Dawn
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Dawn - 15:59 Feb 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her spouse Hadi Ali Chattha on Saturday challenged their conviction in the controversial social media posts case by filing separate criminal appeals in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The appeals sought to have the trial court’s January 24 verdict — which handed the couple a total of 17 years in jail on multiple charges — declared null and void. In their appeals, the appellants contended that the impugned judgment was passed in blatant violation of settled legal principles and mandatory procedural requirements. They argued that the trial court proceeded to pronounce the verdict despite the fact that an application seeking transfer of the case was pending adjudication before the IHC, rendering the decision unlawful and without jurisdiction. According to the appeals, once a transfer application was filed and pending before a superior court, the trial court was barred from proceeding further in the matter. The appellants maintained that any judgment delivered unde... -
Dawn - 15:43 Feb 07, 2026
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday that four facilitators of the suicide attack on an imambargah in Islamabad, including the “main mastermind”, had been arrested during raids in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He made the remarks while speaking to the media in Islamabad. In his media talk, the interior minister said that operations were underway throughout last night to trace those behind the attack. Making special mention of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and the KP police for their joint efforts, he said, “All those people linked to this, and the mastermind, at around 3am, all of them were apprehended.” He lauded all “agencies”, saying that this incident was a “test case”. “After the blast, raids were carried out in Nowshera and Peshawar, in which four facilitators were caught. And their mastermind, who is an Afghan, was also caught,” he said. He said that an assistant sub-inspector of KP police was martyred during the raids, while others were injured. “But the main mastermind is linked to Daesh an... -
Dawn - 14:04 Feb 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The death toll from the Islamabad imambargah attack rose to 36 on Saturday, according to hospital officials. The attack occurred at Imambargah Qasr-i-Khadijatul Kubra in the Tarlai area on the city’s outskirts during Friday prayers. Over 160 others were injured, with the death toll expected to rise. “A 21-year-old man who was brought from the imambargah has died,” Dr Aneeza Jalil, a spokesperson at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), confirmed to Dawn. “The number of deaths has reached 33, and nine patients are in very serious condition,” she added. She recalled that 149 injured and 28 bodies were brought to Pims on Friday following the attack. Separately, HBS Hospital’s Dr Riaz Janjua confirmed to Dawn that three deaths from the attack were reported at his hospital. Great progress in probe: info minister Information Minister Attaullah Tarar held a press conference in Lahore with various religious scholars, including Allama Muhammad Hussain Akbar. “There has been progress to a great ... -
Dawn - 13:46 Feb 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Saturday said PTI’s memorandum — requesting immediate jail visitation rights for party founder Imran Khan with his family, doctors, lawyers and friends — had been conveyed to the “relevant executive authorities” for appropriate consideration in accordance with law. On Friday, the party members and parliamentarians, led by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, had submitted the memorandum to the SC registrar. The party had regretted in the memorandum to Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi that Imran’s access to his family and lawyers was again denied on Tuesday, the day fixed by the court for meetings with his relatives and counsels. In a press release issued on Saturday, the SC said that on January 30, the KP chief minister and PTI lawmakers gathered in front of the SC to convey their concerns about access to Imran. “The registrar engaged with their representatives and assured that the concerns would be brought into the notice of the chief justice,” it said. It went on to s... -
Dawn - 12:08 Feb 07, 2026
US President Donald Trump refused to apologise on Friday for a video posted on his social media account depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys, though he said he condemned the post as the White House shifted the blame to staff. The video shared on Trump’s Truth Social account late on Thursday night sparked censure across the US political spectrum, with the White House initially rejecting “fake outrage” only to then blame the post on an error by a staff member. “I didn’t make a mistake,” Trump said on Air Force One late on Friday when asked if he would apologise for the post. Asked if he condemns the racist imagery in the video, Trump replied: “Of course I do.” Democrats slammed Trump as “vile” over the clip of the Obamas — the first Black president and first lady in US history while a senior Republican senator said the video was blatantly racist. Near the end of the one-minute-long video promoting conspiracies about Republican Trump’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, the Obamas were shown with their f... -
