Dawn
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Dawn - 14:13 Aug 14, 2026
Felicitations poured in from other nations on Friday as Pakistan celebrated 79 years of independence. World leaders and diplomats, from the Iranian president to US State Secretary Marco Rubio, not just wished Pakistan and its people on the country’s 80th Independence Day, but also took the opportunity to hail Islamabad’s ties with their countries. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated President Asif Ali Zardari, wishing the government and people of Pakistan steady progress and prosperity, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). King Salman also praised the “strong relations” between the two countries, highlighting the “shared commitment to advancing cooperation across all fields”, SPA reported. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a message to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, described Pakistan’s Independence Day as a valuable opportunity to honour the achievements of the nation, reaffirming Tehran’s firm resolve to further strengthen its relat... -
Dawn - 14:04 Aug 14, 2026
Toxic gas leaked from a vessel at a shipbreaking yard in Bangladesh on Friday, killing at least eight workers, with five others missing, police said. Witnesses said they heard screams from inside the yard in the southeastern port city of Chittagong before workers rushed some of the victims to hospital. Senior police official Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury said eight people had died and authorities were searching for the missing workers. “A committee has been formed to investigate the incident, and the authorities have ordered an audit of the shipbreaking yard,” Chowdhury told AFP. The Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard and Recycling Factory, which acquired the vessel previously used to transport liquefied natural gas, was listed as a “green” and compliant facility, he said. But fire service official Towfiqul Islam Bhuiyan said safety procedures appeared to have been flouted, as the vessel should have been free of any gas before cutting began. “The yard authorities did not follow the instructions. Workers who were expose... -
Dawn - 13:28 Aug 14, 2026
Chinese AI startup Z.ai said on Friday its open-source GLM-5.3 model had neared Anthropic’s restricted Mythos 5 in identifying software vulnerabilities, bolstering the credentials of a Chinese AI challenger gaining traction among Western developers. Z.ai said GLM-5.3 scored 84.5 per cent on CyberGym, a test of whether a model can review code, identify security flaws and confirm that they are real. That was slightly higher than the 83.8pc it reported for Mythos 5. The results have not been independently verified. GLM-5.3 lagged behind Mythos 5 in converting discovered flaws into working attacks, a standard part of defensive security research. Z.ai said its model scored 54.4pc on the ExploitBench test of this capability, versus 78.0pc for Mythos 5. In a separate timed test, Z.ai said GLM-5.3 completed 105 attack-development tasks in two hours and 130 in six hours. Mythos 5 completed 181 and 247 tasks, respectively. Anthropic has made Mythos, a version of its Claude Fable 5 model with cybersecurity safeguards re... -
Dawn - 13:01 Aug 14, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner will visit Israel next week in hopes of bridging gaps on a Gaza plan rejected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, officials said Friday. Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza of Trump’s so-called Board of Peace implementing the deal, will visit both Israel and key mediator Egypt. The trip comes after Netanyahu publicly rejected a 15-point plan announced by Mladenov in which Hamas agreed to hand over its weapons to a new Palestinian governing committee in Gaza. A Board of Peace official said Kushner and Mladenov hoped for “constructive conversations” on advancing Trump’s overall peace plan that began with the October 2025 declaration of a ceasefire, which has reduced but not ended Israeli strikes in Gaza. “The United States and Israel agree on the end state, which is a demilitarised Hamas,” the official said on condition of anonymity. “We will hear the concerns that have been raised and talk about next steps. “What is cr... -
Dawn - 12:12 Aug 14, 2026
IT has been 79 years since Pakistan was brought into being. Much water has passed under the proverbial bridge, but basic contradictions around national identity, resources and representation, and relations with neighbouring countries are as acute as they were in 1947. At the heart of it is the ahistorical notion that the subcontinent’s Muslims are a timeless nation with social mores and interests distinct from Hindus. East Pakistan’s secession in 1971 could have spurred a fundamental reformulation, but the state chose to reinforce this narrative. The rise of Hindutva in recent years, and the events of May 2025 in particular, have given state ideologues a new lease on life. Yet the treatment of Pakistan’s peripheries continues to provide fuel for competing national claims amongst politicised youth across numerous geographies. These voices remain at best unheard and at worst suppressed. And so, Pakistan remains beset by a fundamental paradox — a state that insists on projecting itself as a Muslim power at home ... -
Dawn - 08:54 Aug 14, 2026
