Dawn
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Dawn - 13:01 Jan 31, 2026
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday the government would not allow anyone to malign the country while travelling abroad, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. According to the report, he made the remarks during a visit to Jinnah International Airport. “Passengers with unverified and illegal documents will not be allowed to travel abroad,” the report quoted him as saying. He also said professional beggars disguised as passengers would not only be offloaded but would also face legal action, the report said. The minister asserted that those in possession of valid travel documents had neither been stopped in the past nor would they be stopped in the future. He said facilitating passengers was the government’s priority. He lauded the officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for ensuring travellers had valid documents and ensuring an effective checking process, the report added. Earlier this month, while chairing a meeting to review the performance of the Immigration Wing of the FIA, Naqvi had... -
Dawn - 12:59 Jan 31, 2026
Elena Rybakina took revenge over world number one Aryna Sabalenka to win a nail-biting Australian Open final on Saturday and clinch her second Grand Slam title. The big-serving Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve to pull through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in 2hrs 18mins. It was payback after the Belarusian Sabalenka won the 2023 final between two of the hardest hitters in women’s tennis. The ice-cool Rybakina, 26, who was born in Moscow, adds her Melbourne triumph to her Wimbledon win in 2022. “Hard to find the words now,” said Rybakina, and then addressed her beaten opponent to add: “I know it is tough, but I hope we play many more finals together.” Turning to some Kazakh fans in the crowd, she said: “Thank you so much to Kazakhstan. I felt the support from that corner a lot.” This was more disappointment in a major final for Sabalenka, who won the US Open last year for the second time but lost the French Open and Melbourne title deciders. She was into her fourth Australian Open final in a ro... -
Dawn - 12:31 Jan 31, 2026
At an Indian gourmet food store, Avanti Mehta is organising a blind tasting of drinks sourced from France, Italy and India. No, this isn’t wine, it’s water. Participants use tiny shot glasses to check the minerality, carbonation and salinity in samples of Evian from the French Alps, Perrier from southern France, San Pellegrino from Italy and India’s Aava from the foothills of the Aravalli mountains. “They will all taste different … you should be choosing a water that can give you some sort of nutritional value,” said Mehta, who is 32 and calls herself India’s youngest water sommelier, a term usually associated with premium wine. Her family owns the Aava mineral water brand. Premium water is a $400 million business in the world’s most populous nation and is growing bigger as its wealthy see it as a new status symbol that fits in with a spreading wellness craze. Avanti Mehta, 32, India’s youngest water sommelier, talks about different brands of packaged water at “Sip and Sense”, a water tasting event in Hyderab... -
Dawn - 12:10 Jan 31, 2026
Iranian army chief Amir Hatami on Saturday warned the United States and Israel against an attack, saying his country’s forces were on high alert following Washington’s heavy military deployments in the Gulf. He also insisted the Islamic republic’s nuclear expertise could not be eliminated, after Trump said he expected Tehran to seek a deal to avoid US strikes. “If the enemy makes a mistake, without a doubt it will endanger its own security, the security of the region, and the security of the Zionist regime (Israel),” Hatami said, according to the official IRNA news agency. He noted that Iran’s armed forces were “at full defensive and military readiness”. Washington sent a naval strike group to the Middle East led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, with Trump threatening to intervene militarily after a deadly crackdown by Iranian authorities on two weeks of anti-government protests. The deployment has raised fears of a possible direct confrontation with Iran, which has warned it would respond with mi... -
Dawn - 11:52 Jan 31, 2026
A local PPP activist was gunned down in Karachi’s Pak Colony area late on Friday night, police said on Saturday. South Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that the shooting occurred at Qaim Khani Clinic, located near Warisi Mosque in Hasrat Mohani Colony, within the jurisdiction of Pak Colony Police Station. “Political and social figure Abdul Rasheed Qureshi was present at the clinic where he was receiving medical treatment and was receiving an intravenous (IV) drip due to ill health,” DIG Raza said. “During this time, unknown assailants, for reasons yet to be determined, opened fire, as a result of which Qureshi died on the spot,” he said. The DIG added that Qureshi was immediately moved to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. “Upon receiving information about the incident, the Pak Colony station house officer (SHO), along with a heavy contingent of police, reached the scene,” the DIG said. “Police are investigating the incident from various angles,” he sa... -
