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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim discussed the Gaza Peace Plan in a telephone call on Saturday, expressing hope for an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people and a smoother flow of humanitarian aid amid efforts to secure lasting peace.

Sharif attended a summit in New York with leaders from eight Muslim-majority nations and US President Donald Trump in September to discuss the situation in Gaza before the peace plan was formally unveiled. The 20-point plan envisages a phased implementation beginning with a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

The Pakistani leader also took part in the signing ceremony of the ceasefire deal in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, earlier this month, underlining Islamabad’s diplomatic commitment to international peace efforts.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif briefed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on his participation in the signing ceremony of the Gaza Peace Agreement in Sharm-el-Sheikh," said an official statement released by his office after the phone call.

"While welcoming this peace effort, both leaders expressed hope that it would help bring an immediate end to the suffering of the Palestinian people, ensure unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza and pave the way for lasting peace and stability in the region,” it added.

Sharif raised concerns about militant violence emanating from Afghan soil during the phone call while highlighting his country’s interest in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Malaysia’s leader also offered to play a constructive role in reducing tensions between the two neighboring countries, said the statement.

The call followed Sharif’s three-day visit to Malaysia in early October, where he and Ibrahim announced a $200 million halal-meat trade quota and pledged enhanced cooperation in the digital economy, agriculture and education.

Both countries described the visit as a renewed effort to expand economic and strategic ties between the two Muslim nations.

Sharif thanked the leadership and people of Malaysia for the warm hospitality during the Kuala Lumpur visit while expressing satisfaction over the trajectory of bilateral relations between both countries.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, lowered the Air Quality Index in Lahore from 666 to 170 in its first anti-smog gun operation on Saturday, a senior provincial minister said.

The move comes as Lahore, one of the world’s most polluted cities, faces worsening smog each winter from crop burning, vehicle emissions and industrial pollution that threaten public health and daily life.

Smog can cause sore throats, eye irritation and respiratory illnesses, while long-term exposure increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and lung cancer. Children are particularly vulnerable due to higher breathing rates and weaker immune systems.

“This 70 percent decrease in air pollution has been scientifically analyzed and confirmed by our advanced environmental monitoring system,” Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a video post on X.

“Our commitment to utilizing modern technology to combat smog and safeguard citizens’ health remains absolute.”

The video showed anti-smog trucks spraying fine water mist across Lahore to help settle dust and pollutants.

The smog season begins in late October, peaks from November to January and lasts through February.

Lahore’s 14 million residents spent six months breathing concentrations of PM2.5, tiny particles that can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream at levels 20 times or more than recommended by the World Health Organization.

Pakistan’s main urban centers routinely rank among the most polluted cities in the world, with vehicular emissions remaining one of the top contributors to air pollution.

This severe air pollution also undermines economic productivity and diminishes the quality of life for millions of residents.