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Dawn - 10:39 Jan 16, 2026
After a months-long delay, Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai was appointed leader of the opposition in the National Assembly on Friday. Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan had named Achakzai for the opposition leader’s slot in the NA in August last year. The notification, seen by Dawn, read: “Honourable Speaker has been pleased to declare Mr Mehmood Khan Achakzai, member of the National Assembly, as leader of the opposition in the NA, with effect from January 16, 2026.” “The notification has been issued under Rule 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007,” said a statement issued by the National Assembly Secretariat. Notification by the NA Secretariat declaring Achakzai as the opposition leader in NA. — Photo via author Prior to the notification being issued, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq summoned PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Chief Whip Amir Dogar to his chambers, stating that he had a “notification to give” them. “Come to my ch... -
Dawn - 10:22 Jan 16, 2026
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday withdrew the schedule for local government polls in Islamabad. The development came after the promulgation of an ordinance that changed the structure of local government and the mode of elections in the federal capital. On Monday, President Asif Ali Zardari approved the ordinance, which introduces several amendments to the Local Government Act 2015. Besides replacing the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) with three town corporations, the ordinance gives the government-appointed administrator more powers and an indefinite tenure. The statement issued by the ECP today stated that since “the structure of Local Governments and mode of Local Government Elections in Islamabad Capital Territory have been changed” after the “promulgation” of the local body ordinance, the schedule issued earlier is being withdrawn. Thousands of people from all 125 Union Councils of the federal capital had already submitted nomination papers for the elections. Meanwhile, the or... -
Dawn - 07:45 Jan 16, 2026
LAHORE: Bushra Bibi’s daughter has moved the Lahore High Court (LHC), requesting to be allowed a meeting with her mother in Adiala Jail, it emerged on Friday. Bushra is serving a seven-year sentence in the £190 million corruption case. She was recently sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment in the Toshakhana 2 case, which revolved around the purchase of an expensive jewelry set gifted to ex-premier Imran Khan by the Saudi crown prince during his May 2021 visit. Bushra’s daughter, Mubashra Khawar Maneka, filed the petition through LHC Bar President Asif Niswana under Article 199 of the Constitution. The petition, a copy of which is available with Dawn, named the Punjab government, via the home department secretary, the provincial inspector general of prisons, and the superintendent of Adiala jail as respondents. It said that Maneka was a “law-abiding citizen of Pakistan” as well as the real biological daughter of Bushra Bibi, and was “aggrieved” by the “unlawful, arbitrary, and unjustified refusal of the jail au... -
Dawn - 07:44 Jan 16, 2026
ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad district and sessions court on Friday issued directions to law enforcement authorities to arrest lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, “within 24 hours”, warning them of contempt in case of non-compliance. Mazari and Chattha have been facing legal proceedings in a case on accusations of inciting divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts and creating the impression that the armed forces were engaged in terrorism within the country. During today’s hearing, Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka issued strict orders to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Islamabad, Jawad Tariq, to arrest Mazari and her husband within 24 hours. “Take them from Pakistan, India or Afghanistan. You have 24 hours. I don’t know whether they are at sea or in the sky. Wherever they are, arrest Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha within 24 hours, otherwise contempt of court proceedings will be initiated,” the judge remarked during the heari... -
Dawn - 07:15 Jan 16, 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was backing the newly appointed “Palestinian Technocratic Government” in Gaza, where Washington has announced the launch of a second phase in a ceasefire that went into effect in October but remains fragile. “I am backing a newly appointed Palestinian Technocratic Government, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, supported by the Board’s High Representative, to govern Gaza during its transition,” Trump said on social media. Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas signed off in October on Trump’s plan, which says the Palestinian technocratic body will be overseen by an international so-called “Board of Peace” that is meant to supervise Gaza’s governance for a transitional period. In another post, Trump said the “Board of Peace,” of which Trump himself is the chair, was formed, and its members would be announced shortly. Israel and Hamas have accused each other of ceasefire violations in Gaza, where, since the start of the truce in October, over 440 ... -
