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  • Former cricket captains, including India’s Gavaskar and Kapil, issue humanitarian appeal for jailed Imran
    Dawn - 19:28 Feb 17, 2026
    Indian cricket greats Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev joined a dozen other former international captains on Tuesday in demanding better prison treatment for “one of the finest all-rounders” of the game, former prime minister Imran Khan. Cricketer-turned-politician Imran, 73, has been in jail since August 2023, convicted in a string of cases that he says were politically driven following his ouster in a 2022 parliamentary vote. Imran’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, told the Supreme Court last week that the former premier had lost a significant amount of vision in his right eye while in custody. On Monday, a medical board said the swelling had reduced after treatment, and his vision had improved. On Tuesday, former India captains Gavaskar and Kapil signed a petition expressing “deep concern” about Imran’s treatment and prison conditions. Former Australia captain Greg Chappell, his brother Ian Chappell and compatriots Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Belinda Clark and Kim Hughes have signed the petition. England’s Mike Atherton...
    Tags: Kapil Gavaskar Imran India
  • Tarique Rahman sworn in as Bangladesh’s PM after landslide election victory
    Dawn - 19:25 Feb 17, 2026
    Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister on Tuesday, marking a decisive political shift in the South Asian nation after his party’s sweeping parliamentary election victory. Rahman, 60, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and assassinated President Ziaur Rahman, takes office facing urgent challenges, including restoring political stability, rebuilding investor confidence, and reviving key industries such as the garment sector after the prolonged turmoil that followed the Gen Z-led uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024. An interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus ran the country through the transitional period leading up to the election. Breaking with tradition, the swearing-in ceremony was held under the open sky at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, the national parliament building, instead of the Bangabhaban, the president’s official residence, where such events are usually organised. President M...
    Tags: Bangladesh Tarique Rahman
  • PHC orders reopening of KP roads blocked by PTI supporters
    Dawn - 18:14 Feb 17, 2026
    PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday ordered the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and police to ensure the reopening of roads blocked by PTI supporters and protesters in recent days. The protesting PTI workers have blocked KP’s entry and exit points for the past five days, demanding that the federal government move incarcerated party founder Imran Khan from jail to a hospital for medical treatment. A two-member bench headed by Justice Ijaz Anwar and including Justice Farah Jamshed took up the set of petitions filed by MPA Sobia Shahid, lawyer Tariq Afghan, Swabi resident Yousaf Ali and Shaoor Khan. Upon the bench summoning them, KP Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah and Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel appeared in court. At the outset of the hearing, Justice Anwar inquired about how many days it had been since the roads were blocked. “The roads have been shut for the past three days. Initially, 14 points were blocked, and now protests are underway at six points...
  • TTAP sit-in continues for 5th day at Parliament House; meetings with Imran at Adiala jail still not allowed
    Dawn - 18:04 Feb 17, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: As the TTAP’s sit-in continued for the fifth day after the blocked routes to Parliament House were cleared, the alliance expressed hope on Tuesday that at least one family member of the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan or a party leader would be allowed to meet him today amid concerns about his health. The hope, however, did not materialise. In the afternoon, an X account of the PTI said that a vehicle carrying Imran’s sisters was stopped at the Chakri Interchange while on its way to the Adiala jail. Later, Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum also claimed in a post that “we were stopped at the Chakri police post by the police. When we informed them that we intended to leave and proceed to Islamabad, they unlawfully blocked us and detained us there for the next four hours”. “We have now been released and are on our way to Islamabad,” she added. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also sought to meet Imran today but were told by the Adiala jail administration tha...
