Dawn
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Dawn - 08:16 Jan 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A district court on Thursday cancelled the bail of lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha in the controversial social media posts case, following repeated non-appearances and heated scenes in the courtroom. 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. The hearing on Thursday was conducted by Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammed Afzal Majoka, with Prosecutor Rana Usman representing the state. At the outset, neither Mazari nor Chattha appeared before the court. An assistant counsel sought an exemption from appearance for Mazari, submitting that Chattha was engaged in proceedings relating to a contempt case before the high court. The court expressed displeasure over the absence of the accused and observed that the request for exem... -
Dawn - 06:54 Jan 15, 2026
Pakistan’s passport ranking has improved on the Henley Index in 2026, rising from 103 in 2025 to 98 this year, according to figures released on Thursday. According to the latest rankings, Pakistan’s travel document was placed 98th on the list, tied with Yemen. It ranked higher than Iraq (99), Syria (100) and Afghanistan (101). The ranking showed that Pakistan’s passport allows visa-free access to 31 countries, including visa-on-arrival (VOA). Pakistan’s ranking on the Henley Passport Index from 2006 to 2025. — screengrab via Henley’s website Singapore ranked the highest, with visa-free access to 192 countries, followed closely by Japan and South Korea with 188. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland tied for the third spot with visa-free access to 186 countries. According to the Henley Index, Pakistani passport holders have free visa access to Barbados, Cook Islands, Dominica, Haiti, Micronesia, Montserrat, Rwanda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu. While a visa-on-... -
Dawn - 06:27 Jan 15, 2026
Elon Musk’s platform X on Wednesday announced measures to prevent its AI chatbot Grok from undressing images of real people, following global backlash over its generation of sexualised photos of women and children. The announcement comes after California’s attorney general launched an investigation into Musk’s xAI — the developer of Grok — over the sexually explicit material and multiple countries either blocked access to the chatbot or launched their own probes. X said it will “geoblock the ability” of all Grok and X users to create images of people in “bikinis, underwear, and similar attire” in those jurisdictions where such actions are deemed illegal. “We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis,” X’s safety team said in a statement. “This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers.” In an “extra layer of protection”, image creation and the ability to edit photos via X’s Gro... -
Dawn - 06:26 Jan 15, 2026
US President Donald Trump reiterated on Wednesday that the United States needs Greenland and that Denmark cannot be relied upon to protect the island, even as he said that “something will work out” with respect to the future governance of the Danish overseas territory. The remarks, which came after a high-stakes meeting between US, Danish and Greenlandic officials, indicate that there are still fundamental, if not intractable, differences between how Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk see the political future of the island. “Greenland is very important for the national security, including of Denmark,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “And the problem is there’s not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland, but there’s everything we can do. You found that out last week with Venezuela,” he said. After meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance at the White House on Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenland... -
Dawn - 04:50 Jan 15, 2026
• Wahab asks KWSC to draft citywide water plan before phasing out tanker services, shutting hydrants • Says goal is equitable water distribution, not politics • Utility sources say closure of hydrants would hit DHA the hardest • Claims decision, if implemented, won’t improve city’s supply KARACHI: While Mayor Murtaza Wahab outlined his plan to eventually dismantle the decades‑old water‑tanker system, officials at the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) voiced scepticism, saying it would not be possible to entirely shut down hydrants and end tanker services given the existing water infrastructure. Talking to the reporters on Wednesday after inaugurating the Jehangir Road rehabilitation project, the mayor, who is also the chairman of the KWSC board, said that water tankers and hydrants have been operating in Karachi for decades, largely filling gaps where the piped water supply does not reach. However, he stressed that the system has created inequities, with benefits flowing to select groups while bla... -
Dawn - 03:11 Jan 15, 2026
