Pope Leo XIV’s visit to France from September 25 to 28, which includes events at the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Champs-Elysees, will involve some 15,000 members of the security forces.

The groundwork for this visit — the first papal trip to Paris since 2008 — was laid well before it was officially announced.

Countries invite the pope, but whether or not he visits is based on a range of pastoral and political considerations.

The complex decision “depends heavily on the international context”, a Vatican source told AFP.

The Vatican takes into account social and political circumstances, from conflicts to humanitarian crises, as well as the situation of the local church and the history of previous visits.

But each pope has his own wish list and the choice of destinations also reflects the papacy’s geopolitical priorities.

For example, “John Paul II travelled extensively to eastern European countries to denounce Communism,” the source said.

In his 12 years as pontiff, the Argentinian Pope Francis favoured the “peripheries” of the Church, from Iraq to Mongolia and Papua New Guinea, while US-born Leo seems more inclined towards Europe and major international institutions.

Sky-high briefing

Since the Vatican does not have an official aircraft, the Holy See charters a commercial plane from Italian national airline ITA for the outbound journey, while the return flight is generally operated by the host country.

On board, the pope occupies seat 1A, at the front left of the cabin. In front of him is a depiction of the Virgin Mary.

Beside him, in seats bearing the Holy See coat of arms, sit cardinals, his private secretaries, and a doctor.

Dressed in dark suits and ties, some 40 officers from the Vatican Gendarmerie and Swiss Guard provide close protection.

In the rear of the cabin travel the media: approximately 80 journalists, photographers and cameramen.

Media outlets pay for their correspondents’ tickets, which generally cost several thousand euros.

On the outbound journey, the pope walks down the plane, greeting the journalists individually.

He sometimes shares a few personal anecdotes and some correspondents give him presents — from football shirts to food.

On the return trip, the pontiff holds one of the most closely watched press conferences in the world: a sky-high briefing at 10,000 metres in a cabin cluttered with cameras, microphones and tripods.

The luggage includes the pope’s personal belongings, speeches prepared weeks in advance, and security equipment.

There are also sealed cases containing liturgical objects — such as chasubles, to be worn during mass — and dozens of official gifts for heads of state and dignitaries, such as paintings, books or rosaries.

‘Advance team’

Security and logistics are the biggest challenges. With his dual status as head of state and leader of 1.4 billion Catholics, the pope is one of the most heavily protected figures in the world.

The medical team carries a supply of the pope’s blood type, while a hospital suite is kept on standby in the host country.

The iconic white pope-mobile is transported in advance, and a backup vehicle is ready on site.

Journalists, including AFP, precede the pope at every stage in a convoy escorted by law enforcement, with sirens blaring.

As before each trip, a Vatican delegation known as the “advance team” travelled to France in mid-July to finalise the details with local authorities.

“The programme can change at the very last minute,” a Vatican security source told AFP.

“Everything has to be meticulously planned, almost down to the second.”

The agreements were signed by the EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis and the secretary of the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), Muhammad Humair Karim, on behalf of their respective sides, the division said in a statement.

Under the agreements, the EU is to provide a total of €65m (about Rs20.64bn) to launch three separate programmes: Global Gateway Development Facilitation for Pakistan, Energy and Natural Environment Resilience in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and EU Support to the Rule of Law and Business Environment in Pakistan.

Funded under the EU’s Multiannual Indicative Programme 2021-2027, the initiatives focus on three main aspects of Pakistan’s development.

The first, Global Gateway Development Facilitation for Pakistan, envisages investment management and financial enablement of environmental projects to attract more foreign investment to the country by improving the tax system and strengthening the government’s long-term financial planning.

The second project, Energy and Natural Environment Resilience in KP, is designed to expand renewable energy in rural communities that are not connected to the electricity grid. It will also provide training to help attract private investment and increase private sector involvement in KP’s energy sector.

The third programme, building on previous EU assistance, covers EU support to the rule of law and business environment in Pakistan to help people access the police, prosecution, courts and legal aid in the provinces of KP and Balochistan.

The programme will also support Punjab and Sindh in expanding the use of alternative and commercial dispute resolution mechanisms in legal cases, in order to build interest from European and other companies in investing in these provinces.

The EAD said the EU’s development cooperation with Pakistan remained focused on economic development, climate resilience, governance and the rule of law, as well as human rights and sustainable natural resources.

