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Dawn - 11:47 Jan 11, 2026
FLYOVERS are being demolished all over the world because they are considered ugly and they break the openness of the city. The space they occupy is being turned into parks and recreational areas. This is being done through spatial reorganisation of the city, and by realising that building them is the most expensive way of trying to solve traffic-related issues. When Karachi flyovers were first planned, there were professionals and civil society members who pointed out that they would solve traffic problems at non-rush hours. But at rush hours, they would increase them considerably. And today, conditions at rush hours at various nodes have become much worse than earlier — not only because of an increase of cars. I can give a few examples of what has happened in the West, as I am sure that some readers are acquainted with the places I am going to mention. These projects are part of a larger city strategy to reclaim public space. In the US, the Waterfront Park in Oregon is on a demolished freeway, and so is the ... -
Dawn - 06:33 Jan 11, 2026
Illustration by Abro The sentiment that ‘revolution was just around the corner’ serves as a poignant distillation of the 1960s ‘counterculture’ zeitgeist. It was a unique historical moment, where global currents of youthful middle-class dissent converged to create a sense of inevitability that the old order was about to collapse. There is a distinct sense of melancholy attached to this sentiment today, stemming from the fact that the revolution never actually materialised. The capitalist structures and political hierarchies that drew the fire of youthful protestors proved resilient. The survival of the status quo was largely due to the durability of the modern state. When pushed hard, governments effectively reinforced their ‘law and order’ platforms, a strategy that successfully appealed to a more cautious general public. They prioritised stability over radical change, allowing the state to reassert control. Capitalism demonstrated a remarkable capacity to co-opt the rebellion. Instead of being dismantled by... -
Dawn - 06:24 Jan 11, 2026
SINCE the so-called rules-based order is crumbling in whatever flawed form it existed, those with power are asserting themselves in the most unbridled of ways, with the only restraining factor being power itself or its quantum at the disposal of one player or the other. The phenomenon is not limited to the big powers’ actions on the global stage but is mirrored by developments in the region and even within countries, with domestic politics being shaped by the ‘might is right’ principle, if it can be called a principle. The resultant scenario is scary to say the least. This must be the reason that some of the ‘rattled’ middle-ranking economic-military powers are now forging alliances and concluding pacts so that their collective strength or power enables them to better negotiate the challenges and come out relatively unscathed from the reshaping of the world that seem underway. Let me get into the specifics. The US-backed Israeli attack started against the around two million Palestinians in the tiny and largel... -
Dawn - 05:33 Jan 11, 2026
SCHEDULE uncertainty persists at yet another multilateral cricket tournament to be held in South Asia. Once again, it involves India, which has been intent on throwing its weight around. This time, though, it is getting a taste of its own medicine. Less than a month before the Twenty20 World Cup is set to be played in India and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh have cited security reservations over travelling to India. The Bangladesh Cricket Board is, instead, in a discussion with the International Cricket Council about playing its matches in Sri Lanka. Its concerns have been triggered on account of worsening Dhaka-New Delhi ties and the recent events related to its fast bowler Mustafizur Rehman. Mustafizur had been signed by the Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders, only for the Board of Control for Cricket in India to ask the team to release him due to “recent developments”. The move sparked a furore in Dhaka, which banned the broadcast of the IPL in the country and asked the ICC to shift its World Cup matc... -
Dawn - 05:22 Jan 11, 2026
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Iranians were “looking at freedom, perhaps like never before” and that Washington was ready to offer support as protests continued to spread across the Middle Eastern country. “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. “The USA stands ready to help!!!” The president later repeated the message in other posts as well while US media reported that Washington was mulling potential strikes against Iran. Iran has witnessed waves of protests since late December, triggered largely by a sharp decline in the value of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. The demonstrations began on Dec 28 near Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and later spread to several other cities. On Friday, Trump said Iran was “in big trouble” as unrest grew, adding that the United States was “watching very closely” and warning Iranian authorities against using lethal force against protesters. Iranian officials have ac... -
