Dawn
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Dawn - 03:40 Feb 28, 2026
human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari (right) with her husband Hadi Ali Chattha during a court hearing.—AFP/file ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing of applications seeking suspension of sentence filed by lawyer and rights activists Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in the controversial tweets case, as the defence pressed for an early date before Eid. Justice Muhammad Asif took up the matter amid a request from the state to transfer the appeal to another bench. During the proceedings, the assistant attorney general submitted that a case of similar nature had earlier been heard by Justice Azam Khan and requested that the present appeal also be placed before his court. He argued that it would be appropriate for the same bench to hear related matters. Rights activists granted bail by anti-terrorism court in two other cases However, the counsel for the appellants, Advocate Riasat Ali Azad, opposed the request, maintaining that no such case was pending before any other court of the cou... -
Dawn - 02:58 Feb 28, 2026
• Israel’s Supreme Court freezes ban on foreign aid organisations in enclave • US public sympathy shifts to Palestinians over Israel, new Gallup poll reveals CAIRO: Relentless Israeli attacks killed at least seven Palestinians in Gaza on Friday, medics said, adding to a death toll of at least 600 people killed by Israeli fire since a US-brokered ceasefire agreement came into effect last October. Gaza’s health officials reported that in southern Gaza, five people were killed and several others were injured, some critically, in Israeli drone strikes. The strikes targeted two police checkpoints in Khan Yunis and in the Abu Hujair area northwest of the Bureij refugee camp later in the day, medics said. Separately, an Israeli airstrike against a group of Palestinians in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood in northern Gaza killed two people and wounded several others. Ban on NGOs frozen Meanwhile, Israel’s Supreme Court decided in a ruling published on Friday to freeze a government ban on 37 foreign NGOs working in Ga... -
Dawn - 02:54 Feb 28, 2026
UNMARKED boxes can be used to violate rules on safe charity.—Dawn • Experts warn unregulated funds being channelled through anonymous collection boxes undermine NAP objectives • Official says ‘owners’ will be identified once seminaries registered with home department LAHORE: Despite the Punjab home department’s crackdown on illicit charities and the listing of 89 banned organisations, so-called “nameless donation boxes” continue to proliferate on street corners and electric poles, with their anonymous collectors leaving donors wondering who is really behind the appeals. These “nameless donation boxes”, physically secured with heavy chains and locks, can be spotted at road intersections, markets, shopping malls and banks across Punjab. Experts say billions of rupees in unregulated funds are being siphoned off under the guise of piety. They warn that this system has bypassed the core objectives of the National Action Plan, which was intended to dismantle the financial networks that fuel instability. When contac... -
Dawn - 02:51 Feb 28, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial has constituted a committee to address taxpayers’ issues following a meeting at the FBR Headquarters with representatives of the Pakistan, Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi-Islamabad tax bar associations. An official statement said members of the Tax Bar Associations apprised the chairman of the challenges being faced by taxpayers, particularly in relation to the super tax and SRO 350(I)/2024. Mr Langrial assured participants that the FBR remains fully committed to facilitating taxpayers and addressing all genuine concerns on a priority basis. To ensure timely resolution, he announced the formation of a committee to examine the issues raised by the tax bar associations and propose practical solutions for their early redress. Operations, policy and legal members of FBR’s Inland Revenue wing also attended the meeting and took part in detailed deliberations. Appreciating the consultative role of the tax bar associations, the chairman s... -
Dawn - 02:47 Feb 28, 2026
• LHC says absence of record undermines transparency • Law officer hints at review mechanism for offloading LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that immigration authorities must record and communicate written reasons in every case where a passenger is offloaded from an international flight, holding that such action, though preventive, must comply with constitutional safeguards of due process. Justice Raheel Kamran announced the judgment while deciding two identical petitions filed by Muhammad Soban and Ali Raza against the federal government. The petitioners were offloaded on Dec 24, 2025, from the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, while attempting to travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on valid visit visas. They contended that they possessed valid passports, return tickets, confirmed hotel bookings, and that no criminal case, blacklist order or placement on the Exit Control List (ECL) existed against them. Through their counsel, they argued that the offloading was arbitrary, unlawful and ... -
