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Dawn - 20:24 Dec 12, 2025
United Nations’ special rapporteur warned on Friday that PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan is being held in conditions that could amount to inhuman or degrading treatment. In September, his legal team approached the rapporteur to urge the Pakistani government to cease the alleged mistreatment of the couple. Prime Minister’s Aide Rana Ihsan Afzal, however, dismissed the concerns of the UN rapporteur and said Imran was being kept “according to prison rules and the jail manual”. “His children have access and he should schedule [a call] and put in the appropriate request. There is no issue or obstacle from the government of Pakistan,” said the premier’s aide. He added that the PTI founder is being provided facilities “greater than his rights” as a B-class prisoner. “He has the facilities of exercise available, good food is available and ample space is also available.” The UN official, Alice Jill Edwards, urged Pakistan to take immediate and effective action to address reports of the 73-year-old’s i... -
Dawn - 20:23 Dec 12, 2025
THE crisp December air was festive at the KHA Hockey Complex as blue skies played canvas to clouds clouds imitating no less than an artist’s work. The view above contrasted smoothly with the expanse of the deep blue of the astroturf of the venue, located in the midst of the sprawling Gulshan-e-Iqbal. As buses honked relentlessly at the ever-bustling Nipa after having swished dust off the perpetually under-construction University Road, hockey took centre stage on the other side of the wall. It was the day when the gold medal winners for the national sport at the National Games were to be decided. View this post on Instagram There were no surprises; it were heavyweights Wapda and Army who added to their already stacked medals table to take the honours in the women’s and men’s finals respectively. Each achievement was celebrated with maximum zeal, as the announcer shouted his heart out even for the silver medal winners Punjab and Navy. The screams got louder as Wapda and Army received their gold medals. It was a... -
Dawn - 19:32 Dec 12, 2025
Pakistan’s international stalwarts led the charge as weightlifter Hanzala Dastagir Butt demolished the field to bag gold by a long shot, while badminton star Mahoor Shahzad won the women’s singles for the third time as the competitions drew to a close at the National Games on Friday. Wapda’s Hanzala made each lift look effortless as a delighted crowd mostly comprised of team-mates and enthusiasts of the sport looked on at the YMCA Scouts Auditorium. He lifted 157kg in the snatch and 193kg in the clean and jerk to post a massive 350kg total in the men’s 110kg category. The 23-year-old is already eyeing next year’s Commonwealth Games, where his older brother Nooh Dastigir Butt clinched the +109kg title in record-breaking fashion at the 2022 edition. “I take inspiration from him that one day I’ll also win a medal for Pakistan at that stage, and set a new record,” Hanzala told Dawn. Hanzala’s gold was one of four on the men’s side in addition to one silver and bronze medal each to clinch the trophy. Wapda’s Hanza... -
Dawn - 19:04 Dec 12, 2025
Pakistan’s badminton queen, Mahoor Shahzad, lived up to her star billing with a gritty comeback victory to claim her third National Games gold on Friday, headlining a day of intense finals at the Nazimabad Sports Club, Karachi, that saw Wapda’s dominance challenged and a dramatic men’s singles decided by a contentious call. The sparse crowd inside the complex was treated to high drama, beginning with the marquee women’s singles where the event’s poster girl, Wapda’s Mahoor, faced a stern test from Army’s left-handed dynamo, Alja Tariq. Mahoor, initially off-rhythm, trailed 7-3 in the first game before her veteran composure surfaced. Forcing errors and winning a breathtaking rally to level at 9-9, she edged a tight opener. The second game was a fiercer battle. Alja, pumped and precise with her drops and smashes, surged to a 9-4 lead and held an 11-8 advantage at the mid-game break. Facing a possible decider, the champion shifted gears. She methodically reeled in the deficit, drawing level at 14-14 before racin... -
Dawn - 18:55 Dec 12, 2025
Media bodies on Friday condemned the curtailing of government advertisements to Dawn Media Group’s television and radio outlets, and called on the government to immediately rescind the ban. In a statement issued on Friday, the Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE) said that Dawn was among Pakistan’s most respected media outlets, and stopping the release of government ads to the group amounted to financially crippling the organisation. Translation: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) has strongly condemned the suspension of advertisements for Dawn TV and Dawn Radio, following the earlier suspension for Dawn Media Group’s newspapers. CPNE stated that Dawn is among Pakistan’s most reputable media outlets, and imposing a ban on government advertisements is tantamount to economically weakening it.In this regard, the CPNE President and Secretary General said in a joint statement that Dawn Media Group has provided impartial reporting in Pakistan since its inception. Initially, its newspapers were subjecte... -
