Dawn
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Dawn - 03:09 Feb 02, 2026
MIRPUR: Thousands of people converged on a playground in this lakeside city on Sunday to pay their last respects to President Barrister Sultan Mahmood, as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) bade farewell to a veteran leader who rose to prominence at a relatively young age and went on to play a long and decisive role in the region’s politics. The 70-and-a-half-year-old president, who breathed his last in an Islamabad hospital on Saturday evening after protracted illness, was accorded a gun carriage funeral — a state honour reserved for figures the state considers of exceptional national importance. On Saturday, the coffin was transported directly from Islamabad to the president’s ancestral village of Chechiyan, located about 15 kilometres on the outskirts of Mirpur. On Sunday, it was brought in a large vehicular procession to the Quaid-e-Azam Cricket Stadium in the heart of the city, where it was draped with the AJK’s national flag and placed on a military gun carriage before being taken into the packed ground amid ... -
Dawn - 19:56 Feb 01, 2026
After around a week of uncertainty, the government gave the nod on Sunday to the Pakistan cricket team for participation in the T20 World Cup but barred it from playing against India on February 15, when the Green Shirts are scheduled to play their only group-stage match against the arch-rivals. “The government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India,” a post of the government’s X account said. On Monday, Pakistan Cricket Board chief and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the possibility of a boycott of the T20 World Cup loomed over Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the tournament. After the meeting, Naqvi had said he had briefed the PM on the “International Cricket Council (ICC) matter” and a “final decision would be taken either on Friday or next Monday”. The meeting took place... -
Dawn - 19:00 Feb 01, 2026
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was hopeful of agreeing a deal with Iran after the country’s supreme leader warned that any US attack on the Islamic republic would trigger a regional war. Following the Iranian authorities’ response to anti-government protests that peaked last month, Trump has threatened military action and ordered the dispatch of an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East. Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday likened the recent protests to a “coup”, warning that a US attack would trigger a broad conflict. “The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” he said, telling Iranians they “should not be scared” of Trump’s rhetoric. “They (rioters) attacked the police, government centres, IRGC centres, banks, and mosques, and burned the Quran … It was like a coup,” Khamenei said, adding that “the coup was suppressed”. Asked about the Iranian leader’s warning, Trump told reporters on Sunday: “Of course he is going to say that... -
Dawn - 18:33 Feb 01, 2026
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Sunday expressed the firm resolve to eliminate terrorists after a spate of coordinated attacks across the province, adding that 145 militants were killed within a span of 40 hours. The military’s media affairs wing said terrorists of Fitna-al-Hindustan carried out a spate of attacks across Balochistan on Saturday, responding to which the security forces killed 92 terrorists. The state has designated Balochistan-based terrorist groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. Addressing a press conference in Quetta on Sunday, CM Bugti said 145 terrorists were killed in 40 hours, adding that their bodies were in the custody of the authorities. “This is the highest number since Pakistan is facing this war on terror,” he highlighted. “Our 17 law enforcement people, including police and FC and one Navy personnel, were martyred, and our civilian casualties are 31, including some injured,” CM Bugti said. The I... -
Dawn - 18:04 Feb 01, 2026
All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz grabbed five wickets for Pakistan on Sunday as Green Shirts whitewashed Australia in a three-match T20 series by 3-0 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The last time Pakistan had clean-swept Australia in a T20 series was in October 2018 in the UAE. While defending a gigantic 208-run total, Pakistan dominated the visitors by clinching a 111-run victory. The stage was set by Shaheen Afridi, who took the wicket of the Australian captain Mitchell Marsh in the first over. In the next over, Mohammad Nawaz dismissed Australia’s Matthew Short, as Babar Azam took his catch, and in the following over, Shaheen Afridi struck back with Matt Renshaw’s wicket. In his five-wicket haul, Mohammad Nawaz also dismissed Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green. Stoinis and Green added 23 and 22 runs, respectively, for Australia, while seven other batters could not even reach double figures. Apart from Nawaz’s five and Shaheen’s two wickets, Abrar Ahmed and Naseem Shah also grabbed a wicket each. In the first inn... -
Dawn - 17:31 Feb 01, 2026