QUETTA: Six people, including three police personnel, were injured in an armed attack on the convoy of Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove in Mastung on Friday. A senior police official told Dawn that the home minister remained unhurt in the attack, which occurred as his convoy reached the Khad Kocha area of Mastung. He said that Langove was on his way to Quetta from Kalat. The official added that six people sustained bullet injuries in the attack, three of whom were police personnel. Nawab Raisani Memorial Hospital’s Dr Sana also confirmed to Dawn that six injured had been brought to the hospital and two of them were in serious condition. She said two of the others were referred to Quetta. Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. Langove, who is from the Balochistan Awami Party, was sworn in as provincial home minister in March. Langove had also served as the provincial home minister previously, but his appointment was declared null and void after he was de-notif... -
Dawn - 08:44 Aug 14, 2026
BAJAUR: One cop was martyred while another was wounded after terrorists attacked a police post in Bajaur district’s Barang tehsil in the early hours of Friday. Mansoor Khan, the district police spokesperson, told Dawn that a group of terrorists targeted the police post in Kohi Sar area with rocket launchers and small weapons. He said that police personnel at the post immediately responded and retaliated. The official said two police personnel were wounded in the exchange of fire, which continued for several hours. One of the wounded policemen, identified as Constable Zahir Shah, succumbed to his injuries while being transported to a local hospital for treatment, he said. The other officer, Head Constable Amir Zada, was reported to be out of danger, he added. “The police personnel at the post bravely retaliated and successfully foiled the terrorists’ nefarious design,” the spokesperson added. The funeral prayers of the martyred police official were held at Police Lines in Khar, which was attended by Deputy Com... -
Dawn - 08:04 Aug 14, 2026
KARACHI: At least two people were killed and 94 others injured in celebratory firing incidents in Karachi on the eve of Pakistan’s Independence Day, officials said on Friday. Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said 17 people were brought to Civil Hospital, 24 were brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and 53 were brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. She added that one male from PIB Colony and an infant died in aerial firing incidents. The doctor said another woman was also brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound, who later died. However, police said that the incident was caused due to the accidental firing of a gun. Earlier Edhi said that 86 people had been injured in aerial firing incidents, including 10 women, 17 children and 59 men. Firing incidents were reported in Lyari, Saddar, Korangi, Malir, Azizabad, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Gulbahar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Orangi Town, Jamshed Quarters and Defence, it said. Meanwhile, police in Karachi’s East district launched a crackdown against aerial firing... -
Dawn - 07:36 Aug 14, 2026
PAKISTAN is currently in the global spotlight for mediating between the United States and Iran. Islamabad’s rigorous mediation efforts helped bring about a much-needed ceasefire between the US and Iran in April, which culminated in the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding in June 2026. Analysts see the current mediatory position as a new shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities, with Islamabad attempting to assert itself as a middle power and a relevant strategic player in Middle Eastern geopolitics. However, a comprehensive historical analysis reveals that mediation has remained one of Pakistan’s most essential foreign policy imperatives. Pakistan has long adopted an active strategy of mediation to prevent, manage, and settle disputes in the Middle East and within its immediate western neighbourhood. Far from being a passive regional actor, Islamabad has often positioned itself as a mediator in conflicts ranging from great-power rivalries to intra-Muslim problems. This approach is based on a deliberate... -
Dawn - 07:34 Aug 14, 2026
Rough summary: Enemies will think twice because an attack on one country could drag in all three Takes defense into their own hands as a backup without snubbing the US or leaning towards China. One-on-one rivalries with Iran converted to a three-front headache for Tehran Combines naval power to keep oil shipments and trade routes safe The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed on August 7, 2026, by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, represents a watershed moment in the evolving security order of the Middle East. By affirming the collective defense principle that an armed attack against one state will be treated as an attack against all three, the pact has introduced a new bout of debate on the future of the regional order in the Middle East. Early commentary has interpreted the agreement as a departure from the U.S.-led security order and a formal arrival of a “Muslim NATO,” driven by the integration of the Muslim world’s most politically influential and militarily capable states. Rather than signaling a comp... -
