Dawn
Source:
https://www.dawn.com
Found 8986 news
-
Dawn - 10:14 Feb 15, 2026
As India races to narrow the artificial intelligence gap with the United States and China, it is planning a vast new “data city” to power digital growth on a staggering scale, the man spearheading the project says. “The AI revolution is here, no second thoughts about it,” said Nara Lokesh, information technology minister for Andhra Pradesh state, which is positioning the city of Visakhapatnam as a cornerstone of India’s AI push. “And as a nation… we have taken a stand that we’ve got to embrace it,” he told AFP ahead of an international AI summit next week in New Delhi. Lokesh boasts the state has secured investment agreements of $175 billion involving 760 projects, including a $15bn investment by Google for its largest AI infrastructure hub outside the United States. And a joint venture between India’s Reliance Industries, Canada’s Brookfield and US firm Digital Realty is investing $11bn to develop an AI data centre in the same city. Visakhapatnam — home to around two million people and popularly known as “Vi... -
Dawn - 06:30 Feb 15, 2026
Former US president Barack Obama criticised a lack of shame and decorum in the country’s political discourse, responding on Saturday for the first time to a post on Donald Trump’s social media account that depicted him and first lady Michelle as monkeys. In a wide-ranging podcast interview with left-wing political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen released on Saturday, Obama also compared the actions of agents enforcing the president’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota to dictatorships. The video, shared on Trump’s Truth Social account on February 5, sparked censure across the US political spectrum, with the White House initially rejecting “fake outrage” only to then blame the post on an error by a staff member and taking it down. Near the end of a one-minute-long video promoting conspiracies about Trump’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, the Obamas — the first Black president and first lady in US history — were shown with their faces on the bodies of monkeys for about one second. “The discourse has devolved int... -
Dawn - 06:10 Feb 15, 2026
Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir has discussed “global and regional security dynamics” with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. CDF Munir undertook a visit to Germany from February 12 (Thursday) to 14 (Saturday) to attend meetings on the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference, according to the military’s media affairs wing. In a press release, ISPR said the army chief met with Rubio and “discussed matters of mutual interest, including global and regional security dynamics and counterterrorism cooperation”. During his visit, Field Marshal Munir interacted with a number of dignitaries. These included Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, Foreign Policy & Security Policy Adviser to Federal Chancellor of Germany Günter Sautter, and Chief of Defence Carsten Breuer. “The meetings focused on contemporary security issues, bilateral defence cooperation and the need for promoting... -
Dawn - 05:25 Feb 15, 2026
• DHA, Clifton residential plots up 25-50pc; commercial plots surge 25-75pc • Industrial investment in Karachi remains weak; investors shifting to Nooriabad, Jhampir KARACHI: Property prices in Karachi have increased over the past two years, but the gains have lagged behind the unexpected returns in equities and gold. Investors have been drawn to bullion amid global uncertainty, including market swings linked to US President Donald Trump’s shifting stance on tariffs and threats of military action against various countries. Pakistan’s stock market has also posted strong gains over the past two years, repeatedly setting new highs amid political and economic developments, lower interest rates and investor reluctance to hold US dollars. One tola gold on Jan 1, 2024, was available at Rs219,700 as compared to the current price of Rs526,962 on Saturday, reversing from a record peak of Rs572,862 on Jan 29, 2026. On Feb 13, the KSE-100 Index closed at 179,603.73 points, almost three times higher than its level of 64,6... -
Dawn - 05:14 Feb 15, 2026
RAHIM YAR KHAN: President Asif Ali Zardari says it is the duty of a leader to fight and go to jail to protect the party and safeguard people. He was addressing party ticket-holders, office-bearers and workers at Jamaldinwali, 40km from here, on Saturday night. Without naming PTI leader Imran Khan, the president said they had already started complaining about condition in jail hardly after 18-month detention. “Sometimes they say they have pain in their eyes. Some other time they complain there is no milk.” He said such a leader could not make sacrifices and lacked courage. Zardari said he himself spent 14 years in jail, endured hardships but never lost courage. “Jail is a place for worship, and prayers of those who worship are answered.” He advised political workers that they should not fear arrests. He pledged that he would work to build and improve Pakistan and would not step down until his mission was fulfilled. Zardari predicted that one day the Pakistan People’s Party would win with a two-third majority a... -
Dawn - 04:40 Feb 15, 2026