Dawn - 17:41 Dec 12, 2025
Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry on Friday expressed hope that, following the sentencing of former spymaster Faiz Hameed, there would be less “interference” in politics in the future. The former head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was sentenced to 14 years rigorous imprisonment by a military court on four charges related to engaging in political activities, violation of the Official Secret Act detrimental to safety and interest of the state, misuse of authority and government resources and causing wrongful loss to persons, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, the state minister noted that if such a high-profile official in the armed forces had been court-martialled, it could also happen to others. “The institution has set a new example and standards in the wake of this case,” he said. “There will be less interference. People will remember that if you can be punished while in service and even after retirement,... -
Dawn - 17:16 Dec 12, 2025
The PTI on Friday announced reconstitution of a 23-member political committee, including members from the opposition political alliance, who will serve as the party’s decision-making forum and who will be responsible for overseeing political strategy, organisational matters, and policy direction. Last week, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan dissolved the party’s political committee amid disagreements within the opposition party in his first move after weeks of being incommunicado. The party’s Central Secretariat issued a notification, signed by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and PTI Additional Secretary General Firdous Shamim Naqvi. “The secretary general, on the instruction of the party’s founding chairman and in consultation with senior colleagues in the party, hereby reconstitutes the Political Committee of the Party/Alliance,” the notification said. The newly formed committee, which will come into effect immediately, will serve as the ‘apex decision-making body of the party with respect to all ... -
Dawn - 17:07 Dec 12, 2025
Rescue services recovered two more bodies from the river Jhelum near the Garari Bridge in Rawalpindi on Friday after a hi-ace van plunged into the river a day earlier, taking the death toll from the incident to 6. District Emergency Officer 1122 Rawalpindi Sighbatullah, however, expressed fear that the death toll may rise to nine as three occupants of the ill-fated vehicle are still missing after two days of search efforts. On Thursday, a van carrying around 12 passengers was coming from Hajera in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) when it plunged into the river while navigating a turn near Garari Bridge in the Kahuta area of Rawalpindi. Four bodies were recovered in yesterday’s operation, which had to be halted later in the day due to low light conditions. A day earlier, low-light conditions did not allow divers to search for the missing. Rescue officials had expressed fear that the river’s current may have carried away the missing passengers. Meanwhile, Commissioner Rawalpindi, Engineer Amir Khattak, had directed... -
Dawn - 16:17 Dec 12, 2025
International troops could be deployed in the Gaza Strip as early as next month to form a UN-authorized stabilisation force, two US officials told Reuters, but it remains unclear how Palestinian Hamas fighters will be disarmed. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) would not fight Hamas. They said lots of countries had expressed interest in contributing and US officials are currently working out the size of the ISF, composition, housing, training and rules of engagement. An American two-star general is being considered to lead the ISF but no decisions have been made, the officials said. A displaced Palestinian man clears muddy water in a flooded tent camp on a rainy day in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, December 12, 2025. —Reuters Deployment of the force is a key part of the next phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Under the first phase, a fragile ceasefire in the two-year war began on October 10 and Hamas has released hostages and... -
Dawn - 15:31 Dec 12, 2025
Elections in Gilgit-Baltistan will be held on January 24, 2026, after the Assembly completed its five-year tenure last month. The notification for the poll date was issued today by the GB Council. “The President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan has announced Saturday 24th January as the poll day for the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly in terms of article 48-A (1) of the Government of the Gilgit Baltistan Order 2018, read with Section 57 (1) of the Election Act 2017,” it said. Retired Judge Yar Muhammad was appointed chief minister of GB following the expiry of its elected government tenure. According to the notification, candidates can submit nomination papers from December 15 to 22, while the list of nominees will be issued on December 23. Returning Officers (ROs) will conduct scrutiny of the papers on December 30, and appeals against their decisions can be filed on January 3, 2026. The election tribunal will issue its verdict on the appeals on January 10. The commission will issue the final list of can... -
