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Dawn - 02:33 Dec 15, 2025
• Host Iran taps regional players as reliable actors; warns against prescriptions ‘imported’ from foreign powers • Kabul regime declines invitation to attend; ex-Pakistani diplomat terms it ‘head-in-the-sand attitude’ • Any tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan also affects Tehran, says Iranian foreign ministry spox ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday urged the Afghan Taliban to rid their country of all militant groups, while Iran stressed the need for regional cooperation, rather than foreign intervention, at a multinational Afghanistan-focused meeting in Tehran. The calls for action came during a meeting of Special Representatives for Afghanistan from neighbouring countries, plus Russia. The Taliban were invited to participate, but declined to attend, according to statements from both Iranian and Taliban officials. The high-level gathering in the Iranian capital brought together special representatives from Pakistan, China, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan to discuss shared security conc... -
Dawn - 19:00 Dec 14, 2025
The Pakistan Super League’s 11th edition is planned to be held from March 26 to May 3, 2026, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday, while also announcing that the auction for two proposed new franchises would take place on January 8. The announcements were made during a PCB investor roadshow in New York, part of an overseas promotional campaign aimed at attracting commercial interest ahead of a potential expansion of the league from six to eight teams. The PCB has previously indicated that expansion is under consideration, though the addition of new franchises has not yet been formally ratified. Addressing attendees at the event, Mohsin said the PCB had taken administrative control of the Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium and intended to begin renovation work. He added that efforts were under way to have the venue ready in time for the PSL, though he acknowledged that completion before the tournament was not guaranteed. “We are starting Muzaffarabad’s stadium, which we have taken over... -
Dawn - 18:58 Dec 14, 2025
Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq on Sunday pressed the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan to clean their country of all terrorist groups. He was speaking at the meeting of Special Representatives for Afghanistan in Iran’s capital of Tehran. Iran had invited the Taliban government, but it did not attend, according to a Taliban spokesman. Special representatives for Afghan affairs from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia attended the meeting. “In my remarks, I agreed with the assessment of all participating countries that the continued threat of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil is a big challenge for the region,” the Pakistani special envoy told the meeting. Ambassador Sadiq wrote on X that he also stressed that the people of Afghanistan have already suffered enough and they deserved better. “It is, therefore, imperative that the current de facto rulers take steps to ameliorate their suffering. And the foremost step in this regard would be to rid thei... -
Dawn - 18:17 Dec 14, 2025
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Sunday issued a statement denying that the entire crew of a PIA flight disappeared in Toronto, Canada, adding that it was “fake news” circulated by “anti-Pakistan quarters”. “A tweet, circulated by certain anti-Pakistan quarters, claiming that [the] whole crew of a particular PIA flight is missing, is entirely baseless,” the flag carrier said in a post on X, adding that the purpose was to “malign PIA and Pakistan”. “There has been no such incident, and the news is fake,” it added. Meanwhile, a PIA spokesperson issued a separate statement denying the news, claiming that the information had been circulated by an “Afghan and anti-Pakistan account”. “The misleading tweet is part of a well-conceived plan based on hostility towards Pakistan and is aimed at damaging the reputation of the national airline and the country,” the spokesperson said, clarifying that the news held no truth. Missing PIA crew members, particularly in Canada, have been reported in the past, too. On Nov... -
Dawn - 18:03 Dec 14, 2025
Ukraine has relinquished its aim to join the Nato military alliance in exchange for Western security guarantees as a compromise to end the war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday as peace talks got underway in Berlin. Zelensky aired the concession as he flew to the German capital, where he began meetings with US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner in efforts to end Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War Two. The move marks a major shift for Ukraine, which has fought to join Nato as a safeguard against Russian attacks and has such an aspiration included in its constitution. It also meets one of Russia’s war aims, although Kyiv has so far held firm against ceding territory to Moscow. Zelensky met the US envoys at talks hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who, a source said, had made brief remarks before leaving the two sides to negotiate. Other European leaders are also due in Germany for talks on Monday. Security guarantees from the United... -