Dawn - 10:42 Jan 31, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court judge Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan on Friday emphasised that the district judiciary acts as the backbone of the legal system and plays a pivotal role in the dispensation of justice. Justice Afghan was speaking at a certificate-awarding ceremony for the Leadership and Management Training Course (Batch-V) for District and Sessions Judges and Senior Civil judges, held at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA), Islamabad. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb also attended the ceremony. In his concluding remarks, Justice Afghan said that a heavy responsibility rests on all district judges, adding that they should always strive to write professional judgements based on facts, law and principles. Advising the district judiciary judges, Justice Afghan described continuous learning as the “key for judges” to ensure effective administration of justice. He urged them to never stop learning, avoid prejudice and personal biases, refraining from liking or disliking the parties involved and en... -
Dawn - 10:03 Jan 31, 2026
LAHORE: A judicial magistrate on Saturday approved a four-day physical remand of five officials accused in the case of a mother and her minor daughter who fell into a manhole near Bhatti Gate earlier this week and died. The two had fallen into the sewer at the site of the under-construction Data Darbar expansion project near Bhatti Gate on Wednesday. While the woman’s body was found late at night the same day, the 10-month-old child’s body was recovered on Thursday. Earlier, police presented the arrested officials before the magistrate at district courts and sought their 14-day physical remand. The request was heard by Judicial Magistrate Shafqat Abbas. During the hearing, a counsel for the accused opposed the police plea, arguing that a physical remand was unnecessary. The defence counsel informed the court that Rs10 million had been paid to the aggrieved family in the form of a cheque on humanitarian grounds, producing a photocopy of the cheque issued. He admitted that the incident was tragic. The magistrat... -
Dawn - 09:30 Jan 31, 2026
Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins was ruled out on Saturday for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup after failing to recover from a nagging back injury, and Ben Dwarshuis will replace him for the global showpiece. Cummins played just one of the five Ashes tests against England, but Australia kept him in the provisional World Cup squad hoping for his availability in the Super Eight stage of the tournament to be played in India and Sri Lanka. Matt Renshaw also replaced fellow batter Matthew Short but veteran Steve Smith could not break into the World Cup squad despite his strong form in the Big Bash League. “With Pat needing more time to recover from his back injury, Ben is a ready replacement who offers a left-arm pace option as well as dynamic fielding and late-order hitting,” selector Tony Dodemaide said. “We believe his ability to swing the ball at good pace along with clever variations will be well suited to the conditions we expect and overall structure of the squad.” The Mitchell Marsh-led side are currently... -
Dawn - 08:34 Jan 31, 2026
The executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikander, revealed early on Saturday that the eye procedure of incarcerated former premier Imran Khan was completed “smoothly” and that he remained “stable” during the intervention. The video statement by the hospital’s head comes after the PTI approached the Supreme Court on Friday, seeking its assistance in arranging a meeting between the PTI founder and his personal physicians, with the help of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had earlier confirmed that Imran underwent a “20-minute” medical procedure for an eye ailment on the night of January 24 at Pims in Islamabad. “It (the procedure) was completed smoothly in approximately 20 minutes. During the treatment, the patient remained vitally stable and was discharged with routine post-procedure care instructions and follow-up advice and documents,” said Sikander. The doctor said the former premier, aged 74, complained of... -
Dawn - 07:50 Jan 31, 2026
More than 200 people were killed this week in a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is located, told Reuters on Friday. Rubaya produces around 15pc of the world’s coltan, which is processed into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal that is in high demand by makers of mobile phones, computers, aerospace components and gas turbines. The site, where locals dig manually for a few dollars per day, has been under the control of the AFC/M23 rebel group since 2024. The collapse occurred on Wednesday and the precise toll was still unclear as of Friday evening. “More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women. Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries,” Muyisa said, adding that about 20 injured people were being treated in health facilities. “We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground ... -
Dawn - 06:31 Jan 31, 2026
