Dawn
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Dawn - 02:37 Dec 09, 2025
• Ayaz Sadiq feels dialogue the only way forward, says he is still ready to play his role • Barrister Gohar calls for defusing tensions, indicates all party lawmakers will resign if ‘minus-one formula’ is implemented ISLAMABAD: With the main opposition PTI threatening to boycott parliamentary proceedings if the government continued to push it against the wall, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Monday reiterated his offer to mediate between the government and the party. Responding to the points raised by PTI interim Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the NA speaker noted that dialogue was the only way forward. He asked the opposition to consult on his offer and said he would also make a request to the government. “What can be achieved by criticising the institutions. The army not only defends the borders but also fights terrorism in the country,” Mr Sadiq remarked. He added that while his previous efforts to resolve issues between the between government and the opposition had not succeeded, he w... -
Dawn - 02:13 Dec 09, 2025
THE Sindh government has announced that the Premarital and Marital Counselling Bill is in the works, an important attempt to address a long-ignored public health gap. At a press briefing last week, provincial ministers said the bill would make counselling mandatory before a marriage is registered. Couples would receive guidance on family planning, reproductive health, mental well-being, newborn care and basic communication within marriage. These are simple goals, yet their absence has cost women and families far too much. Pakistan’s maternal health indicators remain among the worst in the region. Many women face repeated, closely spaced pregnancies because they lack information or support. Others undergo multiple C-sections without understanding the risks. Unsafe abortions continue because access to reliable contraceptive advice is scarce. Too many women still do not know how to protect themselves or their babies, and too many couples make life-altering decisions without proper knowledge. The proposed bill se... -
Dawn - 01:32 Dec 09, 2025
• Allows Islamabad to draw $1bn under EFF and $200m under RSF after successful review • Says country maintained stability despite severe floods and a difficult global environment • Calls for continuing tight monetary policy, strengthening tax base, improving governance, focusing on SOE reforms and privatisation WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a fresh disbursement of around $1.2 billion to Pakistan under its dual-track bailout — the 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the climate-focused Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The decision came on Monday, after the IMF Executive Board convened in Washington. The board’s statement highlighted that “Pakistan’s strong programme implementation, despite the recent devastating floods, has maintained stability and improved financing and external conditions”. It stressed that the country’s policy priorities remain centred on maintaining macroeconomic stability and advancing reforms to strengthen public finances, enhance ... -
Dawn - 22:13 Dec 08, 2025
LAHORE: The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has lodged a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to track down and take legal action against unknown suspects who cloned the authority’s official website and sent fraudulent alerts to citizens, urging them to pay fines for pending e-challans. Separately, it wrote to the Punjab Police to trace the mobile phone numbers of the suspects, who had created the fake website and disseminated the fraudulent link. The PSCA took action when the link, containing fraudulent pending e-challans, was sent to citizens. The link urged recipients to visit the fake website and follow the steps to pay fines. The authority said that the website and link were not legitimate and confirmed that it was a phishing scheme. A collage of fraudulent text messages sent to citizens, urging them to pay traffic fines. PSCA Managing Director Ahsan Younas told Dawn that scammers use the internet for online fraud and apply various tactics to deceive citizens for finan... -
Dawn - 20:05 Dec 08, 2025
It would perhaps be sacreligious, but not amiss, to call Arshad Nadeem Pakistan’s sporting messiah. He was the saviour the country had pinned all their Olympic aspirations on when he flew to Paris last year, ultimately creating history for a nation facing a medal drought at the most spectacular sporting show on Earth. No sooner had the Olympic champion emerged in the PNS Karsaz ground that he was greeted by the dusty Karachi winter heat and pockets of fans swarming him for selfies every two metres. He obliged, as he always has to his fans. Read: Man of the people. Athletes abandoned their warmup to snap a photo with him, cramming into a single frame lest they miss the historic opportunity. Young women squealed in delight and adjusted their hair before posing for the camera, while older technical officials — the vanguard of Pakistan athletics well before Arshad was born — took his hand in both of theirs as they blessed with him a long life and more prosperity for the nation. One boy even pinched his kameez awa... -