Dawn - 02:39 Feb 28, 2026
• Qatar, Saudi Arabia lead diplomatic scramble; Iran offers to facilitate talks • Trump ‘refuses’ to intervene because of ‘fondness’ for Pakistan • UN, China, Russia, UK call for immediate ceasefire ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said on Friday they were willing to negotiate after Pakistan unleashed air strikes on major Afghan cities, killing dozens in the most serious clashes between the allies-turned-foes, which Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described as an “open war”. The Afghan Taliban, who claimed to have launched “retaliatory attacks” over strikes against terrorists’ hideouts last weekend, said on Friday that they were “ready for dialogue”. “Afghanistan… has always preferred to resolve issues based on mutual understanding and respect,” the Afghan foreign ministry quoted Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as telling Qatar’s junior Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalifi by telephone. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid echoed that sentiment, saying “now also we want to resolve th... -
Dawn - 19:20 Feb 27, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The upper House of Parliament on Friday passed a bill for regulating virtual assets as well as the ‘establishment’ of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) — a body already set up under an ordinance approved by the president in July last year. The development comes as the ordinance was set to lapse in early March. The rules were suspended in the Senate to take up the bill, which was moved by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, for immediate consideration. The preamble of the bill, a copy of which is available with Dawn, stated that it was expedient to establish a dedicated virtual assets regulatory authority to licence, regulate and supervise virtual assets and virtual asset service providers to “ensure investor protection, transparency and market integrity in Pakistan”. It further stated that it was necessary to provide a comprehensive legal framework to empower the said authority to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing and other illicit activit... -
Dawn - 18:27 Feb 27, 2026
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday again suspended the victory notification of PPP’s Ali Hassan Zehri, who contested the Balochistan Assembly PB-21 Hub constituency in the Feb 8, 2024, general elections. The development comes a day after the electoral watchdog had declared Zehri the winner of PB-21. “Pursuant to the order passed by the Islamabad High Court, Islamabad dated 26th February, 2026 […] whereby Mr. Ali Hassan Zehri was declared returned candidate from PB-21 Hub, are hereby suspended, till further orders,” said a notification by the ECP released on Friday. The recounting saga Originally, Balochistan Awami Party’s (BAP) Muhammad Saleh Bhootani, who had secured more than double the votes obtained by Zehri, was declared the winner in the constituency. But, a recount at 39 polling stations two months after the Feb 8, 2024, general elections led to Zehri being declared the winner. While the original count had not even declared him the runner-up, the recount not only got him the top spot b... -
Dawn - 17:56 Feb 27, 2026
ISLAMABAD: After Afghan Taliban forces used “rudimentary drones” to target various parts of the country, a ban has been imposed on flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of any kind across the country. The development comes as several ‘drone attacks’ were reported from across part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Subsequently, during his press briefing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that Afghan forces attempted to use “rudimentary drones” to attack areas like Swabi and Abbottabad. “However, the anti-drone system over there and the effective deployment took them out,” he said. According to local reports, at least six people were injured in three drone attacks in Bannu, Swabi and Abbotabad. In Bannu, a mosque in the Mirbaz Barkazai area was targeted by a quadcopter around Iftar, leaving five worshippers injured. The attack occurred in the evening, while people were inside the mosque breaking their fast. The incident in Swabi, which occurred near a girls’ school, was one ... -
Dawn - 17:46 Feb 27, 2026
Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks smashed 44 off 16 balls to take England to a thrilling four-wicket T20 World Cup win in Colombo that denied New Zealand a guaranteed place in the semi-finals but kept Pakistan’s slender hopes alive. New Zealand would have joined England in the knockouts with a win in their final Super Eights match and they scored 159-6 after opting to bat. England lost wickets early and looked like they would be squeezed out at 117-6, needing 43 from the last three overs. But Ahmed and Jacks took 22 off the 18th over from Glenn Phillips to turn the match on its head. Ahmed blasted 19 off seven balls in his first T20 World Cup match alongside Jacks, who made an unbeaten 32 off 18, to see England to 161-6 with three balls to spare. England will move on to a semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday against either India or the West Indies, who clash on Sunday to decide the final semi-final berth. New Zealand now have to wait on the outcome of Saturday’s clash between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Kandy to know if t... -