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has assured the affected shopkeepers of the ill-fated Gul Plaza that the provincial government would temporarily accommodate them at Parking Plaza, New Jamia Market, and Royal Market on Korangi Road, providing full compensation for their losses. He was addressing a gathering during his visit to the verification counters for claims of losses at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Saturday to review the process and meet the affected traders. The KCCI, on the instruction of the chief minister, has set up counters to verify claims of losses and ownership or tenancy filed by traders affected by the Gul Plaza incident. The chief minister was accompanied by provincial ministers Nasir Hussain Shah and Jam Ikram Dharejo, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi, and other senior officials. Parking Plaza, New Jamia Market, Korangi’s Royal Market selected for shopkeepers’ relocation; Murad visits verification counters for losses c... -
Dawn - 03:06 Feb 15, 2026
• Verdict notes marriage remains legally intact as ‘mere assertion of oral talaq insufficient’ • Justice Abid Chattha observes dowry claims must be determined strictly on evidence, not conjecture LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered a man to pay Rs1 million as deferred dower and monthly maintenance to his wife after holding that contracting another marriage without prior permission makes the entire dower immediately payable under the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961. Justice Abid Hussain Chattha issued the judgement, deciding two cross writ petitions filed by Mehnaz Saleem and her husband Kashif Iqbal, challenging concurrent and appellate findings of a family court and additional district judge (the appellate court), Sialkot. Ms Saleem had filed a suit seeking recovery of deferred dower (Rs1m), maintenance allowance, and dowry articles. The family court had partially decreed her suit, awarding Rs15,000 per month as maintenance for the Iddat period, Rs1m as deferred dower, and dowry articles or t... -
Dawn - 02:55 Feb 15, 2026
• Bangladesh’s PM-to-be pledges to restore governance, economy; vows to fix ‘broken’ systems • Urges unity as BNP sweeps first polls since 2024 uprising DHAKA: Bangladesh’s prime minister-in-waiting Tarique Rahman on Saturday dedicated his party’s landslide election victory to the citizens who “sacrificed for democracy” during the deadly 2024 uprising and pledged to prioritise the restoration of economy and governance. Rahman, the 60-year-old scion of one of the nation’s most powerful political dynasties, called for national unity as he prepared to lead the South Asian nation of 170 million people following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s sweeping success in Thursday’s vote. He will take over from an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which has steered Bangladesh since a student-led uprising ousted Hasina in August 2024. “This victory belongs to Bangladesh, belongs to democracy,” Rahman said in his first speech since the vote. “This victory belongs to people who aspire to and have sac... -
Dawn - 02:25 Feb 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The consortium led by the Arif Habib Group has announced plans to acquire the remaining 25 per cent government stake in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), thereby securing full control of the national flag carrier. In December 2025, the group acquired a 75pc stake for Rs135 billion, with the goal of transforming the loss-making airline through operational restructuring, fleet expansion, and improved customer service. To ensure the success of its revival plan, the consortium now seeks to take full control of decision-making. The acquisition will allow the consortium to implement management changes by the end of April. Shahid Ali Habib, CEO of Arif Habib Ltd, told Dawn that this will enable them to operate as a private entity, free from government-appointed board members. “The change of sponsors is scheduled for late April or early May,” he added. Consortium to acquire remaining 25pc stake for Rs45bn The government has given the consortium a 90-day window to purchase the remaining shares, valued ... -
Dawn - 02:07 Feb 15, 2026
It was never going to be easy for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to sideline Pakistan from the T20 World Cup, let alone exclude them from the marquee clash against India. That is precisely why, today on February 15, Pakistan will take on India for the ninth time in T20 World Cup history. It is a rivalry in which Pakistan has managed only one victory so far. Yet win numbers barely matter when these two teams meet, because this contest has grown far beyond cricket and has become arguably the most anticipated fixture in global sport. In the build-up to this match, uncertainty loomed large. Until just days before the game, there was no official confirmation that Pakistan would play. This followed a dramatic political intervention when the Government of Pakistan announced that it would not permit the Pakistan team to participate in the World Cup group-stage match against India. Despite the tournament featuring 20 teams, this single lucrative fixture dominated headlines across the cricketing world. The ten... -
