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Dawn - 02:26 Jan 25, 2026
• Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi facilities up for grabs; Privatisation Commission assures domestic, foreign firms of level-playing field; abandons G2G mode amid investors’ high interest • Seeks proposals to appoint financial adviser for Roosevelt Hotel; plans joint venture for mixed-use development; aims to finalise transaction in a year ISLAMABAD: The Privatisation Commission announced on Saturday that the outsourcing operation for the country’s three major airports — Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi — will move to an open bidding mode following a high level of interest from various investors. The commission said the shift from a government-to-government (G2G) mode to open bidding aims to generate a competitive process wherein all domestic and foreign investors will have a level playing field to participate in the bidding process. According to a commission statement, the envisaged competitive process priorities inclusivity by welcoming participation from all eligible entities, including those from partner nations,... -
Dawn - 01:02 Jan 25, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit with nine neighbouring countries widened by 44.42 per cent to $7.683 billion in the first half of FY26 compared to $5.320bn during the same period last year. The soaring deficit was mainly due to a decline in Pakistan’s overall exports to regional countries, led by a drop in shipments to China, followed by Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Pakistan has suspended all kinds of trade, including exports, with Afghanistan since Oct 10, 2025. In percentage terms, exports to India increased marginally, but in value terms, it is negligible. The shipments to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka registered negative growth during the period under review, according to the latest data compiled by the State Bank. In FY25, the trade deficit with these nine neighbouring countries widened by 29.42pc to $12.297bn, up from $9.502bn in the preceding year. The value of exports to Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Iran, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives dipped 18.56pc to $1.965bn in July-December F... -
Dawn - 01:02 Jan 25, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiani has said that QR codes have been made mandatory for retail outlets in Islamabad and across the provinces. “The government is promoting a cashless economy, and executive orders have made QR codes mandatory in Islamabad and provincial regions, requiring every retail outlet to provide at least one digital payment option,” the state minister said on Saturday. He was speaking at a policy discussion organised by the Institute for Public Opinion Research (IPOR) to present findings from its nationwide study titled Track and Trace Compliance in the Tobacco Industry-Volume II. The minister added that all retailers and merchants have been instructed to adopt digital payment methods. He said federal and provincial authorities were working on legislation to support the initiative, which aims to formalise the economy and strengthen the “Cashless Pakistan” programme. The study revealed significant regulatory gaps in compliance with the Federal Board of Revenue’s Tra... -
Dawn - 01:02 Jan 25, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The maritime sector posted a record Rs100 billion profit in 2025, mainly due to reforms in port efficiency, cost reduction and the clearing of long-delayed policies. In its annual performance report, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs highlighted that these reforms ranged from modernising ports, shipping and fisheries sectors to unlocking the full potential of the blue economy. Karachi Port handled a record 54 million tonnes of cargo, while average vessel dwell time was reduced by 24 to 36 hours through closer coordination among port authorities, customs and other agencies, achieving an average turnaround of five days in line with regional benchmarks. Cost-cutting measures delivered substantial savings. Reduced overtime at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) saved about Rs70 million per month, while the abolition of 2,152 redundant posts across maritime entities lowered human resource costs by billions of rupees. The first bunkering facilities were also established at Karachi Port and Port Qasim, expect... -
Dawn - 18:51 Jan 24, 2026
A man shot by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday has died, local and federal officials said, the second fatal shooting involving federal agents this month during a surge in immigration enforcement in the northern US city. The man, who has not been identified, was armed with a handgun and two magazines, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Meanwhile, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the man was a 37-year-old city resident who was believed to be a US citizen. He did not release the name of the man, who he said was a lawful gun owner with no criminal record. A video circulating on social media and aired on cable news stations showed people wearing masks and tactical vests wrestling with the man on a snow-covered street before shots are heard. In the video, the man falls to the ground, and several more shots are heard. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called for an immediate end to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations in the state. “I just spoke with the Wh... -