Dawn - 17:02 Dec 14, 2025
One of the suspected shooters in a gun attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday has been identified by police, a senior law enforcement official told the public broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Ten people were killed and around a dozen were wounded when gunmen opened fire during a Jewish holiday event at the beach, Australian officials said. New South Wales police said two people had been taken into custody, and the ABC said one of at least two gunmen was among those killed. According to the law enforcement official, the suspect was identified as Naveed Akram, who lives in the Sydney suburb of Bonnyrigg. ABC gave no information on his nationality. “The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr Akram’s home … was being raided by police on Sunday evening,” ABC reported. Australian police said an “improvised explosive device” had been found in a car linked to a suspect in the deadly shooting. “We have found an improvised explosive device in a car which is linked to the deceased ... -
Dawn - 16:58 Dec 14, 2025
The Federal Investigation Agency’s immigration wing has arrested a passenger arriving from Cambodia at Jinnah International Airport, exposing a migrant smuggling and international fraud network with links to Southeast Asia. According to a statement issued by the FIA on Saturday, the suspect was taken into custody during a major operation at the airport. Initial investigations revealed that the suspect was involved in organised migrant smuggling and online fraud activities operating out of Cambodia. The FIA said the suspect had travelled from Pakistan to Cambodia in September 2024, where he worked for an online fraud company. “He later began recruiting individuals from Pakistan as agents, allegedly facilitating their movement to Cambodia under false pretences,” the statement said. During forensic analysis of the suspect’s mobile phone, investigators recovered passport photographs of several individuals, payment receipts and records of financial transactions. The agency said the suspect received money through p... -
Dawn - 16:45 Dec 14, 2025
Security forces have killed 13 terrorists during two separate intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said in a statement on Sunday. “On 12-13 December 2025, thirteen khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna Al Khwarij were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It said that the first intelligence-based operation (IBO) was carried out on the reported presence of the terrorists in KP’s Mohmand district. “During the conduct of [the] operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij’s location, and after an intense fire exchange, seven khwarij were sent to hell.” It added that the second IBO was conducted in the province’s Bannu district, where security forces neutralised six more terrorists. “Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian... -
Dawn - 16:12 Dec 14, 2025
The hall at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington glowed in Christmas colours on Saturday evening. Red and gold decorations framed the space, while green — the unmistakable green of Pakistan — appeared everywhere: in flags, ribbons and lapel pins. White lights shimmered softly, echoing both the season and the crescent-and-star that defines the country these guests continue to call their own. The pre-Christmas gathering, hosted for Pakistani Christians and their neighbours, began and ended with a chant that left little doubt about that bond: “Pakistan Zindabad.” It was not a slogan offered for form’s sake. It was spoken with warmth, conviction, and an insistence born of long experience. For more than a decade, speakers noted, such gatherings have brought together Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Jews — a quiet tradition of interfaith fellowship that has survived politics, violence and neglect. A message from the Virginia governor praised the organisers’ work over the past twelve years and encouraged the emb... -
Dawn - 15:36 Dec 14, 2025
The PTI on Saturday expressed grave concern over a report issued by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, saying it exposed the “degrading treatment” of party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan during his incarceration at Adiala Jail and amounted to a “blatant violation of international law and fundamental human rights.” The report, released on Friday, claimed the PTI founder is being held in conditions that could “amount to inhuman or degrading treatment and called on authorities to comply with international norms and standards.” In a statement issued by PTI’s Central Media Department, the party said the UN report unequivocally confirmed what it has consistently maintained for a long time: that Imran Khan was being subjected to “inhuman, unlawful, and degrading treatment motivated entirely by political vendetta.” The PTI asserted that the report reaffirmed Imran’s 23 hours of solitary confinement, constant CCTV surveillance, isolation from the outside world, obstruct... -
Dawn - 14:46 Dec 14, 2025