KARACHI: Pakistan will need a staggering $565.7 billion in investment to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0 climate commitments by 2035. These include a 17 per cent unconditional and 33pc conditional reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 30pc increase in electric vehicle adoption, and a shift to 60pc renewable energy. Meeting these ambitious goals will depend heavily on mobilising green-aligned investments, making frameworks like the Pakistan Green Taxonomy and robust ESG disclosure practices essential for guiding capital toward sustainable projects. This was revealed during a session on Pakistan Green Taxonomy (PGT) and ESG Disclosure Guidelines hosted by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), which was attended by top business executives and industry stakeholders on Wednesday. According to OICCI’s press release, the session was held in the backdrop of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s issuance of the revised ESG Disclosure Guidelines for... -
Dawn - 03:06 Jan 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday hinted at closing the ongoing suo motu proceedings initiated to seek an independent and transparent probe into the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif. “We will make an appropriate order and may seek assistance from the parties if needed,” observed Justice Aamer Farooq, adding that the major issue before the court was how to proceed further in the matter. Justice Farooq was heading a two-judge FCC bench hearing the case, which was initially taken up suo motu by the Supreme Court. Earlier, the case was heard by a five-member SC bench in December 2022. Court cites ‘slow investigation’, MLA agreement with Kenya However, following the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, it was first transferred to a six-member constitutional bench of the SC and later to the FCC after the 27th Constitutional Amendment. Arshad Sharif was shot in the head when Kenyan police opened fire on his car on the outskirts of Nairobi on Oct 23, 2022. He had left Pakista... -
Dawn - 19:48 Jan 14, 2026
PESHAWAR: A number plate bearing the registration number “Imran Khan-804” will be among the personalised registration marks (PRM) that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will put up for auction on January 27, provincial minister Syed Fakhar Jahan told Dawn on Wednesday. Personalised registration marks are vehicle number plates bearing a personalised number that automobile owners can retain even after selling their vehicles. The KP Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department had earlier issued an advertisement in newspapers, seeking potential bidders interested in purchasing the choice number plates. Minister for Excise and Taxation Syed Fakhar Jahan told Dawn today that the “Imran Khan-804” and “Imran Khan-1” were among the choice numbers being put for auction as “many people showed interest in it”. The number 804 is associated with incarcerated PTI founder and former premier Imran Khan as it is the same number that has been assigned to him in jail. Jahan said that the bidding for the personalised number... -
Dawn - 19:08 Jan 14, 2026
Pakistan said on Wednesday it had signed an agreement with a firm connected to World Liberty Financial, the main crypto business of US President Donald Trump’s family, to explore using World Liberty’s stablecoin for cross-border payments. The Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA) said in a statement that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SC Financial Technologies, a little-known company it described as an “affiliated entity” of World Liberty, would enable “dialogue and technical understanding around emerging digital payment architectures”. The announcement represents one of the first publicly announced tie-ups between World Liberty, a crypto-based finance platform launched in September 2024, and a sovereign state. It also comes amid a warming of ties between Pakistan and the United States. Under the agreement, SC Financial Technologies will work with Pakistan’s central bank to integrate its USD1 stablecoin into a regulated digital payments structure, allowing the token to operate alongsid... -
Dawn - 19:05 Jan 14, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Internet users in Pakistan, barring Nayatel customers, are unlikely to experience slow speeds on Thursday, according to a clarification by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and correspondence by the internet service provider (ISP). Nayatel has informed its customers via email that “an unavoidable maintenance activity” is planned on one of Pakistan’s submarine cables on January 15 (Thursday) at around 2pm, saying that it could last up to eight hours. “This may cause internet slowness across Pakistan,” the service provider said. Meanwhile, reports circulating on social media, without specifying any particular ISP, said there was a possibility of internet disruption in the country on Thursday. However, the PTA clarified in a statement that “information regarding any disruption of internet services on January 15 is incorrect and without factual basis”. “Internet services across Pakistan remain stable and fully operational. Routine submarine cable maintenance is ongoing and will not affect ... -
