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Dawn - 18:05 Feb 06, 2026
A video shared on United States President Donald Trump’s social media account that depicted former president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as apes was deleted on Friday, following criticism that Trump’s post evoked racist imagery long used to dehumanise people of African descent. “A White House staffer erroneously made the post,” said a White House official, who declined to be named. “It has been taken down.” The statement came hours after White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt described as “fake outrage” a wave of negative reactions to the video, including from several prominent Republican lawmakers. Late on Thursday, Trump shared a minute-long video amplifying the Republican US president’s false claims that his 2020 election defeat was the result of fraud. Spliced into the video was an apparently AI-generated clip of dancing primates superimposed with the Obamas’ heads. The post on Trump’s Truth Social network drew swift criticism from prominent political figures, including Republican Senator... -
Dawn - 17:55 Feb 06, 2026
KARACHI: A huge fire erupted in a factory located in the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) of Landhi on Friday night, according to officials. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn that the fire had erupted in a plastic factory located inside the zone. He said at present, six fire tenders were busy controlling the flames, but the fire was intense. He said the blaze had erupted on the ground floor, engulfing the first floor. He expressed the fear that the blaze would engulf another floor of the industrial unit. He said that fire tenders and snorkels had been called from across the metropolis to meet any eventuality. He said at present, no casualties had been reported. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said fire tenders and snorkels were present on the ground to tackle the situation. “Additional water bowsers are also present. Will keep everyone posted,” he said. In a statement, the Sindh police chief, Javed Alam Odho, directed the Malir senior superintendent of police and the superintendent traffic to ... -
Dawn - 17:10 Feb 06, 2026
At least 31 people were killed and another 169 injured in a suicide bombing at an imambargah during Friday prayers in Islamabad, according to authorities. The explosion occurred at Imambargah Khadijah-tul-Kubra in the Tarlai area of the federal capital. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested India’s and Afghanistan’s involvement in the attack, stating, “It has been proved that the terrorist involved in the attack travelled to and from Afghanistan”. Muhammad Kazim, a 52-year-old, said an “extremely powerful” explosion ripped through the building as prayers were just starting. “During the sajda, we heard gunfire,” he told AFP. “And while we were still in the bowing position, an explosion occurred,” he said. Kazim — from Gilgit-Baltistan who currently lives in Islamabad — escaped unharmed, but accompanied his wounded friend to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital for treatment. “Debris fell from the roof, and windows were shattered,” he added. “When I got outside, many bodies were scattered … Man... -
Dawn - 16:11 Feb 06, 2026
Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States held in Oman on Friday were a good beginning and will continue, Iran’s foreign minister said, after growing concerns that a failure in the high-stakes negotiations could set off another Middle East war. “It was a good start to the negotiations. And there is an understanding on continuing the talks. Coordination on how to proceed will be decided in the capitals,” the minister, Abbas Araghchi, told Iranian state TV. “If this process continues, I think we will reach a good framework for an understanding.” Officials from both sides, who held indirect talks through Omani mediation in Oman’s capital Muscat, will return home for consultations, Araqchi said. While both sides have indicated readiness to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Washington wanted to expand the talks to cover Iran’s ballistic missiles, support for armed groups around the region and “treatment of their own people”, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on ... -
Dawn - 16:02 Feb 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: In a significant move to assert parliamentary supremacy, a Senate rule was amended on Friday with the aim to curb judicial interference in parliamentary affairs. The amendment to rule 166(5) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate was approved by the upper House of Parliament as chair rejected the government’s request to defer the matter. A motion seeking the amendment to the rule was moved by PPP, PML-N and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) senators. However, during the session, PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah, who is special assistant to the prime minister on political affairs, conveyed Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar’s request that the motion may not be taken up before the matter was discussed with him. However, PPP Senator Saleem Mandviwala, who spearheaded the move to amend the rule and was also chairing the session today, highlighted that the “interference of courts” in House committees’ proceedings was the reason behind the need for the change in the rule. “High courts granted sta... -
