Pakistan, May 23 -- A UK High Court judge halted a historic agreement between Britain and Mauritius over the Chagos Islands just moments before it was due to be signed. The court issued a last-minute injunction early Thursday after two British nationals from the islands launched a legal challenge, arguing that the voices of the Chagossian people had been ignored in the talks.

The agreement, originally outlined in October 2024, would have transferred sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius. However, it allowed Britain to keep control of the Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease. The deal included a payment of £3 billion from the UK to Mauritius and options for lease extensions. But the court intervention has now...