Dawn - 14:10 Dec 12, 2025
Hidden behind the mountainous backdrop of Cambodia’s Koh Rong Island lies a serene mangrove forest within the Koh Rong Marine National Park. Within the forest, an eco-tourism community offers a unique blend of natural beauty and leisure. This tranquil retreat, managed by the Prek Kongkang Koh Rong Ecotourism Community, provides visitors with unforgettable experiences while preserving the island’s delicate ecosystem. Established in April 2021, it spans 40 hectares of lush mangrove forests. Founded through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Environmental Conservation Association and the National Council for Sustainable Development, the initiative aims to bolster local livelihoods, generate income and create employment opportunities. “Our community not only enhances tourism in Koh Rong and Sihanoukville but also plays a vital role in conserving mangrove forests and biodiversity on the island,” explained community chief Sok Sreng. With nearly 4,000 residents on Koh Rong, the project also strengthen... -
Dawn - 14:05 Dec 12, 2025
Pakistan has signed a memorandum of understanding with crypto exchange Binance to explore the “tokenisation” of up to $2 billion in sovereign bonds, T-bills and commodity reserves to boost liquidity and attract investors, the finance ministry said on Friday. Tokenisation is the process of creating a digital version of an asset. Separately, Pakistan also gave initial clearance for Binance and HTX, a digital-asset platform, to register with regulators to set up local subsidiaries and begin preparations for full exchange licence applications, the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) said. The ministry said the agreement paved the way to explore a potential collaboration aimed at enabling the tokenisation and blockchain-based distribution of real-world assets, including sovereign bonds, treasury bills, commodity reserves such as oil, gas, metals or other raw materials owned by the government. “Under the proposed arrangement, Binance and/or its affiliates may provide technical expertise, advisory s... -
Dawn - 13:55 Dec 12, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on the international community on Friday to urge Afghanistan to fulfil its international “obligations” and rein in terrorist outfits operating from its territory. The premier made these remarks while addressing an international forum in Turkmenistan, where he also held bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. During those meetings, he stressed the need for the rulers in Kabul to take “meaningful action” and “fully address” Pakistan’s security concerns. Pakistan, which has been grappling with the problem of terrorism for long, has been demanding that the rulers in Kabul take action to stop cross-border terrorism. But, the Afghan Taliban deny Islamabad’s allegation of terrorists being allowed to use Afghan soil to carry out attacks in Pakistan. The two sides also engaged in border skirmishes in recent months, following which a ceasefire was reached. Pakistan and Afghanistan have also held talks with the mediation... -
Dawn - 13:33 Dec 12, 2025
PML-N President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday asked his brother, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to give funds to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) in accordance with the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. Nawaz’s suggestion on including AJK and GB’s share in the NFC is significant, as smaller provinces have previously rejected this federal plea several times. The proposal was formally initiated when NFC talks started under then-prime minister Imran Khan, while current Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had also suggested the same in the past to reduce the financial burden on the Centre. “Funds should be given to Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan under the NFC award. I will speak to PM Shehbaz Sharif in this regard,“ the PML-N supremo said while talking to party leaders in Lahore. “A certain amount every year must be given to both provinces — Azad Kashmir and GB. This is very important,” he said, adding that these two provinces must have the capacity to spend this money. H... -
Dawn - 12:29 Dec 12, 2025
After Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan alleged on Friday that “corruption of billions of rupees” was being committed daily at the foreign affairs ministry in the attestation of documents, a Senate body decided to raise the matter with the Foreign Office (FO). Dawn has reached out to the FO for a comment. The attestation of documents, such as educational and marriage certificates, by the foreign affairs ministry is typically required for recognition by international and foreign entities. The matter came up during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, where Senator Hassan of the PPP alleged corruption in the process and remarked: “Overseas Pakistanis are either running from post to pillar for a single signature or paying money for corruption.” He said that people had been complaining about having to spend nights on pavements to get their documents attested. The attestation process should either be digitised or union councils and deputy commissioners should be authorised to attest documents... -
