Dawn
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Dawn - 10:07 Feb 04, 2026
Terrorists martyred a police recruit constable in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district, the local police said on Wednesday. Pakistan has seen a surge in terrorism since the TTP ended its ceasefire deal with the government in November 2022, vowing to increase attacks. KP and Balochistan are particularly frequent targets. The constable was killed in the Darga forest in Nasrkhel, near the Sarai Naurang area of Lakki Marwat. District Police Spokesperson Qudratullah confirmed the incident, saying that the martyred constable had been undergoing training at Hangu Training School. “On Tuesday night, terrorists abducted him from his house in Nasrkhel and took him to a forest called Darga and shot and killed him there,” he said. The funeral prayers of the constable were offered with official honours at the Lakki Marwat Police Lines. Lakki Marwat’s District Police Officer (DPO) Nazir Khan, Superintendent of Police (SP) Investigation Murad Khan, police officers, district administration officers and police personn... -
Dawn - 09:39 Feb 04, 2026
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to move the trial court concerned after the anti-graft body decided to close the Chaudhry Sugar Mills inquiry against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The case pertains to alleged money laundering and income beyond means via “dubious” business transactions of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills, of which Maryam was a major shareholder. A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Aalia Neelum and including Justices Muhammad Jawad Zafar and Abher Gul Khan, heard CM Maryam’s civil miscellaneous application seeking the refund of Rs70 million deposited as a guarantee in the case. During the proceedings, the NAB’s prosecutor informed the bench that following the new amendments, the bureau’s chairman had approved the closure of the probe. Justice Neelum, however, observed that the NAB should have approached the accountability court concerned for closure of the inquiry. Questioning the investigation process, the chief justice... -
Dawn - 09:14 Feb 04, 2026
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has strongly condemned the series of terrorist attacks across multiple locations in Balochistan. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the UNSC said the attacks, which occurred on January 31, 2026, were carried out across the province and described them as “heinous and cowardly acts of terrorism”. The UNSC expressed its “deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the governor and people of Pakistan”. The council also wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured in the attacks. The statement reaffirmed that “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security”. It added that it was crucial to “hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers, and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice,” urging all states to cooperate with the government of Pakistan in accordance with international law and relevant UNSC resol... -
Dawn - 08:36 Feb 04, 2026
The United States and India have held high-level talks in Washington focused on critical minerals cooperation, trade and strategic ties. The talks were held late on Tuesday against the backdrop of a recently finalised bilateral trade deal that has drawn attention across the region. Diplomatic observers in Washington, however, maintain that the agreement is unlikely to affect recently improved bilateral ties between Pakistan and the US, as those are not linked to India. The observers note that recent developments in the greater Middle East, as well as in South and Central Asia, have further enhanced Pakistan’s relevance as a key regional player in Washington’s strategic calculus. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during the latter’s three-day official visit to the United States, as both sides moved to deepen economic and strategic coordination in the Indo-Pacific. According to the US State Department readout, Secretary Rubio and Minister Jaishankar d... -
Dawn - 06:50 Feb 04, 2026
Gold prices extended gains on Wednesday on safe-haven appeal, as renewed geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran added to the yellow metal’s recent upswing that saw it mark its best day since 2008 in the previous session. Spot gold gained 2.7 per cent to$5,071.79 per ounce as of 03:53 GMT, after surging 5.9pc on Tuesday, its biggest daily gain since November 2008. Bullion scaled a record high of $5,594.82 last Thursday. US gold futures for April delivery climbed 3.2pc to $5,092.0 per ounce. “Gold has climbed back about the key $5,000 level, … (as) geopolitical tensions have lifted the metal’s safe-haven appeal after US forces downed an Iranian drone,” said Jigar Trivedi, a senior research analyst at IndusInd Securities. The US military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, the US military said, in an incident first reported by Reuters. Nuclear talks between the US and Iran are expected to take place in Oman on Friday... -
Dawn - 06:41 Feb 04, 2026
Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned on Wednesday that President Donald Trump was turning the United States into an authoritarian state as democracy declines globally to its lowest ebb in four decades. Trump’s return to the White House has intensified a “downward spiral” on human rights that was already under pressure from Russia and China, the New York‑based advocacy and research group said in its annual report. “The rules‑based international order is being crushed,” HRW said. In the United States, the group said, Trump has shown “blatant disregard for human rights and egregious violations.” In descriptions that would have been unthinkable in the US section of its previous annual reports, the group pointed to the deployment of masked, armed agents — the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency — which has carried out “hundreds of unnecessarily violent and abusive raids.” “The administration’s racial and ethnic scapegoating, domestic deployment of National Guard forces in pretextual power grabs, repeated a... -
Dawn - 06:21 Feb 04, 2026
Pakistan’s spin-heavy squad are in winning form ahead of the T20 World Cup, but a controversial decision to forfeit their marquee clash against India could still trigger another early exit. Pakistan came close to withdrawing from the tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh, who pulled out after refusing to play in India, citing security concerns. The Pakistan government eventually cleared the team’s participation but it barred them from facing India in Colombo in a blockbuster clash on February 15. With two points for a win, a forfeit of the match will leave Pakistan with no margin for error if they are to progress as one of the top two from a five-team Group A. It means they must win their opening game against the Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday and beat the United States three days later to stay in contention. Their final group game will be against Namibia on February 18. Captain Salman Agha said the move to boycott the India game was out of the team’s hands. “That is not our decision. We have to follow... -