World Bank President Ajay Pal Singh Banga visited the Gurudwara in Hasanabdal and an archeological site in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday, according to official statements, which said that adviser to the KP CM also held discussions with him on the province’s economic affairs. President Banga, accompanied by his spouse and senior officials, visited the Jaulian Buddhist archaeological site at Khanpur in KP, a handout said. “On this occasion, Adviser to the KP Chief Minister on Finance Muzzammil Aslam and MNA Faisal Amin Gandapur accorded a warm welcome to World Bank President Ajay Banga. Federal Minister for Finance Aurangzeb also participated in the visit along with his spouse,” it further stated. During the visit, Aslam presented a shield to the World Bank president and held discussions on the province’s economic affairs, it added. Advisor to the KP cheif Minster on Finance, Muzammil Aslam, presents a sheild to Ajay banga in KP on Feb 1. —Photo provided by author For his part, KP Archaeology Director General Ab... -
Dawn - 17:11 Feb 01, 2026
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced on Sunday a “long weekend” in the province, declaring a Basant holiday. “Punjab will enjoy a long weekend with Kashmir Day on February 5, a provincial Basant holiday on the 6th, followed by Saturday and Sunday. We hope people across Punjab take this time to relax, recharge, and make the most of the break,” she posted on X. The kite-flying festival was banned in 2007 in Punjab because of an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries caused by sharp strings, particularly to motorcyclists and pillion riders, as well as by celebratory gunfire. But now, a 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. -
Dawn - 16:34 Feb 01, 2026
KHYBER: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced on Sunday that he would soon convene a grand jirga for consultations with stakeholders across the province for a protest march on Islamabad. The CM shared his plans at a jirga at Khyber’s Jamrud Sports Complex, which he had announced last Sunday while responding to the federal government’s stance that neither the Centre, nor the military, had issued any directives for the “depopulation” of the Tirah Valley. The federal and provincial governments have been trading barbs over who authorised the evacuation process in the valley after hundreds of Tirah residents vacated their homes amid concerns about a planned military actions. The evacuations, which were carried out in line with a plan agreed upon by all stakeholders — including local elders, the provincial government and the military — seem to have become a bone of contention after the displaced populace found themselves stranded in cold weather under open skies, with mismanagement by the author... -
Dawn - 15:38 Feb 01, 2026
WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, highlighting the “exponential rise” cross-border terrorist attacks from Afghanistan, has said that the situation has become “intolerable for Pakistan”. His remarks come against the backdrop of a spate of coordinate attacks in Balochistan on Saturday. Clearing operations following the attacks continued on Sunday while Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said in the afternoon that 145 militants had been killed within a span of 40 hours. The military’s media affairs wing said the attacks were carried out by Fitna-al-Hindustan — a term that the state has designated for Balochistan-based terrorist groups to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. Pakistan has also been raising alarm over the presence of terrorists in Afghanistan and accuses the Afghan Taliban of harbouring them. Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to rein in terrorist outfits operating out of Afghanis... -
Dawn - 12:16 Feb 01, 2026
Israel said on Sunday it was terminating the humanitarian operations of the international charity Doctors Without Borders in Gaza after the organisation failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff. “The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism is moving to terminate the activities of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in the Gaza Strip,” the ministry said. The decision follows “MSF’s failure to submit lists of local employees, a requirement applicable to all humanitarian organisations operating in the region”, it added, stating that the group will cease its work and leave Gaza by February 28. In December, the ministry announced it would prevent 37 aid organisations, including MSF, from operating in Gaza from March 1 for failing to provide detailed information about their Palestinian staff. It had alleged that two MSF employees had links with Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which the medical charity vehemently denies. On Sunday, the ministry said MSF had committed in early January ... -
Dawn - 12:13 Feb 01, 2026