Dawn - 07:19 Aug 14, 2026
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, where the two sides discussed counterterrorism cooperation, particularly the use of Afghan soil in terror attacks against Pakistan. Eide arrived in Pakistan a day earlier on a two-day visit — the first by a Norwegian foreign minister in a decade. According to a handout issued by the interior ministry, the two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral relations and the regional situation. Naqvi and Eide also agreed to improve cooperation in counterterrorism, prevention of illegal immigration, police training, and mutual legal assistance. The two sides held discussions on the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan and the activities of proscribed organisations operating from the neighbouring country. During the meeting, Eide lauded Pakistan’s “constructive and active” role in the US-Iran war. The two sides also discussed measures taken against illegal immigration to Europe from Pakistan. “Pakistan’s effective measures ... -
Dawn - 06:30 Aug 14, 2026
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage regained his parliamentary seat on Friday in an election he triggered to bolster his position against allegations of financial impropriety, a strategy that was undermined when his main challenger, a comedian dressed as a trash can, won more than a quarter of the vote. Farage, one of Britain’s leading Brexit campaigners, in a highly unusual move did not turn up at the count in the southern English seaside resort of Clacton because he said the police had advised him that there was a campaign to disrupt the result. “I am damned if I am going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory … and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies,” Farage told supporters at a party before the result was announced. The election was triggered after Farage resigned from parliament last month to seek a fresh mandate from voters in what he described as a war against an establishment bent on discrediting him over taking undeclared gifts from donors. After Britain’s main parties pulled out of the r... -
Dawn - 05:53 Aug 14, 2026
President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday approved summaries forwarded by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, including one for the summoning of the National Assembly and the Senate on August 17. In a post on the social media platform X, the President’s Secretariat said, “The president has approved the awarding of military honours to 1,172 personnel from the armed forces and civil armed forces.” “The president has approved summoning the National Assembly session on August 17 at 5pm and the Senate session at 4pm,” it added. President Zardari has also approved a special 100-day remission in the sentences of eligible prisoners on the occasion of Independence Day and Eid Miladun Nabi, the statement said. The president has also approved the awarding of national honours to citizens from various civil sectors. Earlier this week, the president gave his assent to the appointment of 19 additional judges for five high courts, along with confirmation of another five as permanent judges, ending a weeks-long deadlock between the Pre... -
Dawn - 05:30 Aug 14, 2026
TL;DR Pros: Closely listens to what fans ask for and provides it Blends creative new features into a tried-and-true formula Alternative Acts make for a less predictable experience Embraces the love for lore with a full expanded universe New allies (and co-op) make the quest less lonely Both new player characters are great, I’ve decided Cons: Still a few stability concerns The Merchant is less talkative now Final score: 6/7 — A game that makes both old and new features pop Reviewed on: PC; available on: Windows, MacOS and Linux (Early Access). Price: $11.99 (Steam) This is part 2 of a full review of Slay the Spire 2. You can read Part 1 here. An interesting part of reviewing games is that, no matter how much I enjoy one, it’s difficult to find the energy and motivation to come back to it in my limited free time when I have new ones to try out. I’m happy to report that this is not the case for Slay the Spire 2, nor even the original Slay the Spire — both are a delightful time-sink and neither has gotten old yet... -
Dawn - 05:05 Aug 14, 2026
KARACHI: At least 86 people have been injured in celebratory firing incidents in Karachi on the eve of Pakistan’s Independence Day, rescue officials said on Friday. According to Edhi, the injured include 10 women, 17 children and 59 men. In a statement, the rescue service said 24 people, including one woman, four children and 19 men, were brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. It added that 35 people, including four women, three children and 28 men, were brought to Jinnah Hospital; and 26 people, including 10 children, four women and 12 men, were taken to Civil Hospital. The statement added that one woman was shifted to a private hospital. Firing incidents were reported in Lyari, Saddar, Korangi, Malir, Azizabad, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Gulbahar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Orangi Town, Jamshed Quarters and Defence, it said. Meanwhile, police in Karachi’s East district launched a crackdown against aerial firing on Independence Day and took 10 suspects into custody from various areas. In a statement, police said weapons... -
