Dawn
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Dawn - 09:41 Dec 13, 2025
Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said on Saturday that the Pakistan Army remained fully focused on both internal and external challenges, including hostile hybrid campaigns, extremist ideologies, and divisive elements seeking to undermine national stability. According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), he made the remarks while visiting the Gujranwala and Sialkot garrisons, where he was “briefed on the formation’s operational readiness and key initiatives for strengthening combat preparedness”. During the visit, CDF Field Marshal Munir witnessed field training exercises and advanced simulator training facility, “lauding the formation’s high professional standards and overall state of readiness”. “Emphasizing the significance of technological adaptability, he noted that modern warfare demands agility, precision, situational awareness and swift decision-making,” the ISPR handout said. While interacting with officers and soldiers, t... -
Dawn - 08:55 Dec 13, 2025
A bus hostess was killed while nine other passengers were injured when a speeding bus collided with a trailer on the Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad-Multan Motorway (M4) near Khanewal late on Friday night. According to a statement by motorway police, the Lahore-bound bus, which was headed to Multan, collided with a trailer near Khanewal. Police said that the bus hostess succumbed to her injuries on the spot, while nine passengers were injured. The statement said that the accident occurred due to the driver’s “negligence and sleepiness”. It added that the injured, four of whom were in critical condition, were shifted to the Khanewal District Headquarters Hospital. Meanwhile, dense fog again forced motorways to close temporarily early on Friday, which reopened after 11am once visibility improved. The National Highway and Motorways Authority (NHMP) temporarily closed the entry of traffic at several points; M2 from Lahore to Kot Momin, M3 from Faizpur to Darkhana, M4 from Pindi Bhattiyan to Faisalabad, M11 from Lahore ... -
Dawn - 08:18 Dec 13, 2025
The $686 million defence package offered to Pakistan by US President Donald Trump’s administration this week will transform the country’s ageing fleet of F-16 fighter jets into a modernised force capable of operating securely and efficiently alongside contemporary air forces, according to defence experts and officials. At its core, the upgrade will allow the F-16s to operate safely and effectively for at least another decade and a half by extending their service life, strengthening secure communications, enabling real-time sharing of tactical data, and ensuring sustained maintenance through comprehensive parts, training, and support. Enhanced mission planning and testing tools included in the package will also improve pilot proficiency and overall mission effectiveness. Beyond specific equipment, a substantial portion of the package is devoted to spare parts, maintenance, engineering, and logistics support. This includes replacement components, repair parts, technical documentation, engineering assistance, an... -
Dawn - 07:44 Dec 13, 2025
A United Nations’ (UN) special rapporteur warned on Friday that PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan is being held in conditions that could amount to inhuman or degrading treatment, calling on Pakistani authorities to comply with international norms and standards. In September, his legal team approached the rapporteur to urge the Pakistani government to cease the alleged mistreatment of the couple. Prime Minister’s Aide Rana Ihsan Afzal, however, dismissed the concerns of the UN rapporteur and said Imran was being kept “according to prison rules and the jail manual”. “His children have access and he should schedule [a call] and put in the appropriate request. There is no issue or obstacle from the government of Pakistan,” said the premier’s aide. He added that the PTI founder is being provided facilities “greater than his rights” as a B-class prisoner. “He has the facilities of exercise available, good food is available and ample space is also available.” The UN official, Alice Jill Edwards, urged... -
Dawn - 06:09 Dec 13, 2025
A coalition of unions, employers and religious groups filed a lawsuit on Friday seeking to block US President Donald Trump’s bid to impose, open new tab a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas for highly-skilled foreign workers. The lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco is the first to challenge a proclamation Trump issued two weeks ago announcing the fee as the Republican president moves to further restrict immigration to the United States. Plaintiffs include the United Auto Workers union, the American Association of University Professors, a nurse recruitment agency and several religious organisations. They argued that Trump’s power to restrict the entry of certain foreign nationals does not allow him to override the law that created the H-1B visa programme. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, in a statement, said Trump’s administration engaged in lawful actions “discouraging companies from spamming the system and driving down American wages, while providing certainty to employers who need to bring t... -