Pakistan, along with seven other Muslim-majority countries, condemned on Sunday the repeated violations of the ceasefire in Gaza by Israel, asserting that these actions risked undermining efforts for restoring stability at a time when regional and international partners were working collectively to advance the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan. The eight countries — Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan , Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and United Arab Emirates — had worked with Trump’s administration on a plan last year on a plan to end Israel’s genocide and invasion in Gaza. Implementation of the plan began in October 2025, leading to a ceasefire in Gaza more than two years after the onslaught began. Israel, however, has repeatedly violated the the truce, carrying out strikes in the Strip. Meanwhile, work is ongoing on the second phase of Trump’s plan, shifting focus from ceasefire implementation to demilitarisation, technocratic governance and reconstruction. In a joint statement, the foreign mini... -
Dawn - 10:47 Feb 01, 2026
LODHRAN: A child was among four dead while another 28 were injured when a bus carrying wedding guests overturned after colliding with a truck in the Mandhali Mor area of Punjab’s Lodhran district on Sunday. According to a statement issued by Rescue 1122 Lodhran, a “high-speed coaster carrying members of a wedding procession overturned while crossing in front of an overloaded truck, killing four people on the spot”. It added that the deceased included two men, one woman and a child. Another 28 were injured, out of which 27 sustained “severe” injuries and were rushed to the Lodhran District Hospital, while another person was provided medical assistance on the spot, Rescue 1122 said. Separately, a statement by the office of Lodhran District Police Officer (DPO) Ali bin Tariq said he reached the site of the incident immediately after receiving an alert about it. “Reasons behind the accident are being determined, and legal action will be taken against those responsible,” DPO Tariq was quoted as saying. Last month,... -
Dawn - 10:11 Feb 01, 2026
Islamabad Police arrested 54 individuals and seized over 21,000 kites and chemical strings in January as part of a crackdown against hazardous kite-flying material, state-run APP reported on Sunday. Kite-flying is often associated with severe and sometimes fatal accidents. Kite-flying festival — Basant — was banned in 2007 in Punjab because of an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries caused by sharp strings, particularly to motorcyclists and pillion riders, as well as by celebratory gunfire. Quoting Islamabad police spokesperson, APP reported that police teams carried out raids across the capital territory during which they arrested 54 people in relation to kite-flying and trading, alongside recovering over 11,000 kites and more than 10,000 chemical strings. “Charkis and other related material were also recovered from the suspects,” APP reported, adding that police have registered cases against the suspects. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Qazi Ali Raza told APP, “Kite-flying is not a harmles... -
Dawn - 06:25 Feb 01, 2026
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan figured prominently in warnings sounded at the United Nations this week about the growing spillover of terrorist threats from Afghanistan, with both China and the UN chief expressing concern over militant violence affecting the country. Addressing a high-level briefing on the Counter-Terrorism Early Warning Network for Central Asia on Friday, Chinese Ambassador to the UN Sun Lei said that while the Central Asia region remained broadly stable, it continued to be affected by cross-border terrorism. “Currently, the Central Asia region remains generally stable, yet is still deeply affected by the spillover effect of terrorist threats,” he said, citing recent attacks in Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan that “deserve our high vigilance”. Emphasising Pakistan’s long-standing concerns, the Chinese envoy called for closer cooperation with Kabul. “We need to strengthen engagement and cooperation with Afghanistan to prevent it from once again becoming a safe haven for terrorist organisations, and... -
Dawn - 05:50 Feb 01, 2026
United States President Donald Trump on Saturday said India will buy Venezuelan oil, as opposed to purchasing oil from Iran. “We’ve already made that deal, the concept of the deal,” Trump told reporters while on Air Force One, en route to Florida from Washington, DC. Trump also said on Saturday that China was also welcome to make a deal with the US to buy Venezuelan oil. Trump’s comment came a day after the US told Delhi it could soon resume purchases of Venezuelan oil to help replace imports of Russian oil, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. India pledged to slash Russian crude oil purchases after Washington also hiked tariffs related to that activity, and India is on track to lower its Russian oil imports by several hundred thousand barrels per day in the coming months, according to the sources, who declined to be identified. Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on countries buying Venezuelan oil, including India, in March 2025, and his administration ramped up a campaign against Venezuelan Pr... -
