Dawn
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Found 7911 news
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Dawn - 15:38 Feb 25, 2026
LAHORE: A judicial magistrate at a district court on Wednesday issued a notice to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) while hearing a bail petition of a Canadian national who was arrested in a cybercrime case. Hamza Ahmed Khan, who was pursuing doctoral research, had reportedly gone missing last week, leading to the registration of a first information report. He turned up in NCCIA’s custody on Monday and was sent to jail on judicial remand. Subsequently, he filed for post-arrest bail. On Wednesday, Advocate Asad Jamal appeared before the magistrate on behalf of Khan. During the hearing, the magistrate directed the NCCIA’s investigating officer to submit a record of the case on Thursday. In his petition, the applicant alleged that he was abducted on the night between Feb 18 and 19, while travelling in a cab in Lahore. The petitioner claimed that the first information report (FIR) against him by the FIA’s cyber crime wing was registered a day later on Feb 21, with “malafide intentions” to conc... -
Dawn - 15:18 Feb 25, 2026
BAJAUR: Four cops were martyred and two others were wounded when unidentified attackers opened fire at a patrol party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Wednesday evening. Khar Police Station House Officer Gul Zada told Dawn that the attackers targeted the Ababeel Squad — an exclusive patrolling force — at the time of Iftar near the Nawai Kallay area. The squad was on a routine patrol when unidentified attackers opened fire on them, he said, adding that four policemen died on the spot while two others were “seriously injured”. Separately, Bajaur police spokesperson Israr Khan told Dawn that the personnel were on their way to the Bajaur police lines from Inayat Kallay bazaar, with their duty hours about to end, when they were attacked. As a result, four cops — Yar Zada, Dawood Khan, Imran Khan and Siraj Khan — were martyred while Irshad Khan and Azizur Rehman were injured, he added. SHO Gul Zada said the injured policemen were immediately taken to the district headquarters hospital in Khar for treatmen... -
Dawn - 15:12 Feb 25, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The federal and provincial governments on Wednesday agreed on a joint strategy to establish peace and stability in the country. An agreement to this effect was reached during an important meeting on law and order held with Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry in the chair. The development comes amid the surge of terrorist attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, carried out by Fitna Al Khawarij and Fitna Al Hindustan — state-designated names for terror outfits backed by Indian proxies. During the meeting, the Centre assured provincial governments of the provision of necessary resources and technical support to maintain law and order. “Protection of citizens’ lives and property is the state’s top priority,” Chaudhry remarked. He also praised the security forces’ role in the fight against terrorism. “The security forces remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolv... -
Dawn - 14:55 Feb 25, 2026
Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is rapidly transitioning from laboratories to real-world applications, enabling patients to control computers, robotic arms, and robot dogs with their thoughts. As integration into daily life accelerates, China marked a significant milestone on January 1, 2026, when its first national standard for BCI-based medical devices took effect. The new standard defines the scope of BCI medical devices, categorises technical approaches, standardises terminology for signals such as electroencephalograms, and provides key definitions for signal acquisition, processing, encoding and decoding, as well as clinical applications. Why are such standards important? According to Yuan Peng, deputy director-general of the department of medical device registration at the National Medical Products Administration, as China makes breakthroughs in brain science and neural decoding, BCI medical devices are entering a critical stage of industrialisation and clinical translation. Because these dev... -
Dawn - 14:46 Feb 25, 2026
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday that a total of 34 terrorists were killed in separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. In a statement, the military’s media affairs wing said that over the last few days, security forces had conducted a series of “high tempo, intelligence-driven operations” aimed at eliminating Indian proxies Fitna Al Khwarij and Fitna Al Hindustan. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) while Fitna al Hindustan is a term designated by the state for terrorist organisations in Balochistan. The statement said that on Feb 24, 26 terrorists belonging to Fitna Al Khwarij were killed in four separate engagements in KP, while eight terrorists belonging to Fitna Al Hindustan were killed in an operation in Balochistan’s Sambaza. Giving a breakdown, ISPR said that the movement of a group of terrorists trying to infiltrate through the Pak-Afghan border was picked up by security forces in ... -
Dawn - 14:00 Feb 25, 2026