    Tags: Parliament House TTAP Imran Adiala
  • Nepal sign off at T20 World Cup with win over Scotland
    Dawn - 17:51 Feb 17, 2026
    Dipendra Singh Airee hit an unbeaten 50 as Nepal saved their best for last to end their T20 World Cup campaign with a seven-wicket win over Scotland on Tuesday. Chasing 171 for victory, Nepal looked in trouble at 98-3 in the 14th over before Airee took the initiative in his 23-ball knock as his team achieved the target with four balls to spare in Mumbai. Airee put on 73 runs with Gulsan Jha, who made 24 not out, as Nepal earned their first win after three losses in Group C. Nepal’s fans erupted with joy at the Wankhede Stadium after seeing their team win for the first time in the tournament since 2014. “I want to thank the fans who came from Nepal and supported us, that gives a lot of motivation to all of us,” said player of the match Airee. “And in the last World Cup, we didn’t win a single match. So that’s why this win is very important for us.” It was Nepal’s first victory in the T20 World Cup since they beat Hong Kong and Afghanistan in the opening stage 12 years ago. Nepal had given England a mighty scar...
    Tags: T20 World Cup Scotland Nepal
  • Imran’s sisters, TTAP reject Naqvi’s account of events surrounding PTI founder’s medical examination
    Dawn - 17:42 Feb 17, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: Opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), as well as incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters, rejected on Tuesday an account detailed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi regarding the former prime minister’s medical examination. The TTAP particularly accused Naqvi of attempting to “distort” facts to “cover up the deteriorating health and treatment meted out to” the former prime minister. The allegations came in response to a press conference by Naqvi earlier in the day, who asserted that the government did not want to “politicise” the matter of PTI founder Imran Khan’s health and blamed the opposition for doing the same. The opposition, PTI and Imran’s family have voiced concerns over the former prime minister’s health after his eye ailment came to light late in January. Addressing the media in Lahore, Naqvi referred to the recent medical report prepared by a team of doctors who examined the jailed ex-premier on Sunday. “The medical report also came forward yesterday and ever...
    Tags: TTAP Naqvi Imran
  • Rainfall, hail lashes parts of Karachi
    Dawn - 16:00 Feb 17, 2026
    KARACHI: Four people were killed as rainfall, including hail, was reported in several areas of the metropolitan city on Tuesday. According to officials, multiple vehicle crashes occurred on the M9 motorway due to slippery roads. Motorways Police Additional Inspector General Munir Ahmad Shaikh told Dawn that six vehicles were involved in the incident as the M9 was slippery near DHA City in Gadap. He said that due to the slippery road, there was a chain of accidents involving a passenger bus, two trailers, a van, a dumper truck and a Mazda truck. He said that six injured people were shifted to the hospital. A spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation said that four of the injured succumbed to their injuries during treatment. He added that the bodies were moved to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for legal formalities. Rainfall accompanied by hail was reported in Gulistan-i-Johar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Askari IV and other parts of the city. According to the Met department data till 8pm, the highest amount of rainfall, 20.8 millime...
    Tags: Rainfall
  • Iran FM says agreed with US ‘on guiding principles’ for deal
    Dawn - 14:52 Feb 17, 2026
    Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday the latest talks with the United States saw them agree on “a set of guiding principles” that would pave the way for a deal. “Ultimately, we were able to reach broad agreement on a set of guiding principles, based on which we will move forward and begin working on the text of a potential agreement,” Araghchi told state TV. “I can say that, compared with the previous round, fully serious discussions were raised and the atmosphere was more constructive,” he added. Tehran and Washington held on Tuesday a second round of negotiations — which began earlier this month — after talks last year collapsed following Israel’s attack on Iran in June, which triggered a 12-day war. That war saw the United States briefly join Israel with strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites. The latest talks were held after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East following Iran’s deadly crackdown last month on anti-government protests, first sparked by economic ha...