Dawn - 04:02 Aug 14, 2026
Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership has stressed the need for unity and reforms as the nation celebrates 79 years of independence today. According to state-run Radio Pakistan, the day dawned with a 31-gun salute in Islamabad and a 21-gun salute at the provincial headquarters. A change of guards ceremony was also held at the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Karachi. ‘Pakistan’s security linked to peace in our neighbourhood’ In his message, President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to Quaid-i-Azam, those behind the Pakistan Movement and those who sacrificed their homes, security and livelihoods in the struggle for a homeland. “But independence is not only a historic achievement. It is also a responsibility that each generation must carry forward. The Pakistan that was created through the democratic will of its people must continue to grow stronger, more secure and more prosperous. Our task is not only to remember what earlier generations achieved, but to add to it through our own work,” he... -
Dawn - 03:32 Aug 14, 2026
IN South Asia, the rise of Muslim political consciousness and the creation of Pakistan reflected a prolonged constitutional and political struggle led by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The demand for Pakistan was rooted in the belief that the Muslims of British India constituted a distinct political community whose cultural, religious, and political interests required constitutional protection and effective political representation. Pakistan’s national identity has consequently remained closely associated with the ideas that formed the raison d’être for the Pakistan Movement. Its history offers lessons that can be learnt from significant events, most notably the political crisis of 1971, which culminated in the separation of East Pakistan. The post-1971 period also witnessed continuing debates over the nature of the federation, provincial autonomy, and national identity. These debates underline the importance of learning from history rather than using it to promote narrow political narratives. Pakistan’s p... -
Dawn - 03:22 Aug 14, 2026
KARACHI: Former Sindh minister Ghulam Rasool Unnar has allegedly fallen victim to artificial intelligence (AI) technology, claiming that he discovered after his marriage that pictures of his ex-wife that she had shared with him had been edited and altered using AI. Unnar approached a sessions court seeking registration of an FIR against his ex-wife, Razia Arbab, under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) He informed the court that he had come into contact with Ms Arbab through social media platforms. He said that while they were communicating, she proposed marriage to him. According to the applicant, they later got married through a video call in the presence of witnesses, against a dower of Rs100,000, which had already been paid to her. The former minister alleged that during the ceremony, his ex-wife did not reveal her face and kept it covered with a niqab. However, after the marriage, when Mr Unnar met her in person, he “got shocked and surprised” to discover that she had allegedly “cheated and ... -
Dawn - 03:12 Aug 14, 2026
KARACHI: A sessions court has granted interim pre-arrest bail to a man said to be a “business partner” of Mir Raza Ali, owner of eatery Wafflix, who had gone missing on July 28 after leaving his home in PECHS, Block-2, and his bullet-riddled body was found a day later. The body was dumped in bushes opposite the University of Karachi near Shahi Qila Ground in Gulistan-i-Jauhar. Muhammad Ahmed Bhardey filed an application before the additional district and sessions judge (East) through his counsel, Khalid Mumtaz, seeking pre-arrest bail in the alleged murder case. After a preliminary hearing, the court granted interim bail to Ahmed against a surety of Rs100,000 and issued notices to the investigating officer and the prosecution for Aug 15, for confirmation or otherwise. Speaking to Dawn, Advocate Mumtaz said the applicant was Raza’s childhood friend and they had been running the business together. He added that Ahmed looked after their branch at Five Star Chowrangi, while Mir Raza managed the Bahadurabad branch... -
Dawn - 03:03 Aug 14, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The government remains committed to the rehabilitation of every eligible family affected by the devastating floods of 2022, the Ministry of Planning and Development has said. The commitment comes in the wake of reports that the provincial and federal governments had restructured a World Bank-funded flood rehabilitation project, depriving a large number of affected families in Balochistan of the resilient homes they were promised. In a statement, the planning ministry maintained that 68,992 fully damaged or destroyed houses in Balochistan were identified as eligible for reconstruction assistance by the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA). Each one of them remains entitled to the housing assistance committed under the Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Programme (IFRAP). In addition, the ministry said, the project provides self-recovery support for 58,016 partially damaged houses. Planning ministry says work has commenced on 74,988 houses, of which 26,357 have already been completed under o...
12682 items