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The main inter-provincial highway linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab was reopened to traffic on Wednesday after remaining closed for several hours following a suicide attack at the Dajil checkpost in Bhakkar. The road had been sealed after a suicide attack at the inter-provincial checkpost on Tuesday evening, leaving two police officials martyred. Following the attack, authorities suspended traffic as a precautionary measure and launched a search operation. Officials said the Dera Darya Khan bridge was reopened for all kinds of traffic on Wednesday after consultations between the district administrations of Dera Ismail Khan and Bhakkar. Traffic was restored once security clearance was completed and necessary checks were carried out. It is worth mentioning that the Dajil checkpost is at the border of Dera Ismail Khan and Bhakkar. Traders against repeated closures The continued closure of the inter-provincial route caused significant inconvenience to travellers and transporters. Vehicles r... -
Dawn - 13:25 Feb 25, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday stressed the need for reducing direct taxes “across the board” in the upcoming budget to facilitate the business community. The premier made the remarks while addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Pakistan Governance Forum 2026, which was attended by businesspersons as well. PM Shehbaz stressed the need for increasing economic growth, production, exports, investments and foreign direct investments (FDI), rather than relying on hiking taxes. He said: “I believe that in the upcoming budget — which will come a few months later — we must decrease direct taxes across the board so that businesspersons and investors are facilitated. “My entire team and I are united on this that we must reduce taxes immediately,” he said, adding that businesspeople did not pay indirect taxes. Noting that many businesspersons sitting among the audience understood the issue he was referring to, PM Shehbaz said, “You obtain the indirect tax from the consumers. But if you keep it in yo... -
Dawn - 13:05 Feb 25, 2026
Pakistan has boosted security and arrested dozens of suspects as it fears a rising wave of militant attacks following its air strikes in Afghanistan, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Wednesday. “Our forces are on high-alert to combat any attacks,” Chaudhry told Reuters. “You know the militants always react whenever we go after their hideouts in Afghanistan.” Pakistan carried out air strikes on targets in Afghanistan over the weekend on what it said were militant targets responsible for a spate of recent suicide bombings on Pakistani soil. Islamabad blames Kabul for allowing the fighters to use Afghanistan as a safe haven. Kabul denies the charges, saying the militancy is Pakistan’s internal problem. Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire along their border on Tuesday, with each side accusing the other of initiating the clash. There have also been a number of militant attacks, including the ambush of a police vehicle in Kohat in which five officers and two civilians were killed and a s... -
Dawn - 13:04 Feb 25, 2026
ISLAMABAD: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Iva Petrova on Wednesday began technical-level discussions with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in Karachi for the third review of the $7bn Extended Financing Facility (EFF) and the second review of the $1.1bn Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The mission will remain in Karachi this week and begin policy discussions with the federal and provincial governments on Monday, with the customary opening roundup with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The minister on Wednesday said the government was well-positioned for a successful review of its loan programmes. Talking briefly to journalists after a parliamentary committee meeting, the minister said the government was also in a good position on collections by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Responding to a question, he said there was “absolutely no issue” with the rollover of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) safe deposits with the central bank and the sides were in constant contact. Th... -
Dawn - 12:53 Feb 25, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Aleema Khanum, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, on Wednesday launched a scathing criticism of the party leadership over decisions taken for the former premier’s medical treatment and of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) over the delay in fixing his cases for hearing. A day earlier, the PTI founder was taken to the hospital for follow-up treatment of his eye ailment, which came to light in late January. However, his party took exception to the ‘secrecy’ surrounding this procedure and the complete exclusion of family members from this process. The opposition has also repeatedly demanded that cases of the incarcerated PTI founder be fixed for an early hearing. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Aleema said the health of the PTI founder was the family’s primary concern and insisted that no decision regarding his treatment should be made without their permission. Referring to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s statement from February 17 regarding Imran’s health, she said the minister had publicly claimed t... -
