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Dawn - 05:16 Jan 18, 2026
MORE than three months since the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, the second phase of President Donald Trump’s peace plan for the occupied Palestinian territory has been launched. Among the features of this phase is the announcement of the so-called Gaza ‘Board of Peace’, which the American leader will head. Other luminaries serving on this body include his son-in-law Jared Kushner, administration staffers Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff and former British prime minister Tony Blair, among others. In Mr Trump’s own words, this “is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled”. Meanwhile, a serving American general has been named to head the International Stabilisation Force, which is supposed to oversee security and disarmament in Gaza, while Ali Shaath, an ex-Palestinian Authority official, is to head the Gaza governance committee. All the hyperbole notwithstanding, it remains to be seen whether these interim governing structures will succeed in addressing the still dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, ... -
Dawn - 03:47 Jan 18, 2026
• JAAC accuses govt of repeatedly violating agreement signed after deadly protests • Compensation promised to families of protest victims remains incomplete; FIRs against activists, civilians ‘not withdrawn’; travel restrictions continue to affect youth seeking jobs abroad MUZAFFARABAD: The Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has accused the government of violating a landmark agreement signed in October last year and has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene, citing serious delays in implementation and expressing concern over the induction of a “controversial figure” into the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ahead of the upcoming elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). In an open letter addressed to the prime minister on Saturday, the JAAC said the agreement was signed on October 3–4, 2025, following deadly protests in late September that claimed several lives. A high-powered delegation from Islamabad, dispatched on the premier’s directives, had visited Muzaffarabad and con... -
Dawn - 03:22 Jan 18, 2026
Illustration by Sarah Durrani In January 1997, I published an article, titled The CSS English Paper: A Scrutiny, in Dawn. The argument was simple: the English (Précis and Composition) paper of the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination tested neither authentic language proficiency nor the communicative skills required of a modern civil servant. Instead, it relied on archaic formats, ritualised exercises, and decontextualised language fragments, that distorted both teaching and learning. Nearly three decades later, the English paper of 2025 forces a sobering conclusion: nothing of substance has changed. This is no longer a matter of academic disagreement or pedagogical fashion. When a critique is placed in the public domain, grounded in language education and assessment principles, and then ignored for almost three decades, the question shifts. It is no longer “Is the criticism valid?”, but “What does such sustained inaction reveal about the institution itself?” ENGLISH AS SYMBOLIC CAPITAL The CSS English... -
Dawn - 03:10 Jan 18, 2026
In the theatre of global politics, a ‘doctrine’ is more than just a policy paper. It is a nation’s strategic DNA. From the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, which fenced off the western hemisphere from European monarchs, to the 1947 Truman Doctrine that looked to aggressively ‘contain’ Soviet communism, these blueprints signal a country’s core values, and the consequences for those who cross them. In 1968, the Soviet Union introduced the Brezhnev Doctrine, asserting Moscow’s right to militarily intervene in socialist countries being threatened by capitalist/pro-US forces. Fast forward to the 21st century, and the blueprints have become increasingly aggressive. We’ve seen the Bush Doctrine’s ‘strike first, ask questions later’ approach (‘preemptive strikes’), and Russia’s Gerasimov Doctrine, which treats disinformation and cyberattacks as the new artillery. We see the Xi Jinping Doctrine seeking to enhance China’s glory through the sprawling veins of the Belt and Road Initiative, while Donald Trump’s recent ‘Donroe’ Doctr... -
Dawn - 03:07 Jan 18, 2026
GILGIT: Climate change impacts are becoming increasingly visible in Gilgit-Baltistan, where below-normal snowfall has left much of the region unusually dry this winter. Light snowfall was recorded in parts of Skardu, Kharmang, Shigar, Ghanche, Astore and Ghizer on Friday and Saturday. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast further rain and snowfall in several areas until Jan 23. Officials said Skardu received about two to three inches of snow on Saturday, while parts of Ghizer saw intermittent snowfall over the past two days. Light snow was also reported in Hunza, Nagar and other areas last week, but residents said most valleys remained dry, with mountains largely bare and rocky. Experts warn ‘snow drought’ could worsen flood risk downstream Muhammad Ali Alam, a resident of Skardu, said the region typically received heavy snowfall by mid-January. “The mountains should be snow-clad by now, but the first snow of the season in Skardu and adjoining areas only fell on Friday,” he told Dawn. He s... -