Dawn - 05:20 Dec 13, 2025
Thailand’s leader vowed to keep fighting on the disputed border with Cambodia as fighter jets struck targets on Saturday, hours after US President Donald Trump said he had brokered a ceasefire. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted on Facebook that the Southeast Asian nation would “continue to perform military actions until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people”. Trump, who brokered a ceasefire in the long-running border dispute in October, spoke to Anutin and Cambodian premier Hun Manet on Friday, and said they had agreed to “cease all shooting”. Neither of them mentioned any agreement in statements after their calls with Trump, and Anutin said there was no ceasefire. “I want to make it clear. Our actions this morning already spoke,” Anutin said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the continued fighting. Hun Manet, in a statement on Saturday on Facebook, said Cambodia continues to seek a peaceful resolution of disputes in line with the October agreem... -
Dawn - 04:52 Dec 13, 2025
LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Khwaja Salman Rafique skipped scheduled visits to public sector health facilities in Multan on Friday and rather attended a wedding ceremony along with his official cavalcade comprising multiple SUVs and police mobile. The visit attracted strong criticism from social media after it transpired that the minister had attended the wedding ceremony of a son of a doctor who was recently held guilty of gross negligence in a medicines theft case and was awarded a major penalty under the Peeda Act. The minister returned to Lahore without discharging official assignments/meetings as announced officially and conveyed to the higher authorities of Multan, including the police. The issue came to the limelight when pictures of the minister with the doctor went viral on social media where critics accused him of misusing official resources for his private trip. Multan is 340km from Lahore. Kh Salman defends his visit being a public figure On Thursday, the office of the minister for the Specialis... -
Dawn - 04:31 Dec 13, 2025
The 11 Pakistani fishermen in Indian custody.—Courtesy Coastal Media Centre KARACHI: Indian forces have detained 11 Pakistani fishermen, including two boys, from Pakistani waters near Kajar Creek and confiscated their boat. However, Indian media reported that their Coast Guard had on Dec 10 apprehended the 11 Pakistani fishermen after their boat was allegedly found inside Indian waters near Jakhau. According to Kamal Shah of the Coastal Media Centre, all 11 fishermen belonged to Ibrahim Hyderi and they were out on a fishing expedition. As news of their arrest reached Ibrahim Hyderi, there was utter confusion and panic in their homes. The fishermen, said to be related to each other, live in close vicinity to each other, which created an atmosphere of mourning in their neighbourhood. All those captured are residents of Ibrahim Hyderi; their families seek govt intervention The fishermen’s families have urged that the government intervene in retrieving them. Local residents and area leaders have also demanded tha... -
Dawn - 04:08 Dec 13, 2025
KARACHI: Several media bodies on Friday condemned the government’s unannounced restriction on advertisements to Dawn Media Group’s TV and radio outlets — imposed after curtailing ads to its flagship newspaper — and called on the authorities to immediately rescind the ban. In a statement, the Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE) said Dawn is among Pakistan’s most respected media outlets, and stopping the release of government ads to the group amounted to financially crippling the organisation. Attributed to CPNE’s president and secretary general, the statement recalls Dawn Media Group has been providing unbiased information since the creation of Pakistan. The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) also spoke out against the stoppage of government ads to Dawn Media Group outlets, saying it is ‘dismayed’. “For the last 13 months, Daily Dawn was suffering from [the] curtailment of government advertising, but now the news channel and radio [channel] owned by Dawn Media has also been subjected to denial of governmen... -
Dawn - 02:46 Dec 13, 2025
• International Stabilisation Force ‘won’t fight Hamas’; Indonesia says it is preparing to deploy 20,000 troops for health, construction-related tasks • Muslim bloc foreign ministers back UNRWA amid talk of ‘terror designation’ WASHINGTON: International troops could be deployed in the Gaza Strip as early as next month to form a UN-authorised stabilisation force, two US officials told Reuters, but it remains unclear how Hamas will be disarmed. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) would not fight Hamas. They said lots of countries had expressed interest in contributing and US officials are currently working out the size of the ISF, composition, housing, training and rules of engagement. An American two-star general is being considered to lead the ISF but no decisions have been made, the officials said. Deployment of the force is a key part of the next phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Under the first phase, a fragile ceasefire in... -
