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Dawn - 02:38 Feb 23, 2026
THE recent appointment of a chief election commissioner for Azad Jammu & Kashmir has once again shone a spotlight on the continuing delay in the appointment of a new CEC for the Election Commission of Pakistan. While the appointment was made more than a year after the office fell vacant, and uncomfortably close to general elections in the territory scheduled for July this year, the AJK process shows that constitutional offices can be filled smoothly when the state recognises its responsibility. It also raises the question: why has the federal government failed to do the same? Sikandar Sultan Raja’s five-year term expired on Jan 26, 2025. Although the 26th Constitutional Amendment allows an incumbent to continue until a successor is appointed, this provision was ostensibly aimed at preventing disruption in the ECP’s important functions, not justify prolonged inaction. Article 215(4) of the Constitution envisages that such vacancies should be filled within 45 days. That deadline passed about a year ago. The con... -
Dawn - 18:58 Feb 22, 2026
South Africa ended India’s 12-match winning streak at the T20 World Cup with a crushing 76-run win in Ahmedabad on Sunday in the opening Group 1 Super Eights match. After a counter-attacking 63 by David Miller and some late hitting from Tristan Stubbs took South Africa to 187-7, the defending champions were all out for 111 in 18.5 overs, failing badly in their first chase of the tournament. Left-arm quick Marco Jansen finished with 4-22, while left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took 3-24 as the South African bowlers exposed India’s fragile batting line-up. “Great performance. Very different type of wicket to what we’ve had here, so great to see the boys assess that pretty early and adapt their skills to execute their plans,” said South Africa captain Aiden Markram. “We’re really pumped for the bowling group. They’ve been working hard, started the comp a bit tough, but the way they rocked up tonight was a great effort.” Hot favourites to defend their crown on home soil, India will need to win their two remaining ... -
Dawn - 18:46 Feb 22, 2026
A senior Hamas official told AFP on Sunday that the group was in the final phase of selecting a new leader, with two prominent figures competing for the position. Hamas recently completed the formation of a new Shura Council of more than 80 members, a consultative body largely composed of religious scholars, as well as a new 18-member political bureau, the official said. Since Tel Aviv’s war on Gaza began on October 7, 2023, in response to Hamas’ attack on Israel, Israeli forces have killed several Hamas leaders, including two former chiefs. The country has also killed more than 70,000 Palestinians. “The movement has completed its internal elections in the three regions and has reached the final stage of selecting the head of the political bureau,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak publicly. He said the race for the group’s leadership was now between Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya. A second Hamas source confirmed the development, while a third source s... -
Dawn - 18:25 Feb 22, 2026
Ramazan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, focusing on prayer, charity and deepening their connection with the Almighty. Homes and mosques come alive with pre-dawn meals (sehri) and the evening ritual of breaking the fast. Across Pakistan, communal iftars bring people together, as neighbours, friends and even strangers share meals to end the day’s fast. Held in mosques, community centres and public spaces, these gatherings are about more than just food, as they nurture unity, strengthen bonds, and foster a sense of togetherness. They also create spaces for conversation, understanding and generosity, embodying the spirit of the holy month. Photographs from cities across Pakistan capture these quiet, meaningful moments: prayers in reflection, the preparation of iftar, the laughter and chatter around shared tables, and the calm anticipation as the sun sets. Together, they paint a picture of Ramazan as a time of patience, gratitude, humility and spiritual re... -
Dawn - 18:23 Feb 22, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police have arrested 588 professional beggars this year as part of an ongoing drive against organised begging networks, registering cases under the Prevention of Beggary Act. Under the special directions of Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, police have continued comprehensive operations against professional beggars and their facilitators in the federal capital, according to a press release. Acting on these instructions, legal action is also being taken against professional beggars who harass citizens on roads, intersections, markets, and commercial areas. “Facilitators and contractors who provide transportation and logistical support to beggars are being identified through Safe City surveillance cameras and human intelligence,” the release said. “During the ongoing year, police arrested 588 professional beggars and registered cases against them under the Islamabad Prevention of Beggary Act.” Additionally, legal action is also being taken against parents who... -
