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Dawn - 19:19 Feb 11, 2026
President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday appreciated efforts for easing tensions and promoting regional peace, warning that any military escalation involving Iran could destabilise the Gulf region, South and Western Asia. He said this while addressing a ceremony hosted by the Iranian embassy in Islamabad on the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. “Any instability involving Iran, or any attempt to resolve issues through military means, carries grave risks. Such actions could … undermine global peace, and cause serious harm to the global economy. The stakes are far too high for confrontation,” President Zardari said. He further stated that Pakistan opposed unilateral sanctions and coercive measures, including against Iran, and believed that “peaceful engagement best serves regional and global security”. “Pakistan welcomes efforts aimed at easing tensions and encourages continued dialogue among relevant parties in a constructive spirit, with the objective of promoting peace and stability in the regio... -
Dawn - 18:57 Feb 11, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Former chief of army staff Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa has been admitted to a military hospital after sustaining injuries in a fall at his home, according to an informed source. Bajwa slipped at his residence and suffered multiple injuries, according to initial information. He was moved to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition. He was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit, though the extent of his injuries was not immediately clear. It is not known exactly when or how the fall occurred. His family could not be reached for comment. Bajwa, 65, served as the 10th chief of army staff from Nov 29, 2016, to Nov 29, 2022, with an extension in his tenure granted in 2019. Since retiring in late 2022, Bajwa has largely stayed out of the public eye. -
Dawn - 17:33 Feb 11, 2026
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: At least four policemen, including a station house officer (SHO), were martyred on Wednesday as armed terrorists attacked a police party in Paniala’s Wanda Budh area, police said. According to a police statement, the incident occurred as the police party was returning after a search operation. The operation was conducted in the jurisdiction of Shaheed Nawab police station following intelligence reports about militants’ presence in the area, it said, adding that the area was cordoned off before the search operation was initiated. While the police party was returning, militants hiding in nearby forests opened fire on them, prompting the officers to return fire, the statement said. Four policemen were martyred in the attack and there were reports of as many militants being killed in the exchange of fire. The officers who lost their lives included SHO Faheem Mumtaz, Constable Irfan Khan, Constable Ghulam Subhani, and Constable Wajahat, the statement said. Paharpur Circle Deputy Superintendent of... -
Dawn - 17:22 Feb 11, 2026
United States President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday, with the latter expected to press him to widen talks with Iran to include limits on Tehran’s missile arsenal and other security threats beyond its nuclear programme. In his seventh meeting with Trump since the president returned to office nearly 13 months ago, Netanyahu was looking to influence the next round of US discussions with Iran following nuclear negotiations held in Oman last Friday. Trump threatened strikes on Iran if no agreement is reached, while Tehran vowed to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war. He has repeatedly voiced support for a secure Israel, a longstanding US ally and arch-foe of Iran. In media interviews on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his warning, saying that while he believes Iran wants a deal, he would do “something very tough” if it refused. Trump says no to Iranian nuclear weapons, missiles Trump told Fox Business that a good deal with Iran would mean “no nuclear ... -
Dawn - 17:14 Feb 11, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday announced compensation for those martyred and injured in the suicide attack on an imambargah in Islamabad last week. The premier made the announcement while visiting the site of the attack. On February 6, a suicide bomber ripped through the Friday congregation at the Imambargah Qasr-i-Khadijatul Kubra on the outskirts of Islamabad. At least 38 people were killed in the incident and more than 150 were injured. During the visit, PM Shehbaz announced a sum of Rs 10 million for Oun Abbas, who resisted the suicide attacker; Rs5m for each martyr; Rs3m for those critically injured and under treatment at the hospital; and Rs1m for those with minor injuries who had been discharged. Speaking on the occasion, PM Shehbaz said, “These terrorists have no religion, and they have crossed all the limits of cruelty.” Talking to the affected families, he said the entire nation was in a state of grief and saddened over the tragic incident, which resulted in the martyrdom of elders and k... -
Dawn - 17:11 Feb 11, 2026