Dawn - 18:53 Jan 14, 2026
President Asif Ali Zardari met with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Wednesday in Manama, with the former reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to broadening cooperation between the two countries across political, economic, defence and cultural fields. The president had arrived in Bahrain’s capital on Tuesday on a four-day state visit. A post on the Presidency’s X account said Zardari was accorded a guard of honour upon his arrival at the royal residence, Al-Qudaibiya Palace, where the meeting was held. “Talks covered trade and investment, defence [cooperation], support for the Pakistani community, and regional and global issues,” the post said. A later statement issued by the Presidency said President Zardari and Bahrain’s king held comprehensive discussions aimed at “further strengthening the close and fraternal relationship” between the two countries. “The talks reflected a shared resolve to deepen cooperation and give practical momentum to bilateral engagement,” it said. The statement noted that Fir... -
Dawn - 18:07 Jan 14, 2026
United States President Donald Trump’s envoy said on Wednesday that a ceasefire plan for Gaza was now entering its second phase with the goal of disarming Hamas, despite several Israeli strikes in the Palestinian territory during the truce that became effective in October last year. “We are announcing the launch of phase two of the president’s 20-Point plan to End the Gaza conflict, moving from ceasefire to demilitarisation, technocratic governance, and reconstruction,” envoy Steve Witkoff wrote on X. The second phase will also include the setup of a 15-person Palestinian technocratic committee to administer postwar Gaza. Its formation was announced earlier on Wednesday by Egypt, a close US ally and mediator. Phase two “begins the full demilitarisation and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorised personnel”. “The US expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage. Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,” Wi... -
Dawn - 18:00 Jan 14, 2026
Denmark and Greenland’s top diplomats held high-stakes talks at the White House on Wednesday, with US President Donald Trump warning it was “vital” for the United States to take control of the Arctic island. Shortly before the meeting with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Denmark announced it was immediately boosting its military presence in strategic Greenland. Footage from CNN showed Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt arriving at the White House campus, while AFP journalists saw Rubio and Vance heading into the talks. Trump’s escalating threats over Greenland — a vast and sparsely populated autonomous territory belonging to Nato ally Denmark — have deeply shaken transatlantic relations. The 79-year-old Republican insisted ahead of the talks that Nato should support the US effort to take control of Greenland, saying it was crucial for his planned Golden Dome air and missile defence system. “Nato becomes far more formidab... -
Dawn - 17:55 Jan 14, 2026
WASHINGTON: The US has announced a suspension of immigrant visa processing for Pakistan and 74 other countries, effective January 21, citing concerns that immigrants from these nations often rely on public welfare programmes. The State Department said the freeze will remain in place until authorities can ensure that new immigrants will not draw on American taxpayer resources. Officials described the measure as part of the administration’s “America First” approach. “We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused,” an official said. State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said in a statement that his department “will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people“. “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would ta... -
Dawn - 16:24 Jan 14, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday said it had “taken a serious view” of the Punjab government’s failure to meet deadlines for tasks that would pave the way for the long-delayed local government (LG) polls in the province and decided to fix the matter for hearing. Sources told Dawn that according to the promised timelines, the Punjab Local Government (Delimitation of Union Councils) Rules, were to be finalised by October 27 last year. The input for the finalisation of the rules had been provided by the ECP but a notification by the relevant authorities was still awaited, the sources said. They said November 15, 2025 was the deadline for the provision of the Punjab Local Government (Conduct of Elections) Rules. The draft for the rules had been shared with the ECP by the provincial government and the former had given its input as well, but a notification was yet to be issued, the sources said. Likewise, the notification of Demarcation and Classification, showing the limits of loca... -
Dawn - 15:39 Jan 14, 2026