Dawn - 15:50 Feb 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday extended the judicial remand of lawyer Imaan Zainab Hazir-Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha for another fortnight. The development came as ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra heard a case registered against the two under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act over their alleged involvement in a lawyers’ protest at Constitution Avenue. The couple was arrested last month while leaving the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in connection with the case. It is worth mentioning that the two have been sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison on multiple charges in a separate case pertaining to controversial social media posts. During the hearing, the prosecution submitted a notification dated February 5, citing the prevailing law and order situation that, according to authorities, made it difficult to physically produce the accused before the court. It subsequently requested the court to mark the suspects’ attendance via video link. Accepting... -
Dawn - 15:37 Feb 06, 2026
In 2015, Coke Studio released ‘Phir Se Game Uthadein’ — an anthem for the ODI World Cup set to happen the same year. It was inspired by Slogett and Carlone’s 1992 anthem ‘Who Rules the World’, the soundtrack to Pakistan’s first and most fabled major victory in cricket. Produced by Strings and sung by Atif Aslam, the song proclaimed “Jeet ki daastaan, phir ho gi jawaan” to the same tune as “Who’s gonna be number one, who’s gonna take up the cup?”. There is a dexterity required to mythologise something that has actually happened — Pakistan has done that with the 1992 World Cup. There must have been a time when the historical immediacy of the victory would lend itself as proof that it was real. But ever since I can remember, the 1992 World Cup has been a pedestalised peak that seems harder and harder to re-mount as the years go by. 1992 is invoked in every metaphor for victory in Pakistan, sporting or otherwise. It is the incantation we chant when we are inviting good fortune, and the prayer we use to give shape... -
Dawn - 13:58 Feb 06, 2026
KARACHI: Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho said on Friday that, on the directives of the provincial government, an operation was launched against riverine bandits last month. Speaking at a press conference at the Central Police Office, the provincial police chief said since the launch of the operation, 113 encounters had taken place with criminals in which 27 kidnappers were gunned down, 82 others were injured, and 77 were arrested. Flanked by Sindh Additional Inspector General of Police Iqbal Dara, Odho said 123 bandits had also surrendered before law enforcers as part of the government’s policy. “These were not ordinary criminals,” he said. He further said that 15 people who had been kidnapped had been recovered safely. He lamented that some of the citizens rescued were in the custody of the bandits for up to three years. Way forward In an oblique reference to past operations against riverine bandits that failed to deliver desirable results, Odho said a comprehensive plan had been chalked ou... -
Dawn - 12:50 Feb 06, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan from now onwards would be measured by trade flows, investment projects, industrial partnerships and people-to-people exchanges, Radio Pakistan reported. According to the report, he made the remarks while addressing the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum in Islamabad alongside Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who is in Islamabad on an official visit. In his remarks, the premier said that it was in this spirit that both countries had set an “ambitious yet easily achievable target of increasing our bilateral trade to $2 billion”, the report said. He said the two countries had also signed a protocol, which would lead to the constitution of a working group to draft a five-year roadmap in order to promote trade, investment, and joint collaboration in research and development, information technology and agriculture, it added. PM Shehbaz also said that tourism was another area in which both countries could benefit from each othe... -
Dawn - 12:07 Feb 06, 2026
Pakistan captain Salman Agha defended off-spinner Usman Tariq’s unorthodox bowling action on Friday and called him the side’s “X factor” on the eve of their Twenty20 World Cup opener against the Netherlands in Colombo. Tariq, who has played three T20 Internationals since his debut against South Africa in November, has been reported twice for a suspect bowling action in the Pakistan Super League. His bowling style culminates in him pausing near the crease before firing the ball in with a side-arm sling-shot action. The 28-year-old claimed two wickets in his second T20 International, against Australia, and Australia batsman Cameron Green — one of his two victims in that match in Lahore — made a chucking gesture after being dismissed as he made his way off. “I don’t understand why we are talking about his action because in my opinion it is a fair action,” Salman told reporters. “He has been tested twice and he has been cleared,” he said. “I think there is no problem in his action. Yes, he is the X factor of the ... -