The first-ever player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was held in Lahore on Wednesday, with fast bowler Naseem Shah sold to Rawalpindi for Rs86.5 million — the highest bid of the auction. The auction ended after several unsold players were snapped up by the eight franchises. Earlier rounds of bidding saw major players auctioned off, including Fakhar Zaman, David Warner and Muhammad Amir. Last month, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the upcoming season of the country’s premier cricket league would adopt an auction model, replacing the previous draft system. Islamabad United The auction began with bidding on all-rounders, starting with Faheem Ashraf at the base price of Rs42m, with Islamabad United putting in the final bid at Rs85m. The team also scored New Zealand cricketer Mark Chapman after they bid Rs70m against Peshawar Zalmi’s Rs68.5m. Mohammad Waseem Jr joined the team at the winning bid of Rs41m — a marked increase from his base price at 22m — against Quett... -
Dawn - 16:58 Feb 11, 2026
Prolific India opener Abhishek Sharma was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday after being treated for an upset stomach, teammate Tilak Varma told reporters. The explosive left-hander is an integral part of India’s T20 World Cup title defence and is doubtful for the Group A fixture against Namibia on Thursday in New Delhi. “He has been discharged today and he is doing well,” Varma, an attacking batter, told reporters on the eve of the match at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. “We have got one more day for the game. Hopefully, we decide by tomorrow on how he feels and we’ll go with it.” The 25-year-old was admitted to a Delhi hospital on Tuesday with a stomach issue he had carried since their opening win on Saturday, an official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Abhishek was out for a duck in India’s win over the United States. India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is expected to return for the second group match after he missed the opener due to having a fever, Varma said. India will move on after the Namib... -
Dawn - 16:34 Feb 11, 2026
Ten people including the shooter are dead after an assailant opened fire at a high school in western Canada on Tuesday in one of the country’s deadliest mass casualty events in recent history. The outburst brought to Canada the type of mass shooting more common in the neighbouring United States, and was carried out by a shooter described as female, police said. Six people were found dead inside a high school in the town of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia, two more people were found dead at a residence believed to be connected to the incident, and another person died on the way to hospital, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. At least two other people were hospitalised with serious or life-threatening injuries, and as many as 25 people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. A suspected shooter was also found dead from what appears to be a self-inflicted injury, police said, adding they did not believe there were any more suspects or an ongoing threat to the public. “It’s hard ... -
Dawn - 15:53 Feb 11, 2026
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti addressed the issue of terrorism in the province on Wednesday, asserting that no one was allowed to take up arms and kill innocent people. He made this statement while addressing the Balochistan Assembly, around 10 days after a spate of attacks on January 31 brought parts of the restive province to a standstill for several days. Security forces responded to the attacks by killing a total of 216 terrorists during “Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1”. Speaking about terrorism today, Bugti said there was, unfortunately, “confusion” on the issue in Pakistan. He linked this “confusion” to the use of “propaganda”, which he said was used to create distance between the state and the youth of Balochistan. Moreover, he claimed, “a forced narrative has been created against Pakistan that is purely based on perceptions and devoid of reality”. The minister decried that terrorism in Balochistan was linked to the lack of development in the province, adding that the problem of “unparalleled dev... -
Dawn - 15:48 Feb 11, 2026
India’s oil minister said on Wednesday he had communicated with and met the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his time in the United States, but said he had no connection to any wrongdoings or crimes. Hardeep Singh Puri, a career diplomat-turned-politician, said he was part of the International Peace Institute, a New York think tank headed by Norwegian diplomat and former cabinet minister Terje Roed-Larsen until 2020, and met Epstein “three or maximum four times” during his time there. Roed-Larsen, 78, has apologised for his connection to Epstein and his wife, Mona Juul, a Norwegian ambassador, stepped down over her links to Epstein. Puri’s comments came in response to questions by India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in parliament on Wednesday. Gandhi said Puri’s name had been mentioned in Epstein’s emails and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to clarify what his dealings with Epstein were. Puri, who served as India’s ambassador to the United Nations from 2009-2... -