Dawn - 02:07 Feb 15, 2026
Camouflage and mimicry are among the oldest concepts in biology — taught in classrooms as elegant outcomes of natural selection. Animals that blend in avoid getting eaten. Over many generations, tiny random changes accumulate. Simple, neat, intuitive. But the deeper scientists look, the more the real world looks less like a simple narrative and more like a puzzle with missing pieces. Across the animal and plant kingdoms, there are creatures whose mimicry is so precise — down to texture, colour gradients, behavioural nuance and even spectral reflections invisible to the human eye — that the standard explanation strains at the seams. What mechanisms allow an insect or a plant with no brain, no eyes and no cognitive awareness of its surroundings to develop such astonishing resemblance? Take, for example, walking stick and leaf insects. Some species do more than mimic the general outline of foliage; they reproduce irregular edges, asymmetries and colour variations indistinguishable from real leaves — even under c... -
Dawn - 02:05 Feb 15, 2026
RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted rain and thunderstorm in southern parts of the country. The Met Office said a shallow westerly wave is likely to approach the western parts of the country on Feb 16. Under the influence of this weather system, light to moderate rain-wind/thunderstorm is expected in Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Chaghi, Nokkundi, Dalbandin, Noushki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat, Mustung, Bar Khan, Sibbi, Loralai, Khuzdar, Kech, Turbat, Panjgur, Gawadar, Awaran, Kharan, Pasni, Ormara and Lasbella of Balochistan from Feb 16 (evening/night) to Feb 17 with occasional gaps. Rain-wind/thunderstorm is also expected in Dadu, Hyderabad, Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Khairpur of Sindh from Feb 17. Gusty and dust-raising winds are also likely during the period. Light to moderate rain-wind/thunderstorm is expected in Waziristan, Bannu, D.I. Khan and Kurram areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the night of Feb 16 an... -
Dawn - 02:05 Feb 15, 2026
• Insists govt can’t create jobs for millions of people; private sector must lead employment drive • Claims FIR registered against sitting senator over alleged tax evasion • Says tobacco sector ‘not paying taxes’, involved in smuggling • Construction relief package ‘in pipeline’, announcement expected soon • Textile support under review; minister seeks 10-12 days for concrete steps LAHORE: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Saturday warned that Pakistan could not be run with a rapidly increasing population and stressed that the private sector would have to take the lead and create employment opportunities. “If this growth rate (2.5pc) continues, our population can reach 400 million in the coming years. So, you tell us who will run this country in such a situation,” he said while speaking at the Pakistan Economic Growth Conference at the regional office of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in Lahore. “So please help us on how to control the population,” he added. On empl... -
Dawn - 17:57 Feb 14, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said on Saturday that the government had decided to shift PTI founder Imran Khan to a hospital, while the opposition continued its sit-in at Parliament House over concerns regarding the ex-premier’s health. In a post on X, the minister said, “Imran Khan has been given the facility to talk to his sons on the phone and considering his health, it has also been decided to shift him to the hospital and form a medical board.” “The government prioritises humanitarianism and legal requirements. It is the government’s responsibility to provide facilities to every prisoner according to the law,” he said. “There should be no politics on a sensitive issue like health. PTI should avoid baseless propaganda or political point scoring. The government is fulfilling its responsibilities. Instead of politicising this issue, show national seriousness and tolerance,” he said. Shortly before Chaudhry, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that further medical treat... -
Dawn - 17:43 Feb 14, 2026
ISLAMABAD: On the second day of the Pakistan Mother Languages Literature Festival 2026 at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Saturday, while mother languages were celebrated, the conversations also moved to the sobering reflection that endangered languages may fade, and with them, entire musical worlds are at risk of falling silent. The second day unfolded across two major sessions, one honouring literary legends of mother languages, the other examining endangered arts and musical instruments, yet both were threaded by a shared concern about cultural survival. The opening session, ‘Celebrating the Legends of the Languages’, brought together writers representing Brahui, Seraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Balochi, Sindhi and Potohari. Yet, behind the tributes lay a pressing question of inheriting these languages. The concern was echoed by panellists representing Gojri, Pahari, Hindko and Gawarbati languages as well, who stressed that recognition without institutional backing risks reducing linguistic heri... -
Dawn - 17:30 Feb 14, 2026