Dawn - 09:04 Feb 06, 2026
US President Donald Trump on Thursday rejected an offer from his Russian counterpart to voluntarily extend the caps on strategic nuclear weapons deployments after the treaty that held them in check expired. “Rather than extend ‘New START … we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved and modernised Treaty that can last long into the future,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. Arms control advocates warn that the expiration of the treaty will fuel an accelerated nuclear arms race, while US opponents say the pact constrained the US ability to deploy enough weapons to deter nuclear threats posed by both Russia and China. Trump’s post was in response to a proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the sides to adhere for a year to the 2010 accord’s limit of 1,550 warheads on 700 delivery systems — missiles, aircraft and submarines. New START was the last in a series of arms control treaties between the world’s two largest nuclear weapons powers dating back more than half a cen... -
Dawn - 08:52 Feb 06, 2026
LAHORE: As Basant festivities kicked off on Friday after an 18-year hiatus, at least six kite-flying-related injuries have been reported in the city so far. In December last year, the Punjab government lifted the ban on kite flying and allowed the celebration of Basant with strict regulations. The kite-flying festival was banned in 2007 in Punjab because of an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries caused by sharp strings, particularly to motorcyclists and pillion riders, as well as by celebratory gunfire. In the first incident, a 21-year-old man sustained injuries around his neck after coming in contact with a stray kite string in Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA). The young man was returning home from a local market on a bike when the string became entangled around his neck, leaving visible deep wounds. However, a police official claimed that the injured person was riding the bike without a safety rod. Earlier, the government had instructed the motorcyclists to install protective steel wire... -
Dawn - 08:00 Feb 06, 2026
The United States on Friday expressed solidarity with Pakistan following recent militant attacks in Balochistan, reiterating its support for efforts to bring those responsible to justice. In a post on X, the US State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) said it stood “steadfast with Pakistan” in the wake of the attacks, which it described as “horrific”. The bureau noted that the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) remains a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). In August last year, the US State Department added the BLA and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, to its FTO list, according to a press release. FTO designations are made by the secretary of state, following section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), and “are an effective means of curtailing support for terrorist activities and pressuring groups to get out of the terrorism business”. “We support efforts to hold the perpetrators of these horrific attacks accountable,” the SCA added. Earlier on Thursday, securi... -
Dawn - 07:55 Feb 06, 2026
QUETTA: Train services were once again suspended in Balochistan on Friday, a day after resuming, following a five-day suspension in the wake of a spate of attacks in the province. Spokesperson of Pakistan Railways Quetta division, Muhammad Kashif, in a statement, said that Jaffar Express (from Quetta to Peshawar) and Karachi-bound Bolan Mail had been suspended again. “The passenger train to Chaman also remains suspended,” he added. A day earlier, train services were restored in Balochistan as the security situation improved. Authorities had also said on Thursday that mobile internet services remained suspended in many parts of Balochistan, but Quetta was expected to be back online on Friday (today). On Thursday, after several days of “mop-up” actions in parts of the province following the January 31 attacks, the military announced that security forces successfully concluded “Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1” in Balochistan, killing a total of 216 terrorists. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said 36 civilia... -
Dawn - 07:23 Feb 06, 2026
Australia and Indonesia signed a security treaty on Friday, paving the way for closer cooperation and new military training facilities in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. The pact will facilitate defence initiatives that include embedding a senior Indonesian officer within Australia’s defence force, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a joint statement after the signing in Jakarta. Australia will also support the development of military training facilities to boost Indonesia’s ability to conduct joint drills, he said. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund Danantara chief Rosan Roeslani show signed document at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, February 6, 2026. —Reuters Canberra has been seeking to bolster its military power in the Asia-Pacific region to counter China’s growing influence. Indonesia has proven more cautious with its foreign policy, not wanting to be seen taking sides and upsetting Beijing, its biggest trading partner. Albanese hailed the agree... -