Dawn - 04:43 Jan 11, 2026
DARKNESS has descended over next-door Iran, where widespread, violent protests refuse to abate, posing the most serious governance and security challenges to the government in recent memory. With a nearly complete communications blackout in place, it has been difficult to obtain verifiable information from the country, and with various global powers taking increasingly assertive positions in the ongoing unrest, it is almost impossible to discern facts from propaganda in international reportage on Iran’s unfolding crisis. We do know that, on Saturday, the Iranian army issued a statement saying it would safeguard strategic infrastructure and public property, while urging Iranians to “thwart the enemy’s plots”. Clearly, things have reached a point where the protests are being seen as a national security threat. Inflammatory rhetoric from American leaders, including the US president, has not helped and, indeed, may have put Iranians in greater jeopardy by fanning paranoia. There have been concerning reports of st... -
Dawn - 04:06 Jan 11, 2026
• Banks receive 30pc fewer dollars in 1HFY26 • Untraceable outflows raise questions over currency flows KARACHI: Banks received 30 per cent fewer US dollars from exchange companies in the first half of the current fiscal year, according to official data. Exchange companies sold about $1.4 billion to banks during July-December FY26, compared with around $2bn in the corresponding period of FY25, reflecting a decline of nearly 30pc. Exchange companies are required to sell surplus foreign currency in the banking market. However, they are also allowed to sell dollars to individuals for specific purposes. “The customers bought about $1.2bn in six months from exchange companies, kept $400m in bank accounts and the remaining $800m is not traceable,” said Malik Bostan, Chairman of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP). The untraceable $800m is believed to have been used for purchasing virtual currencies. Trading in virtual currencies remains unregulated in Pakistan, though the State Bank is working on ... -
Dawn - 03:56 Jan 11, 2026
• Warns funding gap could derail IMF-linked Rs157bn budget surplus for FY26, provision of essential services in merged districts • Transfers under divisible pool stand short by Rs76bn in first half of 2025-26 ISLAMABAD: At a time when the federal government is grappling with its own fiscal shortfall, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has raised concerns that revenue transfer shortfalls from the centre during the first half of 2025-26 have jeopardised the province’s ability to meet its annual budget surplus target, as agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The provincial government further warned that the delayed and reduced federal transfers are exerting significant pressure on its finances, particularly impacting the delivery of essential services in the merged districts of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). The issue was formally raised in a two-page letter from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Adviser on Finance to the Chief Minister, Muzammil Aslam, to Federal Finance Minister Muhamm... -
Dawn - 03:47 Jan 11, 2026
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview published by The Economist said that he hopes to “taper off” Israeli dependence on US military aid in the next decade. Netanyahu has said Israel should not be reliant on foreign military aid but has stopped short of declaring a firm timeline for when Israel would be fully independent from Washington. “I want to taper off the military within the next 10 years,” Netanyahu told said. Asked if that meant a tapering “down to zero”, he said: “Yes.” Netanyahu said he told President Donald Trump during a recent visit that Israel “very deeply” appreciates “the military aid that America has given us over the years, but here too we’ve come of age and we’ve developed incredible capacities.” In December, Netanyahu said Israel would spend $110bn on developing an independent arms industry to reduce dependency on other countries. The US and Israeli governments had signed a memorandum of understanding for the 10 years through September 2028 that provides $38... -
Dawn - 03:35 Jan 11, 2026
QUETTA: Prolonged gas shortages amid a severe cold spell triggered protests in parts of the provincial capital on Saturday, as residents blocked roads and burned tyres against low pressure and supply suspensions, while Siberian winds continued to lash Quetta and other towns in northern and central parts of the province following rain and snowfall last week. The severe cold has reduced gas supply in several areas, causing serious difficulties for residents trying to keep their homes warm. The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has been implementing loadshedding in Quetta and surrounding areas from midnight to 5am. People in Kalat, Mastung, Ziarat, Pishin and several other areas are also facing similar gas shortages amid the ongoing cold spell. However, residents say many localities in the provincial capital and its outskirts are not receiving gas properly even outside these hours. “We are getting gas for a very limited time without any timetable,” Mehmood Khan, a resident of the Sariab area, told Dawn, adding tha... -
