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Dawn - 06:30 Feb 13, 2026
Portugal’s parliament on Thursday approved a bill, on its first reading, requiring explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16 to access social media, in one of the first concrete legislative moves in Europe to impose such restrictions. Authors of the draft legislation from the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) say it is needed to protect children from cyberbullying, harmful content and predatory individuals. A public system known as Digital Mobile Key (DMK) will be used by parents to give consent, also helping to enforce the existing ban for children under the age of 13 to access digital social media, video- and image-sharing platforms, or online betting sites. Tech providers are also required to implement an age verification system compatible with the DMK. The bill, approved by 148–69 votes with 13 abstentions, can still be modified before the final vote. France’s lower house last month backed legislation to ban children under 15 from social media amid growing concerns about online bullying and ... -
Dawn - 06:16 Feb 13, 2026
PESHAWAR: Militants allegedly kidnapped a CPEC policeman and set his house on fire in the Dogar Umarzai area in Bannu district, destroying three rooms and household belongings. Local sources reported that around 40 to 50 armed militants entered the house, abducted the constable, and later set the house ablaze. According to police sources, the kidnapped constable has been identified as Qadeer who was serving in the CPEC Police. The incident caused panic and fear among the family members and residents of the area. Authorities stated that investigations are underway from multiple angles. Firing incident at journalist’s residence In a separate incident, unidentified motorcyclists opened fire at the residence of the former president of Bannu Press Club and ARY News correspondent Ihsan Khattak late on Thursday night. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. Khattak stated that suspicious motorcyclists had previously been seen around his residence, after which he had submitted an application against unidentified in... -
Dawn - 05:38 Feb 13, 2026
The UN Security Council on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution extending by one year the mandate of the Monitoring Team that supports the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee, which oversees sanctions imposed on the Taliban. All 15 council members voted in favor of the US-drafted resolution, renewing the Monitoring Team’s mandate until February 17, 2027. The extension comes amid mounting international concern over Afghanistan’s deteriorating security situation, the growing influence of multiple terrorist groups, and the potential for regional destabilisation. Pakistan, which supported the resolution, stressed the ongoing threat posed by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K), Majeed Brigade, and Al-Qaeda. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said these groups “have been responsible for some of the most heinous terrorist attacks against Pakistan,” citing recent attacks that killed 80 people this month alone. “On... -
Dawn - 04:58 Feb 13, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Following the demolition of a World War I memorial in the capital, the remains of another Mughal-era building have also fallen victim to urban development. The remains of the 16th century historical building were situated roughly 200 meters from the British-era obelisk, at an archaeological site in Rehara village. A few days ago, the World War I memorial that stood here was razed by developers to make way for a private housing society. According to the Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM), the structure was possibly built during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar, and was the oldest historical ruin in this region. A DOAM official told Dawn the building’s above-ground arch (façade) and the remaining structure (the 8x4.5 meters main chamber and its 1.5 meters thick walls), constructed with limestone and sandstone blocks, which required careful excavation, had been demolished. Demolition comes days after British-era World War I monument was felled by developers in the same area A departmental t... -
Dawn - 03:51 Feb 13, 2026
• FO backs Muscat dialogue, says Islamabad ‘ready to take part in any form of diplomacy’ on Iran • Confirms PM Shehbaz, FM Dar will attend ‘Board of Peace’ meeting in Washington next week • Pakistan ‘will stand by Muslim bloc to raise collective voice for Palestinians’ ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to move towards direct negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme. “Whilst we stand ready to participate in any format of dialogue and diplomacy on Iran, we encourage the relevant parties to have as direct a negotiation framework as possible,” Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi said at the weekly media briefing. The indirect Iran-US talks took place in Muscat on Feb 6 amid heightened regional tensions, including an expanded US military presence and warnings from President Donald Trump of severe consequences if no deal is reached. The session was mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who shuttled between the two sides. Both sides described the discussions as a “... -