Dawn - 18:03 Feb 22, 2026
SHABQADAR: Four people, including a father and son, were killed and several others injured when gunfire broke out during taraweeh prayers at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district on Sunday, police and local sources said. According to local sources, the firing occurred during prayers at the Aldadkhel Mosque in the Battagram area of Shabqadar tehsil, Charsadda district, and started in front of worshippers inside the mosque. The incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute between two parties, sources said. Those killed from the first party were identified as Parvez, son of Mehrdal, and Inayat, son of Jan Muhammad, while from the second party, Ayaz, son of Torsam, and Zakir Ayaz, residents of Aldadkhel in the Battagram area of Shabqadar tehsil, were killed. After receiving information about the incident, Rescue 1122 Shabqadar sent ambulances to the scene and transported the deceased and injured to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Shabqadar, a statement from the rescue team said. Meanwhile, police said a... -
Dawn - 18:01 Feb 22, 2026
Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan killed “more than 80 terrorists,” security sources said on Sunday, in a retaliatory operation against groups responsible for recent suicide bombings in Pakistan. Pakistan struck seven “terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to Pakistani Taliban of [Fitna al Khwarij] and its affiliates and [the Islamic State-Khorasan Province] at the border region of Pakistan-Afghanistan border,” the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced in a post early Sunday on the social media platform X. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Security sources said late Sunday evening that, “Last night, Pakistan’s intelligence-based airstrikes destroyed seven centres of Fitna al-Khawarij TTP in three provinces of Nangarhar, Paktika and Khost, in which more than eighty Khawarij have been confirmed killed, while more are expected.” They added that the centres targeted included “New Centre No. 1 and New Centre No. 2 in ... -
Dawn - 17:09 Feb 22, 2026
Iran agreed a secret 500 million euro ($589 million) arms deal with Russia to acquire thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. The agreement, signed in Moscow in December, commits Russia to deliver 500 man-portable “Verba” launch units and 2,500 “9M336” missiles over three years, the FT said, citing leaked Russian documents seen by the FT and several people familiar with the deal. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Under the deal, the deliveries are scheduled in three tranches, running from 2027 through 2029, the FT said. The deal was negotiated between Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Moscow representative of Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), the FT claimed. Tehran formally requested the systems last July, according to a contract seen by the FT. In June last year, US forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites as the country joined Israel’s military campaign against Iran. President Donald Trump said... -
Dawn - 16:13 Feb 22, 2026
Israeli Olympic officials have disqualified Israel’s four-man bobsleigh team from finishing their event today, Times of Israel reported on Sunday. The Olympic Committee of Israel told the publication that it has prevented the country’s four-man bobsleigh team from taking part in today’s competition after one athlete provided false information to officials to let teammate Ward Fawarseh compete in his place. Per the report, Israel had raced on Saturday with Adam Edelman, Menachem Chen, Uri Zisman, and Omer Katz. Although the team was originally scheduled to compete this morning with Edelman, Chen, Fawarseh, and Katz, the disqualification has halted their participation. Fawarseh would have become Israel’s first Druze Olympian had he competed, but he arrived at the Games as an alternate and was only permitted to race if another team member was unwell. “The bobsleigh team asked to include Ward, the substitute, in the competition. According to the rules, this is only permitted if one of the athletes is injured or i... -
Dawn - 16:00 Feb 22, 2026
The US Secret Service said on Sunday that its agents had shot and killed an armed man who breached the security perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump was in Washington at the time of the incident, which officials said happened around 1:30 am (11:30am PKT). Secret Service agents fired at a man after they saw him “unlawfully entering the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago early this morning,” agency spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a post on X. The suspect, a man in his early 20s, “was observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can,” the agency said in a statement. Agents confronted the man and fired shots. No US officers were injured, the agency said that no “Secret Service protectees” were present in Mar-a-Lago at the time. The individual was pronounced deceased. “The only words that we said to him were drop the items, which means the gas can and the shotgun,” Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told reporters. ... -
Dawn - 15:15 Feb 22, 2026