Dawn - 03:23 Jan 11, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has imposed major disciplinary penalties on three officers of its Karachi registry for serious lapses in administrative response, and on one officer of its Lahore registry over transparency issues. According to a statement issued on Saturday, the apex court reiterated that institutional integrity, discipline, and strict adherence to prescribed procedures were non-negotiable, particularly in matters relating to official conduct and the administration of justice. In disciplinary proceedings concluded under the Supreme Court Establishment Service Rules, 2015, Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi imposed major penalties on three officers of the SC’s Karachi registry. The penalties were imposed for serious lapses in administrative response, including delayed reporting, failure to seek timely written directions, and delays in reconstructing judicial records from available digital copies, resulting in institutional concern. Disciplinary proceedings were also concluded agains... -
Dawn - 03:19 Jan 11, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has taken exception to the raids by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) at private healthcare centres, asking the prime minister to take notice of “aggressive”, “commando-style” searches by tax officials. In a statement, the representative body of healthcare professionals said the “unannounced and aggressive entry of FBR teams into private healthcare facilities — particularly across Punjab — has reached an intolerable level of harassment”. Such measures threaten the very fabric of healthcare delivery in the country, said PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro in a statement. “The PMA highlights that recent raids, which forced the immediate suspension of Outpatient Department (OPD) services, are not merely administrative issues; they constitute a direct interference in patient management and a violation of the sanctity of life-saving institutions,” according to the statement. It said the presence of enforcement officials in clinics “creates an atmosphere o... -
Dawn - 03:07 Jan 11, 2026
NUUK: Greenland’s political parties said they did not want to be under Washington as US President Donald Trump again suggested using force to seize the mineral-rich Danish autonomous territory, raising concern worldwide. The statement came after Trump repeated that Washington was “going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not”. European capitals have been scrambling to come up with a coordinated response after the White House said this week that Trump wanted to buy Greenland and refused to rule out military action. “We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders,” the leaders of five parties in Greenland’s parliament said in a joint statement. “The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.” US president asserts Russia or China may occupy Greenland if America doesn’t They said no other country could meddle in this. “We must decide our country’s future ourselves — without pressure to make a hasty decision, without procrastination, and withou... -
Dawn - 02:41 Jan 11, 2026
• Achakzai calls those violating Constitution ‘security risk’, says Nawaz sidelined for following law • Opposition alliance leaders visit Minar-i-Pakistan; supporters denied entry LAHORE: The Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) has appealed to the people to take to the streets on Feb 8 to oppose “fascism, restore the Constitution, and safeguard the country’s sovereignty”. “Those playing with the Constitution of Pakistan are a security risk,” TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai said while speaking to journalists at the Lahore Press Club on Saturday. Mr Achakzai invited people from all walks of life to join the movement for the restoration of the Constitution and to take to the streets on Feb 8, marking the second anniversary of the February 2023 elections. “If we do not come out on the roads to stop fascism, restore the Constitution and the country’s sovereignty on Feb 8, we will all be responsible for Pakistan’s downfall,” he warned. Flanked by TTAP Vice Chairman Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Haqooq-i-Kha... -
Dawn - 02:15 Jan 11, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday announced the formation of a committee, headed by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, to review the progress of federal government-sponsored development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The committee will visit Peshawar and, in coordination with public representatives, review the progress of these schemes. According to the PM Office Media Wing, the premier met political representatives from KP and assured them about timely completion of ongoing Centre-funded development projects in the province. He stated that the federal government was fully aware of the problems faced by the people of KP and taking tangible steps, within its jurisdiction, to ensure sustainable solutions to those issues. A detailed discussion was also held on the overall political situation in the province and the challenges faced by the public. Matters related to public welfare, development projects and governance were discussed as well. ‘Lack of governance’ The participants informed the pri... -