Dawn - 19:05 Dec 08, 2025
On a scorching day of fainting veterans and rifle-shot starts, a girl named Kainat Khalil from Sindh rewrote the meaning of endurance at the 35th National Games. Athletics at the Games began not with a traditional pistol’s pop, but with the sharp, unexpected report of a rifle cutting through the cool Monday morning at the NPT&SC. It was an omen. This would be a day of raw, unvarnished struggle, where the starting command itself felt like a call to battle. The dust from the inaugural men’s 5,000m had barely settled before the December sun perched mercilessly over the open field. It transformed the arena into a kiln, making the very air an opponent. In the women’s 10,000 metres, the drama was medical: Athletes wilted, fainted and were stretchered away — vanquished not by rivals, but by the searing haze. Wapda’s Maria Bibi, who would emerge the quickest in 44 minutes and 21 seconds ahead of Navy’s Mumtaz (47:10.11), later stated the obvious with exhausted clarity. “The heat felt extreme during the race and that’... -
Dawn - 19:01 Dec 08, 2025
Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Monday signed a deal to construct a high-speed rail connecting the Gulf countries’ capitals, marking the latest sign of improved ties between the two nations that were once deeply at odds. According to a statement in the official Saudi press, the “high-speed electric passenger railway” would connect Riyadh and Doha. The Saudi cities of Al-Hofuf and Dammam are also expected to be on the network. The train would reach speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour and the trip would take roughly two hours between the two capitals. A direct flight between the cities clocks in at around 90 minutes. The project, set to be completed in six years, expects to serve 10 million passengers per year, the statement said. The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during the latter’s visit to Riyadh. The deal is just the latest in a series of moves marking the dramatic improvement in ties between the Gulf countries in recent years.... -
Dawn - 18:55 Dec 08, 2025
As political tensions continue to escalate in the wake of a fiery press conference by the Pakistan Army’s spokesperson targeting former prime minister Imran Khan, the PTI parliamentary party on Monday said that excluding the party founder from politics would only weaken the political system. After the joint parliamentary party meeting held in the federal capital, the PTI leaders discussed the recent political developments concerning the former ruling party and the ban on meetings with Imran. The meeting was attended by PTI lawmakers from both houses of parliament, including party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Barrister Ali Zafar, Ali Muhammad Khan and MNA Shahid Kattak. Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, who is the PTI nominee for the National Assembly opposition leader slot, also participated. Barrister Syed Ali Zafar told Dawn that the meeting discussed the current political situation and recent developments, including the unannounced ban on meetings with Imran. He said ... -
Dawn - 18:40 Dec 08, 2025
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik on Monday stated that Pakistan did not benefit from the PTI “project”, arguing that it aimed to destroy the country. In a blistering press conference on Friday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry assailed PTI founder and ex-premier Imran Khan for creating and spreading an “anti-army” rhetoric, stating that such narratives were now out of the realm of politics and had become a “national security threat”. The PTI emphatically deplored the “ridiculous” remarks by the military spokesperson, saying the party founder was “not a security threat” and lamented the weakening of democracy in the country following the passage of recent constitutional amendments. Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, the minister highlighted that during its tenure, the PTI government “ran a campaign against the country, writing to the IMF and lobbying US politicians”. “Has the PTI taken a single beneficial step for Pakist... -
Dawn - 17:08 Dec 08, 2025
The Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) on Monday reported a 7.6 magnitude earthquake off the coast of its eastern Aomori prefecture. The JMA reported that the epicentre of the quake was registered off the coast of Aomori at a depth of 80 kilometres at 11:15pm local time (7:15pm PKT). On Japan’s 1-7 scale of seismic intensity, the tremor registered as an “upper 6” in Aomori prefecture — a quake strong enough to make it impossible to keep standing or move without crawling. In such tremors, most heavy furniture can collapse and wall tiles and windowpanes are damaged in many buildings. Tsunami warnings were issued for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate, and tsunamis from 20 to 70 cm (7 to 27 inches) high were observed at several ports, JMA said. Japanese public broadcaster NHK World reported that a tsunami warning had been issued 10 minutes later, urging citizens along the northeast coast to evacuate. Waves were estimated to reach a height of three metres. There have been no reports of casualties, bu... -
Dawn - 16:11 Dec 08, 2025