Aseefa Bhutto appeals for public support ahead of polio vaccination campaign’s commencement tomorrow
As the nationwide polio campaign begins from Monday (tomorrow) to vaccinate over 45 million children, first lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has urged parents, caregivers, public representatives and community leaders to actively support the drive. Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. So far, the country has recorded 30 polio cases, with the highest number of cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 19. This will be the last polio campaign of the year, which will conclude on December 21. “The success of the campaign depends on our collective responsibility, so we must ensure that every child under five years of age receives polio drops,” she said in a statement. The campaign aims to vaccinate 45.4 million children nationwide, including 23.3 million in Punjab, 10.6 million in Sindh, 7.3 million in KP and 2.66 million in Balochistan, with the remaining children covered in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad Capital Territory. The drive is ... -
Dawn - 14:22 Dec 14, 2025
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Sunday issued a press release condemning a ban on government advertisements for various outlets operated by the Dawn Media Group, terming the ban an “attack on press freedom”. Over the past several days, multiple media bodies came together and condemned the 13-month ban, which initially affected the newspaper but extended to DawnNewsTV and the radio channel City FM 89. In its press release today, the PFUJ condemned the ad ban and called it “an attempt to control media and stifle free expression”. “In a joint statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari expressed deep concern over the government’s decision, stating that it is an attack on freedom of expression and an attempt to financially cripple a respected media outlet,” the union said. “Dawn was founded by the father of the nation, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the paper is respected globally for its unbiased reporting,” it added, quoting its president and secretary gen... -
Dawn - 14:08 Dec 14, 2025
You may feel worn out after a busy weekend of conversations and appointments, as though your social battery has run out. “The more we move around in large groups, engage in conversations or are exposed to conflicts, the more our energy levels drop, similar to a smartphone battery when used frequently,” says Dr Steffen Häfner, medical director of a hospital in Germany’s Bad Saulgau and specialist in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy. Everyone feels exhausted after a lot of socialising, says British author Amy Arthur, whose book Pace Yourself: How to Have Energy in an Exhausting World is dedicated to the issue. “The upper limit varies from one person to the next.” Experts agree that everyone, even extroverts who often draw energy from social interaction, needs time out to recover. “The key is to strike a balance between activity and relaxation,” says Dr Häfner. Only by retreating, resting or engaging in relaxing activities can you recharge your social battery. Good strategies for regeneration include: Re... -
Dawn - 14:06 Dec 14, 2025
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi asked PTI supporters on Sunday to “be ready” in case a call was made for a protest, adding that “we will together seize [our] Haqiqi Azadi (true freedom)” from the country’s current rulers. Afridi’s intimation came during a PTI rally in Kohat, where he reminded the crowd that incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, had delivered the message from jail of “freedom or death”. “So if we go this time around, we will either return in shrouds or after getting freedom,” he said, adding that Imran had given the responsibility of making decisions — be it about talks with the government or protests — to Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.* The two leaders are part of the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) along with the PTI, which has also nominated them as the opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate. “For my part,” Afridi said, “I met them and assured... -
Dawn - 11:28 Dec 14, 2025
Karachi police said on Sunday that eight suspects, “involved in running an extortion network” were arrested during a raid at the residence of Pakistan Sunni Tehreek (PST) chairman Muhammad Sarwat Ejaz Qadri in Karachi. Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Imran Khan confirmed Saturday night’s development during a press briefing in Karachi today. At the same time, he also clarified that Qadri was neither wanted by police nor had he been arrested. Moreover, the official said police had no evidence of the suspects’ association with any party. The SSP also clarified that police had found no evidence of the involvement of the PST chief or any other member in the extortion network. SSP Khan said multiple cases had been registered against the arrested suspects, who were associated with an extortion network run by two men, who he identified as Wasiullah Lakho and Abdul Samad Kathiawari. These two “most-wanted” suspects were reportedly “in hiding abroad”, the official said, adding tha... -