Dawn - 12:00 Feb 07, 2026
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday he hoped talks with the United States would resume soon, while reiterating Tehran’s red lines and warning against any American attack. According to excerpts published on his official Telegram channel during an interview with the Al Jazeera network, Araghchi said that Iran’s missile programme was “never negotiable” in Friday’s talks in Oman. He warned that Tehran would target US bases in the region if the US attacked Iranian territory. However, Araghchi also said that despite the talks in Muscat being indirect, “an opportunity arose to shake hands with the American delegation”. He called the talks “a good start”, but added that building trust would take time. He said the talks would resume “soon”. US President Donald Trump on Friday called the talks “very good” and pledged another round of negotiations next week. Despite this, he signed an executive order effective from Saturday that called for the “imposition of tariffs” on countries still doing busines... -
Dawn - 11:33 Feb 07, 2026
US President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington held “very good talks” on Iran after the two sides held an indirect dialogue in Oman. Iran, for its part, said it expected to hold more negotiations with the United States, hailing a “positive atmosphere” during a day of talks in the Gulf sultanate. With an American naval group led by an aircraft carrier in Middle Eastern waters, US and Iranian delegations held talks in Muscat mediated by Oman without publicly meeting face-to-face. Shortly after the talks concluded, the US announced new sanctions against shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran’s oil exports. But it was not clear if the move was linked to the talks. The talks were the first between the two foes since the United States joined Israel’s war with Iran in June with strikes on nuclear sites. “We likewise had very good talks on Iran,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One en route to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, adding, “we’re going to meet again early next week.” However, ... -
Dawn - 11:33 Feb 07, 2026
A South Korean cryptocurrency exchange apologised on Saturday after mistakenly transferring more than $40 billion worth of bitcoin to users, which briefly prompted a selloff on the platform. Bithumb said it accidentally sent 620,000 bitcoins, currently worth more than $40bn, and blocked trading and withdrawals for the 695 affected users within 35 minutes after the error occurred on Friday. According to local reports, Bithumb was meant to send about 2,000 South Korean won ($1.37) to each customer as part of a promotion, but mistakenly transferred roughly 2,000 bitcoins per user. “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to our customers due to the confusion that occurred during the distribution process of this (promotional) event,” Bithumb said in a statement. The platform said it had recovered 99.7 per cent of the mistakenly sent bitcoins, and that it would use its own assets to fully cover the amount that was lost in the incident. It admitted the error briefly caused “sharp volatility” in bitcoin ... -
Dawn - 11:21 Feb 07, 2026
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Saturday said that a new committee was being formed to investigate the issue of missing persons in the country. Addressing the 6th Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore, the law minister said that while the number of missing persons had reduced over the years, a lower number was still not satisfactory. He said that another committee was now being formed to look into the issue of missing persons in more detail. Speaking on past data on missing persons, Tarar said, “The recorded number … was nearly 10,000 citizens. A commission was formed on this, committees were made … parliament played a role; over the years, this number has reduced. It’s now reportedly 2600-something. But I understand that in terms of human rights, this number should be zero.” He added that in the past, as a stopgap arrangement, the federal government had introduced a relief package for the families affected. He clarified that “this package did not mean the case would be closed; that was to mitigate the miserie... -
Dawn - 10:46 Feb 07, 2026
The White House is planning the first leaders meeting for President Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace” in relation to Gaza on February 19, Axios reported on Friday, citing a US official and diplomats from four countries that are on the board. The plans for the meeting, which would also be a fundraising conference for Gaza reconstruction, are in early stages and could still change, Axios reported. The meeting is planned to be held at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, the report added, noting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on February 18, a day before the planned meeting. The White House and the US State Department did not respond to requests for comment. In late January, Trump launched the board that he will chair and which he says will aim to resolve global conflicts, leading to many experts being concerned that such a board could undermine the United Nations. Governments around the world have reacted cautiously to Trump’s invitation ... -