Dawn - 02:45 Feb 13, 2026
RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi bench has curtailed the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) suo motu power to amend deemed tax assessments, ruling that Section 122(5A) of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, cannot be used for “roving or fishing inquiries” or speculative revenue recovery. In an income tax reference, titled Commissioner Inland Revenue versus Sajid Hussain Gondal and others, Justice Mirza Viqas Rauf and Justice Jawad Hassan laid down guidance on the scope and limits of amendment powers under Section 122, bringing long-awaited doctrinal clarity to a provision frequently invoked by tax authorities. The reference application, filed under Section 133 of the ordinance, challenged an order of the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR), which had set aside an amendment made to a taxpayer’s deemed assessment for tax year 2019. The tribunal had earlier ruled that the FBR’s use of Section 122(5A) in the case was unlawful. The taxpayer, Sajid Hussain Gondal, had filed an income tax return f... -
Dawn - 02:32 Feb 13, 2026
ISLAMABAD: While launching a subsidised scheme for households to replace old fans with efficient ones, Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari said on Thursday the government was considering ‘debt restructuring’ of the energy sector to bring down consumer-end tariffs for improved grid consumption and lower circular debt. The minister acknowledged that the high electricity tariffs had been pushing the consumers away from the grid and solar penetration had created a serious challenge to the grid. Therefore, the government was considering restructuring of the power sector debt, besides taking measures for curtailing peak demand. Over the past few months, the government has taken up the restructuring of power sector debt with multilateral lenders, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, including a $30bn Chinese debt for longer duration. A circular debt of Rs1.6 trillion and a Rs1.225tr recent financing with local commercial banks are also on the agenda. Pakistan’s repeated direct requests to Chinese... -
Dawn - 18:42 Feb 12, 2026
The opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on Thursday said that it would stage a sit-in outside Parliament on Friday. The development came hours after the Supreme Court (SC) was informed that only 15 per cent vision was left in the PTI founder’s right eye, prompting a strong response from the PTI. The information was shared in a report submitted to the SC by PTI counsel Advocate Salman Safdar, who quoted the PTI founder as telling him that “he has been left with only 15pc vision in his right eye”. Videos shared by the TTAP on the social media platform X on Thursday night showed Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas speaking to the media alongside the PTI leadership. “After Friday prayers, we will stage a sit-in outside Parliament,” he said. “We demand that Khan sahib be given full access to doctors whom he trusts,” he said. “I am told that Imran’s personal physician, Dr Asim Yusuf, is at Shifa Hospital, as are Dr Amir Awan and Dr Mazhar Ishaq; these are the two top speciali... -
Dawn - 17:33 Feb 12, 2026
WASHINGTON: Two Pakistani nationals were indicted in the United States for their alleged role in a $10 million healthcare fraud scheme that targeted Medicare and private insurance programmes, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Thursday. According to a statement by the DOJ, Burhan Mirza, 31, and Kashif Iqbal, 48, along with several co-schemers, were accused of submitting fraudulent claims for medical services and equipment that were never provided. The alleged scheme operated during 2023 and 2024 and involved nominee-owned laboratories and durable medical equipment providers, it said. The DOJ added that three other alleged co-schemers had already pleaded guilty in the case: Mir Akbar Khan, 57, of West Chicago, who admitted recruiting nominee owners for the fake medical businesses; Fasiur Rahman Syed, 47, an Indian citizen who resided in Chicago; and Navaid Rasheed, 43, a Pakistani citizen who lived in Plano, Texas. All three were awaiting sentencing, it said. The statement quoted the indictment as saying ... -
Dawn - 17:27 Feb 12, 2026
KARACHI: Around 150 people, including elderly people and children, were rescued after a fire erupted in a high-rise building near Karachi’s Baloch Colony on Thursday, according to police and rescue services officials. Bahadurabad Station House Officer Mohammed Nawaz told Dawn that the fire broke out in the Index Palace in Sharifabad, near the Baloch Colony bridge. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan, meanwhile, told Dawn that it was an eight-storey building with two basements, where vehicles were parked. “The blaze took place inside the parking space, ostensibly due to some short circuit failure in a parked car,” he said. “Since the high-rise building had no ventilation, smoke spread and engulfed the building,” he said. Though the fire only spread up to the first floor, smoke engulfed the whole building, spreading fear and panic among the residents. Khan said two rescue teams were on site, with one engaged in rescue operations. “With the help of ladders, residents from three floors — with four flat... -