Dawn - 09:07 Dec 14, 2025
The finance ministry said on Sunday that the 11 targets, being categorised as “new conditions” under the ongoing programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), represented “continuity, sequencing, and deepening of Pakistan’s agreed reform agenda” rather than the “imposition of abrupt or unprecedented conditions”. The ministry’s clarification follows reports of the government agreeing to 11 new targets, including additional tax measures and expenditure cuts from early next month, to make up for rising revenue shortfalls and to keep the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) on track. This was revealed in documents released by the IMF earlier this week, according to which commitment to the new or revised structural benchmarks, together with completion of two “prior actions”, enabled the conclusion of a staff-level agreement on the second review of the EFF and its approval by the IMF Executive Board for the disbursement of about $1.2bn for Pakistan on December 9. A press release issued by the finance min... -
Dawn - 08:47 Dec 14, 2025
Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Bilal Bin Saqib has said that the no-objection certificates (NOCs) issued to global cryptocurrency exchanges Binance and HTX were not a “blanket approval” but the “first step under a risk-mitigated, phased, supervised entry framework”. View this post on Instagram Saqib’s video statement, televised on Sunday, comes after Pakistan gave initial clearance for Binance and HTX on Friday to register with regulators to set up local subsidiaries and begin preparations for full exchange licence applications. The clearances allow the exchanges to register on the Anti-Money Laundering system, set up local units and prepare full applications. Speaking about the development, Saqib said the issuance of the NOCs to Binance and HTX was the “first practical step” that reflected a “new mindset”. He further said that the step was based on the “Pakistan-first” approach. Saqib detailed that by working under a supervised entry framework, authorities had been able ... -
Dawn - 06:29 Dec 14, 2025
KARACHI: A provincial anti-corruption court has exonerated Dr Asim Hussain, former petroleum minister and close aide of President Asif Zardari, from all charges of corruption on the recommendations of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Sindh. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had in 2016 filed a reference against the former petroleum minister and others for their alleged involvement in depriving the state of Rs462.5 billion from 2010 to 2013. The accused were charged with causing financial losses of Rs450bn through a fertiliser scam, Rs9.5bn through land encroachment / fraud and Rs3bn through money laundering. However, the reference was transferred to the anti-corruption court after tweaks in the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO). The ACE filed an investigation report before Judge Muhammad Aminullah Siddiqui of the special provincial anti-corruption court seeking cancellation of graft charges against Dr Asim and others. Judge asks ACE Sindh to file report on Rs3bn money laundering allegatio... -
Dawn - 06:12 Dec 14, 2025
KHYBER: Preparations for a decisive action against terrorist groups in the restive Tirah valley have entered the final phase as security officials verbally agreed on a possible timeframe for the operation and facilitation of the departing families. Sources in the valley told Dawn that hectic deliberations had been taking place between the Tirah Bagh Brigade Headquarters and local elders since Wednesday (Dec 10) to develop a mechanism for the ‘willful’ relocation of families from the valley and an acceptable package for the new internally displaced persons (IDPs). They said that while expressing satisfaction with the voluntary repatriation of families from different areas of Tirah in the last few weeks, officials posted to the Bagh Brigade Headquarters made it clear to local elders that those unwilling to vacate their houses would face “utter difficulties” after the launch of the operation. A Malakdinkhel elder, who was part of the negotiating team, told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the launch of the mi... -
Dawn - 06:05 Dec 14, 2025
LAHORE: Sundar police on Saturday arrested four suspects allegedly involved in gang-raping two sisters. The mother of the victims, a resident of Theme Park, had submitted a complaint against five suspects for raping her two daughters. She said that her daughters had left home for work to Umar Block of Theme Park the other day. When they returned the same day, they told their mother about their ordeal. The complainant added that her daughters went to meet their two acquaintances, identified in the FIR, who called another armed suspect to the location. The armed suspect called his accomplices to the site and they all raped both the sisters. All suspects were identified by the rape survivors. Their mother demanded registration of a case and provision of justice. Sundar police registered a case against the five suspects on rape charges and arrested four of them. They are conducting raids to arrest the fifth suspect. Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2025
6698 items