The Ministry of Finance on Sunday dismissed claims that Pakistan was paying up to eight per cent interest on external loans as “misleading,” clarifying that public external debt interest outflows rose by 80.4 per cent between fiscal years 2022 and 2025, not 84pc. The ministry issued a clarification in response to “recent press commentary” on Pakistan’s external debt, saying the figures cited needed context to provide an “accurate and comprehensive understanding” of the country’s debt and interest payments. “Pakistan’s total external debt and liabilities currently stand at $138 billion. This figure, however, encompasses a broad range of obligations, including public and publicly guaranteed debt, debt of public sector enterprises (both guaranteed and non-guaranteed), bank borrowings, private-sector external debt, and intercompany liabilities to direct investors,” the statement said. “It is therefore important to distinguish this aggregate figure from external public (government) debt, which amounts to approxima... -
Dawn - 14:55 Feb 22, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on Sunday launched a broadside against the government, terming its national and foreign policies “flawed”, criticising its economic performance and governance decisions, and warning that the country was facing irreversible damage. The leaders, including Taimur Khan Jhagra, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai and others, were speaking at a press conference in Islamabad. Jhagra alleged that the government’s claims of economic recovery were incorrect and claimed that the government “lacked a plan to improve the country’s economic situation.” Referring to recently released national poverty statistics, he said that in 2018, as much as 22 per cent of the population was living below the poverty line, but that figure had now risen to 29pc. “Over the past 11 years, not only has poverty increased, but the gap between the rich and the poor has further widened, reaching a poverty level of 32.7pc,” he said. Jhagra alleged ... -
Dawn - 14:14 Feb 22, 2026
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Bannu said on Sunday it had thwarted a militant attack, adding that a detained commander of a banned outfit was killed in an exchange of fire, according to a press release. The investigation team was transporting a “recently arrested, highly wanted terrorist commander, Osama alias Baghi”, to identify the site of the attack on Assistant Commissioner Miranshah Shah Wali Khan, when his accomplices opened indiscriminate fire on the convoy, attempting to release him, the release said. “A fierce exchange of fire followed, during which Osama was killed by gunfire from his own associates,” it added. The CTD team’s armoured personnel carrier (APC) was also hit, but no personnel were injured. The gun battle reportedly lasted around 40 minutes, it added. It stated that the assault was aimed at freeing the detained commander during a crime-scene visit. “In the retaliatory action by CTD’s Special Weapons and Tactical (SWAT) team, another terrorist was also killed. He was identifie... -
Dawn - 13:51 Feb 22, 2026
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Sunday assailed the PPP-led Sindh government for moving a resolution in the provincial assembly against the creation of any new province, terming it “unconstitutional”. On Saturday, the Sindh Assembly on Saturday passed a resolution declaring Karachi an “inseparable part” of the province and opposing any move that suggested otherwise. Subsequently, on Sunday, MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui — flanked by Farooq Sattar, Mustafa Kamal and Senator Faisal Subzwari — addressed a press conference in Karachi on the development. “Yesterday, a resolution against the Constitution of Pakistan was passed by one assembly of Pakistan,” Siddiqui said at the outset of his speech. “A province had carried itself as if it were a separate country,” Siddiqui, also the federal education minister, said while referring to Sindh. The MQM-P leader asked the public and the “intellectuals” of Sindh whether any province could pass a resolution that “went against the Constitution”. “This ... -
Dawn - 12:44 Feb 22, 2026
The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) announced that it would issue Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) to those seeking first-time registration without a birth certificate, a statement said on Sunday. The time-bound facility for first-time registration would be valid until December 31, 2026, and would be subject to strict verification conditions. “This facilitation has been approved under Section 5(1)(b) and Section 20 of the Nadra Ordinance, 2000, read with Rule 8 of the Nadra NIC Rules, 2002, which permit alternative verification mechanisms in specified categories”, the statement said. It added that the CNIC issuance under this framework would be allowed only where identity was established through NADRA’s existing records and mandatory biometric verification of already registered immediate family members. Per the statement, for a married woman aged 18 years or above, a valid local government Nikah Nama, a valid CNIC or National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) of ei... -
Dawn - 11:16 Feb 22, 2026