In another fatal incident involving a heavy vehicle, a dumper of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board carrying garbage struck and killed a motorcycle rider in the Nagan Chowrangi area of Karachi on Monday, according to police. New Karachi Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammed Saud said the deceased, Hameedur Rehman, was riding a motorcycle under the Nagan bridge when the dumper crushed him to death. People gathered at the spot where the incident occurred, caught the dumper driver, Allah Rakha, and beat him until the police arrived. The police then took the accused into custody. The body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for legal formalities. The spot did not have closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to capture the incident, the SHO said and added that the incident occurred around 11:30 am. Eyewitnesses, present at the scene, informed the police that the motorcyclist was driving on the wrong side of the road. Rise in heavy vehicle accidents In recent months, Karachi has witnessed a rise in traffic a... -
Dawn - 14:56 Dec 08, 2025
In his first address as the chief of defence forces (CDF), Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Monday hailed the newly instituted CDF Headquarters as “historic”, stating that it would better integrate the three armed services — the army, navy and air force — to keep pace with the dynamics of future threats. Addressing a ceremony at GHQ, the newly-appointed CDF emphasised the need for a formal arrangement for tri-services integration and synergy and highlighted that the armed forces have to remain aligned with new aspects of warfare, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The CDF highlighted emerging spheres in warfare, such as cyberspace, the electromagnetic spectrum, outer space, information operations, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, which Pakistan needs to keep up with. Service chiefs and senior military officials attend an address by newly appointed Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on December 8. ... -
Dawn - 13:55 Dec 08, 2025
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a two-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to state broadcaster PTV News, the Indonesian president was received by PM Shehbaz and President Asif Ali Zardari upon his arrival at the Nur Khan airbase. In a post on X, the PM wrote that he was honoured to host the Indonesian president and noted that Islamabad and Jakarta “are bound together by a shared history, deep cultural affinity and a friendship rooted in mutual respect and solidarity“. “Looking forward to our meaningful engagements tomorrow as we work to further strengthen this enduring partnership,” he added. According to PTV News, children dressed in traditional attire presented flowers to Subianto upon his arrival. “On this occasion, the Indonesian president exchanged pleasantries with the president … and the prime minister,” the broadcaster reported. “Children holding the flags of both countries extended a warm welcome to the esteemed gues... -
Dawn - 13:51 Dec 08, 2025
Amid mounting criticism over the delay in the opposition leader’s appointment, the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat has sent a letter to PTI Chief Whip Malik Aamir Dogar, seeking details about the status of cases concerning PTI’s Omar Ayub. The letter says that the provision of the details in writing is necessary for the completion of the process for the appointment of an opposition leader in the lower house of Parliament. Ayub, who had been the opposition leader in the Senate until his disqualification in August by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in connection with his conviction in the May 9 cases, had challenged his de-seating by the electoral body in the Supreme Court. The PTI had nominated Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai for the role following Ayub’s disqualification, but his notification remains pending. And while NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has maintained regarding the delay in the appointment of a new opposition leader for the house that the matter is “sub judic... -
Dawn - 13:39 Dec 08, 2025
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Monday filed a petition with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), seeking the postponement of the local government elections in Quetta that were scheduled to be held on December 28. Informed sources told Dawn that in the petition, Bugti cited the precarious law and order situation in the provincial capital and the suspension of internet services as the reasons for postponing the Quetta Metropolitan Corporation (QMC) elections. He also said people have migrated due to winters, affecting voter participation. Earlier, the Balochistan government had requested the election commission to postpone the polls, citing similar reasons stated in today’s petition. The request was turned down. In other districts of Balochistan, local government elections were held three years ago, and the current bodies’ term would expire in nine months, the sources said. It is worth noting that the ECP completed all preparations for holding local body elections in Quetta, and the printing ... -
Dawn - 13:18 Dec 08, 2025