Dawn - 06:03 Jan 16, 2026
Pakistan has told the UN Security Council that it hopes for an early normalisation of the situation in Iran, warning that the UN Charter and international law prohibit external interference in the internal affairs of states. “The UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against other states’ territorial integrity or political independence, or interference in matters essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of states,” Ambassador Asim Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, told an emergency meeting of the 15-member Council on Thursday evening. The United States convened the Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in Iran, with the country’s Ambassador Mike Waltz criticising the actions taken against Iranian protesters and assuring them of President Donald Trump’s support. In his remarks, the Pakistani envoy said, “We have been carefully observing developments in Iran and the region in recent days,” pointing out that new threats to regional peace and stability remain a seriou... -
Dawn - 06:02 Jan 16, 2026
WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged United States President Donald Trump to delay any American military strike on Iran, according to a report by The New York Times, a development that highlights growing regional unease over the risk of a wider conflict. Netanyahu spoke to President Trump on Thursday, the same day the US president publicly suggested that Tehran had eased its internal crackdown and halted executions, citing information from “very important sources on the other side”, remarks that were widely read in Washington as a signal of hesitation about imminent military action, the report said. The Israeli leader’s intervention comes as several key Arab partners of the US have also pressed the Trump administration to avoid an attack on Iran, warning that such a move could trigger a broader regional war, according to a senior official from a Gulf Arab country cited by the newspaper. Officials from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt have contacted senior US officials over the pa... -
Dawn - 05:33 Jan 16, 2026
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump on Thursday during a White House meeting, as she tries to gain some influence over how the president shapes the South American country’s political future. A White House official confirmed that Trump intends to keep the medal. In a social media post on Thursday evening, Trump wrote: “Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you Maria!” Machado, who described the meeting as “excellent,” said the gift was in recognition of what she called his commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people. Machado’s attempt to sway Trump came after he dismissed the idea of installing her as Venezuela’s leader to replace the deposed Nicolas Maduro. Trump openly campaigned for the prize before Machado was awarded it last month and complained bitterly when he was snubbed. Though Machado gave Trump the gold medal that honorees receive with... -
Dawn - 04:14 Jan 16, 2026
• Report claims Hibatullah Akhundzada ‘spooked’ by possibility of schism between his hardline base in the south, more pragmatic ministers in the capital • Zabihullah Mujahid ‘confirms’ existence of audio recording, but terms BBC claim ‘unfounded’ A STARK message from the Taliban supreme leader, warning of internal threats to the Islamic Emirate, has seemingly laid bare the long-speculated divide between Kandahar and Kabul, BBC News reported. An audio recording of a speech — delivered by Hibatullah Akhundzada at a seminary in Kandahar around a year ago — contains what some are interpreting as confirmation of differences among top Taliban leaders. In the leaked clip, obtained by the BBC, Akhundzada can be heard saying that internal disagreements could eventually bring them all down. According to the investigation by BBC Afghan, two distinct groups have emerged within the Afghan Taliban, each presenting competing visions for how Afghanistan should be governed. One is entirely loyal to the Akhundzada-led Ka... -
Dawn - 04:07 Jan 16, 2026
PESHAWAR: Bannu Cantonment once again came under a rocket attack after a projectile hit an under-construction house in the Defence Colony area on Friday. The rocket was fired from an unknown direction, resulting in a several-feet-deep crater and the collapse of the house’s ceiling. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. Earlier, on the night of December 31, 2025, Bannu Cantonment was also targeted in a rocket attack when a rocket landed in vacant houses near the CMH. While no loss of life occurred in that incident, property damage was reported. According to initial information, the same type of rocket was used in both attacks, which militants have named the “Al-Farooq 2”. Following the December 31 attack, the model of the fired rocket was also widely circulated on social media. Security agencies have launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident, while evidence is being collected from the site to determine the motives behind the attack and identify those responsible. In another incident, militan... -