Dawn - 12:49 Feb 25, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi reiterated a decision made last year to issue visas to over 10,000 skilled Pakistani workers, saying that it was aimed at promoting “legal migration”. Italy would issue 10,500 work visas for Pakistan’s skilled workers to promote “legal migration”, he said during a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Rome, according to a statement issued by the interior ministry. In December last year, an agreement was reached between Pakistan and Italy, under which the latter had allocated a labour quota for the former. According to the agreement, 10,500 Pakistani workers will be provided employment in various sectors in Italy, including ship breaking, hospitality, healthcare and agriculture. Each year, 3,500 Pakistani workers will secure overseas jobs under seasonal and non-seasonal quotas, as per the agreement. Visa-free entry for diplomatic passport holders During the meeting, it was also decided that Pakistani diplomatic passport holders would be allowed... -
Dawn - 12:40 Feb 25, 2026
Pakistanis, including tourists, travelling to the United Kingdom (UK) will now be able to do so with an e-visa, receiving confirmation by email rather than stickers in passports, according to a statement issued by the British High Commission on Wednesday. In July 2025, the UK government introduced an e-visa system for Pakistanis; however, it was limited to study or work visas. Applicants applying for general visitor visas were still required to obtain a physical visa. In the statement released on Wednesday, the high commission said visitors would continue to submit their applications online and attend a visa application centre to provide biometrics. It said that successful applicants would have a digital record of their immigration status provided through an e-visa, accessible through an online UK Visas and Immigration account. “It means applicants no longer need to attend a visa application centre a second time to collect their passport, instead holding on to it after their biometrics session,” the commissio... -
Dawn - 11:54 Feb 25, 2026
A 5.6-magnitude earthquake jolted Islamabad and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday. The tremors were felt in Peshawar, Chitral, Swat, Swabi, Bajaur, Mardan, Charsadda and Mansehra, DawnNewsTV reported, adding that they were also felt in Islamabad. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the quake struck at 4:12pm at a depth of 114 kilometres. It said the earthquake’s epicentre was Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. The department also added that the quake was felt in Islamabad, Swat, Peshawar and Chitral. Pakistan falls on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian — which create five seismic zones under the country. The intersection of multiple fault lines means that tectonic movements remain a frequent occurrence in the region. Last week, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of KP, with tremors felt in Shangla, Swat, Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera. -
Dawn - 11:33 Feb 25, 2026
GWADAR: Six people, including the attacker, were killed and four others were injured in a shooting and mortar attack at a house in the Minaz locality of Kech district’s Buleda tehsil, a police official said. Initially, police sources said six members of a family, including three children, were killed when assailants opened indiscriminate gunfire and launched a mortar strike. Later, Buleda Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Talal Gichki stated that an attacker was among the six dead in the incident, while four others were injured. “Firing continued for one and a half hours. During the exchange of fire, a rocket fell on a hut,” the DSP said, adding that the entire residence got burned down as a result. Over a dozen cattle were also lost as a result of the attack. Following the incident, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace the attackers. Police sources said an investigation was under way and the matter was being probed from multiple angles. On February 16, unidentifi... -
Dawn - 10:57 Feb 25, 2026
LAHORE: The Punjab government on Wednesday imposed an “immediate and complete” ban on flying drones outdoors across the province for the next 30 days, citing risk to public safety. In a notification issued by the Punjab home department, available with Dawn, a complete ban on the outside flying of drones was announced under Section 144 (6) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, which is to remain in force “for a period of 30 days from the date of issuance or until withdrawn earlier”. However, the notification said that the ban did not apply to “use of small drones for coverage of indoor activities, such as in halls or marquees”. It further added that the ban was also not applicable to “drones used by intelligence and law enforcement agencies”. The home department noted that “credible reports and prevailing circumstances indicate that the increasing and unregulated use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) within the territorial limits of Punjab poses potential risks to public safety, security of public and pr... -
