Dawn
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Dawn - 13:57 Feb 13, 2026
This planner blends weekly structure with daily mindful actions, helping you move through Ramazan with balance, intention, and calm. Each day offers practical guidance alongside a gentle spiritual nudge. Image showing a bowl of dates. — Unsplash via The Daily Star Week 1: Adjusting the rhythm In a world where notifications never stop, and timelines dictate our moods, the first week of Ramazan is about consciously slowing down. Social media may be filled with elaborate iftar spreads and productivity checklists, but this week reminds us that Ramazan is not a performance. It is a personal reset. Step back from comparison, ease into the month gently, and focus on setting intentions rather than chasing perfection. Day 1 – Set the pace Plan sehri and iftar timings and aim for an early night. Begin the month with a sincere intention, reminding yourself why this month matters to you. Day 2 – Stock and simplify Buy fruits, dates, and vegetables that will sustain you through the week. Accept an invitation for iftar or ... -
Dawn - 13:23 Feb 13, 2026
Britain’s ban on pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation was ruled unlawful by London’s High Court on Friday, though the ban will temporarily remain in place and the government said it would appeal against the decision. Palestine Action was proscribed in July, having increasingly taken “direct action” against Israel-linked defence companies in Britain, often blocking entrances or spraying red paint. Britain argued the group’s actions amounted to terrorism, citing a 2024 raid on a factory of Israel’s largest defence firm Elbit Systems, in which prosecutors said activists caused around £1 million ($1.4 m) of damage and a police officer was hit with a sledgehammer. Ban followed break-in at air base Palestine Action was banned shortly after a June break-in at the Royal Air Force’s Brize Norton air base, in which activists damaged two planes, an action described by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “disgraceful”. Lawyers representing Huda Ammori, who co-founded Palestine Action in ... -
Dawn - 13:03 Feb 13, 2026
Dubai’s DP World named a new chairman and chief executive officer on Friday, replacing its former leader Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, after the Epstein files revealed frequent correspondence between him and the convicted sex offender. “DP World announced the appointment of His Excellency Essa Kazim as chairman of its Board of Directors and the appointment of Yuvraj Narayan as Group Chief Executive Officer,” the group said in a statement published by the Dubai media office. The statement did not mention Sulayem. Described by Jeffrey Epstein as one of his “most trusted friends”, Sulayem was group chairman and chief executive officer of DP World, one of the largest port operators on the globe. He is cited more than 9,400 times in the documents recently released by the US Department of Justice, which revealed close ties between the two men. They maintained regular correspondence from 2009 to 2018, exchanging messages on intimate matters, meetings, introductions and business opportunities. The correspondence suggests... -
Dawn - 12:34 Feb 13, 2026
Short-term inflation in Pakistan, measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) for the week ending on February 12, decreased 0.59 per cent, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The SPI-based inflation has been on an upward trend for the past few weeks, mainly driven by a surge in prices of perishable products, pulses, and meat. Major decreases noted during this time period were in the prices of eggs (17.61pc), followed by tomatoes (12.02pc), chicken (6.34pc), onions (2.73pc), potatoes (2.49pc), salt powder (1.69pc), LPG (1.57pc), wheat flour (1.31pc), and sugar (1.12pc). Major increases were in the prices of bananas (7.62pc), garlic (4.35pc), pulse mash (2.69pc), chilies powder (1.68pc), mutton (0.80pc), beef (0.37pc), mustard oil (0.34pc), shirting (0.31pc), cigarettes (0.24pc), vegetable ghee 1Kg (0.08pc), and georgette (0.02pc). The year-on-year data show a 4.26pc increase. The major influences contirbuting to this annual trend were an increase in tomatoes (73.36pc), wheat flour ... -
Dawn - 12:33 Feb 13, 2026
Pakistan’s benchmark stock exchange, KSE-100, closed in the red on Friday, down 908.91 points (0.5 per cent) from its previous close of 180,512.64 points. The top active stocks were led by K-Electric Limited, rising 4.02pc to Rs8.55 at a volume of 131,137,671, followed by Pakistan International Bulk Terminal, which rose 0.72pc to Rs19.53 at a volume of 34,704,501, and Worldcall Telecom Limited, which fell 1.21pc to Rs1.63 at a volume of 33,828,798. The top advancers were led by LSE Capital Limited, which rose to Rs2.30, a 25.68pc increase, followed by 786 Investments Limited, which rose to Rs16.25, a 10.02pc increase, and Apna Microfinance Bank Limited, which advanced to Rs21.74, a 10.02pc increase. The top decliners were led by Grays Leasing Limited, falling 9.65pc to Rs20.78, followed by Saritow Spinning Mills Limited, falling 9.57pc to Rs28.17, and Shahtaj Sugar Mills Limited, falling 9.10pc to Rs152.71. In company news, according to Topline Securities, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) reported its 2QFY26 ... -
Dawn - 11:11 Feb 13, 2026
A report by the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) released on Thursday found that women in Pakistan continued to be underrepresented in the media, although digital platforms offered greater space for their participation and visibility. The Pakistan National Report 2025 was released by the GMMP’s Pakistan partner, Uks Research Centre. It was based on the monitoring of the news landscape on May 6 last year — a day “marked by severe military and political tensions along the Line of Control with India” — which shaped the news content and the visibility of women across different platforms. “The data captures not just a single day’s news, but the outcome of decades of institutional and societal factors that shape women’s visibility in Pakistani media,” the report said, adding, “On a day that was dominated by overwhelming national security coverage, these findings show broader systemic trends.” According to the report, the monitoring was based on nine print newspapers, six television channels, the state-owned P... -
Dawn - 10:26 Feb 13, 2026
The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said on Friday that the first day of Ramazan is “likely to fall” on February 19, 2026. The new moon is expected to be born on Feb 17, 2026, at 5:01pm, according to the statement by the space agency. “At the time of sunset on Feb 18, 2026, the age of the new moon will be approximately 25 hours and 48 minutes. The time duration between sunset and moonset is expected to be 59 minutes along the coastal areas of the country,” added the Suparco statement. “Consequently, the 1st of Ramazan may likely to fall on 19 Feb 2026.” However, the agency said the final announcement regarding the beginning of the Islamic holy month will be made by the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, “which is the sole competent authority, based on credible witness testimonies from across the country”. Earlier this week, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) stated that there is a “fair chance” of sighting the new moon of Ramazan on the evening of February 18. “According to astronomica... -
Dawn - 07:57 Feb 13, 2026
A 5.6-magnitude earthquake was recorded 86 kilometres northeast of Balochistan’s Khuzdar on Friday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). According to PMD’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre, the earthquake struck at 6:30am at a depth of 13 km, 86km northeast of Khuzdar. It was preceded by another earthquake — magnitude 3.8 — that struck 75km southeast of Khuzdar at 5:52am at a depth of 33km. Tremors were felt in several districts of Sindh as well, APP reported, including Sukkur, Qambar, Shahdadkot, and Dadu, while Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad and Nasirabad in Balochistan reported tremors as well. Last month, an earthquake of magnitude 5.8 jolted parts of Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Peshawar and adjacent areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. A 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of the country in January. Tremors were felt in Islamabad and parts of KP. Pakistan falls on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian — which create five seismic zones under the country. The ... -
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...
12438 items