Transporters called off a Punjab-wide strike on Monday after talks with the provincial government representatives, with one of the participants included in the negotiations confirming to Dawn that authorities had largely agreed to transporters’ demands. The call for the strike today, which was also observed in Islamabad, was given by transporters’ bodies primarily in protest against a new traffic ordinance that significantly increased traffic fines. To discuss the matter, talks were held between representatives from the Punjab government, who were led by the provincial transport minister, Bilal Akbar, and a delegation of the Mutahidda Transporters’ Association’s action committee. After the meeting, action committee member Lala Yasir told Dawn that the transporters called off the strike after the government accepted their demands. He said that apart from the revision of the Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, the transporters also demanded an end to the registration of first information reports a... -
Dawn - 13:00 Dec 08, 2025
Your quarter-life crisis presents itself with you having the daunting task of deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life, whether it’s your personal life or your professional one. The crisis worsens for students who have graduated or are about to graduate soon, as the time for them to enter the workforce draws nearer. As the job market is highly unpredictable and competitive, this turns into a period of anxiety even for those who have their lives planned out and know exactly what they want to do. Those without direction have another battle to fight. Both demographics often face the same dilemma, which is that the entry-level salaries offered in most jobs do not live up to the expectations of young graduates or soon-to-be graduates. Of course, there’s the debacle of insufficient entry-level jobs being available in the first place, with most companies asking for candidates with prior work experience. Entry-level jobs in various fields are also being replaced by the advent of artificial intelligence ... -
Dawn - 10:41 Dec 08, 2025
Police on Monday recovered the body of a doctor who had been missing since Thursday in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Abbottabad from a nearby forest. Police sources told Dawn that the body of Dr Warda Mushtaq was recovered from the nearby forests of Thandiyani. Her body has now been shifted to the hospital for an autopsy. Police also arrested a friend of the deceased and her husband in relation to the case. Mushtaq — a doctor at the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed hospital — had been missing since Thursday, prompting her colleagues and the leaders of the Provincial Doctors Association and Grand Health Alliance to stage a demonstration and boycott hospital duties. They had announced that if she was not found by Monday, protests would be extended to hospitals across the province. Following the news of the death, the hospital staff staged a protest and blocked the main Karakoram Highway (KKH) road from Fawara Chowk, assailing the police for “delayed action.” FIR As per the first information report (FIR), filed by her father under... -
Dawn - 09:54 Dec 08, 2025
Arshad Nadeem was the man of the hour on Monday morning when he allowed the audience to be part of history as they witnessed him launch his javelin to claim gold at the National Games. It was not lost on the 28-year-old that the crowd of a few hundred was delighted by his very presence at the PNS Karsaz ground, his throws the cherry on the top as they got to see an Olympic champion in action before their very own eyes. A robust lineup of track and field events crescendoed with the start of the men’s javelin, headlined by Arshad. A dozen cameramen lined the javelin sector’s periphery to get the perfect shot of Arshad in action as the heat bore down on the synthetic rubber track, the sun climbing higher in the sky to signal the advent of afternoon. The track reverberated with the soft thud of spikes and echoes of the commentators’ effusive praise for Pakistan’s sporting hero ahead of his first throw of 78.74m that, unsurprisingly, guaranteed him the lead. “Yeh din Arshad ka hai (this day belongs to Arshad) beca... -
Dawn - 09:31 Dec 08, 2025
Forty-five years ago, on December 6, 1980, Dr Ishtiaq Hussain Qureishi — then chairman of the National Language Authority (now the National Language Promotion Department) — announced the creation of a computerised Nastaleeq font for Urdu publication. Although it took another year to complete, revolutionising the Urdu publishing industry, this initiative was a crucial link in the centuries-long effort to create a Nastaleeq typeface that would soothe the eyes of Urdu readers. THE HISTORY OF NASKH AND NASTALEEQ Nastaleeq, developed in 14th century Iran from the fusion of Naskh and Taleeq, emerged primarily as a Persian calligraphic hand — celebrated for its graceful, hanging rhythm and flowing curves. Designed to express the aesthetic elegance of Persian poetry rather than textual efficiency, it slopes diagonally and relies on rounded, overlapping ligatures that enhance beauty but hinder mechanical regularity. In contrast, one of the earliest Arabic scripts, rooted in the eighth century CE (second century AH), N...
10758 items