Dawn - 17:07 Feb 27, 2026
The UN nuclear watchdog issued a confidential report on Friday urging Iran to let it inspect all its nuclear sites and pointing at Isfahan as a place of interest because of a new enrichment plant and near-bomb-grade uranium that was stored there. The report was sent to members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ahead of a quarterly meeting next week of its 35-country board, amid nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, the latest round of which was held on Thursday with no breakthrough. Like previous IAEA reports, it could be used by Washington to support its argument that Tehran has not been transparent about its nuclear activities, at a time when US President Donald Trump has massed forces in the region and threatened new military action. The United States and Israel bombed Iranian nuclear sites last June, and Iran has since refused to show what happened to its stockpile of highly enriched uranium or allow IAEA inspectors access to sites where enrichment took place. “While the Agency ... -
Dawn - 16:39 Feb 27, 2026
LAHORE: A judicial magistrate at the district courts on Friday dismissed the post-arrest bail petition of a Canadian national pursuing doctoral research in Pakistan in a cybercrime case. Magistrate Naeem Wattoo announced the decision while hearing the bail plea of Hamza Ahmad Khan, after arguments from the prosecution and defence. Khan was booked by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for targeting state institutions and leadership through “disseminating misinformation and disinformation” under sections 20 (offences against the dignity of a natural person), 24 (cyber stalking) and 26A (spoofing) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. During the proceedings, the investigating officer (IO) told the court that the suspect had been uploading “derogatory posts against the state functionaries and state institutions with the intention to harm the reputation of the state functionaries”. On behalf of the petitioner, Advocate Asad Jamal argued that the suspect had been falsely implicated in the c... -
Dawn - 16:11 Feb 27, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday underscored Pakistan’s resolve to provide a secure environment for Chinese personnel and investments in the country, according to a handout by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The development comes after Pakistan’s security forces launched an operation, dubbed Ghazab lil-Haq, against the Afghan Taliban after the latter launched unprovoked attacks along the border between both countries on Thursday. According to the PMO handout, PM Shehbaz held a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong at the Prime Minister’s House. During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, agreeing to maintain close coordination and consultation to contribute to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond. The statement said that PM Shehbaz underscored Pakistan’s resolve to “provide a secure and conducive environment for Chinese personnel, investments, and institutions in Pakistan“. During the meeting, the pr... -
Dawn - 16:06 Feb 27, 2026
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday that the Afghan Taliban had to choose between standing with Pakistan or with terrorist organisations. “I want to make one thing clear: the oppressive Afghan Taliban regime has to make a clear choice. The choice is to choose between Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Baloch Liberation Army, Daesh, Al Qaeda, the terrorists and terrorist organisations and Pakistan,” he said while giving a briefing on security forces’ response to unprovoked aggression by the Afghan Taliban on Thursday. “They have to make this choice. It has been made clear by the government of Pakistan. It is not something new I am saying … They have to make this choice. Whether they choose terrorists and terrorism or Pakistan. We are clear … Let it be known that our choice is absolutely clear. It will always be Pakistan over everything,” he said. “The Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan have never hesitated in making any sacrifice f... -
Dawn - 14:56 Feb 27, 2026
The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday warned that any further provocation by the Afghan Taliban regime and terrorist groups “will be met with a measured, decisive and befitting response”. The statement came in the aftermath of Pakistan launching Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban after “unprovoked firing” from across the border overnight. In its statement, the FO said that Pakistan’s actions came in response to “repeated terrorist attacks by Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan against Pakistan emanating from Afghan soil, as well as the latest unwarranted and provocative actions by the Taliban regime”. 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. It said that the armed forces carried out “precise operations, inflicting heavy losses on terrorist outfits and targeting their logistical support bases in Afghanistan” on the n... -
Dawn - 14:38 Feb 27, 2026
