Dawn
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Dawn - 17:20 Feb 24, 2026
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The security detail provided to former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur has been withdrawn, it emerged on Tuesday. It is worth mentioning that while the security detail from Peshawar was withdrawn, the ex-CM has a police detail from his native Dera Ismail Khan district. It was not immediately clear who ordered the withdrawal of the security from Peshawar, with incumbent chief minister Sohail Afridi’s press secretary denying that orders to this effect were issued. According to the sources, a 16-member security squad assigned to Gandapur was recalled late last night. The contingent comprised two jammer operators, eight gunmen and six drivers, who had been working in shifts. All personnel belonged to the police department. Of them, 14 officials had been deployed for Gandapur’s security, while two were assigned to his brother, MNA Faisal Amin Gandapur. Sources close to the ex-chief minister said that one jammer and one pickup carrier had been returned to the provincial governm... -
Dawn - 16:24 Feb 24, 2026
Mosharraf Zaidi, the prime minister’s spokesperson for foreign media, said on Tuesday said that the Afghan Taliban regime initiated unprovoked firing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Torkham and Tirah. In a post on the social media platform X, he said, “Pakistan’s security forces responded immediately and effectively, silencing the Taliban aggression.” He said that any further provocation would be responded to “immediately and severely”. He said Pakistan would “continue to protect its citizens and guard its territorial integrity”. The development comes after Pakistan targeted terrorist camps and hideouts overnight in the Nangarhar and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan over the weekend, with an official saying that “more than 80” terrorists had been killed in the air strikes. The strikes were the most extensive military engagement between the two neighbours since border clashes broke out in October last year. According to an information ministry statement, issued in the early hours of Sunday, the strike... -
Dawn - 16:00 Feb 24, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The PTI took exception to the government’s “secrecy” regarding ex-prime minister Imran Khan after it emerged that he underwent a follow-up treatment for his eye ailment at an Islamabad hospital in the early hours of Tuesday. According to a doctor at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Imran was brought to the hospital for a second dose of anti-VEGF intravitreal injection on February 24. Imran’s eye ailment — right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) — came to light in late January. His first medical procedure, which was carried out on January 24, was confirmed by the government five days later. Since then, the government and the opposition have also been engaged in a blame game, with the latter accusing the former of a lack of transparency on the matter, of not ensuring appropriate treatment for Imran, and of not allowing his personal physicians access to him. The government denies these allegations. Reacting to the development, the PTI’s official X account said: “The situation demands... -
Dawn - 15:51 Feb 24, 2026
More than a dozen international humanitarian organisations have petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court to block an imminent order that would force 37 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to cease operations in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem, warning of catastrophic consequences for civilians. Organisations including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Oxfam, the Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE were notified on December 30, 2025 that their Israeli registrations had expired and that they had 60 days to renew them by providing lists of their Palestinian staff. If they fail to do so, they will have to cease operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including east Jerusalem, from March 1. The petition, described as unprecedented in its scale and joint nature, seeks an urgent interim injunction from Israel’s top court to suspend the closures pending full judicial review. The 17 petitioners, which include some of the NGOs hit by the ban, argue the Israeli measures are incompatible with an occupying power’s ob... -
Dawn - 15:48 Feb 24, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday notified amendments to the National Identity Card Rules, 2002 and the Pakistan Origin Card Rules, 2002 to modernise the country’s identity document framework by legally embedding QR-based verification, strengthening authentication controls across digital services, expanding biometric recognition, and updating card formats for key citizen categories. According to a handout by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), a core reform is the statutory introduction of the QR code — a scannable barcode containing horizontal and vertical lines, dots, and patterns — as a defined security and verification feature. The rules now legally define QR codes as a secure, machine-readable, two-dimensional barcode capable of storing encoded information and converting it into usable identity verification data when scanned. The amendments further authorise the use of a QR code or “any other technological feature,” in lieu of the current microchip, enabling Nadra to adopt evolvi... -