Dawn - 02:14 Jan 18, 2026
LAHORE: Pakistan’s rice exports recorded a strong rebound in December 2025, registering a 14 per cent month-on-month (MoM) increase compared to November, primarily driven by a more than 50pc surge in Basmati shipments. The impressive performance enabled Pakistan to overtake Vietnam and emerge as the world’s third-largest rice exporter, behind India and Thailand, during the month. According to trade data, Pakistan exported 489,000 tonnes of rice in December 2025, excluding shipments to Iran, compared to Vietnam’s 387,000 tonnes. This marks Pakistan’s best monthly rice export performance, underscoring renewed momentum in the sector. The UAE remained the top destination for Pakistani rice, importing 74,897 tonnes, including 16,850 tonnes of Basmati. China followed closely with 74,685 tonnes, while other major destinations included Tanzania (62,900 tonnes), Kenya (60,300 tonnes), Ivory Coast (41,700 tonnes), Guinea-Bissau (31,850 tonnes), Malaysia (23,930 tonnes), Madagascar (17,800 tonnes), Kazakhstan (17,050 to... -
Dawn - 02:12 Jan 18, 2026
KARACHI: Despite a 10 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue collection, the government borrowed net Rs1.192 trillion from scheduled banks in the first half of the current fiscal year against retirement of Rs1.255tr in the same period last year. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected Rs6.159 trillion during July-December FY26 against the target of Rs6.490tr, a shortfall of Rs331bn. However, it is 10pc higher compared to the year-ago figure of Rs5.618tr. The borrowing in 1HFY26 means the government spent much higher than the last year. This is also interesting to note that the State Bank reported a net profit of Rs2.5tr for FY25, which was transferred to the federal government. Despite this additional liquidity, the government is borrowing heavily from banks. Banks are comfortable to invest in the government papers as they get risk-free high yields which made the financial sector most stable financial sector. Last week the banks bids for the treasury bills auctions were Rs2.5tr reflecting the eagernes... -
Dawn - 02:06 Jan 18, 2026
ISLAMABAD: As many as 40 environmental samples from all four provinces and the federal capital were found positive during the month of December. According to an official of the polio laboratory located at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, as many as 127 sewage samples from 87 districts were tested for the presence of poliovirus in December 2025. Of these, 87 samples tested negative, while 40 samples were found positive for poliovirus. “As many as 23 samples were collected from Balochistan, of which 21 were found negative and two were found positive. A total of 34 samples were collected from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, of which 26 were negative and eight were found positive. From Punjab, 31 samples were collected, of which 25 were negative and six were positive. In Sindh, six samples were found negative and 23 were positive. In Islamabad, one out of five samples was found positive. However, five samples collected from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan were found negative,” the official said.... -
Dawn - 20:01 Jan 17, 2026
A large fire erupted at the Gul Plaza shopping mall on Karachi’s MA Jinnah Road on Saturday night, killing at least three people, according to officials. Dr Sabir Memon, executive director of the Civil Hospital trauma centre, said three dead bodies had been brought to the facility. He said that all three were dead when they were brought to the hospital. South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that seven others were injured. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn that the fire erupted in shops located on the ground floor. However, he said there were people stuck on the upper portion of the high-rise building. “Six people have been injured and taken to the hospital,” he said. “Six fire tenders are busy controlling the fire; however, the situation is critical,” he said. Garden Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Mohsin Raza said in a statement that the fire appeared to have been caused by a short circuit at one of the shops, before spreading to the entire mall. He said that sev... -
Dawn - 17:34 Jan 17, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace” for post-war Gaza began to take shape on Saturday, with the leaders of Egypt, Turkiye, Argentina and Canada asked to join. The announcements from those leaders came after the US president named his Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British prime minister Tony Blair, and senior negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to the panel. Trump had already declared himself the chair of the body, as he promotes a controversial vision of economic development in the Palestinian territory, which lies in rubble after two-plus years of relentless Israeli bombardment. The moves came after a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant to govern Gaza held its first meeting in Cairo which was attended by Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law who has partnered with Witkoff for months on the issue. In Canada, a senior aide to Prime Minister Mark Carney said he intended to accept Trump’s invitation, while in Turkiye, a spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had bee... -
