Dawn
Source:
https://www.dawn.com
Found 7934 news
-
Dawn - 04:00 Jan 22, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Fitch Ratings, one of the world’s top three agencies, on Wednesday affirmed Pakistan’s long-term debt ratings at ‘B-’ (B-negative), which it had upgraded in April last year, and assigned a Recovery Rating of ‘RR4’ following the removal of the ratings from Under Criteria Observation (UCO). In a statement issued from its regional office in Hong Kong, the agency said the rating actions reflect the application of Fitch’s new Sovereign Rating Criteria, effective September 2025, and the inclusion of recovery assumptions into sovereign debt ratings for the first time. The recovery rating RR4 denotes ‘average’ recovery expectation from default in a scale of six categories, starting from RR1 for outstanding, RR2 for superior, RR3 for good and RR4 for average. This is followed by RR5 for below average and RR6 for poor. The senior unsecured long-term debt ratings of Pakistan and The Pakistan Global Sukuk Programme Company Ltd are equalised with Pakistan’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR)... -
Dawn - 18:45 Jan 21, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that export-led growth was the only way forward for Pakistan. The premier made the remarks while addressing a breakfast event at the Pakistan Pavilion on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. In his remarks, the premier said Pakistan “is moving forward with a sense of achievement and a sense of purpose”, noting a drop in the inflation rate and a reduction in the policy rate. However, he noted that exports were facing challenges and that social indicators “need to be improved through continuous joint efforts”. “Our exports, collectively, do face different kinds of challenges,” the premier noted. “But the way forward is very clear: Pakistan has to have export-led growth,” he asserted. PM Shehbaz said that the government brought in “fundamental structural changes” to the system, such as digitalising revenue collection. He stated that the tax collection-to-GDP ratio stood at 10.5pc, compared to 9pc two years ago, hailing it as a “significant achi... -
Dawn - 18:44 Jan 21, 2026
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday reiterated his argument in favour of an empowered local government system, saying that the “dispersal of power actually multiplies power” and “concentration of power diminishes it”. His fresh remarks come a day after he called for a “meaningful” constitutional amendment to introduce an empowered local government system in the country. During a speech in the National Assembly on Tuesday, he had also remarked that the 18th Amendment had proven to be a “farce” and had “concentrated all powers in provincial capitals”. The debate in the lower House of Parliament was sparked during a discussion on the Gul Plaza inferno, with Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Farooq Sattar calling for the creation of more administrative units for better governance in Karachi and strengthening local government systems. Asif had endorsed Sattar’s views during the NA session. On Wednesday, he said on X that “empowering local governments means taking the government to the common man’s doorstep”. In su... -
Dawn - 18:43 Jan 21, 2026
KARACHI: In a harrowing development, at least 30 bodies were recovered from a gutted shop as rescuers combed through the wreckage of Karachi’s Gul Plaza on Wednesday. Karachi South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that the remains of 30 humans had been recovered from a shop called “Dubai Crockery” located on the mezzanine floor. He said that earlier in the day, rescue workers had recovered three more bodies, which had taken the toll from 28 to 31. He added that with the discovery of the bodies from the gutted shop, the death toll was estimated to have risen to 61. However, he cautioned that a final conclusion about the death toll could only be reached after receiving the DNA reports. He said that the relatives of those missing as well as the shopkeepers had previously indicated the possibility of there being a large number of people at the shop. Raza said that as per the last contact with the victims, they had believed they would be safe and the fire would be controlled but had suffocated to ... -
Dawn - 18:42 Jan 21, 2026
Pakistan and seven other Muslim-majority countries on Wednesday released a statement announcing their decision to join US President Donald Trump’s so-called ‘Board of Peace’. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar welcomed the invitation “extended to their leaders” by Trump. “The ministers announce their countries’ shared decision to join the Board of Peace. Each country will sign the joining documents according to its respective relevant legal and other necessary procedures, including Egypt, Pakistan, and the UAE, that have already announced to join,” the joint statement said. It should be noted that all eight countries had worked with Trump in October last year on a plan to end Israel’s genocide and invasion in Gaza. The UAE had announced its decision to join the board on Tuesday while Pakistan and Egypt had separately announced it on Wednesday. “The ministers reiterate their countries’ support for the peace efforts l... -
Dawn - 18:21 Jan 21, 2026