Dawn - 17:06 Feb 12, 2026
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party raced ahead of its rival Jamaat-i-Islami on Thursday, early counting showed, after tens of millions of Bangladeshis voted in a pivotal national election. It was the first vote since the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled long-time premier Sheikh Hasina. Analysts say a clear outcome is crucial for stability in the nation of 175 million, after months of deadly anti-Hasina protests disrupted everyday life and hit major industries, including the garment sector, the world’s second-largest exporter. It was the first national election to follow the recent under-30, Gen Z-led uprisings scattered around the world, with Nepal set to hold a vote next month. Counting began at 4:30pm (3:30pm PKT) at most booths, immediately after polls closed, with clear trends expected around midnight and results likely to be clear by Friday morning, election commission officials said. Contest between former allies The race pits two coalitions led by former allies, BNP and Jamaat, with opinion polls ... -
Dawn - 16:12 Feb 12, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari met on Thursday and reviewed Pakistan’s political, economic and security landscapes. According to a press release issued by the President’s Secretariat, the meeting took place at Aiwan-i-Sadr, where the pair also reviewed the “prevailing regional and global environment”. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, among other officials. The premier and president previously met in November last year, where they discussed the country’s security situation in the wake of multiple terrorist attacks. According to state broadcaster PTV, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and federal ministers Syed Mushtaq Raza Naqvi, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Khalid Hussain Magsi, and Abdul Aleem Khan were present during the meeting. “Both leaders reaffirm their resolve that actions against foreign-backed terro... -
Dawn - 15:47 Feb 12, 2026
United States President Donald Trump’s immigration pointman on Thursday announced the end of ramped-up immigration operations in Minnesota, which triggered outrage following the killing of two American citizens. Thousands of federal agents have in recent weeks conducted aggressive raids and arrests in what the administration claims are targeted missions against criminals. “I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude,” Trump official Tom Homan told a briefing in Minneapolis. “A significant drawdown has already been under way this week and will continue through the next week.” The operations have sparked mass protests in Minneapolis, and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti less than three weeks apart last month led to a wave of criticism. Homan raised the prospect that the officers would deploy to another location but gave no details, as speculation is rife about which city might be targeted next. “In the next week, we’re going deploy the officers here on d... -
Dawn - 15:39 Feb 12, 2026
Pakistan has marked a major achievement in its national space programme with the successful launch of its second indigenous Earth Observation Satellite, EO-2, from China’s Yangjiang Seashore Launch Centre on Thursday. Developed by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), the EO-2 satellite is designed to significantly enhance the country’s earth observation and high-resolution imaging capabilities. The officials of Suparco said the satellite will provide critical data to support national development planning, natural resource management, environmental monitoring, and urban expansion. It will also strengthen governance, disaster management, climate analysis, and strategic decision-making by delivering accurate and timely satellite imagery. With the addition of EO-2, Pakistan has expanded its satellite fleet, ensuring improved continuity, coverage, and precision of earth observation data, added the space agency. Suparco officials termed the launch a milestone in Pakistan’s space journey, no... -
Dawn - 15:18 Feb 12, 2026
BANNU: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Thursday conducted an intelligence-based operation and arrested a most-wanted terrorist, Osama alias Baghi, from the Pipal Bazaar area. According to a statement issued by Bannu CTD Superintendent of Police (SP) Fazal Wahid, the suspect belonged to Bannu district and was said to be an active commander of the newly formed organisation Ittehadul Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP), established through a collaboration between the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Gul Bahadur group. He said that the suspect confessed to his involvement in nine major terrorist activities during the initial interrogation. He said that these included the December 2025 attack on Miranshah Assistant Commissioner Shah Wali Khan, in which he was martyred along with his two security guards and a civilian. The suspect also confessed to the abduction and killing of former Bannu station house officer Abid Wazir in November 2025. Additionally, he also admitted to his involvement in the abductio... -