Dawn - 17:27 Jan 17, 2026
U-19 World Cup: No handshake between India and Bangladesh at toss but players shake hands after game
The captains of India and Bangladesh skipped the customary handshake during the toss of their U-19 World Cup match but the two sides did shake hands at the end of the game, which the former won. At the toss, Bangladesh’s acting captain Zawad Abrar and India’s captain Ayush Mhatre did not do the customary handshake at the pre-match toss, which the former won. “There were, however, handshakes between the teams at the end of the game, which India won by 18 runs (DLS method),” ESPN Cricinfo reported. The report also quoted a statement from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as saying that the “absence of a handshake with the opposition captain was completely unintentional and resulted from a momentary lapse in concentration”. “There was no intent whatsoever to show discourtesy or disregard towards the opposition,” the report quoted the BCB as saying in a statement. “The board has viewed the matter with due seriousness, as upholding the spirit of cricket and respect for opponents is a fundamental prerequisite for ... -
Dawn - 16:59 Jan 17, 2026
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs on Saturday constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the cause of a fire at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) a day earlier. Imported goods, mostly lithium batteries, stored in at least 20 containers were destroyed as a huge fire erupted at the KICT at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Friday afternoon, according to officials. A press release issued on Saturday said that Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry had constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the cause of the fire and to “fix responsibility to prevent similar incidents in the future”. The committee will comprise senior officers from KPT, who will coordinate with KICT operators to determine the reasons for the incident, it said. “KICT is a private terminal and the primary responsibility for safety measures at the container terminal rests with its administration,” the minister was quoted as saying. The press release further said the minister took immediate notice of the ... -
Dawn - 16:36 Jan 17, 2026
India’s aviation regulator on Saturday fined IndiGo a record 222 million Indian rupees ($2.45m) for poor pilot roster planning that led to mass flight cancellations in December. The regulator also issued warnings to senior personnel, including to Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras and to Jason Herter, senior vice president of operations control centre, with directions to IndiGo to relieve Herter “of current operational responsibilities”. A government source said the fine was the largest to date. IndiGo has been ordered to provide a bank guarantee of $5.51m in favour of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, to ensure “compliance with the directives and long-term systemic correction,” the regulator said. IndiGo said in a statement that the board and management were “committed to taking full cognisance of the orders and will, in a thoughtful and timely manner, take appropriate measures”. India’s largest airline cancelled about 4,500 flights in the initial weeks of December, leaving tens of thousands o... -
Dawn - 16:19 Jan 17, 2026
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Saturday said that statements against Pakistan, the judiciary or the armed forces would not be allowed on the floor of the National Assembly. According to a handout issued by the NA Secretariat, the speaker made the remarks while visiting the National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore. “Negative or controversial remarks on the role of the judiciary, the armed forces of Pakistan and judges are unacceptable,” he said. He further stated that any kind of remarks against the armed forces was “intolerable”. He further stated that only those remarks that fell within the ambit of the law and the Constitution would be allowed. “Those who speak against Pakistan will not be allowed to express their views on the floor of the National Assembly,” he was quoted as saying. Sadiq further asserted that as the NA speaker, he would continue to play an impartial role. He further said that in a democratic society, protesting was a citizen’s right. However, this protest should be peaceful and remain within the a... -
Dawn - 15:30 Jan 17, 2026
Senior PTI leaders imprisoned in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail on Saturday demanded that Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas be appointed the Senate opposition leader immediately. In a letter seen by Dawn, PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Umar Sarfraz Cheema congratulated veteran politician Mehmood Khan Achakzai on his appointment as the opposition leader in the National Assembly after a months-long delay. The letter was shared with the media by their counsel, Rana Mudassir. The PTI leaders hoped Achakzai, under the guidance of party founder Imran Khan, would fulfil his responsibility in restoring democracy and the Constitution, ensuring the rule of law, the supremacy of the judiciary and the protection of the fundamental rights of the people and political workers. They also hoped that Achakzai would hold consultations on lifting Pakistan out of the quagmire and economic crisis it has been dealing with for the p... -