Dawn - 18:20 Jan 24, 2026
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday announced that Scotland would replace Bangladesh at the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in India next month. Bangladesh had announced on Jan 4 that it would not play its T20 World Cup matches in India after its player Mustafizur Rahman was released by his Indian Premier League (IPL) team amid growing tensions between the two countries. Subsequently, Bangladesh had “formally requested” the ICC to shift their games to Sri Lanka, which the council had rejected. However, Bangladesh had insisted it would not travel to India for the tournament. In the statement posted on its website on Saturday, the ICC stated that the decision was made in the absence of “any credible or verifiable security threat” to the Bangladesh national team in India. “Scotland has been called up to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, joining England, Italy, Nepal and the West Indies,” the ICC announced. The ICC noted that Scotland, ranked the 14th-highest T20 team in the world, ... -
Dawn - 18:06 Jan 24, 2026
LONDON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that the federal cabinet had approved Pakistan joining the Board of Peace, which is led by US President Donald Trump. A group of leaders and senior officials from 19 countries — including Pakistan — had gathered on stage on Thursday with Trump at a signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, to put their names to the founding charter of the body. Originally meant to oversee peace in Gaza after Israel’s two-year bombardment of the Palestinian enclave, the Board of Peace’s charter envisions a wider role in resolving international conflicts. Speaking to the media outside the Pakistan High Commission in London on Saturday, the premier said that he had a “very good trip” to Davos. He said that Pakistan had received an invitation from Trump to join the Board of Peace, adding that he accepted with the approval of the cabinet. “We signed with the hope that there will be peace in Gaza, that Palestinians will receive the respect they deserve, and that Gaza will be reco... -
Dawn - 16:20 Jan 24, 2026
The Pakistan Navy on Saturday successfully conducted the medical evacuation of a Sri Lankan national on the high seas, approximately 1,500 kilometres off Pakistan’s coast. A statement by the navy said that PNS ships Tabuk and Moawin successfully conducted the medical evacuation of a Sri Lankan national requiring “urgent medical attention” on an Indonesian-flagged merchant vessel (MV) Grey Palm. ”The operation was initiated following a formal request from [the] Sri Lankan Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) for [the] provision of medical assistance to a Sri Lankan national crew member in critical condition onboard MV Grey Palm, positioned 800 nautical miles (approximately 1,500 kilometres) from Pakistan’s coast,” the statement said. The Pakistan Navy dispatched its ships as first responders and evacuated the Sri Lankan crew member along with an attendant, it said. Subsequently, the patient was immediately provided with the necessary treatment aboard the navy vessel, it added. “The Sri Lankan authoritie... -
Dawn - 16:16 Jan 24, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A sessions court on Saturday sentenced lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her spouse Hadi Ali Chattha to a total of 17 years in prison on multiple charges in a case pertaining to social media posts. The lawyer couple were already on judicial remand at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail after they were arrested in Islamabad in connection with a separate case on Friday. The written order by Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka stated that the “prosecution has been able to prove its case against both the accused” under sections 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyberterrorism), 26-A (false and fake information) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). Hence, under Peca’s Section 9, Imaan and Hadi were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for five years each with a fine of Rs5 million each. If they failed to pay, the two will have to spend one more year of jail. Under Section 10 of Peca, they were each handed 10 years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs30m each, with a... -
Dawn - 15:38 Jan 24, 2026
At least three people were killed in a fire at a hotel in Lahore’s Gulberg, according to rescue officials. Punjab Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Farooq Ahmed said at least three people had been killed in the fire at the Indigo Hotel. He said the victims were identified as Shehreyar, approximately 25-years-old, Imran, approximately 30-years-old, and Riaz, approximately 30-years-old. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also shared several updates about the incident on the social media platform X. She also shared a video of Rescue 1122 Director General Rizwan Naseer, in which he termed the operation “difficult”, saying the building had 21 floors, three of which were located below the ground. He said that there was a boiler in the basement, which was being heated using LPG cylinders, where the fire ignited. He said initially, the hotel staff were trying to put out the fire on their own. He said Rescue 1122 received the call around 12:25pm. He said that rescuers entered the basement, a difficult task due to the he... -