Dawn - 05:37 Feb 04, 2026
TRIPOLI: Saif al Islam, the most prominent son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi, was shot dead at his home on Tuesday. Abdullah Othman Abdul Rahim, a relative, told a TV channel that Saif al Islam was killed in his house by a group of four unidentified men. “Four armed men stormed the residence of Saif al Islam Qadhafi after disabling surveillance cameras, then executed him,” Abdul Rahim said. While Saif al Islam was well known in the north African country, especially for his role in shaping policy during his father’s rule, his public profile receded in recent years. In 2015, a Libyan court passed a death sentence in absentia on Saif al Islam for suppressing peaceful protests during the country’s 2011 revolution that ended his father’s rule. He was also provisionally charged by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity. In 2021, Saif al Islam registered as a presidential candidate for a December vote that eventually collapsed amid a political deadlock. Saif went from being ... -
Dawn - 19:01 Feb 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The PTI accused police of subjecting its workers to violence and arresting them near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, where they were staging a sit-in on Tuesday. The IHC has allowed Imran twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesday and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order, the ex-premier has not been allowed any visitors for weeks, including his sisters and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Therefore, protests and sit-ins near the Adiala jail, where Imran has been incarcerated since September 2023, have become a usual occurrence on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On several occasions, police have also used force to disperse the protesters, who often camp at Factory Naka — a police picket near the prison. Imran’s sisters and supporters again staged a sit-in near the prison today while a PTI post on social media platform alleged that police had inflicted violence on party workers and arrested them as well. A livestream on the PTI’s YouTube channel showed one of Imran’s... -
Dawn - 18:49 Feb 03, 2026
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a two-day official visit as the two nations seek to bolster bilateral ties further. The two countries maintain friendly diplomatic relations, with Kazakhstan being Pakistan’s top export destination among Central Asian countries. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy PM Ishaq Dar received President Tokayev at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Base. According to state-run Radio Pakistan, a 21-gun salute was presented to the visiting dignitary. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later posted on X that he was “delighted” to welcome the Kazakh President to Pakistan. “I look forward to our meaningful and productive engagements tomorrow. The Pakistan-Kazakhstan friendship is a time-tested partnership that continues to bring our peoples closer together. This visit marks a new milestone in our glorious journey,” he said. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who also welcomed the Kazakh preisdent at Nur Khan Base, also said on ... -
Dawn - 18:33 Feb 03, 2026
The US military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, it said. The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying toward the carrier “with unclear intent” and was shot down by an American F-35 fighter jet, it said. “An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defence and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson at the US military’s Central Command. No American service members were harmed during the incident and no US equipment was damaged, he added. The incident came as diplomats sought to arrange nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, and US President Donald Trump warned that with US warships heading toward Iran, “bad things” would probably happen if a deal could not be reached. The Lincoln carrier strike group is the most visible part of a US military buildup in the Middle East following a crackdown against anti-government dem... -
Dawn - 17:37 Feb 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Tuesday disposed of a suo motu case initiated on the killing of prominent journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya, ruling that judicial oversight of the ongoing investigation was impermissible under Pakistani law. The court emphasised that the matter was being handled through diplomatic channels and a mutual legal assistance (MLA) agreement between Pakistan and Kenya had also already been reached. The 14-page judgment was authored by Justice Aamer Farooq and disposed of all pending applications. “We acknowledge and share the grief felt by our nation and the journalist community over the death of our citizen,” the judgment said. “Needless to observe that in case the legal heirs of Sharif have any specific grievance in the matter, they can approach the court(s) of competent jurisdiction,” it added. The judgment said that in the present case, the MLA had been signed between Pakistan and Kenya, adding that both countries were coordinating at a diplomatic level to imp... -
Dawn - 16:58 Feb 03, 2026
KARACHI: Eight leaders and workers from different left-wing political parties were detained outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC), reportedly to prevent them from attending a multi-party conference called by the Popular Left Alliance (PLA), according to organisers. However, police denied the claim. Imdad Qazi, the secretary general of the Communist Party of Pakistan and the convenor of the PLA, told Dawn that the 10-party alliance had called the moot to debate democracy and authoritarianism in Pakistan. However, police contingents were already deployed in the area, he said. “Five veteran political workers, namely Husain Fatimi, Dr Hasan Nasir, Ramzam Memon, Shaheena, Mohammed Farooq and three other activists were apprehended by the police outside the KPC, to prevent them from attending the conference,” Qazi alleged. Meanwhile, South Senior Superintendent of Police Mahzoor Ali denied the claim that arrests were made outside the KPC. In a statement, the PLA said, “Complete authoritarian rule has been imposed in ... -