Qatar said on Wednesday precautionary measures had been taken at the US-run Al Udeid Air Base, including the departure of some personnel, because of rising regional tensions, according to its International Media Office. The office said the steps were part of broader efforts to safeguard the security of citizens and residents and to protect critical infrastructure and military facilities, adding that any further developments would be announced through official channels. The development came as the US-based Wall Street Journal and CBS reported that the American military was evacuating some personnel from the air base as a precaution. Earlier, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had warned its neighbouring countries hosting US troops that it would retaliate against American bases if Washington carried out threats to intervene in protests in Iran. The protest movement across Iran, initially sparked by economic grievances, has turned into one of the biggest challenges yet to the leadership since it ... -
Dawn - 15:20 Jan 14, 2026
The PTI on Wednesday strongly condemned the police action against its protesters outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi yesterday, terming it “oppression” and “injustice”. The condemnation comes a day after the police dispersed a sit-in staged by PTI supporters and party founder Imran Khan’s sisters at Factory Naka near the prison after the authorities did not allow them to meet the incarcerated former prime minister. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party said it condemned the “government’s oppression, use of force through police, and unlawful actions” outside Adiala in the “strongest terms”. Detailing the alleged arrests, the PTI said 11 men were detained at the Rawat police station and three women — Zuleikha, Dr Asma and Sanaya Safeer — were taken into custody by the Rawalpindi police. “Similarly, Advocate Raja Yasir, [MNA] Shahid Khattak’s brother Adil, and Tanveer have also been arrested,” it added. In a list of demands, the PTI sought the immediate release of “all arrested men and women”. It added... -
Dawn - 15:18 Jan 14, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Wednesday that several countries were “actively” engaged in talks with Pakistan for its fighter jets. In recent weeks, reports had surfaced of Pakistan being in talks with several friendly countries for a deal on the JF-17, a light combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China and produced in Pakistan. Addressing a federal cabinet meeting, PM Shehbaz recalled Pakistan’s victory in a war last year — ostensibly a reference to the four-day military conflict with India in May 2025 — and said the demand for Pakistan’s fighter jets had increased since then. “There are several countries that are actively engaged in talks with Pakistan on this, and this will boost our defence production and benefit our economy,” the premier added. Earlier, Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj also told BBC Urdu that Pakistan is engaged in discussions with “multiple” countries for the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. “These negotiations are taking place and they take som... -
Dawn - 14:04 Jan 14, 2026
HYDERABAD: PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday alleged, without naming anyone, that “some powers” wanted to rob Sindh of its rights and transfer its resources to Islamabad on the pretext of claims that the provincial government had performed poorly. He made this statement while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the first phase of Tharparkar Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology in Tharparkar. “Efforts are made, a campaign is run to assassinate the character of not just Tharparkar but your entire province as part of a conspiracy and for a particular objective. Some forces want to rob your province of its rights and resources and have them transferred back to Islamabad on the pretext that the Sindh government has not done anything,” he alleged. He added, “I believe that the answer to this false narrative is Tharparkar. You can see how Tharparkar was before 2008, before the 18th Amendment, and how it is in 2026. Yes, there are problems, but the Tharparkar of 2026 is before you a... -
Dawn - 14:00 Jan 14, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The World Economic Forum (WEF) finds geo-economic confrontation as the top risk for 2026, followed by interstate conflict, extreme weather, societal polarisation, and misinformation and disinformation, its report said on Wednesday. The Global Risks Report 2026, a premier source of original global risks data for Switzerland-based WEF, warned that the multilateral system is under pressure. “Declining trust, diminishing transparency and respect for the rule of law, along with heightened protectionism, are threatening longstanding international relations, trade and investment and increasing the propensity for conflict,” it read. Geo-economic confrontation topped the near-term rankings, with 18 per cent of respondents viewing it as the risk most likely to trigger a global crisis in 2026. It was also ranked first for severity over the next two years, up eight positions from last year. State-based armed conflict followed in second position for 2026, dropping to fifth position in the two-year timeframe. Sh...
7393 items