    Tags: Iran
  • HRCP calls for judicial inquiry into deaths resulting from operations by Punjab’s Crime Control Department
    Dawn - 14:13 Feb 17, 2026
    LAHORE: A fact-finding report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for an urgent high-level judicial inquiry into deaths resulting from operations conducted by Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD), alleging that the department has adopted a “deliberate policy of staged police encounters leading to extrajudicial killings”. Last year, the Punjab government formally approved the establishment of the CCD to curb organised crime and protect life and property in the province. However, human rights advocates and civil society members have been voicing their concerns about the alleged encounters and the number of casualties. According to the HRCP, based on press accounts, at least 670 CCD-led encounters were carried out across Punjab over eight months in 2025. These operations reportedly resulted in the deaths of 924 suspects, while only two police officials were killed during the same timeframe, it said. The HRCP noted that the sharp disparity in casualties — averaging more than two fatal ...
    Tags: HRCP Punjab Crime Control Department
  • PM reaffirms Pakistan’s support for IAEA’s role in promoting responsible use of nuclear technology
    Dawn - 13:40 Feb 17, 2026
    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) role in the promotion of responsible use of nuclear technology during an official visit to Vienna. According to a handout issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday, PM Shehbaz met IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at the Vienna International Centre. “The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for IAEA’s role in the promotion of responsible use of nuclear technology in areas such as cancer diagnosis and treatment, agriculture, nuclear power generation and industrial applications,” the statement said. “He praised the strong partnership between Pakistan and the IAEA, while observing that Pakistan was not only a beneficiary of the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme but was also contributing to the work of the IAEA through the provision of its experts and conducting international trainings for IAEA member states,” the press release said. The handout added that the IAEA dire...
    Tags: Pakistan IAEA
  • How gastritis affects fasting during Ramazan, and what helps
    Dawn - 13:10 Feb 17, 2026
    For people living with gastritis or peptic ulcer disease, Ramazan fasting can require extra care. Common causes of this ailment include bacterial infection, smoking, long-term use of painkillers, overeating, and frequent consumption of spicy, fatty, or acidic foods. Symptoms often include stomach pain, heartburn, bloating, burping, acid reflux, and a burning or aching sensation in the upper abdomen. These symptoms tend to worsen when the stomach remains empty for long hours, making fasting during Ramazan particularly challenging for some individuals. What to consider during fasting Whether a person with gastritis or an ulcer can fast during Ramazan depends on the severity of the condition. Skipping meals, especially sehri, can significantly increase stomach acidity and should be avoided. Sehri should include slow-digesting carbohydrates to help sustain energy and reduce gastric irritation during fasting hours. If appetite is low, light but nourishing foods such as milk, dates, and sufficient water are recomme...
    Tags: Ramazan
  • Dar to visit New York for UNSC briefing on Palestine: FO
    Dawn - 13:05 Feb 17, 2026
    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit New York on February 18 to participate in a high-level United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on the situation in Palestine, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Tuesday. In a statement, the FO said that the meeting will be chaired by the United Kingdom’s foreign secretary as president of the UNSC. The statement said that during the briefing, Dar will reaffirm Pakistan’s “principled and consistent position on Palestine”. “He will reiterate Pakistan’s strong opposition of Israel’s recent illegal decisions to expand its control over the West Bank, emphasise the need for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, full implementation of Security Council resolution 2803, scaled-up humanitarian assistance, and the early commencement of Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction,” the statement said. “The deputy prime minister will also underscore Pakistan’s continued engagement with international and regional partners, including the group of eight Arab and Islamic cou...
    Tags: New York UNSC Palestine
  • Australia, Ireland out of T20 World Cup as Zimbabwe qualify after washout
    Dawn - 13:02 Feb 17, 2026
    The 2021 champions Australia were knocked out of the T20 World Cup on Tuesday, with Zimbabwe qualifying for the Super Eights after their match against Ireland was washed out without a ball being bowled in Kandy. Zimbabwe joined Sri Lanka as qualifiers from Group B and will move on to face the West Indies, India and South Africa in the next phase. Ireland were also eliminated. Persistent drizzle all day at the Pallekelle stadium kept the covers on and the umpires finally called it off at 5:30pm local time (1200 GMT) with no prospect of beginning the minimum five-over match before the 6:10pm cut-off time. Australia, who had been beaten by Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, needed an Ireland victory to keep their hopes alive. Zimbabwe are now on an unassailable five points with a game to still to come, while Ireland are third on three points. Australia, on two points, have one game remaining against Oman on Friday, but cannot overtake Zimbabwe. Australia had a shambolic build-up to the tournament They lost leading pace bow...