Speaking on the occasion, EAD Secretary Karim expressed his appreciation for the EU’s continued support and partnership. He highlighted the timely nature of the interventions, highlighting its strong relevance to Pakistan’s goals of increased foreign investment, improved access to electricity in off-grid rural areas in KP, and advanced standards in the rule of law and the resolution of commercial disputes.

Ambassador Karoblis said the agreements demonstrated the EU’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s economic development and investment ambitions under the flagship Global Gateway initiative. He noted that they would also support the authorities in KP to build a stronger and resilient energy sector, while promoting the sustainable management of natural resources.

“The rule of law will further strengthen access to justice for citizens in KP and Balochistan,” he said.

“In addition, Punjab and Sindh will benefit from our support to strengthen alternative and commercial dispute resolution through collaboration with the judiciary, legal professionals, universities and the business community.”

The three news organisations said they had notified the government that they were filing their lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia and could see emergency hearings in the case as soon as this week.

“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference,” they wrote in a joint statement.

The lawsuit aims “to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” they added.

Representatives for the White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump defended the ban in another social media post on Monday after the lawsuit was announced, calling the news media a security threat, without providing any evidence.

“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish. It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS,” he wrote.

“It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!”

The Trump administration has upended decades of tradition in dealings between the White House and press, denying the access many major news organisations have had to the president while elevating new media outlets seen as more sympathetic to the administration. He has also filed a number of lawsuits against news organisations.

Trump’s latest move comes as his fellow Republicans seek to defend their narrow majorities in Congress in the November midterm elections as polls show the public souring on Republicans and Trump’s own approval ratings stand near historic lows.

On Saturday, all three outlets said their journalists were turned away from the White House grounds and their press credentials confiscated, a day after Trump initially announced his ban in a social media post and threatened to block other outlets.

He later addressed what he called his “ban on the free press” with reporters at an event in the Oval Office and said there was no particular incident that provoked the move.

Asked what other news organisations could be targeted, Trump cited The New York Times and The Washington Post as “fake news” but said they had not been removed yet.

The Associated Press, the White House Correspondents’ Association and others have criticised Trump’s ban, citing the fundamental American right to free speech and calling for access to be immediately restored.

The Associated Press filed its own lawsuit after being barred along with Reuters last year from the group of reporters that cover the president’s daily movements.

The JI launched a protest “march” towards Islamabad on Sunday, departing Karachi by train and reaching Sukkur at night. Rehman had warned that if the government failed to abolish the petroleum levy, the protest could turn into one to oust the government.

The march reached Sukkur on Sunday night by Rehman Baba Express, from where it was to head towards Multan via Shalimar Express. However, there was a four-hour delay in the train’s expected arrival at Sukkur on Monday, which the JI chief questioned at a press conference.

“Does this delay have anything to do with our train march? Shalimar Express, which is not only a popular train but has been privatised, is delayed by four hours today,” he said.

“If this delay in its [Shalimar Express] is a usual delay, then the federal government should explain the performance of Pakistan Railways,” Rehman said.

He added that if a delay of four to five hours and its impact on the entire railway system were normal, then the government’s performance was for everyone to see.

According to an official at Karachi’s chief controller office, Shalimar Express reached Karachi late, at 7:20am, thereby delaying its departure back to Hyderabad. The official attributed the late arrival to a fault in the engine developed in Sanghar district’s Tando Adam.

Consequently, it reached Hyderabad at 1:25pm rather than the usual arrival time of 9:20am, delaying its expected time of arrival at Sukkur’s Rohri railway station, where Rehman’s caravan was waiting for it.

The train march plans to reach Multan via Shalimar Express, and then the JI would march by road towards Islamabad.

Addressing the media, the JI chief again termed the relief provided under the government’s scheme as insufficient, demanding that the petrol price be reduced.

“The government has earmarked Rs26 billion per month in this head for offering subsidised fuel to motorcyclists. We feel that even this Rs26bn will not be utilised because not all the motorbikes are registered, whereas the government is recovering Rs150bn in terms of petroleum levy per month from people,” he added.

Rehman also criticised the PPP, saying that while it claimed to support the JI’s campaign against the federal government, obstacles were allegedly being placed in the way of the train march and people seeking to welcome it.