Dawn - 14:34 Jan 17, 2026
Pakistan Television (PTV) created a world record of defending the lowest target in all first-class cricket when they stopped the opposition in a chase of just 40 runs. PTV, defending champions in the President’s Trophy, shot Sui Northern Gas (SNGPL) for a paltry 37 to win the match by a mere two runs on day three of the four-day game. This becomes a new record in 253 years of first-class cricket, beating England’s Oldfield’s 1794 feat when they successfully defended 41 against MCC at the Lord’s Old Ground to win by six runs. PTV’s head coach Mohammad Waseem praised his team’s historic effort. “I am delighted with my team’s world record effort,” Waseem told AFP. “My team’s motto is to never give up, fight till the last ball,” he said. “This is not the first time we have won all our three matches coming from well behind by remaining positive in all situations.” The star-studded SNGPL batting led by Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood were bowled out in 19.4 overs with just one batter, Saifullah Bangash, crossing ... -
Dawn - 14:02 Jan 17, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court on Saturday reissued non-bailable arrest warrants against Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, for their repeated absences from trial proceedings. In the case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (Peca), the two have been accused of inciting divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts and creating the impression that the armed forces were engaged in terrorism within the country. Court proceedings on Saturday were conducted over three sittings — 9am, noon and 2pm. At each stage, Imaan and Hadi were absent from the proceedings. In the certified copies of court orders dated January 17, Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka — presiding over the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Court (Islamabad-West) — noted that earlier warrants could not be executed despite repeated attempts by law enforcement and the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA). During the proceedings, officials ... -
Dawn - 13:56 Jan 17, 2026
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday accused US President Donald Trump of being responsible for “casualties” during a protest wave in the country that rights groups said was met with a deadly crackdown. “We hold the American president guilty for the casualties, damages and accusations he has levelled against the Iranian nation,” he told a crowd of supporters during an address marking a religious holiday. “This was an American conspiracy,” Khamenei said, adding that “America’s goal is to swallow Iran … the goal is to put Iran back under military, political and economic domination”. “By God’s grace, the Iranian nation must break the back of the seditionists just as it broke the back of the sedition,” he said. “We do not intend to lead the country to war, but we will not spare domestic criminals,” he added, saying that “international criminals” were “worse” and would also not be spared punishment. Iranian authorities have blamed the United States for fuelling a “terrorist operation” that they... -
Dawn - 13:53 Jan 17, 2026
Pakistan on Saturday condemned the reported profiling of mosques and mosque management committees in India-occupied Kashmir, saying the “blatant intrusion into religious affairs constitutes a grave violation of the fundamental right to freedom of religion and belief”. The FO’s statement comes after police in the occupied valley distributed forms to “collect” financial and personal details of mosques and seminaries, including mosque leaders and members of management committees, according to a report by the Hindustan Times, which quoted local residents and Kashmiri leaders. The action “reflects yet another coercive attempt to intimidate and marginalise the Muslim population of the occupied territory,” the FO said. The forms included sections for seminary teachers and mosque leaders to provide details of their “Aadhaar cards, bank accounts, property ownership, social media handles, passport, ration card, driving licence, SIM cards and mobile phone model along with the IMEI”, the Hindustan Times reported. It adde... -
Dawn - 13:41 Jan 17, 2026
Thousands of people took to the streets of Denmark’s capital on Saturday to protest at US President Donald Trump’s push to take over Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. The protest followed Trump’s warning on Friday that he “may put a tariff” on countries that oppose his plans to take over mineral-rich Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark. They also coincided with a visit to Copenhagen by a bipartisan delegation from the US Congress that has made clear the opposition of many Americans to the Trump administration’s sabre-rattling. Waving the flags of Denmark and Greenland, the protesters formed a sea of red and white outside Copenhagen city hall, chanting “Kalaallit Nunaat!” — the vast Arctic island’s name in Greenlandic. Protesters wave Greenlandic flags as they take part in a rally under the slogans ‘Hands off Greenland’ and ‘Greenland for Greenlanders’, in front of the City Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark on January 17. — AFP Thousands of people had said on social media they would take ...
7393 items