    Tags: T20 World Cup Ireland Zimbabwe Australia
  • 8 Muslim nations, including Pakistan, condemn Israeli move to claim West Bank land as ‘state property’
    Dawn - 12:51 Feb 17, 2026
    Eight Muslim countries, including Pakistan, on Tuesday condemned the Israeli move to claim land in the occupied West Bank as “state property”, saying that the step reflected an attempt to “impose a new legal and administrative reality designed to consolidate control over the occupied land”. Al Jazeera reported on Sunday that the Israeli government had 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 that states an occupying power cannot confiscate land in occupied territories. Israel’s foreign ministry claimed the measure, approved late on Sunday, would enable “transparent and thorough clarification of rights to resolve legal disputes” but the move drew strong condemnations from across the globe for its violation of international law. In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indones...
    Tags: Israeli Pakistan West Bank
  • Pakistani repatriated from India via Wagah border after spending 17 years in jail
    Dawn - 12:37 Feb 17, 2026
    LAHORE: A Pakistani national was repatriated to his home country from India on Tuesday after spending 17 years in jail on charges of spying. “Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Bhatti, a Pakistani citizen imprisoned in India, was repatriated to Pakistan via the Wagah-Attari border today,” Pakistan’s High Commission in India said in a post on X. Separately, an official told Dawn that Bhatti was a resident of Kasur and was handed a 17-year sentence by an Indian court after he was accused of spying for Pakistan. Quoting Indian media reports, he said Bhatti was arrested in August 2008 by police in Indian Punjab. While in custody, he was interrogated for living in India allegedly without legal documents, the official said, adding that the then-chief manager of the State Bank of India had filed a complaint against him in November 2008. “Subsequently, Bhatti was sentenced by a court and sent to jail on charges of spying. He spent nearly 17 years of his life in prison,” the official said. He further said that as Bhatti’s prison t...
    Tags: Pakistani India
  • Bangladesh’s new prime minister, political heir Tarique Rahman
    Dawn - 12:17 Feb 17, 2026
    Long overshadowed by his parents and heir to one of Bangladesh’s most powerful political dynasties, the country’s new prime minister, Tarique Rahman has finally stepped into the spotlight. At 60, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) takes charge of the South Asian nation of 170 million, driven by what he calls an ambition to “do better”. A year-and-a-half after the deadly uprising that toppled previous prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s iron-fisted rule, the BNP won a “sweeping victory” in parliamentary elections on February 12. He was sworn in on Tuesday, leading a more than two-thirds majority in parliament. “This victory belongs to people who aspire to and have sacrificed for democracy,” he said in a speech. His rise marks a remarkable turnaround for a man who only returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile in Britain, far from Dhaka’s political storms. Widely known as Tarique Zia, he carries a political name that has shaped every stage of his life. He was 15 when his father, Pr...
    Tags: Bangladesh Tarique Rahman
  • Fire at chemical factory in Karachi’s SITE area brought under control: Rescue 1122
    Dawn - 11:48 Feb 17, 2026
    KARACHI: A fire that broke out at a chemical factory in Karachi’s SITE on Tuesday was brought under control, Rescue 1122 said. In a statement, the Rescue 1122 spokesperson said the fire had been brought under control, and the cooling process was underway. Earlier, the spokesperson said that efforts were underway to control the fire, which erupted in a factory located near Valika Chowrangi. “A fire brigade truck, along with rescue teams, was immediately dispatched to the site of the incident, as soon as the Rescue 1122 received report of the incident,” the spokesperson added. A contingent of Sindh Rangers personnel was also dispatched to the site of the incident, their spokesperson said in a statement. “Rangers personnel are actively participating in the relief activities and rescue operation along with the fire brigade and rescue personnel,” the spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab took notice of the incident. In a post on X, Mayor Wahab said, “KMC fire team is attending to the fire incid...