Dawn - 21:28 Jan 10, 2026
HYDERABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday evening rejected allegations of a ‘political-terror nexus’ in KP as he addressed journalists at the Hyderabad Press Club (HPC). The KP CM reached Hyderabad earlier today for a day-long trip to mobilise the public for a nationwide street movement. Speaking at a ‘meet the press’ event, Afridi complained that KP was being meted out “stepmotherly treatment” by institutions that were supposed to strengthen democracy in the country and claimed that the PTI government was “toppled as a result of a London plan”. Afridi said a 15-point agenda was presented before Pakistan and “everyone agreed” that a military operation was not the solution to any problem. “The actual problem is that decisions are always taken in closed rooms,” he said. Afridi further added that if a military operation were launched in KP, the provincial government would be obliged to stand with its people. “I have asked my administration to facilitate all those people, whether they... -
Dawn - 18:50 Jan 10, 2026
Iran’s authorities indicated on Saturday that they could intensify their crackdown on the biggest anti-government demonstrations in years, as the death toll rose to 65 and the Revolutionary Guards blamed the unrest on terrorists, vowing to safeguard the governing system. Major Iranian cities were gripped overnight by new mass rallies denouncing the Islamic Republic, as activists on expressed fear that authorities were intensifying their suppression of the demonstrations under the cover of an internet blackout. The two weeks of protests have posed one of the biggest challenges to the Iranian authorities, although Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has expressed defiance and blamed the United States. Following the movement’s largest protests yet on Thursday, new demonstrations took place late Friday, according to images verified by AFP and other videos published on social media. This was despite an internet shutdown imposed by the authorities, with monitor Netblocks saying early on Saturday that “Iran has no... -
Dawn - 18:47 Jan 10, 2026
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Saturday urged demonstrators protesting the fatal shooting of a motorist by a US immigration agent to stay peaceful, saying that any unlawful actions would play into US President Donald Trump’s hands. Frey, a Democrat, cautioned them as civil liberties and migrant-rights groups prepared nationwide rallies to protest the killing of 37-year-old Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on Wednesday. Minnesota and US officials have offered starkly different accounts of the shooting. Twenty-nine people were arrested overnight in Minneapolis as police responded to protests, including a gathering of demonstrators outside a hotel believed to be lodging a visiting contingent of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, city Police Chief Brian O’Hara said. One police officer was injured in the response, O’Hara told a news conference on Saturday. People march during a demonstration against increased immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, January 9,... -
Dawn - 18:06 Jan 10, 2026
Syrian authorities on Saturday began transferring Kurdish fighters from the country’s second city, Aleppo, to areas they control in the country’s northeast, state television reported, after days of deadly clashes. The violence in Aleppo erupted after efforts to integrate the Kurds’ de facto autonomous administration and military into the country’s new government stalled. Since the fighting began on Tuesday, at least 21 civilians have been killed, according to figures from both sides, while Aleppo’s governor said 155,000 people have been displaced. On Saturday evening, state television reported that Kurdish fighters “who announced their surrender … were transported by bus to the city of Tabaqa” in the Kurdish-controlled northeast. An AFP correspondent saw at least five buses on Saturday carrying fighters leaving the Kurdish-majority Sheikh Maqsud district, accompanied by security forces. Kurdish fighters sit in a bus as they leave the Kurdish-majority Sheikh Maqsud neighbourhood accompanied by security forces ... -
Dawn - 17:16 Jan 10, 2026
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat on Saturday announced that the government decided to extend winter vacations in all public and private schools across the province till January 19, citing the extremely low temperatures expected in the coming days. The decision comes a day after Hayat rebuffed rumors and fake news on social media regarding the extension of holidays and maintained that schools would reopen on Jan 12. The education minister, however, created a poll on his X account, asking people if schools and colleges should reopen from Jan 12 or 19. The majority of the users voted for Jan 19. In the latest post today on X, Hayat wrote: “In view of the prolonged severe winter spell and the forecast of extremely low temperatures in the coming days, and on the advice of PDMA, the Government of Punjab has decided to extend winter vacations until January 19.” Meanwhile, in a separate notification, the Punjab Higher Education Department stated that winter vacations for higher educational institutions w...
7393 items