-evolving AI technology.

“Super Intelligence (SI) will be a big topic of discussion, but I want to leave it exactly where it is,” Trump said on social media, using his new moniker for artificial intelligence. “That is China’s position also.”

In another post, Trump said 73-year-old Xi looked “strong, vibrant, and fit”, following recent rumours about the Chinese leader’s health.

Xi urged cooperation in comments reported by Chinese state media shortly after his arrival, saying that China and the United States should be “partners rather than rivals”.

Trade truce

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday announced a two-month extension of a trade truce that was due to expire in November.

Both sides are keen to avoid plunging back into the trade war sparked by the US president’s sweeping global tariffs last year.

But while Trump, 80, boasts that he will get results from what he calls his “great relationship” with Xi, few breakthroughs are expected.

Instead, their third meeting since Trump returned to power is aimed at maintaining the broader detente.

Xi’s first White House state visit in more than a decade will therefore be more about spectacle than substance.

In a post on the social media platform X, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the meeting had begun, adding that the two would discuss Pakistan-Iran relations and the situation in the region.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi are also present at the meeting, as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the PMO said.

The two leaders had previously held a meeting in Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in August, during which they reaffirmed the close and longstanding ties between both countries.

At the same time, PM Shehbaz had also stressed the importance of restraint and sustained diplomatic engagement to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region amid the US-Iran conflict.

Thursday’s meeting with the Iranian president comes as Islamabad continues efforts to bring the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table regarding the war in the Middle East.

Pezeshkian on Wednesday struck a defiant tone speaking at the UN for the first time since Washington and Israel launched an all-out war on his country, vowing Tehran would never “bend at the knee”. He made no reference to the talks to resolve the stalled war in his steely speech.

However, the Iranian side earlier this week indicated its willingness to return to dialogue with the US to de-escalate tensions. The flexibility on the issue was indicated by the Iranian side in a meeting between Pezeshkian and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi during the latter’s visit to Tehran.

The latest diplomatic activity follows the collapse of the 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding brokered by Pakistan on June 17. The conflict has since continued with sporadic strikes and a US naval blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has maintained control over traffic through the strategic waterway.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has remained engaged in efforts to keep the diplomatic channel open. Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir has used his contacts with the US administration, while Pakistani officials have made repeated visits to Tehran.

Diplomatic sources say Qatar is handling the immediate shuttle diplomacy between the US and Iran in New York, while Pakistan is working through a parallel channel with Tehran as regional efforts intensify to keep the latest diplomatic contacts from collapsing.

The distinction has emerged from reporting by US and international media on the renewed US-Iran contacts around the United Nations General Assembly, with Qatar and Pakistan both involved in efforts to keep communication open between Washington and Tehran.

PM Shehbaz is expected to address the UNGA on Friday.