Dawn - 10:08 Feb 25, 2026
Pakistan’s benchmark index, KSE-100, closed in the red on Wednesday, down 1632.25 points from its previous close of 166,258.54. Volatility persisted in the market, with the index touching an intraday high of 168,191.64 and a low of 164,229.36, underscoring continued instability in trading activity. This follows Tuesday’s particularly turbulent session that saw the index swing from an intraday gain of 1,546 points to a steep decline of 3,783 points as selling pressure intensified. Analysts at Topline Securities note that the benchmark was primarily impacted by weak investor sentiment and futures rollover pressure. The top active stocks were led by K-Electric Limited, which rose 1.85 per cent to Rs7.71 at a volume of 99,786,190, followed by Cnergyico PK Limited, which rose 8.31pc to Rs7.17 at a volume of 70,330,560, and First National Equities Limited, which rose 0.68pc to Rs1.48 at a volume of 33,421,278. The top advancers were led by Media Times Ltd., which rose 11.02pc to Rs5.24, followed by Chenab Limited, ... -
Dawn - 09:00 Feb 25, 2026
A record 129 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Wednesday, blaming Israel for two-thirds of the deaths. It was the second consecutive annual record for press deaths and the deadliest year since the CPJ began collecting data more than three decades ago. “Journalists are being killed in record numbers at a time when access to information is more important than ever,” CEO Jodie Ginsberg said in a statement. “We are all at risk when journalists are killed for reporting the news.” Over three-quarters of all the fatalities in 2025 were in conflict settings, the CPJ said in its report. More than 60 per cent of the 86 members of the press killed by Israeli fire in 2025 were Palestinians reporting from Gaza, it added. The Israeli military claims that it never “deliberately targets” journalists. The number of journalists killed in Ukraine and Sudan also increased in 2025 compared to the year before. The CPJ highlighted a rise in drones being used, w... -
Dawn - 08:44 Feb 25, 2026
The Punjab home department submitted a report to the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday stating that 17 people died during the recent Basant festival in Lahore. The three-day Basant festival was held in Lahore from February 6-8, following the Punjab government’s decision to lift a ban on the historic event after 18 years, with strict regulations. However, despite the government’s emphasis on safety measures, over 100 accidents were reported in connection with the festival. The petition, heard by Justice Owais Khalid, sought the details of deaths and injuries during Basant. According to the report, three people died of electrocution during the festival, and two died after falling from trees. In addition, 12 people lost their lives falling from roofs, the report added. The LHC also sought details of people injured by kite strings during Basant. According to the petitioner’s lawyer, Advocate Azhar Siddique, the data was not provided. Earlier this month, the court summoned a police report on the deaths and inju... -
Dawn - 06:24 Feb 25, 2026
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump opened the foreign-policy portion of his State of the Union address tonight with a carefully calibrated message on Iran, stating that his “preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy” while warning he would “never” allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon. The formulation, which projected readiness for talks while keeping the option of military force deliberately ambiguous, reflected his broader doctrine of “peace through strength.” US President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US on February 24, 2026. — Reuters Trump argued that a rebuilt US military and higher defence spending by Nato allies had strengthened Washington’s hand. At the same time, he asserted that Iran was developing missiles capable of reaching the United States and complained: “We haven’t heard those secret words (from Iran): ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon.’” He blamed Tehran for pursuing a “sinister nuclear pro... -
Dawn - 05:30 Feb 25, 2026
Muslim and European countries, including Pakistan, on Wednesday condemned Israeli attempts aimed at the “unacceptable de facto annexation” of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. A joint statement by Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Brazil, France, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Egypt, Pakistan, Luxembourg, Norway, Palestine, Portugal, Qatar, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, the League of Arab States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said that recent changes made by Israel to reclaim land in the occupied West Bank as “state property” are “wide-ranging” and accelerate illegal settlement activity and further entrench Israeli administration. Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved a proposal to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property” for the first time since the Israeli occupation of the territory in 1967, in clear violation of international law, which states that an occupying power cannot confiscate land in occupied territories....
7911 items