Dawn - 05:39 Feb 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Tuesday revealed majority of buildings in Islamabad have not obtained fire safety certificates. In the wake of the Karachi Gul Plaza inferno, the CDA recently decided to get survey of buildings of Islamabad to ensure fire and safety system. “CDA has completed the survey regarding Fire Safety & Hazard Control in the Federal Capital, Islamabad. A total of 6,500 buildings were surveyed in this regard. During the survey, it was observed that most buildings had not obtained approval for their fire safety plans, and the completion/fire safety certificates for these buildings had also not been issued. During the survey, 300 government buildings were also inspected, read an official handout issued by CDA. This information was shared in a meeting held here at CDA headquarters with Chairman CDA Mohammad Ali Randhawa in the chair and attended by members administration and planning, DC Islamabad and other officers concerned. “Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi had... -
Dawn - 04:47 Feb 01, 2026
• Interior minister’s surprise visit to DHA Nadra centre exposes irregularities • Takes notice of delays, long queues; asks staff to ensure people don’t have to visit more than once • Inspects immigration counters in a visit to Karachi airport • Declares professional beggars can’t be permitted to go abroad KARACHI: In a surprise visit to a Mega Centre of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) in Defence Housing Authority on Saturday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi found multiple lapses of serious nature in public service delivery, including a startling case in which a death certificate was issued for a woman who was still alive. The issue came to light when a citizen approached the interior minister during his visit to the facility with a complaint regarding his wife’s death certificate, who was in fact alive. A statement issued after the visit said that Mr Naqvi immediately took notice of the “error” and ordered on-the-spot correction of the documentation, directing officials to ensure acco... -
Dawn - 03:32 Feb 01, 2026
• No permit issued to foreign trekking, expedition group in winters since 2023 • Officials count climate-related disasters among factors affecting tourism industry GILGIT: Adventure tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) has declined over the past three years, with no foreign climber or trekker visiting the region during the winter season. The arrival of climbers, trekkers, and both foreign and domestic tourists during the summer season also fell by 90 per cent last year, severely affecting the local economy. Tour operators blamed the sharp increase in permit fees, delays in the issuance of visas to foreigners, and other factors for the decline in foreign visitors. According to the GB tourism department, no foreign climber or trekker visited GB this winter. No foreign expedition or trekking group was issued a permit during the winter expedition season, which usually lasts from November to February. Five of the world’s 14 eight-thousanders — mountains rising above 8,000 metres above sea level — are located in Pakist... -
Dawn - 03:17 Feb 01, 2026
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission (AJK-EC) has reiterated that only political parties duly registered under the Elections Act, 2020, will be eligible to contest the forthcoming elections to the region’s Legislative Assembly. It warned parties with incomplete registration that they would neither enjoy statutory privileges nor be allowed to contest polls on an allocated electoral symbol. The clarification follows an AJK High Court judgement dated Oct 5, 2023, which set aside the registration of the AJK chapters of the PPP, PML-N and PTI and other parties on the grounds that the registration process did not conform to the requirements of the law and the Constitution of the region. In its judgement, the court observed that the Elections Act and Rules prescribed mandatory conditions for party registration, including submission of a party constitution, manifesto, audited consolidated accounts, lists of members with proof of identity, and evidence of intra-party elections. The bench furth... -
Dawn - 03:11 Feb 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A Supreme Court judge on Saturday said that judges were not supposed to be influenced by appeasement or flattery, nor should they harbour malice or venom against any party while discharging their sacred duty of imparting justice in accordance with the law. “The tolerance and forbearance of judges must not be so fragile or touchy as to make them easily annoyed during the hearing of a case, which is a sacred duty and trust,” observed Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar in his opinion rendered on the long-pending presidential reference seeking an answer to whether the court could revisit the 1979 judgement that sent former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to the gallows — a verdict that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and jurists regard as a historic wrong. On March 6, 2024, after a delay of over 44 years, the SC finally corrected a historic wrong by accepting that the murder trial of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was unfair and lacked due process, both at the trial stage and in the endorsement...
7368 items