    Tags: SITE Rescue Karachi
  • Bears dominate as KSE-100 loses over 1,300 points on Tuesday
    Dawn - 11:18 Feb 17, 2026
    Pakistan’s benchmark index, KSE-100, closed in the red on Tuesday, down 1303.52 points from its previous close of 174,453.93 points. The index experienced a volatile trading session, reaching a high of 176,131.35 points and a low of 171,693.39 points. Trading volumes stood at 424,959,530 at a value of Rs32,759,788,353. Top active stocks were led by K-Electric Limited, falling 3.81pc to Rs7.82 at a volume of 122,541,564, followed by Bank of Punjab, rising 2.62pc to Rs34.12 at a volume of 79,835,860, and Worldcall Telecom Limited, which fell 0.65pc to Rs1.52 at a volume of 35,505,622. Top advancers were led by Itanz Technologies Limited, rising 11.78pc to Rs9.49, followed by Metropolitan Steel Corporation Limited advancing 10.02pc to Rs23.05, and 786 Investments Limited rising 10.01pc to Rs19.67. Top decliners were led by LSE Capital Limited, falling 38.76pc to Rs1.09, followed by Mirpurkhas Sugar Mills Limited, declining 10.01pc to Rs31.82, and Engro Powergen Qadirpur Limited, falling 10.01pc to Rs27.69. Accor...
    Tags: KSE-100 Tuesday
  • Usman Tariq confident Pakistan can bounce back after India drubbing in T20 World Cup
    Dawn - 10:32 Feb 17, 2026
    Spinner Usman Tariq said on Tuesday he was confident that Pakistan can bounce back from their T20 World Cup drubbing against India and seal qualification for the next round. India’s 61-run romp means Pakistan must beat Namibia in their final match in Colombo on Wednesday to qualify for the Super Eights. A defeat would eliminate Pakistan, who are third behind the USA on net run rate in Group A. It would also leave an outside chance for the Netherlands to qualify, but they would need a big win over co-hosts India in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. “Lifting the team is only difficult when you don’t work on your mistakes committed in the last game,” Tariq told reporters. “We have worked on our mistakes, so I think it will not be a tough task. “We have a resolve not to commit the same mistakes again.” Pakistan were criticised for asking India to bat then folding meekly for 114 in 18 overs chasing a stiff 176 target. “We can feel their (fans’) disappointment because the match is watched by the whole nation,” Tariq said. “S...
    Tags: Pakistan T20 World Cup India
  • SSGC assures ‘uninterrupted’ gas supply in Karachi during Sehr, Iftar
    Dawn - 09:40 Feb 17, 2026
    KARACHI: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has issued a gas supply schedule for Karachi and the surrounding areas for the holy month of Ramazan. The announcement by the utility said that gas would be available from 3am to 9am for Sehr and from 3:30pm to 10:00pm for Iftar, with the supply expected to be suspended outside these hours to manage overall demand. “To ensure improved gas pressure, SSGC would be carrying out gas pressure profiling from 9am to 3:30pm,” it said, “and then during nighttime from 10pm to 3am during Ramazan,” said the utility. The SSGC added that “an approximate 10 percent annual decline in the country’s gas reserves has widened the gap between gas demand and supply”. The announcement said that timings had been worked out for providing convenience to people for food preparations for Sehr and Iftar. SNGPL proposes supply from 3am to 10:30pm The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has also proposed providing gas from 3am to 10:30pm daily during the upcoming holy month across Punjab....
    Tags: Karachi SSGC Sehr Iftar

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