Switzerland said on Saturday that Oman would host talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva next week, with Washington pushing Tehran to make a deal to limit its nuclear programme. “Switzerland stands ready at all times to offer its good offices to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran,” a Swiss foreign ministry spokesman told AFP. On February 6, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks in Oman with US envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s influential son-in-law Jared Kushner. The talks were indirect, with the Omanis acting as mediators. Trump has recently focused his military threats on Tehran’s nuclear programme, which US forces struck last July during Israel’s unprecedented 12-day war with Iran. Trump said on Friday that a change of government in Iran would be the “best thing that could happen”, as he sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, ratcheting up military pressure on the Islamic republic. Go-between Switzerland has played a key role in di... -
Dawn - 17:28 Feb 14, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday announced a Rs38 billion Ramazan Relief Package which will be disbursed among deserving people across the four provinces as well as the people of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK). “Rs38bn will be disbursed through digital bank accounts among 12.1 million families, without discrimination,” said the premier while addressing the ceremony of the PM Ramazan Package 2026. “Every deserving family will receive Rs13,000 through digital wallet or bank transfer, without discrimination based on party affiliation or point of view,” he said. The prime minister elaborated that out of the Rs38bn, Rs10bn is reserved for those families already registered with the government’s Kafalat programme. “This is the biggest effort at the federal level in terms of volume and challenges for the month of Ramazan,” he said, adding that the government, through coordinated efforts, has undertaken a major challenge to ensure that deserving people across the country receive the funds... -
Dawn - 16:57 Feb 14, 2026
KARACHI: Police clashed with Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) workers outside the Sindh Assembly on Saturday. Footage aired on television showed police using tear gas, with workers running while covering their faces. The JI had announced that it would stage a sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly on Feb 14 to protest what it described as the Sindh government’s “failure to address Karachi’s issues” and alleged interference in the city’s institutions. Speaking on Geo News, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that police and the provincial government were in contact with the party’s administration since 4pm, telling them that they may protest but not enter the Red Zone. “They were strictly forbidden from entering the Red Zone, but despite that, JI party workers entered the Red Zone, pelted stones at the police, and also tried to enter the assembly,” Memon stated. He added that police were forced to use tear gas and arrest workers. “You cannot enter the Red Zone under [Section] 144; the JI entering like this is a viol... -
Dawn - 15:54 Feb 14, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed the “evolving regional situation” in a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Saturday. “The two leaders discussed the evolving regional situation, forthcoming international engagements, and agreed to remain in close contact,” the FO said on X. Dar had also held a phone call with the Saudi foreign minister last month, shortly after landing in Beijing. According to the FO, the pair “deliberated on the recent situation in the region” during the phone call. This was the second call between the two in the same week. On December 30, 2025, the two had exchanged views on “the current regional situation and recent developments”. Both nations have a multifaceted relationship rooted in strategic military cooperation, mutual economic interests, and shared Islamic heritage. These ties have encompassed economic assistance and energy supplies, with Riyadh being a significant source of financial aid and ... -
Dawn - 15:28 Feb 14, 2026
India captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted on Saturday that no matter how much his team tried to prepare for Sunday’s T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan as “just another game”, it would be much more than that. “It’s a big platform, obviously,” Suryakumar told reporters in Colombo, venue for Sunday’s massive Group A showdown. “No matter how much you say that it’s just another game, it is a big game.” The biggest and most lucrative clash in world cricket has sold out the 35,000-capacity R Premadasa stadium with hundreds of millions more expected to watch on television. The game was only confirmed as going ahead late on Monday night after the government reversed its decision to boycott the blockbuster Group A game. “We don’t play them often, don’t even play them regularly,” said the Indian skipper. “But at the end of the day, we try to keep things simple and try to execute our best game. “There is pressure, but there is a big opportunity,” said Suryakumar. “According to me, when you play an India-Pakistan game, i...
8986 items