Dawn - 15:14 Feb 24, 2026
LOWER SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: A police constable was martyred after unidentified armed men opened fire in the Wana tehsil of Lower South Waziristan district, officials said on Tuesday. According to District Police Officer (DPO) Mohammad Tahir, the attackers carried out a sudden assault in Mughal Khel village, leaving a constable, identified as Attaullah, critically wounded. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot. His body was taken to the district headquarters hospital (DHQ) in Wana for legal formalities, the DPO said. Police officials said security in the area was tightened following the incident, while an investigation had been launched to trace those involved. “Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the perpetrators,” DPO Tahir said, adding those responsible would be brought to justice. The funeral prayers for the martyred official were later offered at the Police Lines in Wana. Subsequently, the body of the martyred constable was transported to his native village, Doag, where he was laid to rest with ... -
Dawn - 14:50 Feb 24, 2026
The UK government said on Tuesday it supported the release of documents on ex-prince Andrew’s past role as a trade envoy, hours after a veteran politician was quizzed by police in the widening Jeffrey Epstein scandal. US authorities last month published millions of files related to late sex offender Epstein, containing revelations which have rocked British political and royal circles. It has ramped up pressure on Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government to release its own vetting documents and sparked two separate, high-profile police investigations. The Liberal Democrats party tabled a motion in parliament on Tuesday to force the government to release vetting documents on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment as trade envoy, a post he held from 2001 to 2011. The former prince was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office, and his brother King Charles III has said the “law must take its course”. Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey said Andrew’s association with Epstein, and that o... -
Dawn - 14:18 Feb 24, 2026
PESHAWAR: Six law enforcement personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), were martyred after a terrorist attack on a police vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat district on Tuesday. A senior police officer told Dawn that six police personnel — the DSP, an inspector and four constables — were martyred when the vehicle, which was transporting two individuals for a court appearance, was attacked. He added that one of the two individuals was also killed in the attack. The attackers also torched the vehicle after the ambush. Earlier in the day, state-run APP reported that heavy firing by armed assailants targeted the DSP of Lachi police station near Shakardara Road. Following the attack, additional police contingents were dispatched to the area, and a search operation was launched to apprehend the attackers. Authorities have cordoned off the area, while investigations into the incident have begun. Condemnations In a statement, President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the terrorist attack. Paying tr... -
Dawn - 13:29 Feb 24, 2026
The Israeli opposition has planned to boycott the address of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Knesset during his visit to the country, top Israeli daily Haaretz reported on Tuesday. The Indian prime minister will visit Israel from February 25 to 26, India’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday. It will be Modi’s second visit to Israel. According to the report, the opposition — led by Yair Lapid — is in a “standoff” with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana due to his decision not to invite the Israeli Supreme Court President Isaac Amit to attend a special session of the parliament “as is customary”. The report said that Lapid on Monday urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure Amit’s invitation. According to Haaretz, Lapid, in a post on X, said: “We want to be in the session, we need to be in the session. Prime Minister Netanyahu must instruct Ohana to allow us to participate in the session.” As per the report, Lapid, while speaking in the Knesset last week, warned that “boycotting Justice Amit is... -
Dawn - 12:35 Feb 24, 2026
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was evacuated from his residence in Canberra late on Tuesday following a security threat, and returned several hours later after nothing suspicious was found, ABC News reported. Albanese was evacuated from The Lodge, his official residence in the capital Canberra. National broadcaster ABC reported the threat sparked a significant police operation, and led to the prime minister being taken to another location for several hours. Police said they had responded to an “alleged security incident” around 6pm (07:00 GMT), without giving more details on the nature of the incident. “A thorough search of a protection establishment was undertaken and nothing suspicious was located. There is no current threat to the community or public safety,” an Australian Federal Police spokesperson said in a statement. -