Dawn - 08:10 Feb 07, 2026
Two candidates have been shortlisted for Pakistan’s Human Spaceflight Programme by the Astronauts Centre of China (ACC), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday. In February 2025, Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) had signed a cooperation agreement. Under the pact, two Pakistanis would train in China, with one joining a mission on the Tiangong space station operated by Beijing. In a press release, the ISPR said Suparco had “achieved yet another significant milestone in Pakistan’s Human Spaceflight Programme with the successful completion of the secondary phase of astronaut candidates’ selection”. “Following an initial screening process in Pakistan, the candidates were shortlisted after undergoing comprehensive medical, psychological, and aptitude assessments conducted at the Astronauts Centre of China (ACC), in accordance with international human spaceflight standards,” the statement read. As per the bilateral agreement... -
Dawn - 08:00 Feb 07, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening engagement with Iran in a meeting with the Iranian ambassador, Raza Amiri Moghaddam, in Islamabad on Saturday. Ambassador Moghaddam conveyed condolences over yesterday’s tragic suicide bombing at an imambargah in Islamabad, in which over 30 people were killed, the FO said in a post on X. Dar “strongly condemned the terrorist attack, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”, the FO said. The Iranian envoy also briefed Dar on progress achieved through various bilateral institutional mechanisms to enhance cooperation across diverse areas. The foreign minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening engagement with Iran in key priority sectors of mutual interest, the FO added. Pakistan and Iran share close ties, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif having spoken with Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian last week on the “evolving re... -
Dawn - 07:51 Feb 07, 2026
Pakistan and Canada emphasised the importance of cooperation in trade and investment in the sixth round of Bilateral Political Consultations between the two countries held in Islamabad on Saturday. According to the Foreign Office (FO), United Nations Special Secretary Ambassador Nabeel Munir and the director general (Americas) participated in the consultations, while the Canadian side was represented by Assistant Deputy Minister (Indo-Pacific) from Global Affairs Canada, Ambassador Weldon Epp and High Commissioner Tarik Ali Khan. A press release by the FO said that the two sides expressed satisfaction over the steady growth of bilateral relations, marked by recent “substantive interactions” between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. “They noted that these engagements had provided strategic guidance and momentum to the partnership and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further deepen these ties,” the FO statement said. Recognising the significant ... -
Dawn - 06:44 Feb 07, 2026
The World Health Organization said on Friday that a woman had died in northern Bangladesh in January after contracting the deadly Nipah virus infection. The case in Bangladesh, where Nipah cases are reported almost every year, follows two Nipah virus cases identified in neighbouring India, which has already prompted stepped-up airport screenings across Asia. The patient in Bangladesh, aged between 40 and 50 years, developed symptoms consistent with Nipah virus on January 21, including fever and headache followed by hypersalivation, disorientation and convulsion, the WHO added. She died a week later and was confirmed to be infected with the virus a day later. The person had no travel history but had a history of consuming raw date palm sap. All 35 people who had contact with the patient are being monitored and have tested negative for the virus, and no further cases have been detected to date, the WHO said. Nipah is an infection that spreads mainly through products contaminated by infected bats, such as fruit.... -
Dawn - 05:41 Feb 07, 2026
The United States and India moved closer to a trade pact on Friday, releasing an interim framework that would lower tariffs, reshape energy ties and deepen economic cooperation as both countries seek to realign global supply chains. The framework reaffirms a commitment to negotiations toward a broader bilateral trade agreement, the two governments said in a joint statement, while noting that further negotiations were needed to complete the pact. US President Donald Trump announced a deal with India on Monday to cut US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50pc in exchange for India halting purchases of Russian oil and lowering trade barriers. Half of the 50pc rate had been imposed separately by Trump as punishment for India’s purchases of Russian oil, which he said were fuelling Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. Trump signed an executive order on Friday rescinding that 25pc portion after India agreed this week to shift its oil buying to the US and Venezuela. However, the statement indicated that New Delhi... -