Dawn - 14:29 Feb 12, 2026
Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed on Thursday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would attend the upcoming Board of Peace meeting in the US, saying that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar would also accompany him. Andrabi’s confirmation follows reports that said PM Shehbaz was expected to visit Washington on February 18 and represent Pakistan at the first meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, which is scheduled for Feb 19 at the US Institute of Peace. “I can confirm that the prime minister will attend the upcoming Board of Peace meeting. He will be accompanied by the deputy prime minister and foreign minister,” Andrabi said during a weekly briefing of the FO. He added that information about other members of Pakistan’s delegation and its engagements would be shared in due course of time. Asked specifically whether Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir would be included in the delegation, the FO spokesperson reiterated:... -
Dawn - 14:07 Feb 12, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States on Thursday agreed to promote partnership in the mining, minerals and energy sectors. According to a handout from the interior ministry, the agreement was reached during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs John Mark Pomeroy. During the meeting, the US official said that the country attached great importance to its relationship with Pakistan. He condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Quetta and expressed condolences to the victims. The interior minister welcomed US investment in the mining, minerals, and energy sectors and assured that American investors would be provided with the safest possible environment in Pakistan. During the meeting, Pakistan–US bilateral relations and the regional situation were discussed, along with ways to enhance cooperation in counterterrorism, particularly in the field of internal security. Speaking on the occasion, Naqvi said that global... -
Dawn - 13:49 Feb 12, 2026
The World Health Organisation has said the risk of the deadly Nipah virus spreading was low after three cases of infection were recently confirmed in India and Bangladesh. Nipah, which spreads from animals to humans, has no vaccine and a fatality rate ranging from 40 to 75 per cent, according to the UN health body. “In the past few weeks, three cases of Nipah — two in India and one in Bangladesh — made headlines and caused concern about a wider outbreak,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference in Geneva on Wednesday. WHO assessed the risk of spread of the Nipah virus regionally and globally and found it low, he added. Two cases of Nipah were confirmed last month in India’s West Bengal state, while one patient died in Bangladesh last week after contracting the virus. “The two outbreaks were not related, although both occurred along the India-Bangladesh border, and share some of the same ecological and cultural conditions, as well as populations of the species of fruit bat that are known t... -
Dawn - 13:32 Feb 12, 2026
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the formation of a medical team to examine former premier Imran Khan’s eye, after a report submitted in court quoted the PTI founder as claiming that “only 15 per cent” vision was left in his right eye. The SC also directed that Imran be allowed to speak to his children. It was ordered that both the eye inspection and the phone calls be conducted before February 16 (Monday). The instructions came as a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi and including Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan resumed hearing the case regarding the PTI founder’s living conditions in Adiala jail. Imran underwent a medical procedure at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad on the night of January 24 — a development confirmed days later amid an apparent lack of knowledge by the family. “The issue of Imran’s health is most important,” CJP Afridi observed, adding that “intervention was necessary”. “We want to know the government’s stance on the matt... -
Dawn - 13:29 Feb 12, 2026
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to confer a posthumous national civil award on 22-year-old Oun Abbas, who lost his life while resisting the suicide attacker who targeted an imambargah in Islamabad, it emerged on Thursday. On February 6, a suicide bomber ripped through the Friday congregation at the Imambargah Qasr-i-Khadijatul Kubra on the outskirts of Islamabad. At least 38 people were killed in the incident, and more than 150 were injured. According to eye witness accounts, Abbas, who was praying inside the hall, had abandoned his rituals and tried to tackle the attacker. However, he lost his life when the suicide bomber detonated. In a letter addressed to the prime minister and dated Feb 11, a copy of which is available with Dawn, Kundi lauded the “exceptional gallantry and supreme sacrifice” displayed by Abbas. “In those moments of terror and chaos, while many sought safety, this brave young man chose to confront the terrorist face to face,” Kundi sai...
7368 items