LOS ANGELES: Dr Charles Malik, Lebanese Minister to the USA, says Arab States of the Near East would be “distinctly neutral” in the event of war between America and Russia. Dr Malik addressed California Club on Wednesday [Oct 11] and warned that America adopted an “ostrich like” attitude toward the crisis in the Near East. He said it was a mistake for America to believe the Arab world would be its ally in war with Russia because the “Arab world has been more hurt by Western world than it is afraid of Russia. Outside of Turkey where you have poured in money, we would be distinctly neutral”.

Dr Malik said the current crisis between Britain and Egypt is “far more serious to you than Iran. In Egypt the stake is the Suez Canal, one of the great international waterways of the world”. — News agencies

[As reported by news agencies from Lahore,] the Punjab Government have substituted Urdu in all departments except the Secretariat office in consonance with its policy of completely replacing English by Urdu in all Government offices, it is … learnt. The Secretariat office, it is understood, has also been alerted that the switch … to Urdu may be ordered at any time.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2026