Dawn - 14:09 Feb 11, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday criticised National Assembly (NA) Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai over his recent remarks about the army, saying that the “irresponsible” statement was an attempt to “belittle the sacrifices” of security personnel. Asif’s rebuke came during a session of the lower house of Parliament, where he recalled Achakzai’s recent remarks and quoted him as saying that the army was a “force of four districts”. Asif did not elaborate on the context of the remarks attributed to Achakzai. Terming it “highly irresponsible” and a “deliberate attempt to malign” the national institution, Asif asserted that the army was a national force. “It is the force of the federation, with representation from all provinces,” he stressed. “It is the force of the entire country.” During his address, the minister also shared data about the representation of different provinces in the army, reading out statistics from a document. According to the document, seen by Dawn, the province-w... -
Dawn - 14:07 Feb 11, 2026
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday accepted the resignation of veteran politician Sardar Akhtar Mengal, chief of his faction of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-M). Mengal, who was elected as an MNA from Khuzdar (NA-256) in the 2024 general elections, had submitted his resignation in September that year, citing the “prevailing situation in Balochistan”. “PML-N has at last accepted my resignation after dragging its feet long enough to expose its own fear,” Mengal said in a social media post, referring to the speaker’s party. “Was it the applause that unsettled you or the fact that I could draw crowds in Punjab’s core?” he asked, apparently referring to his participation in a charged discussion about Balochistan at the Asma Jahangir Conference held recently in Lahore. At the event, Mengal had criticised recent political and electoral developments, alleging that mainstream Baloch political leadership had been sidelined. He also expressed concern over restrictions on political activity, media ac... -
Dawn - 12:44 Feb 11, 2026
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has stated that there is a “fair chance” of sighting the new moon of Ramazan on the evening of February 18, it emerged on Wednesday. According to a letter by the department’s Climate Data Processing Centre (CDPC) in Karachi to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, dated January 26, the new moon of Ramazan “will be born on the crossing conjunction point of 5:01pm on February 17”. “According to astronomical parameters, there is a ‘fair chance’ of sighting the new moon of Ramazan 1447 AH on the evening of February 18, 2026,” it said. Furthermore, the weather was expected to be partly cloudy/fair in most parts of the country, it added. In their letter, the PMD also shared the last expected times for moon sighting in various regions on February 18: 6:58pm in Azad Jammu and Kashmir; 7:47pm in Balochistan; 6:53 pm in Gilgit-Baltistan; 7:13pm in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; 7:08pm in Punjab; and 7:24pm in Sindh. -
Dawn - 12:27 Feb 11, 2026
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad expects the economy to grow as much as 4.75 per cent this fiscal year, pushing back against a recent downgrade by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In written responses to Reuters, the SBP chief argued the recovery is broader and more durable than headline export data suggest. The central bank raised its FY26 growth forecast to 3.75–4.75pc at its January meeting, 0.5 percentage points higher than its previous range, despite a contraction in exports in the first half of the year and a widening trade deficit. The governor said differences in projections were not unusual and reflected timing issues, including the IMF’s incorporation of flood-related assessments in its latest outlook. “All these sources and indicators, along with FY26-Q1 data, point to a broad-based recovery in all three sectors of the economy,” he said. He added that the SBP believed that agricultural activity had remained resilient despite floods and “it is even performing better than its ... -
Dawn - 12:02 Feb 11, 2026
KARACHI: Around 4.30pm on Feb 25 last year, an altercation took place between two groups of people on Mai Kolachi Road, near the US consulate. While the details of the brawl itself are unclear, the bone of contention was allegedly a three-acre chunk of prime real estate located just off the thoroughfare. One of its two co-owners, builder and developer Javed Iqbal had employed a local JUI-F leader named Jibrail Khan, 32, to work there as a supervisor. Several sources claim that the huge plot is coveted by extremely powerful individuals at the top of the political food chain. Some days earlier, this party had sent in their supporters to occupy the plot. On Feb 25, Jibrail got into a heated confrontation with them. An FIR was filed against him for rioting armed with a deadly weapon, kidnapping and attempted murder. Several other FIRs (copies of which are in Dawn’s possession) were also filed against him in Karachi and other parts of Sindh, including Shikarpur, Moro, Qazi Ahmed and Nawabshah for various crimes, o... -