Dawn - 10:50 Dec 12, 2025
The Pakistan Meterological Department (PMD) on Friday forecasted rain-thunderstorm and snowfall in the western and northern parts of the country over the weekend. “A shallow western disturbance is likely to approach western parts of the country on 12 December night,” it stated in its latest weather update, posted on X. Under the influence of the weather system, light to moderate rain-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected in several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, including “Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Malakand, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir from December 13th to 15th, with occasional gaps,” the statement said. “Partly cloudy conditions with light rain/storm is expected in Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Waziristan, Quetta, Ziarat, Zhob, Sherani, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, and Noshki on December 14th or 15.” It also forecasted drizzle in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Potohar region and light rain or ... -
Dawn - 10:06 Dec 12, 2025
Setting aside their political differences, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz have exchanged greetings on social media platform X, with the former thanking the latter for the “positive gesture”. On Thursday, Maryam, in a post on X, had extended a “warm welcome” to Bilawal, who is currently visiting the province. “Punjab is your home, and you will always find a place of respect here,” she said. “Thank you for your gracious remarks. You have my heartfelt good wishes and prayers,” she added. Although Maryam did not specifically mention which comments she was referring to, Bilawal, during a media talk in Lahore this week, had said he would be very happy if the Punjab chief minister chose to contest polls from Sindh. In response, Bilawal on Friday said, “Thank you, madam chief minister for the warm welcome and positive gesture.” The PPP and PML-N, who are allies in the Centre, engaged in a war of words in September and October. The bad blood had escalated to the point that l... -
Dawn - 08:44 Dec 12, 2025
India has cut red tape to speed business visas for Chinese professionals, two officials said, a major step to boost ties between the Asian giants and end chronic delays that cost output worth billions of dollars because of scarce technicians. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautiously rekindles ties with Beijing in the face of punishing US tariffs, the officials said New Delhi dropped a layer of bureaucratic scrutiny and shortened visa approval times to less than a month. Both officials who confirmed the development to Reuters spoke on condition of anonymity. India had blocked virtually all Chinese visits after the nuclear-armed neighbours clashed on their Himalayan frontier in mid-2020, widening its vetting of business visas beyond the home and foreign ministries. The issues around securing visas have now been completely resolved, said one of the officials with knowledge of the matter. “We have removed the layer of administrative vetting and are processing the business visas within four weeks,” the official ... -
Dawn - 07:42 Dec 12, 2025
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is expected to retain interest rates at 11 per cent on Monday, a Reuters poll showed, as analysts push back rate-cut forecasts to late 2026 after the International Monetary Fund warned inflation risks persist and policy must stay “appropriately tight”. All 12 analysts surveyed expect no cut in the policy meeting scheduled for Monday. A majority of them see inflation hovering at 6pc–8pc in the coming months before rising again towards the end of fiscal 2026 as base effects fade and food and transport prices stay volatile after flood-related supply disruptions. Most respondents now believe the SBP will not begin easing until the closing months of FY26, which ends in June 2026, with some analysts pushing forecasts for the first cut into fiscal year 2027, beginning July 2026. IMF warns against premature easing The IMF, in a second review released on Thursday, said monetary policy needs to remain “appropriately tight and data-dependent” to keep expectations anchored and noted that ... -
Dawn - 07:41 Dec 12, 2025
Five cops were injured after terrorists launched a late-night attack on a police checkpost in Shaikh Landak area located within the Havaid police jurisdiction in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu, it emerged on Friday. A statement released by the spokesperson for the regional police officer, Kashif Nawaz, said Fitna al Khawarij terrorists attacked the post late on Thursday night. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The statement said that police personnel showed courage, bravery and acted in a timely manner, managing to repel the attack. “As a result of the effective and vigorous retaliatory fire by the police, the terrorists suffered heavy casualties,” the statement said. It said that the exchange of fire continued for three hours, adding that reports suggested that several terrorists had been killed and injured. It added that armed tribesmen and members of the peace committee backed police personnel in the gunfight with the terrorists....
5680 items