Dawn - 15:24 Jan 24, 2026
LAHORE: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday stated that despite their role in strengthening grassroots politics, local governments continued to be neglected by political parties, which had ultimately weakened civilian rule. The defence minister made the remarks while addressing a panel session titled “Devolution for Revolution” at ThinkFest, a political and literary festival. Also present alongside the minister were Lahore University of Management Sciences’ (LUMS) Vice Chancellor Ali Cheema, former State Bank governor Dr Ishrat Hussain and former MPA Mary James Gill. In his remarks, Asif said that three military rulers — Ayub Khan, Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf — had remained in power longer than any civilian government largely because they introduced local government systems and drew political strength from them. He admitted that the failure to institutionalise local bodies was “a political failure on our part”. He noted that local government elections, whenever held, had historically been far less co... -
Dawn - 14:59 Jan 24, 2026
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said he would impose a 100 per cent tariff on Canada if it makes a trade deal with China and warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that a deal would endanger his country. “China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100pc Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the USA.” Carney during a recent visit to China called the Asian superpower a “reliable and predictable partner” and in Davos encouraged European leaders to seek investment from the world’s second-largest economy. Trump suggested that China would try to use Canada to evade US tariffs. “If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken.” Tensions between the U.S. and its northern neighbour have grown... -
Dawn - 14:39 Jan 24, 2026
Snow and heavy rain have killed 61 people in Afghanistan in the past three days, disaster officials said on Saturday, with a major road and power also cut in several provinces. The deaths occurred mainly in central and northern provinces between Wednesday and Friday, according to a map released by Afghanistan’s disaster management authority (ANDMA). The “initial figures of casualties and destruction” also include 110 injured people and 458 houses that were either partially or fully destroyed, ANDMA said on social media platform X. A total of 360 families were affected, said a spokesman who asked people in a video message to avoid unnecessary travel on snowy roads. The spokesman also told AFP that most of the casualties were caused by roof collapses and avalanches, while many also died from frostbite in sub-zero temperatures. The emergency department in the southern province of Kandahar said six children were killed when the roof of their home collapsed in strong wind and heavy rain on Wednesday. Houses were a... -
Dawn - 14:24 Jan 24, 2026
A sessions court on Saturday sentenced lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her spouse, Hadi Ali Chattha, to a total of 17 years in prison on multiple charges in a case about controversial social media posts, a day after they were arrested in Islamabad. According to the written order, Imaan “consistently disseminated highly offensive, misleading and anti-state contents on social media”, with the “active connivance” of Hadi. The order also observed that Imaan’s tweets made between 2021 and 2025 from “portrayed the agenda” of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Lawyers, activists and politicians expressed their outrage over the sentencing. Here are some of the reactions. ‘Completely illegal’ Digital rights expert and activist Usama Khilji said, “Completely illegal, unconstitutional and baseless order without any roots in due process, especially as the transfer application is pending in the high court.” He said that the sentencing of human rights lawyers for “tweets... -
Dawn - 13:46 Jan 24, 2026
Police on Saturday registered a first information report (FIR) over the devastating Gul Plaza inferno, citing the incident as an “outcome of negligence and carelessness”. The deadly inferno, which erupted on the night of January 17 at the mall and took nearly two days to be fully extinguished, has left the ground-plus-three-storey building in ruins, with some sections collapsed. It has so far claimed 71 lives. South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza confirmed that the FIR had been registered on behalf of the state, through a police official, under relevant laws. According to the FIR, Nabi Bux Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Nawaz Ali Zardari said the police received information about the fire in the plaza at around 10:30pm on January 17. The FIR added that the fire was “rapidly spreading and engulfed the entire plaza” while firefighters and other rescue personnel were engaged in efforts to extinguish the blaze. It further stated that the fire erupted in shop number 193, a flower and gift sho... -