An Israeli air strike killed an AFP freelancer and two other journalists in Gaza on Wednesday, the territory’s civil defence agency said, while the military said it struck “suspects” operating a drone. Since October 10, a fragile US-sponsored ceasefire in Gaza has largely halted the fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas, but both sides have alleged frequent violations. In a statement, the civil defence said “the bodies of the three journalists killed in an Israeli air strike in the Al-Zahra area southwest of Gaza City were transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah”. It named the dead as Mohammed Salah Qashta, Abdul Raouf Shaat and Anas Ghneim. Shaat had contributed regularly to AFP as a photo and video journalist, but at the time of the strike, he was not on assignment for the agency. In a statement, the Israeli military said troops had “identified several suspects who operated a drone affiliated with Hamas in the central Gaza Strip”. The military did not elaborate on what it meant by a “dr... -
Dawn - 17:47 Jan 21, 2026
US President Donald Trump ruled out the use of force in his bid to control Greenland on Wednesday, but said in a speech in Davos that no other country can secure the Danish territory. “People thought I would use force, but I don’t have to use force,” Trump said at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Switzerland. “I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.” Trump took a hectoring tone, chastising the United States’ European allies for their insolence, disloyalty and policy missteps in areas ranging from wind power and the environment to immigration and geopolitics. Trump’s increasing threats to Europe over Greenland have frayed transatlantic ties and worried Europeans, overshadowing a speech that was intended to focus primarily on the US economy. Calling Denmark “ungrateful,” the Republican US president played down the issue as a “small ask” over a “piece of ice” and that an acquisition would be no threat to the Nato alliance, which includes Denmark and the United States. “No nation or group of natio... -
Dawn - 17:30 Jan 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Wednesday urged the government to hold “unconditional” talks with the opposition, saying that there should be no conditions in dialogue between political parties. Speaking to the media, Gohar said that it was wrong to say that negotiations would only be held on specific topics. “It is wrong to say that negotiations will be held on this topic but this topic cannot be included in negotiations,” he said. “If you want to hold dialogue, you should speak on all topics,” he said. At the same time, the PTI chairman said that he did not have the authority to negotiate with the government. He said that Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas — who were recently appointed opposition leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate, respectively — had been given the authority to hold talks with the government. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has stated that PTI founder Imran Khan has given Achakzai and Abbas the responsibility of making decision... -
Dawn - 15:54 Jan 21, 2026
Senior PTI leaders incarcerated in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail oppose any attempt to change voting age
Five senior PTI leaders incarcerated at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat on Wednesday opposed any change in the voting age, asking whether those “operating in the dark” were afraid of the youth’s power. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed and Omar Sarfraz Cheema made the remarks in a letter sent through their advocate. The development comes as debate has been raging in the country on raising the voting age from 18 to 25, with the topic also being discussed on TV shows. It is worth mentioning that no formal bill has been tabled in parliament for raising the voting age in Pakistan. A column published in Dawn on Wednesday also stated that “well-connected people” were floating the idea of raising the voting age to 25 as a possible reform. In the letter, seen by Dawn, the PTI leaders said Pakistan had witnessed its first general elections in 1970, when the voting age was 21 years. However, with the advent of the 21st century, the world transformed into a global village because of whic... -
Dawn - 15:23 Jan 21, 2026
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced that it would not be making any changes to the Men’s T20 World Cup schedule or groups, days after Bangladesh requested that its matches be moved to Sri Lanka after refusing to play in India. Bangladesh announced on Jan 4 that it would not play its T20 World Cup matches in India after its player Mustafizur Rahman was released by his Indian Premier League (IPL) team amid growing tensions between the two countries. Subsequently, Bangladesh had “formally requested” the ICC to shift their games to Sri Lanka. The T20 World Cup begins on February 7 with Bangladesh in England’s Group C. The team is scheduled to play all of their group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ICC said the decision was reached after “considering all security assessments conducted, including independent reviews, all of which indicated there was no threat to Bangladesh players, media persons, officials and fans at any tournament venues in the cou... -