Dawn - 02:43 Jan 16, 2026
KARACHI: The Ministry of Commerce has amended the Import Policy Order 2022, imposing a ban on the import of used cars under the “personal baggage scheme.” The ministry on Wednesday issued an SRO 61(I)/2006, which said that used cars would be imported only under the “transfer of residence and gift schemes.” Vehicles imported under the gift and transfer of residence schemes shall remain non-transferable for a period of one year from the date of importation, the SRO said. Vehicles imported under the transfer of residence scheme shall be from the same country in which the overseas Pakistani resides. The time frame for importing the vehicles has also been extended to 850 days from the previous 700 days from the date on which the Goods Declaration for the last import under this order was filed. Commerce ministry restricts import of second-hand vehicles to ‘gift’ and ‘transfer-of-residence’ schemes The SRO further stated that minimum safety and environmental standards and regulatory measures, as applicable to the co... -
Dawn - 18:19 Jan 15, 2026
The US on Thursday imposed sanctions on five Iranian officials it accused of being behind the crackdown on protests and said it was tracking Iranian leaders’ funds being wired to international banks, as President Donald Trump keeps the pressure on Tehran. The US Treasury Department in a statement said it imposed sanctions on the secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security as well as Islamic Revolutionary Guard corps and law enforcement forces commanders, accusing them of being architects of the crackdown. The US also imposed sanctions on Fardis Prison, where the State Department said women had “endured cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a video on Thursday said Washington’s message to Iran’s leaders was clear: “US Treasury knows, that like rats on a sinking ship, you are frantically wiring funds stolen from Iranian families to banks and financial institutions around the world. Rest assured, we will track them and you. “But there’s still time, if you choose... -
Dawn - 17:57 Jan 15, 2026
WASHINGTON: The Walt Disney Company has announced the creation of a new enterprise-wide marketing and brand organisation and named Pakistan-born executive Asad Ayaz as its first chief marketing and brand officer, a role that will place him among the most senior leaders at the global entertainment giant. Ayaz, who was born in Pakistan in 1978, is the son of a senior officer of the Pakistan Air Force. He spent part of his childhood in the Middle East when his father served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Syria and Lebanon, before immigrating with his family to the United States as a teenager. Disney said the new organisation is aimed at aligning marketing teams across its businesses more closely and strengthening how the company connects with consumers worldwide. In his new role, Ayaz will lead marketing and brand strategy across Disney’s studios, streaming platforms, theme parks and consumer products. Announcing the appointment, Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said the new role was critical at a time when ... -
Dawn - 17:56 Jan 15, 2026
The government on Thursday kept petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices unchanged at Rs253.17 per litre and Rs257.08 per litre respectively, for the coming fortnight, starting from January 16. This decision was notified in a press release issued by the Petroleum Division. Earlier, it was expected that the prices of all petroleum products would go down by up to Rs4.50 per litre (over 1pc each) today in view of variation in the international market. Petrol is primarily used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws, and two-wheelers, and directly impacts the budgets of the middle and lower-middle classes. Meanwhile, most of the transport sector runs on HSD. Its price is considered inflationary, as it is mostly used in heavy transport vehicles, trains, and agricultural engines such as trucks, buses, tractors, tube wells, and threshers, and particularly adds to the prices of vegetables and other eatables. -
Dawn - 16:29 Jan 15, 2026
WASHINGTON: The US State Department has clarified that applicants from Pakistan and 74 other countries, which are facing a suspension of immigrant visa processing, will be allowed to submit applications and attend scheduled interviews despite the freeze. However, no immigrant visas will be issued during the newly announced pause that takes effect on January 21. In a question-and-answer guidance released alongside the new policy, the department said that the suspension does not revoke any immigrant visas already issued, nor does it apply to tourist or other non-immigrant visas. Questions related to admission into the United States, it added, fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security. The guidance also states that dual nationals applying with a valid passport from a country not included on the affected list are exempt from the pause. Pakistan is among more the 75 countries whose nationals will be affected under the new measure, which the State Department said is part of a comprehensive ... -
Dawn - 15:50 Jan 15, 2026
