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Dawn - 16:11 Jan 16, 2026
X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday faced a global outage, the second in a week, as users from across the world reported having difficulties accessing the platform. According to a report by The Independent, the website and its app failed to load for users across the globe, with many visitors saying they saw a blank screen. “Some users also saw Cloudflare error pages – though the issue was at X itself, and the problem did not seem to be a repeat of recent Cloudflare technical issues that did take X offline,” the report said. Staffers at Dawn also saw a Cloudflare error page when they tried accessing the website, while the app did not load at all and showed posts from hours ago. Screenshot of a Cloudflare error a staffer at Dawn saw when they tried accessing the website at 8:52pm PKT. Tracking website Downdetector showed a massive uptick in reports of problems at X at 8:15pm, with 315 complaints, before they fell to 245 at 8:45pm. Screenshot showing as spike in reports of problems at X at around 8:15pm in P... -
Dawn - 15:29 Jan 16, 2026
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori on Friday criticised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for “inciting acts of vandalism and road blockades” during his recent visit to Karachi, which he said led to “losses worth billions of rupees”. Afridi visited Karachi and other cities of Sindh last week as part of the PTI’s renewed anti-government agitation campaign called the “street movement”. The chief minister decried the treatment meted out to him by the Sindh government during his visit, alleging that the police tried to stop his motorcade and PTI supporters from staging a peaceful protest at Mazar-i-Quaid. The Sindh government denied the allegations, stating that the Jinnah Ground was under the control of the Centre, so it was not entitled to issue a no-objection certificate to the party. Speaking to reporters in Karachi, Governor Tessori said that the PTI had “turned the whole country upside down, but the agitation was confined to social media and had no value on the ground.” Referring to KP CM’s Karachi... -
Dawn - 14:23 Jan 16, 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that his country’s relations with Pakistan are “genuinely mutually beneficial” and that Moscow maintains close relations with Islamabad. “We maintain close cooperation with Pakistan, a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the largest regional organisation in terms of economic, technological, and human potential. Russia-Pakistan relations are genuinely mutually beneficial,” the Embassy of Russia in Pakistan quoted President Putin as saying on X. The statement came as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, formally presented his credentials to President Putin during a ceremony held on Thursday at Moscow’s Grand Kremlin Palace, according to the Pakistani Embassy in Russia. In recent years, Pakistan and Russia have significantly strengthened their economic ties, driven by mutual necessity. Following Western sanctions related to the Ukraine conflict, Moscow turned toward new energy outlets, while Islamabad simultaneously sought more affordab... -
Dawn - 14:16 Jan 16, 2026
PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday refused to support former party leader Fawad Chaudhry’s National Dialogue Committee, saying he cannot “deviate from PTI’s policies”. The senior PTI leader, incarcerated at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail since 2023 in cases related to the May 9 riots, made the remarks during an informal discussion with a journalist in a courtroom. In response to a question on “consensual” meeting with Chaudhry, the PTI leader said, “While I was in the hospital, he visited to inquire about my health. We both remained in a political party. How could I ask a guest why he came to meet me?” Last year in November, Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Ismail, and Maulvi Mahmood tried to gain access to Qureshi, who was hospitalised, when he was alone in his room, ostensibly to convince the senior PTI leader to join their ‘release Imran Khan campaign’ — a move rebuffed by him. Speaking on the current political situation, he said a solution needed to be found as “the country could only move forward with dial... -
Dawn - 13:43 Jan 16, 2026
A high-level European Union delegation on Friday visited the Sialkot International Airport to monitor the immigration processes and measures to prevent irregular migration, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) spokesperson said in a statement. The move comes after around 66,154 passengers were offloaded last year despite holding valid documents, particularly at Lahore and Karachi airports, amid a post-2024 Greece boat tragedy crackdown on migrant smuggling, which claimed several Pakistani lives. According to the spokesperson, the delegation was given a comprehensive briefing on the “working, performance, and achievements of the FIA Immigration at the Sialkot airport, with particular emphasis on the progress made over the last five months.” The delegation comprised the Frontex officer to Pakistan, an official from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, a representative from the Embassy of Hungary in Pakistan, and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development’s official. “The briefing was foc... -
Dawn - 12:48 Jan 16, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reintroduced the state-run health insurance programme — popularly known as the Sehat Card Programme — in the federal capital, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan. Speaking at the launch ceremony of the facility in Islamabad, PM Shehbaz said, “Access to health facilities is the right of every citizen, and such facilities should be delivered to their doorsteps.” The prime minister added that through the launch of the Sehat Card, his government had taken yet another swift step to serve the nation. “This step is the revival of the same scheme that my leader, Nawaz Sharif, had initiated in 2016 for the first time,” he said. The scheme was originally introduced in 2016 when the PML-N government was in power. It was made available to citizens in Punjab, Balochistan, and the then Federally Administered Tribal Areas (present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), with expansion plans. In 2019, the PTI-led government relaunched the progr... -
Dawn - 12:30 Jan 16, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday suspended the membership of 159 lawmakers of the National Assembly, Senate, and provincial assemblies who failed to submit a statement of their assets and liabilities by the due date. The commission directed that “they shall cease to function as members with immediate effect until such statements are submitted by them,” according to a statement issued by the ECP. On Thursday, the ECP reminded lawmakers to submit the details of their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouse and dependent children, for the financial year 2024-25, warning of suspension if they fail to do so by January 15. Syed Ali Musa Gilani, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Muhammad Akhtar Mengal are among 32 members of the National Assembly whose membership has been suspended, while Musadik Malik is among nine Senators also suspended by the election regulator. Out of the suspended MPAs, 50 are members of the Punjab Assembly, 33 of the Sindh Assembly, 28 of the Khyber Pak... -
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 ...
6670 items