King Charles III has been left wrestling with a new test after the arrest of his brother Andrew, the latest in a series of painful personal shocks to mar his reign. “Charles has, since coming to the throne in September 2022, been battered by a succession of difficulties and crises, whether it’s in relation to his second son, Harry … his health, the health of Catherine, or the very disruptive figure of Andrew,” royal commentator Ed Owens told AFP. After decades waiting in the wings, Charles became king in September 2022 on the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had reigned for 70 years and commanded deep public affection and respect. His coronation on May 6, 2023 was rich in pageantry, projecting continuity and tradition. Yet trouble stirred even before the crown was placed on his head. In January 2023, his youngest son Harry released his explosive memoir Spare, launching repeated attacks on the royal family and airing private disputes lapped up by a global audience. Living in California with his wif... -
Dawn - 10:59 Feb 22, 2026
Greenland does not need medical assistance from other countries, Denmark’s defence minister said on Sunday, after United States President Donald Trump claimed he was sending a hospital ship to the autonomous Danish territory that he covets. “The Greenlandic population receives the healthcare it needs. They receive it either in Greenland, or, if they require specialised treatment, they receive it in Denmark. So it’s not as if there’s a need for a special healthcare initiative in Greenland,” Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told Danish broadcaster DR. Lund Poulsen told DR he was not aware of the hospital ship’s possible arrival. “Trump is constantly tweeting about Greenland. So this is undoubtedly an expression of the new normal that has taken hold in international politics,” he said. In a social media post, Trump had said the boat would treat many “sick” people in Greenland, without providing any details on who he was referring to or the number of people the vessel would help. “We are going to send a great... -
Dawn - 10:45 Feb 22, 2026
KARACHI: Central Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Imran Khan on Sunday ordered the suspension of five cops for their alleged involvement in the custodial torture of a man at the city’s Sharifabad police station. According to a statement issued by the Sindh Police’s Central District branch, SSP Imran took serious notice of the alleged incident and issued directives for the five cops to be suspended. The statement noted that an initial inquiry was conducted by the Liaquatabad sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) on the orders of the Central SSP. According to the probe, four personnel of Sindh Police’s Shaheen Force and a sentry of the Sharifabad police station were found to be involved in the torture. “All five personnel were immediately suspended and the [case] was closed, while further departmental inquiry is under way,” the Central District police statement read. “Further departmental action will be taken after the inquiry has been completed,” it added. SSP Imran warned, “Unlawful and unethical behav... -
Dawn - 09:53 Feb 22, 2026
KARACHI: A 15-year-old boy lost his life while four people were injured after a fire erupted following an explosion in a residential building in Karachi’s North Nazimabad area on Sunday, according to police and rescue officials. Rescue-1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn that the explosion took place on the top floor of Bismillah Residency near Hyderi Market in Block-E of North Nazimabad at Sehri time. The sound of the explosion was heard miles away. He said that two flats caught fire as a result of the explosion, leading to the death of a 15-year-old, while another four people were injured. As per the spokesperson, the fire was brought under control, and the team had completed cooling operations. Earlier, the spokesperson said that four fire tenders were being employed to extinguish the fire, while a snorkel had also been called. He added that the exact nature of the explosion would be ascertained after the fire was brought under control, but said that it could be a gas-related explosion. Meanw... -
Dawn - 09:36 Feb 22, 2026
US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Saturday that President Donald Trump is questioning why Iran has not “capitulated” in the face of Washington’s military build-up aimed at pressuring them into a nuclear deal. The United States and Iran this week resumed Oman-mediated talks in Geneva aimed at averting the possibility of military action, after Washington dispatched two aircraft carriers, jets and weaponry to the region to back its warnings. In a Fox News interview with Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara, Witkoff said the president was “curious” about Iran’s position after he had warned them of severe consequences in the event they failed to strike a deal. “I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated’, because he understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he’s curious as to why they haven’t… I don’t want to use the word ‘capitulated’, but why they haven’t capitulated,” he said. “Why, under this pressure, with the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven’t they come to us and said, ‘We profess we don’t wa...
7934 items