Dawn - 12:12 Jan 24, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States on Saturday decided to take joint action against fraudulent visa networks under comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs). The decision came during a meeting between US Charge de’ Affaires Natalie Baker and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. According to a handout by the interior ministry, a detailed discussion was held on Pakistan–US relations and increasing cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Talks were also held on preventing illegal immigration and the effectiveness of the pre-immigration clearance system, the statement said. It added that an agreement was reached on increasing cooperation between law enforcement agencies, with a particular focus on police training. “The meeting decided that joint action will be taken against false and fraudulent visa networks under comprehensive SOPs,” the handout stated. Naqvi was quoted as saying that a zero-tolerance policy had been adopted against the “agent mafia” and welcomed cooperation with Washington in this s... -
Dawn - 11:32 Jan 24, 2026
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday thanked his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar for his “strong support” and Pakistan’s position at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) amid the prevailing tense situation between Washington and Tehran. On Friday, the UNHRC adopted a resolution — with 25 votes in favour, seven against and 14 abstentions — to extend the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran for two years. The resolution also extended the mandate of the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran by one year and called for an urgent investigation by the mission, in the context of the deadly nationwide protests in Iran that started in December. Pakistan, along with China and India, voted against the resolution. In a post on X on Saturday, the Foreign Office (FO) said Dar, who is on a visit to Dubai, received a telephone call from Araghchi. The Iranian minister thanked the deputy prime minister for “his strong support and Pakistan’s position at the Unite... -
Dawn - 10:21 Jan 24, 2026
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Saturday urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to constitute a high-level inquiry commission to hold those accountable whose negligence led to the Gul Plaza inferno. The deadly inferno, which erupted on the night of January 17 at the mall and took nearly two days to be fully extinguished, has claimed at least 71 lives and left over 1,100 shops in ruins. Addressing a press conference in Karachi, MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar said the citizens of Karachi had “questions of a very serious nature regarding the responsibilities of the Sindh government in this incident”, as well as those of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the mayor. He called for an “independent judicial inquiry” into the Gul Plaza tragedy to ensure the truth comes to light. Sattar questioned what the “fear and obstruction” was in setting up a judicial commission. “Incapability, mistake, apathy, shamelessness, impudence — these should be exposed,” Sattar demanded. Sattar further demanded tha... -
Dawn - 10:20 Jan 24, 2026
“As dissenters challenge existing ideas, social consciousness grows, the condition of human existence and rights improve and society progresses …Thus, it is in society’s collective interest that the right to dissent be upheld, even though critical ideas might seem unpalatable. It is in the state’s own interest to tolerate ideas critical of it. Criticism of the state and its policies is a natural outcome of the democratic system of governance … the security of the state must not be projected by the state itself to be so fragile that critical speech would shake its foundation.” — Justice Babar Sattar in the case of Shoukat Ali vs. Government of Pakistan (PLD 2024 Islamabad 135) On Friday, lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha were arrested while they were reportedly on the way to the Islamabad district courts. The multiple cases registered against them invoke provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), anti-terrorism legislation, and laws regulating public assembly.... -
Dawn - 09:55 Jan 24, 2026
China said on Saturday the senior vice chairman of its powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) and another high-ranking official were under investigation for suspected “serious violations of discipline”, a common euphemism for corruption. The announcement marks the latest push in a sweeping drive to root out graft at all levels of the party and state since President Xi Jinping came to power more than a decade ago. “Following a review… it has been decided to initiate an investigation into Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli,” the defence ministry said in a statement. The two men were “suspected of serious violations of discipline and the law”, the ministry said. Zhang Youxia, 75, is China’s highest-ranked general as the more senior CMC vice chairman. He is also a member of the powerful Politburo, the 24-member executive body of the Chinese Communist Party. Vice chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Zhang Youxia, salute...
10758 items