Dawn - 02:23 Dec 13, 2025
• Calls for lasting ceasefire, humanitarian access and reconstruction in Gaza • Meets Iranian president; cites mutual support during external aggression • Holds informal interactions with Putin and Erdogan, Tajik and Kyrgyz presidents ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed Ankara’s readiness to contribute to a mechanism established to maintain stability amid ‘extended ceasefire’ between Pakistan and Afghanistan, after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at an international forum on Friday urged the global community to press the Afghan Taliban to honour their international obligations and curb terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil. President Erdogan made the offer during a meeting with PM Shehbaz on the sidelines of the international forum held in Turkmenistan, where the premier also held meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov. Addressing the event dedicated to the... -
Dawn - 00:43 Dec 13, 2025
• IBCC notifies new policy after unanimous approval by all boards • Single Secondary School Certificate proposal still under review ISLAMABAD: The Inter-Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) on Friday notified a new policy allowing students with an arts background in matric to enroll in pre-medical and pre-engineering groups (FSc) at the intermediate level. The notification, issued by the IBCC, which is the main coordinator for all education boards, stated that arts students could register in these groups starting from the first annual examinations of 2026. “Consequent upon the recommendation of the Sub-Committee and response received from Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM&DC), Higher Education Commission (HEC), National Curriculum Council (NCC) and Provincial Curriculum Authorities, the IBCC Forum [meeting of all boards] in its 183rd meeting held on Dec 4-5, 2025 has unanimously resolved that the students who have passed the SSC (Arts Group) may be allowed to register f... -
Dawn - 00:43 Dec 13, 2025
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has held that a husband cannot be prosecuted for rape of his wife unless the pronouncement of divorce takes legal effect in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance (MFLO) 1961. Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued the ruling on a petition filed by Jameel Ahmad seeking the quashing of an FIR registered at Police Station City Liaqatpur under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which prescribes punishment for rape. The complainant had alleged that the petitioner lured her into cohabitation and later married her on April 22, 2024. She claimed she later discovered he was already married and, upon her protest, he divorced her on Oct 14, 2024. According to the FIR, three days later — on Oct 17 — the petitioner and a co-suspect allegedly entered her home at night, where the petitioner raped her at gunpoint. The petitioner, however, denied the allegation of a live-in relationship and contended that the FIR was fabricated as retaliation for the divo... -
Dawn - 20:24 Dec 12, 2025
United Nations’ special rapporteur warned on Friday that PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan is being held in conditions that could amount to inhuman or degrading treatment. In September, his legal team approached the rapporteur to urge the Pakistani government to cease the alleged mistreatment of the couple. Prime Minister’s Aide Rana Ihsan Afzal, however, dismissed the concerns of the UN rapporteur and said Imran was being kept “according to prison rules and the jail manual”. “His children have access and he should schedule [a call] and put in the appropriate request. There is no issue or obstacle from the government of Pakistan,” said the premier’s aide. He added that the PTI founder is being provided facilities “greater than his rights” as a B-class prisoner. “He has the facilities of exercise available, good food is available and ample space is also available.” The UN official, Alice Jill Edwards, urged Pakistan to take immediate and effective action to address reports of the 73-year-old’s i... -
Dawn - 20:23 Dec 12, 2025
THE crisp December air was festive at the KHA Hockey Complex as blue skies played canvas to clouds clouds imitating no less than an artist’s work. The view above contrasted smoothly with the expanse of the deep blue of the astroturf of the venue, located in the midst of the sprawling Gulshan-e-Iqbal. As buses honked relentlessly at the ever-bustling Nipa after having swished dust off the perpetually under-construction University Road, hockey took centre stage on the other side of the wall. It was the day when the gold medal winners for the national sport at the National Games were to be decided. View this post on Instagram There were no surprises; it were heavyweights Wapda and Army who added to their already stacked medals table to take the honours in the women’s and men’s finals respectively. Each achievement was celebrated with maximum zeal, as the announcer shouted his heart out even for the silver medal winners Punjab and Navy. The screams got louder as Wapda and Army received their gold medals. It was a... -