Dawn - 06:32 Feb 06, 2026
Security forces killed 24 terrorists in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released on Friday. “On 4-5 February 2026, twenty four khwarij belonging to Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khwarij were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province,” said the statement from the military’s media wing. Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Two intelligence-based operations were conducted in the province’s Orakzai and Khyber districts. During the operation conducted in Orakzai district, troops engaged the terrorists and killed 14. While in Khyber, during the conduct of another IBO, security forces killed 10 terrorists. “On reported presence of khwarij, an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the Security Forces in Orakzai District. During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and after an intense fire exchange... -
Dawn - 06:05 Feb 06, 2026
K-Electric (KE) Chief Executive Officer Moonis Alvi on Friday stepped down from his position, according to a disclosure submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). In July last year, the provincial ombudsman for protection against harassment of women ordered the removal of Alvi for harassing a former chief marketing and communication officer of KE and also directed him to pay Rs2.5 million to the complainant in compensation. Alvi, however, had denied the charges and vowed to challenge the decision of the ombudsman before an appropriate legal forum. “Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi has tendered his resignation from the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of K-Electric Limited,” stated the disclosure, dated February 6, submitted to the PSX and available to Dawn. The PSX was informed in “accordance with Section 96 and Section 131 of the Securities Act, 2015 and Clause 5.6.1(a) of the Rule Book of Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited”. “You are requested to disseminate the information to the TRE Certificate Holder... -
Dawn - 05:10 Feb 06, 2026
LAHORE: Former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ihsan Mani has called on incumbent Jay Shah to play a role in defusing tensions after Pakistan decided to boycott its match against arch-rivals India, scheduled to be held in Colombo on Feb 15. Speaking to Dawn from London, Mani — who has also served as the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) — said that being the current ICC chief, Jay Shah should not only speak to Mohsin Naqvi to defuse tensions, but also save world cricket from potential financial losses. “He should go to Pakistan to convince the government to end the boycott and also listen to their grievances,” he said. Asked about media that the ICC had appointed Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja to negotiate with the PCB, Mani said that Khawaja represented associate member Singapore, and was not the right man to deal with the matter. “It is better for the ICC chairman to deal with the government of Pakistan on his own.” He was of the opinion that if the government of Pakistan had taken such ... -
Dawn - 03:39 Feb 06, 2026
LONDON: British police have charged three more men in an investigation into a series of violent incidents targeting Pakistani dissidents in the United Kingdom, according to a statement released by the Metropolitan Police on Wednesday night. The latest charges bring the total number of people arrested in connection with the investigation to seven. The charges relate to attacks on properties in Cambridge and Chesham in late December 2025 and form part of a wider counter-terrorism investigation being led by Counter Terrorism Policing London. Although the police statement did not name the victims, earlier reports indicate that the arrests are linked to attacks reported by former Imran Khan adviser Shahzad Akbar and YouTuber-blogger Adil Raja. Adil Raja’s home was targeted on December 24, 2025, while Shahzad Akbar’s residence was attacked on December 24 and 31, 2025, and again on January 10, 2026. Following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service, Asaf Afsar, 38, of Birmingham; Liam McGarry, 24, of Warwic... -
Dawn - 03:23 Feb 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Even though the country’s electronic media regulator has been without a chairperson since October, a summary for the appointment of Ambreen Jan as head of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has been pending with the Prime Minister’s Office for over a month. Ms Jan, a former federal secretary for information, was selected by the parliamentary panel as Pemra chairperson. If her appointment is approved, she will be the first woman to head the authority. According to a reliable source, Ambreen Jan’s confirmation has been held up due to “objections regarding security clearance”. Ms Jan is a former Grade-22 officer and has served as information secretary, the director general of Radio Pakistan and as managing director of PTV. She also served as press counsellor in Bangladesh from 2011 to 2018, when Islamabad-Dhaka ties were under strain. She was among the five shortlisted candidates considered for the Pemra job, along with retired Brigadier Anwar Ahmed, journalist Mateen Haider, I...
7934 items