Dawn - 12:34 Feb 24, 2026
Moroccan soccer player Achraf Hakimi is to face a rape trial, the defender, who plays for Paris St Germain and the Moroccan national squad, said in a social media post on Tuesday. He denies the allegation. “Today, a rape accusation is enough to justify a trial, even though I deny it and everything proves it’s false,” Hakimi said in a post on X. “This is as unjust to the innocent as it is to the genuine victims. I calmly await this trial, which will allow the truth to come out publicly,” he said. Hakimi’s lawyer Fanny Colin said a trial had been ordered and the prosecutor in the Nanterre suburb of Paris confirmed. “A trial has been ordered on the basis of an accusation that rests solely on the word of a woman who obstructed all investigations, refused all medical examinations and DNA tests, refused to allow her mobile phone to be examined, and refused to give the name of a key witness,” Colin said. PSG coach Luis Enrique when asked about it at Tuesday’s press conference, ahead of the Champions League play-off ... -
Dawn - 12:21 Feb 24, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s remarks about a plan to ally with India and other countries to counter Muslim nations. The resolution moved in the House by PPP’s Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan deplored the continued provocative steps and statements by the Israeli leadership that threatened the regional and international peace and stability, including the latest statement about forming “alliances” against Muslim nations. Addressing a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country “will create an entire system — essentially a kind of hexagon of alliances — around or within the Middle East”, Times of Israel reported. Netanyahu listed India, Greece, Cyprus, and “unnamed Arab, African and Asian countries”, the report added. “The intention here is to create an axis of countries that see reality, the challenges, and the goals in the same way, in contrast to the radical axes,” he was quoted as saying. “B... -
Dawn - 12:11 Feb 24, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is attracting substantial foreign interest across a broad spectrum of sectors, including energy, logistics, information technology, agriculture, mining, and digital infrastructure, with much of this activity taking place through partnerships and joint ventures with local companies. Over the past three years, 79 new foreign companies have commenced operations in the country, while foreign firms invested Rs40.7 billion in key sectors during the same period. According to data released by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), 1,157 foreign companies are currently registered and operational in Pakistan. Nineteen foreign companies exited the market over the last three years. In 2023, 31 new companies entered Pakistan while six ceased operations. In 2024, 21 entered and nine exited. In 2025, 27 new companies registered, compared to just four closures. Beyond new market entries, foreign participation has also expanded through equity transactions. A total of 61 shareholding tra... -
Dawn - 11:44 Feb 24, 2026
The glow of his phone screen often marks the end of Mohammad Daniyal Shahid’s day. A final-year MBBS student, buried in exam preparation, says his nights are the only moments that feel truly his. “The whole day is scheduled, lectures, wards, studying,” he says. “Night is the only time that feels like my own.” Between lectures, clinical rotations and the relentless pressure of becoming a doctor, Daniyal squeezes his passions, travel, fitness and photography, into whatever hours he can reclaim. A young woman looking at her phone while in bed at night. — Canva AI But when he checks his screen-time report, often stretching beyond four or five hours, the realisation hits. “I think I’ll scroll for a few minutes, and suddenly it’s 2am,” he says. “That’s when I realise I’ve delayed sleep again.” Those late-night hours are both comforting and costly. For Daniyal, they are a way of taking control, a quiet rebellion against packed schedules and constant responsibilities. “It feels like I’m reclaiming time,” he says. “Bu... -
Dawn - 10:38 Feb 24, 2026
Pakistan’s benchmark index, KSE-100, closed in the red on Tuesday, down 1,432.54 points. Topline Securities noted that the session witnessed pronounced volatility, with the index staging a brief rebound to an intraday high of +1,546 points before intensified selling pressure pushed it to a low of –3,783 points. Despite the decline in points, trading activity remained robust, with total volumes clocking in at 687 million shares and turnover reaching Rs38.4 billion. The top active stocks were led by K-Electric Limited, falling 1.17pc to Rs7.57 at a volume of 64,848,829, followed by The Bank of Punjab, declining 1.62pc to Rs29.70 at a volume of 49,139,683, and Worldcall Telecom Limited, falling 0.76pc to Rs 1.31 at a volume of 45,981,935. The top advancers were led by Abdullah Shah Ghazi Sugar Mills Limited, rising 12.32pc to Rs9.12, followed by Chenab Limited, rising 11.79pc to Rs9.48, and Ittefaq Iron Industries Limited, rising 10.49pc to Rs8.11. The top decliners were led by LSE Capital Limited.(Right) declin... -