Dawn - 16:14 Feb 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Tuesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, seeking his “personal intervention” for the medical examination of PTI founder Imran Khan by the jailed leader’s “trusted” doctors. The letter was shared by the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on the social media platform X. In the letter, Achakzai said, “I am writing with utmost urgency to bring to your immediate attention a serious matter concerning the health of former prime minister and PTI Chairman, Mr Imran Khan, who is currently detained at Adiala jail, Rawalpindi.” He went on to say that it had come to his attention that recent medical check-ups were conducted “without the knowledge or presence of his personal medical team or family members”. “His personal doctors, who are fully aware of his medical history, were not informed,” Achakzai said. “A full medical examination and tests by his trusted doctors is critically needed without any delay to properly ... -
Dawn - 15:19 Feb 03, 2026
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that Beijing strongly condemned the recent attacks in Balochistan and would always firmly support Pakistan in combatting terrorism. Jian made these remarks during a regular press briefing when he was asked to comment on a large-scale coordinated attack across Balochistan last week. Jian said that China strongly condemned the attacks. “We mourn for the lives lost, and our hearts go out to the injured and those who lost their loved ones,” he said. “China firmly opposes any form of terrorism and will, as always, firmly support Pakistan in combatting terrorism, maintaining solidarity and social stability, and protecting the safety of the people,” he added. On Monday, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan had also condemned the “recent multiple terrorist activities in Balochistan”. In a post on X, the embassy said “we […] deeply mourn for the lives lost, and extend sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured”. Apart from China, the US, Europe... -
Dawn - 14:34 Feb 03, 2026
Pakistan has been invited to participate in the Iran-US talks aimed at de-escalation of tensions between Tehran and Washington, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Tuesday. “Pakistan has received the invitation for the upcoming talks between Iran and the United States,” FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said while responding to a query. “Pakistan’s participation is seen as crucial to defusing tensions, as Islamabad has been quietly working to facilitate the talks,” a diplomatic source told Dawn. The diplomatic source added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to participate in the meeting. The meeting is likely to take place in Turkiye on Friday, an Arab official told AFP on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. US outlet Axios cited two unnamed sources and a US official as saying Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected to meet with US envoy Steve Witkoff in Istanbul to discuss a possible deal on the nuclear issue. The priority of the talks is to av... -
Dawn - 14:16 Feb 03, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly relations with Libya, state-broadcaster PTV reported. The development came as a high-level delegation from Libya called on PM Shehbaz at the Prime Minister’s House, PTV said in a post on X. It said that the delegation comprised Libyan Prime Minister Dr Osama Saad Hamad, Libyan Arab Armed Forces Commander-in-chief Field Marshal Khalifa Abu-al-Qasim Haftar and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar. It said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir were also present during the meeting. “During the discussions, both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral relations,” PTV said. “The meeting reflected the shared desire to enhance cooperation in areas of common concern and to promote peace, stability, and development at regional and... -
Dawn - 14:10 Feb 03, 2026
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday said dry weather with clear skies was expected for the majority of the Basant festival, which is set to be celebrated in Lahore this week. “Mainly dry weather with clear skies is expected on 6th and 7th February, while dry weather with few cloudy conditions on 8th February, 2026 in Lahore during the Basant 2026,” the PMD said in a forecast posted on the social media platform X. It added that light westerly/north-westerly winds were likely to blow at the speed of 10 to 15 kilometres per hour, which was “suitable for safe kite-flying”. The PMD advised the festival participants to “exercise caution while flying kites, especially near electric lines and open roads”. The three-day Basant festival is set to kick off in Lahore from February 6, following the Punjab government’s decision to lift a ban on the historic event after 18 years, with strict regulations. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a “long weekend” in the province, declaring a “provi... -
Dawn - 12:57 Feb 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution calling for an “aggressive” national response against the external sponsors and internal facilitators of terrorism. The lower house of Parliament continued its discussion on the prevailing security situation in Balochistan in the wake of a series of deadly attacks across the province on Saturday. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry tabled the resolution, which stated: “This House condemns in the strongest terms the recent terrorist incidents in Balochistan, in which not only innocent civilians were targeted but also heinous and inhumane tactics such as using women as weapons were adopted.” The NA further demanded that an “immediate, aggressive, coordinated, and effective national response be ensured against these external sponsors and internal facilitators, funding, smuggling, and propaganda hubs, in which political, diplomatic, military, intelligence, legal, and rhetorical fronts are united”. The resolution highli... -
Dawn - 12:37 Feb 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday that its recent tree-cutting drive in the capital was conducted on the direct instructions of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The statement was part of a written report submitted to the court in response to a petition challenging the CDA’s tree-cutting drive, which had drawn significant public criticism. Recently, large-scale tree removal took place in at least three locations in Islamabad, including acres of tree cover around Shakarparian, drawing criticism alleging large-scale environmental damage. However, authorities have maintained that only Paper Mulberry trees were cut down as they were a major cause of allergies. In its submission, the CDA defended the campaign as a “well-planned operation” aimed at removing Paper Mulberry trees, which it described as a major source of pollen allergies and asthma in Islamabad. The authority cited scientific research, including a study published in the Journal of Global...
7368 items