The United States on Friday approved multibillion-dollar weapons sales to both Saudi Arabia and Israel, at a point of high tensions with Iran. The State Department said it green-lighted a $3.8-billion sale of 30 Apache attack helicopters to Israel, which has agreed to a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. “The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability,” the State Department said in a statement. “This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives,” it said. Also in the package was a $1.8 billion sale of joint light tactical vehicles. The United States sends billions of dollars worth of military supplies per year to Israel, largely in aid rather than sales. Israel and Hamas reached a US-backed ceasefire in October that largely paused two years of war. Tensions are high elsewhere in the region as the United States deploys a major military contingent in waters near Iran. The State De... -
Dawn - 05:53 Jan 31, 2026
KARACHI: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has ordered an inquiry after the Karachi Constructors Association (KCA) levelled serious allegations of large-scale corruption against officials of the civic body’s engineering department, claiming that billions of rupees in development funds had been misappropriated through fraudulent practices. The inquiry was announced by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, who took notice of the concerns raised by the contractors’ body and directed the municipal administration to conduct a comprehensive and impartial examination of the tendering, bidding and procurement processes within the KMC. A couple of days ago, the KCA, which represents contractors working with civic bodies and government organisations, accused senior engineering officials of manipulating tenders, procuring substandard materials and awarding contracts to favoured contractors without competitive bidding. The association also alleged that contractors were subjected to excessive commission demands and blackm... -
Dawn - 03:20 Jan 31, 2026
LAHORE: All civil, administrative and police postings and transfers in Punjab are now being made purely on merit, with no room for political influence by the ruling party’s lawmakers or others, Information Minister Azma Bokhari has said. In a conversation with Dawn, Ms Bokhari said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had enforced strict adherence to professional standards, ensuring lawmakers from the ruling party had no influence over transfer and posting decisions. “Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has fully ensured that all postings and transfers in Punjab are made purely on merit, thus ending Sifarish [nepotism] culture,” Ms Bokhari said. “She ensured during her two-year tenure that not a single appointment, even that of an SHO, is made on someone’s reference. This thing was hardly witnessed in the past.” The “strict policy” has reportedly caused friction within the party. According to Ms Bokhari, some PML-N lawmakers, frustrated that the bureaucracy no longer obliged their requests, conveyed concerns to party h... -
Dawn - 03:05 Jan 31, 2026
• In letter to chief justice, lawyer requests urgent hearing on £190m, Toshakhana cases • Alleges political victimisation and misuse of criminal law ISLAMABAD: Counsel for PTI founder Imran Khan has written to the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking consolidation of all cases pending against him before the high court and requesting urgent hearings, particularly in the matters relating to the suspension of his sentence in £190 million corruption and Toshakhana cases. In the letter, the counsel submitted that several petitions filed on behalf of Imran Khan are currently pending before different benches of the IHC, arising out of various FIRs and proceedings. He argued that the multiplicity of cases and their fixation before different benches has created serious legal and practical difficulties, not only for the petitioner but also for the court system. The lawyer maintained that most of the cases involve common questions of law and fact, including allegations of political victimisation, mis... -
Dawn - 02:52 Jan 31, 2026
• Holds that Bakhidmat Janaab SHO has no legal status; also Faryaadi and Muddai should be discontinued as they reflect colonial mindset • Explains SHO is servant of the public, not the other way around • Wants use of legally accurate local language alternatives ISLAMABAD: Taking exception to archaic expressions common in Sindh, such as Bakhidmat Janaab SHO, the Supreme Court ordered on Friday that the term be discouraged, noting that it had no legal sanction and that a simple address as Janaab would suffice. The court observed that applications addressed to police officials using Bakhidmat Janaab SHO incorrectly implied that the citizen was at the service of the station house officer. In fact, the court explained, the SHO was at the service of the citizen. The court added that such terminology reflected a colonial mindset, in which subjects of the state approached authorities as a matter of mercy rather than as a right. Authored by Justice Salahuddin Panwhar, a member of the three-judge SC bench, the court ha... -
Dawn - 02:42 Jan 31, 2026