India revived their T20 World Cup campaign with their “fearless” brand of cricket ahead of a winner-takes-all decider against the West Indies for the last semi-final berth. Hot favourites to defend their title on home soil, India thrashed Zimbabwe by 72 runs in Chennai on Thursday to bounce back from their heavy defeat against South Africa in their Super Eights opener. India’s batting, led by opener Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 55 and an unbeaten 50 by Hardik Pandya, piled up 256-4, the second-highest total in the history of the tournament. In a brutal show of power hitting, the Indian batters demolished the opposition bowling with 17 sixes and 17 fours at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. India face the West Indies, who went down to South Africa by nine wickets, in Kolkata on Sunday to decide the second semi-finalist from Group 1. “We want to play fearless cricket, the brand of cricket we played today and we played since last year,” batter Tilak Varma said. “The same intent we want to keep in the next game as we... -
Dawn - 14:34 Feb 27, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The upper house of Parliament on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution that condemned the unprovoked aggression by the Afghan Taliban, and demanded that the neighbouring country immediately cease all hostile actions and prevent the use of its soil for terrorism or aggression against Pakistan The House, through the resolution moved by PPP Parliamentary Leader Sherry Rehman, condemned the recent unprovoked aggression and hostile cross-border actions from Afghanistan, describing them as blatant violations of international law, established diplomatic norms, and the principles of peaceful neighbourly relations. The Senate declared that any attempt to challenge the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or national security of Pakistan constituted a direct affront to the dignity of the nation and would be met with a firm, proportionate, and decisive response. “For over forty years, Pakistan has borne extraordinary economic, social, and security burdens in hosting millions of Afghan nationals, extending hu... -
Dawn - 14:32 Feb 27, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The prices of all petroleum products were estimated to increase by Rs4.50 to Rs7 per litre on Saturday for the next fortnight ending March 15, owing to a slight upward trend in the international market. Official sources said the benchmark crude prices had slightly moved up this week in view of regional tensions. Therefore, the price of all products, including petrol, high speed diesel (HSD), kerosene and light diesel oil (LDO) were inching up and set to significantly impact the pricing pattern on February 28 for the following fortnight. Based on existing tax rates, the sources said the ex-depot prices of petrol, HSD, LDO and kerosene had been estimated to go up by about Rs4.50 per litre, Rs4.70, Rs7, and Rs5 per litre, respectively, depending on final calculations on Saturday. The ex-depot petrol price set by the government currently stands at Rs258.17 per litre but is sold at more than Rs259.30 per litre at retail stations. The official prices for HSD currently stands at Rs275.70 but is sold in th... -
Dawn - 12:56 Feb 27, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday visited General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where the military leadership gave him a “detailed briefing” on the situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The development comes after Pakistan’s security forces launched an operation, dubbed Ghazab lil-Haq, against the Afghan Taliban after it launched unprovoked attacks along the border between both countries on Thursday. According to a handout by the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Shehbaz said that zero tolerance should be adopted against the nexus between the Afghan Taliban and Fitna al Khwarij and its malicious actions. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) “The actions of the Afghan Taliban regime and Fitna al Khawarij against Pakistan are unacceptable,” he said. He added that the country’s armed forces, under the leadership of Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir, were always ready to defend the country. “Pakistan knows how to defend itself agai... -
Dawn - 12:23 Feb 27, 2026
Multiple Indian and Afghan users on social media platform X shared visuals on February 27, claiming that Afghan forces shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet amid the current conflict between the two countries. However, the visuals are doctored. The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is false. To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan analysed the visuals for discrepancies, verified aircraft serial records and ran the content through multiple AI-detection tools. Multiple Indian and Afghan users on social media platform X shared visuals on February 27, claiming that Afghan forces shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet amid the current conflict between the two countries. However, the visuals are doctored. Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban, after the neighbouring country opened fire on multiple locations across the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on February 26. Authorities in Kabul had called it a response to Pakistani strikes against terrori...
10444 items