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have prepared a draft defence agreement after nearly a year of talks, Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj confirmed on Wednesday. His confirmation follows a statement by the Turkish foreign minister about the potential deal earlier today. Harraj told Reuters the potential deal between the three countries was separate from a bilateral Saudi-Pakistani accord announced last year. A final consensus between the three states is needed to complete the deal, he said. “The Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Turkey trilateral agreement is something that is already in pipeline,” Harraj said in an interview. “The draft agreement is already available with us. The draft agreement is already with Saudi Arabia. The draft agreement is already available with Turkey. And all three countries are deliberating. And this agreement has been there for the last 10 months.” Asked at a press conference in Istanbul earlier today about media reports on negotiations between the three sides, Turkish Foreign M... -
Dawn - 15:35 Jan 15, 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi “seems very nice” but expressed uncertainty over whether Pahlavi would be able to muster support within Iran to eventually take over. In an exclusive Reuters interview in the Oval Office, Trump said there was a chance Iran’s government could collapse and blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the stalemate in negotiations with Russia over the war in Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in support of protesters in Iran. But he was reluctant on Wednesday to lend his full support to Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran, who was ousted from power in 1979. “He seems very nice, but I don’t know how he’d play within his own country,” Trump said. “And we really aren’t up to that point yet. I don’t know whether or not his country would accept his leadership, and certainly if they would, that would be fine with me.” Trump’s comments went further in questioning Pahlavi’s ability to lead Iran, after he... -
Dawn - 15:30 Jan 15, 2026
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The district administration and police on Thursday temporarily closed and evacuated Wana’s Rustam Bazaar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan, suspending commercial activities in the area as a precautionary measure after receiving credible information related to security threats. According to police officials, all shopkeepers and civilians present in the market were instructed to immediately leave the area, while business activities were completely halted as soon as information related to the potential threats was received. District Police Officer (DPO) South Waziristan Lower, Muhammad Tahir Shah, said that the law enforcement agencies had acted promptly upon receiving threat alerts. “Based on intelligence inputs regarding possible security risks, it was decided to temporarily shut down Wana Rustam Bazaar,” he stated, adding that adjoining areas were also cleared as part of the security plan. The DPO further said that additional contingents of police and security forces had been deployed... -
Dawn - 15:05 Jan 15, 2026
Security forces have killed 13 terrorists in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media affairs wing said on Thursday. A statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the operations were conducted on January 13-14, during which “Indian Proxy Fitna-al-Khawarij” were killed. Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term designated for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban by the state. The ISPR statement said one of the intelligence-based operations was carried out in KP’s Bannu district on the reported presence of terrorists. “During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the khawarij location and after an intense fire exchange, eight khawarij were sent to hell,” it added. ISPR further stated that another intelligence-based operation was conducted by security forces in KP’s Kurram district. “In the ensuing fire exchange, five khawarij were effectively neutralised,” it added. ISPR further stated that sanitisation operations were being conducted to “eliminate any other Indian-spons... -
Dawn - 13:58 Jan 15, 2026
President Asif Ali Zardari, who is on a four-day visit to Bahrain, highlighted on Thursday that Pakistan’s strategic geographic connectivity, linking South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Middle East, complemented the Gulf country’s financial expertise and regulatory framework. He expressed these views while addressing a reception at the headquarters of Bahrain’s Economic Development Board (EDB), which is an investment promotion agency, a statement by the President’s Office said. In his address, the president underscored Pakistan’s commitment to expanding economic cooperation, investment partnerships and institutional linkages with Bahrain, the statement said. He “noted that the Economic Development Board plays a central role in shaping Bahrain’s economic strategy, attracting foreign investment and supporting diversification across key sectors”. The president further observed that the board’s close coordination with government institutions and the private sector had helped Bahrain strengthen competitiveness...
10444 items