Dawn - 10:08 Feb 24, 2026
PESHAWAR: Unidentified attackers blew up a school in the Birmal tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan in the late hours of Monday, the police said on Tuesday. According to District Police Officer (DPO) South Waziristan Lower Muhammad Tahir Shah Wazir, the explosion destroyed parts of the Government Middle School (GMS) Boys’ Sharif Khan Kot, including two classrooms, bathrooms, the main gate, and one side of the boundary wall. Initial reports confirmed no casualties were reported. The blast was so powerful that it was heard in distant areas. According to police sources, nearby houses were also affected. Solar panels, walls, and windows sustained partial damage from the blast. Following the explosion, police launched an investigation into the incident and began collecting evidence from the site. Local authorities reiterated their commitment to ensuring the safety of educational institutions and maintaining peace in the region. Meanwhile, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi strongly condemned the incident. ... -
Dawn - 08:57 Feb 24, 2026
An Iranian Army helicopter crashed into a fruit market in the central province of Isfahan on Tuesday, killing the pilot, co-pilot and two merchants, state media reported. The helicopter came down in the city of Dorcheh, causing a fire that was put out by emergency services, the reports added. Experts say Iran has a poor air safety record, with repeated crashes, many involving aircraft bought before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and lacking original spare parts for maintenance. Last week, a US-built F-4 fighter belonging to Iran’s regular air force crashed in the western province of Hamadan, killing one pilot during a training flight. In May 2024, a helicopter carrying Iran’s then-President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials was involved in a “crash upon landing” in the mountainous Varzaqan region of Iran amid poor weather conditions. -
Dawn - 08:00 Feb 24, 2026
All seven people on board a Beechcraft air ambulance that crashed in the Indian state of Jharkhand on Monday were killed, officials said on Tuesday, including two crew members, the patient and his relatives. The Beechcraft C90 plane, operated by Redbird Airways, took off from state capital Ranchi but requested a change to its flight path due to weather, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said on Monday. The aircraft subsequently lost communication and radar contact, the regulator said. Rescue and medical teams rushed to the site of the crash, which local media said was deep inside a difficult-to-access forest. “The team of doctors found them, and declared them dead,” local administrative official Keerthishree G told reporters, adding that two of the seven people killed were crew members. “We have pulled out the bodies and sent them for post-mortem and further investigation,” the official said. Keerthishree G is the deputy commissioner of Chatra district, where the crash occurred during a thunderstorm. ... -
Dawn - 07:54 Feb 24, 2026
North Korea’s ruling party has elevated leader Kim Jong Un’s powerful younger sister to a top position, state media said on Tuesday, a sign of her far-reaching influence within the reclusive nation. Thousands of party elites have packed the capital Pyongyang for a once-in-five-years summit of the ruling Workers’ Party, a gathering that directs state efforts on everything from diplomacy to war planning. Kim Yo Jong — long considered one of her brother’s closest lieutenants — was promoted to department director within the party’s apex central committee, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Although it was not clear which department she would lead, she has previously held a senior role within the party’s propaganda unit. Kim Yo Jong has in recent years emerged as one of the most powerful figures in North Korea, playing a highly visible role in diplomacy, nuclear negotiations and other matters of state. “Kim Yo Jong is one of the very few people Kim Jong Un can trust and rely on,” said Ahn Chan-il, a resea... -
Dawn - 07:35 Feb 24, 2026
London police released former ambassador Peter Mandelson on bail in the early hours of Tuesday, in a probe into his ties to disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, only days after ex-prince Andrew was arrested. Mandelson, a pivotal figure in British politics and the UK’s former envoy to Washington, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office around 17:00 GMT (10pm PKT) on Monday following allegations arising from the latest set of documents linked to Epstein. “A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released on bail pending further investigation,” the Metropolitan police said in a statement around nine hours after he was taken in to an unnamed London police station. Images on UK television earlier appeared to show Mandelson, 72, being driven away from his north London home, accompanied by a man and a woman, after police raided his properties earlier this month. The arrest came days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, King Charles III’s younger brother, was de...
8986 items