• PHC urged to declare military operation, its order ‘unconstitutional’ • PDMA directed to file report on facilities provided to displaced persons within a week • Representatives of IDPs summoned on Feb 12 PESHAWAR: The federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities on Friday denied that they gave any permission for starting a military operation in the Tirah Valley of Khyber district. The denial from both federal and provincial governments came before a bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprising Justice Wiqar Ahmad and Justice Mohammad Faheem Wali at the hearing of a petition filed by Barrister Saud Javed Dawar, a member of the National Democratic Movement (NDM). KP Advocate General Shah Faisal Uthmankhel and Additional Attorney General Sanaullah apprised the high court that their respective governments had not given a nod to the military for launching any operation across the valley. While directing the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to provide all possible reliefs to the people displ... -
Dawn - 02:36 Jan 31, 2026
• Erdogan offers to help ease Tehran-Washington tensions • Trump softens threats, suggests openness to dialogue • UK PM Starmer, allies working to block Iran’s nuclear ambitions ISTANBUL: Turkiye intensified a diplomatic push to mediate between Tehran and Washington on Friday as US President Donald Trump appeared to cool his threats of a strike, though Iran warned that its missile capabilities would “never” be on the negotiating table. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan led regional efforts to de-escalate tensions that have soared since the US moved military assets to the Middle East following a deadly crackdown on protests in Iran. While the Pentagon said the military remained ready, Trump lowered the temperature late on Thursday, stating he hoped to avoid conflict and that talks were possible. Speaking during a visit to Turkiye, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi welcomed the potential for dialogue but drew a hard line regarding national defence. “I want to state ... -
Dawn - 02:30 Jan 31, 2026
KARACHI: The 10-gram and one-tola gold (24kt) on Friday recorded the highest ever single day drop of Rs30,435 and Rs35,500 to Rs 460,701 and Rs537,362, respectively. The 10-gram and one-tola silver (24kt) also fell to Rs9,489 and Rs11,069, showing a drop of Rs949 and Rs1,106. As per rates announced by All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA), world gold rates recorded a massive single day record fall in world price to $5,150 per ounce, down by a record $355 per ounce. APSGJA President Mr Skikarpuri said “this is the biggest ever plunge in my entire career in the gold trade spanning over over five decades. In 1974, the per tola gold rate was Rs240.” He recalled that the world gold rate had fallen slowly to $245 per ounce from $852 in the entire 1980 period but it cannot match the abrupt single day drop of $355 per ounce on Friday. Spot gold and silver record worst single-day drop of 8.9pc and 21.92pc to $4,915.17 and $90.66 an ounce “The gold price is still unaffordable for many jewellery bu... -
Dawn - 18:49 Jan 30, 2026
After day-long sit-in outside SC, PTI says Imran’s family to be provided ex-premier’s medical report
After staging a day-long protest outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad, the PTI said on Friday that the family of incarcerated premier Imran Khan would be provided a copy of his medical report. PTI’s Salman Akram Raja made the remarks while speaking to the media outside the SC building, where the party, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, staged a day-long sit-in in an effort to facilitate a meeting between Imran and his personal physicians. The development comes a day after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that Imran underwent a medical procedure for an eye ailment last week at a hospital in Islamabad. According to the minister, the former premier was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad for a “20-minute” medical procedure on the night of January 24. Speaking outside the SC premises on Friday evening, Raja said, “As you know, we have been outside the SC building all day.” Afridi and Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas were ... -
Dawn - 18:12 Jan 30, 2026
United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that he believed Tehran wanted to make a deal to avoid military action, adding that the US “armada” near Iran was bigger than the one he dispatched to topple Venezuela’s leader. The development came hours after Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is prepared to resume talks with Washington, but they should be fair and not include Iran’s defence capabilities. Trump made these remarks while addressing reporters in the Oval Office of the White House. “We have a large armada, flotilla, you can call it whatever you want, heading to Iran right now. Even larger than what we had in Venezuela,” the president stated. “Hopefully, we’ll make a deal. If we do make a deal, that’s good; if we don’t make a deal, we’ll see what happens,” Trump added. Asked if Iran had been given any deadline for a deal on its nuclear programme, ballistic missiles and other issues, Trump replied, “Only they know for sure.” He added that he had communicated that directly. “We’ll...
7934 items