Dawn - 15:14 Jan 21, 2026
As Karachi reels from the devastating Gul Plaza fire that has claimed the lives of at least 20 people as of Wednesday, civil society has once again come together to help those affected by the inferno. The fire had erupted at the iconic mall, located on MA Jinnah Road, on Saturday night, but it was said to be doused after more than 24 hours on Sunday. Firefighting efforts had to resume on Monday as flames reignited from the smouldering debris. The plaza, parts of which collapsed due to the blaze, was a ground-plus-three-storey building with 1,200 shops spread over 8,000 square yards. BVS, Mama Parsi schools offer 100pc fee concession The Bai Virbaijee Soparivala (BVS) Parsi High School offered 100 per cent concession in school fees to students whose parents or guardians suffered financial losses in the Gul Plaza blaze. “This measure has been introduced to provide temporary relief to families facing hardship as a result of this unforeseen incident,” read a statement from BVS dated January 20. “The school stands... -
Dawn - 14:50 Jan 21, 2026
The name and logo of the new Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, acquired by OZ Developers earlier this month and allocated to Sialkot, were finally unveiled on Wednesday. Sialkot team owner Kamil Khan unveiled ‘Sialkot Stallionz’ as his franchise’s name today in a social media post. “Excited to be part of the Pakistan Super League journey,” he wrote on X. Khan had announced on Tuesday that the name of his franchise would be unveiled at 2 pm today. In a separate social media post today, the team announced, “The wait is over. A new force rises — Sialkot Stallionz.” In a letter to its fans, the team said that the name “carries legacy and pride”. “This journey is not ours alone; it belongs to every fan who stands with us, cheers for us, and believes in the spirit of Sialkot,” it said on X. Earlier this month, a historic Rs1.85 billion bid from OZ Developers at the PSL franchise auction secured Sialkot as one of the two new teams. OZ Developers had been in a bidding war with software company i2c before outbidd... -
Dawn - 14:20 Jan 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday granted activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha pre-arrest bail in a case pertaining to a protest by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) that dates back to July 2025 and resurfaced a day earlier. The two had filed pre-arrest bail applications in the case. However, their bail pleas could not be taken up on an urgent basis on Tuesday while the couple struggled to avoid arrest. The couple took refuge in the IHCBA president’s office, where they spent the whole night, while a large number of police officials remained outside the premises. During the hearing on Wednesday, Justice Muhammad Azam Khan of the IHC took up the pre-arrest application and approved Mazari and Chattha’s bail against surety bonds of Rs10,000 each. Advocate Kamran Murtaza appeared on behalf of the petitioners, and a large number of lawyers and officials from the IHCBA were present in the courtroom in solidarity with the applicants. Addressing the cour... -
Dawn - 13:35 Jan 21, 2026
US President Donald Trump has invited countries to pay $1 billion in exchange for a permanent seat on a newly proposed initiative known as the “Board of Peace”. The body was initially envisioned as a mechanism to address Israel’s war on Gaza, though its charter does not restrict its mandate solely to the occupied Palestinian territory. Several states have been approached by the US to join the initiative. Pakistan also received an invitation on Sunday. Today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accepted the proposal to participate in the initiative with the aim of “achieving lasting peace in Gaza”, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO). What is the board meant to do? According to AFP, the Board of Peace will be led by Trump under the terms outlined in its founding charter. The document describes it as “an international organisation that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict”. It further states t... -
Dawn - 13:27 Jan 21, 2026
SWAT: Unidentified assailants hurled a hand grenade on the residence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Housing Dr Amjad Ali in Swat district on Wednesday morning, police said. According to Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Omar Khan, the incident occurred in the Shamozai area of Barikot tehsil, where unidentified suspects hurled a hand grenade at the minister’s house. “At the time of the attack, the provincial minister was not present at his residence,” the DPO told Dawn. “The explosion caused minor damage to the house’s boundary wall,” he said, adding that the minister’s family members remained safe. Following the attack, police cordoned off the area and launched an investigation to identify and arrest those responsible, DPO Khan added. He further said that security around the residence and nearby areas had been tightened as a precautionary measure and that all possible angles were being examined. Last month, at least one person was injured after unknown assailants opened fire on PTI Senator Khurr... -
Dawn - 13:11 Jan 21, 2026