Dawn - 19:32 Dec 12, 2025
Pakistan’s international stalwarts led the charge as weightlifter Hanzala Dastagir Butt demolished the field to bag gold by a long shot, while badminton star Mahoor Shahzad won the women’s singles for the third time as the competitions drew to a close at the National Games on Friday. Wapda’s Hanzala made each lift look effortless as a delighted crowd mostly comprised of team-mates and enthusiasts of the sport looked on at the YMCA Scouts Auditorium. He lifted 157kg in the snatch and 193kg in the clean and jerk to post a massive 350kg total in the men’s 110kg category. The 23-year-old is already eyeing next year’s Commonwealth Games, where his older brother Nooh Dastigir Butt clinched the +109kg title in record-breaking fashion at the 2022 edition. “I take inspiration from him that one day I’ll also win a medal for Pakistan at that stage, and set a new record,” Hanzala told Dawn. Hanzala’s gold was one of four on the men’s side in addition to one silver and bronze medal each to clinch the trophy. Wapda’s Hanza... -
Dawn - 19:04 Dec 12, 2025
Pakistan’s badminton queen, Mahoor Shahzad, lived up to her star billing with a gritty comeback victory to claim her third National Games gold on Friday, headlining a day of intense finals at the Nazimabad Sports Club, Karachi, that saw Wapda’s dominance challenged and a dramatic men’s singles decided by a contentious call. The sparse crowd inside the complex was treated to high drama, beginning with the marquee women’s singles where the event’s poster girl, Wapda’s Mahoor, faced a stern test from Army’s left-handed dynamo, Alja Tariq. Mahoor, initially off-rhythm, trailed 7-3 in the first game before her veteran composure surfaced. Forcing errors and winning a breathtaking rally to level at 9-9, she edged a tight opener. The second game was a fiercer battle. Alja, pumped and precise with her drops and smashes, surged to a 9-4 lead and held an 11-8 advantage at the mid-game break. Facing a possible decider, the champion shifted gears. She methodically reeled in the deficit, drawing level at 14-14 before racin... -
Dawn - 18:55 Dec 12, 2025
Media bodies on Friday condemned the curtailing of government advertisements to Dawn Media Group’s television and radio outlets, and called on the government to immediately rescind the ban. In a statement issued on Friday, the Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE) said that Dawn was among Pakistan’s most respected media outlets, and stopping the release of government ads to the group amounted to financially crippling the organisation. Translation: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) has strongly condemned the suspension of advertisements for Dawn TV and Dawn Radio, following the earlier suspension for Dawn Media Group’s newspapers. CPNE stated that Dawn is among Pakistan’s most reputable media outlets, and imposing a ban on government advertisements is tantamount to economically weakening it.In this regard, the CPNE President and Secretary General said in a joint statement that Dawn Media Group has provided impartial reporting in Pakistan since its inception. Initially, its newspapers were subjecte... -
Dawn - 17:41 Dec 12, 2025
Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry on Friday expressed hope that, following the sentencing of former spymaster Faiz Hameed, there would be less “interference” in politics in the future. The former head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was sentenced to 14 years rigorous imprisonment by a military court on four charges related to engaging in political activities, violation of the Official Secret Act detrimental to safety and interest of the state, misuse of authority and government resources and causing wrongful loss to persons, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, the state minister noted that if such a high-profile official in the armed forces had been court-martialled, it could also happen to others. “The institution has set a new example and standards in the wake of this case,” he said. “There will be less interference. People will remember that if you can be punished while in service and even after retirement,... -
Dawn - 17:16 Dec 12, 2025
The PTI on Friday announced reconstitution of a 23-member political committee, including members from the opposition political alliance, who will serve as the party’s decision-making forum and who will be responsible for overseeing political strategy, organisational matters, and policy direction. Last week, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan dissolved the party’s political committee amid disagreements within the opposition party in his first move after weeks of being incommunicado. The party’s Central Secretariat issued a notification, signed by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and PTI Additional Secretary General Firdous Shamim Naqvi. “The secretary general, on the instruction of the party’s founding chairman and in consultation with senior colleagues in the party, hereby reconstitutes the Political Committee of the Party/Alliance,” the notification said. The newly formed committee, which will come into effect immediately, will serve as the ‘apex decision-making body of the party with respect to all ...
7393 items