Dawn - 03:03 Feb 07, 2026
QUETTA: A police officer was martyred when armed terrorists opened fire on a polio vaccination team in Union Council Roghani 3 of Chaman, Balochistan, on Friday. According to Chaman Deputy Commissioner Habib Ahmed Bangulzai, the polio team was carrying out routine vaccination activities when motorcycle-riding assailants launched the attack. As a result, police constable Nizamuddin was martyred on the spot while protecting the team. The polio workers remained safe as they were inside a house administering vaccines to children at the time of the attack. The body of the martyred officer was shifted to Civil Hospital Chaman for legal formalities. Following the incident, police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace the attackers. The deputy commissioner said security measures had been further tightened, while the polio campaign continued on its final day under strict protection. Funeral prayers for the martyred officer were offered at Chaman City police station. District Police O... -
Dawn - 02:34 Feb 07, 2026
• Proposes fixed monthly electricity charges of Rs200-675 for over 28.5m households • Aims to raise Rs125bn to fund Rs4.04-per-unit relief for industry • Nepra okays fuel adjustment; Feb bills to rise by Rs1.21 per unit ISLAMABAD: The government has proposed imposing a monthly fixed charge of between Rs200 and Rs675 on more than 28.5 million residential electricity consumers to raise around Rs125 billion and fund a relief package of Rs4.04 per unit for industrial users. The revised Schedule of Tariff (SoT) was submitted to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Friday evening and was immediately put on notice for a customary public hearing on the first available date after the weekend for immediate implementation within the current month. “This is just a procedural formality. The government guidelines are binding on Nepra,” an official said when asked about a short notice for a public hearing. The power division told Nepra that the imposition of a fixed charge on almost all residential co... -
Dawn - 00:29 Feb 07, 2026
KARACHI: Although the government raised over Rs24 trillion through borrowing and enhanced revenues during the past two and a half years, heavy bank borrowing reduced the availability of credit for the private sector, constraining economic growth. Official data released by the State Bank showed the government borrowed Rs8.519tr from banks in FY24, Rs5.434tr in FY25 and Rs2.1tr in the first seven months of the current fiscal year (FY26). Total borrowing from banks during this period reached Rs16tr, almost 50 per cent of the total stock of government borrowing (Rs32.3tr) at the end of June 2025. The country’s revenues nearly doubled in two years, marking a major turnaround, as the government’s total revenues jumped from Rs9.6tr to almost Rs18tr. This increase was driven by higher tax collection, new taxes and support from the central bank. Revenues nearly doubled from Rs9.6tr to almost Rs18tr in two years During this period, the government raised additional liquidity of Rs24.5tr through bank borrowing and higher... -
Dawn - 00:29 Feb 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Friday’s suicide blast at the Tarlai Imambargah is the second major terrorist attack in the federal capital in less than three months despite heightened security measures adopted by the police and the capital administration. On November 11 last year, a lone suicide bomber blew himself up in front of the main entrance of the Judicial Complex in G-11 after a couple of unsuccessful attempts to enter the premises, killing a dozen people and injuring at least 36 others. Soon after the incident, a number of police pickets were established on different roads of the capital. In addition, the Islamabad Traffic Police narrowed some of the busy roads in the capital during rush hours by placing barricades on a daily basis to monitor suspicious activities, causing much difficulties for the commuters. After the Tarlai Imambargah attack on Friday, some of the grief-stricken people, who had reached Pims hospital to trace their missing relatives, expressed their anger over the alleged failure of the police and ... -
Dawn - 00:29 Feb 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Harrowing scenes were witnessed at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), where the dead and injured from the Imambargah Khadijatul Kubra terror attack were brought in amid rainfall after Friday prayers. An inconsolable scene was witnessed at the hospital, as family members, including women and children, of the injured and deceased, started arriving. They were wailing and loudly praying. Some women even expressed helplessness while crying, saying their main breadwinners had been hit in the terror attack. The grieving families, friends and emergency responders struggled to manage the chaotic situation, while the rescue teams rushed the wounded into the emergency wards. Ambulances arrived in rapid succession from the blast site in Tarlai situated in the outskirts of the federal capital with rescue workers rushing the wounded into emergency and doctors and paramedics providing immediate medical care. Hospital administration hands over 28 bodies to relatives; 105 injured under treatment Off...
10758 items