Police in India-occupied Kashmir asked at least three journalists working in the region to sign a pledge vowing not to “disturb peace” in the region, two of them told Reuters on Wednesday. A third journalist, an assistant editor with the Indian Express newspaper, was summoned to a police station in Srinagar, the capital of the federal territory, but did not sign the pledge, the newspaper said in a report published on Wednesday. India has imposed several restrictions in the region after revoking its constitutional autonomy in 2019, laying out rules for how the region is covered and reported. A spokesperson for Srinagar police did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. The Indian Express, one of India’s most respected dailies, said its journalist was summoned four times between January 15 and 19 and asked to sign the pledge on January 16. “He has not signed the bond as asked by the police. The Indian Express is committed to doing what is necessary to uphold and protect the rights and dig... -
Dawn - 13:04 Jan 21, 2026
Gul Plaza only announced its importance after it was gone. As I’m writing this, I realise that the lamp on my bedside table is from there. So is the wall clock ticking opposite me, the plant sitting just within my line of sight, the bedsheet folded at the foot of my bed, and the ceramic tray holding loose change on my desk. I hadn’t noticed how much of my living space traces back to that same address in Karachi’s historic centre — until it burned. Each object carries its own small origin story: a practical purchase the first time we moved houses, an impulsive buy after a long walk through crowded aisles, or something my mother spotted on her trips there, sent to me on WhatsApp, and I approved from afar. At the time, none of it felt consequential. These were low-stakes decisions made between bargaining and staircases, between “let’s check one more shop” and “we’ll just take this one.” Everything we ever bought from Gul Plaza (and there is a lot) will eventually break, fade, or quietly disappear into storage. O... -
Dawn - 12:22 Jan 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) passed on Wednesday the Elections Amendment Bill, 2026, seeking secrecy of parliamentarians’ assets, amid opposition by the PTI. Under Section 137 of the Elections Act, all members of the NA, Senate, and provincial assemblies are required to submit to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), on or before Dec 31 each year, a statement of their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouses and dependent children. Section 138 of the Elections Act requires the ECP to publish these declarations in the official gazette. The bill passed by the NA today proposes an amendment to Section 138 of the Elections Act, seeking to insert a proviso stating: “Provided that the speaker of the assembly concerned or, as the case may be, the chairman of the Senate may, on an application made by a member for reasons to be recorded in writing, by a ruling delivered in the chamber, determine that the statement of assets and liabilities of that member shall not be published publicly by... -
Dawn - 11:46 Jan 21, 2026
The world’s biggest nuclear power plant was restarted on Wednesday for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, its Japanese operator said, despite persistent safety concerns among residents. The plant was “started at 19:02”, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) spokesman Tatsuya Matoba told AFP of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata prefecture. The regional governor approved the resumption last month, although public opinion remains sharply divided. On Tuesday, a few dozen protesters — mostly elderly — braved freezing temperatures to demonstrate in the snow near the plant’s entrance, whose buildings line the Sea of Japan coast. “It’s Tokyo’s electricity that is produced in Kashiwazaki, so why should the people here be put at risk? That makes no sense,” Yumiko Abe, a 73-year-old resident, told AFP. Around 60 per cent of residents oppose the restart, while 37pc support it, according to a survey conducted in September. TEPCO said on Wednesday it would “proceed with careful verification of each plan... -
Dawn - 11:41 Jan 21, 2026
An Indian Air Force (IAF) training aircraft crashed in India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state, with both pilots emerging unharmed, police said. On a routine sortie from Bamrauli air force station near Prayagraj, a Microlight aircraft faced a technical malfunction and was “safely force landed in an uninhabited area, ensuring no damage to civil life or property”, the Indian Air Force said on social media platform X. “Both the pilots on board are safe,” it said, adding that a probe into the cause of the accident is underway. Manish Shandilya, a local police officer, said the training aircraft “crashed after its engine developed a sudden technical snag,” reported The Press Trust of India. “In Prayagraj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Manish Shandilya said the aircraft was on a sortie towards Phaphamau and the Sangam area when its engine developed a technical snag,” The Hindu reported. The report quoted him as saying that the pilots had executed a “controlled and safe landing in a pond”. In November last year,...
7934 items