Dawn - 11:59 Feb 11, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday took notice of the recent changes made by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) regarding solar consumers and directed the Power Division to file a review appeal against it. The power regulator on Monday changed the terms of contracts for all existing and future net-metered solar consumers — known as prosumers — to contain rising solar energy penetration and protect an expensive and inefficient state-owned power network. The notification effectively terminated the existing net-metering regime and replaced it with net-billing for all. A statement from the PM Office (PMO) issued today said the premier had taken “immediate notice” of the matter. The development follows outcry from senators across the political spectrum, including the ruling ally, the PPP, and the opposition, the PTI, in opposition to the NEPRA move. The PMO quoted the prime minister as directing the Power Division to immediately file a review appeal before Nepra “to ensure ... -
Dawn - 11:46 Feb 11, 2026
Iran’s missile capabilities are its red line and are not a subject to be negotiated, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said on Wednesday, as Tehran and Washington eye a new round of talks to avert conflict. US and Iranian diplomats held indirect talks last week in Oman, amid a regional naval buildup by the US threatening Iran. “The Islamic republic’s missile capabilities are non-negotiable,” Ali Shamkhani said, according to state media, while appearing in a march commemorating the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Washington has long sought to extend talks on Iran’s nuclear capabilities to cover its missile programme as well. Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions, but has repeatedly ruled out linking the issue to other questions, including missiles. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to use a meeting with Trump in Washington on Wednesday to push for any US-Iran deal to include limitations on Tehran’s missil... -
Dawn - 11:44 Feb 11, 2026
In international cricket, principle is often loud, emotional and instantly gratifying. Strategy, on the other hand, is quieter, slower, and frequently misunderstood. Pakistan’s decision to eventually agree to play India on February 15 falls squarely in the latter category, and despite the initial optics, it is the right call. The dramatic boycott call did what it needed to do early on. It created noise, unsettled the International Cricket Council (ICC), and earned Pakistan something it has been desperately short of in recent years: an ally. Bangladesh’s open friction with the ICC and India over security, scheduling and governance issues suddenly aligned its interests with Pakistan’s. A meeting between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials taking place in Lahore on Feb 8, 2026. — Screengrab via PCB video The alignment may be situational for now, but in a cricketing ecosystem where Pakistan often finds itself isolated, even a temporary ally matters. In what seemed li... -
Dawn - 11:10 Feb 11, 2026
South Africa prevailed in a double Super Over thriller as Afghanistan came up agonisingly short of a famous victory after their T20 World Cup clash ended in a tie on Wednesday. Afghanistan were 187 all out after South Africa scored 187-6 in Ahmedabad. The teams were tied again after a breathless first Super Over saw them both score 17, before South Africa won off the final ball of a heart-thumping second sudden-death showdown. After South Africa bludgeoned 23 from their second super over and Afghanistan lost a wicket off the second ball of theirs, Rahmanullah Gurbaz was left needing four sixes off four balls for an unlikely victory. Gurbaz sensationally launched Keshav Maharaj into the crowd three times with some huge blows. A wide off the fifth ball meant Afghanistan still needed six to win but now a four would send it, incredibly, to a third Super Over. With nerves jangling and pulses racing, the left-arm spinner held his nerve to bowl a wide yorker that saw Gurbaz smack into the grateful hands of Davis Mil... -
Dawn - 10:22 Feb 11, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi over the phone once again on Wednesday, the Foreign Office (FO) said. According to a post by the FO on social media, the two leaders “discussed regional developments and underscored the importance of dialogue and diplomacy”. They agreed to continue close engagement and coordination, the statement added. The two foreign ministers have engaged in multiple phone calls since the start of the new year. On January 29, in a phone call, Dar expressed concern over the evolving regional situation. Alongside that call, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also spoke with Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian on the same day, with the two leaders exchanging views on the “evolving regional situation”. Dar and Araghchi had also already spoken the weekend prior, when he received a call from the Iranian minister while on a visit to Dubai. Dar had expressed his hope for peace and stability in Iran in another phone call with the Iranian foreign...
7934 items