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Dawn - 09:38 Jan 21, 2026
WASHINGTON: A Pakistani parliamentary delegation, led by Senator Babar Siraj Khan Nasir, arrived in Washington on Tuesday evening for a series of high-level engagements with US lawmakers and officials as part of a renewed push to strengthen bilateral ties. The delegation, which includes members of both the Senate and the National Assembly of Pakistan, will also engage with the members of the Pakistani diaspora to emphasise the significance of their participation in promoting national causes in the United States. The delegation will participate in multiple forums, beginning with an Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG) session at the Rayburn House Office Building on Wednesday, followed by a press conference at the National Press Club (NPC) and a diplomatic reception in New Jersey. According to Dr Gholam Mujtaba, chairman of the Pakistan Policy Institute USA (PPI-USA), who has been instrumental in organising the visit, the engagements are designed to promote legislative-to-legislative dialogue, deepen institutional c... -
Dawn - 09:13 Jan 21, 2026
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday questioned how proceedings in the case concerning PTI founder Imran Khan’s X account could continue if authorities were denying his counsel access to him. The remarks were made by Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, who was presiding over a hearing on a petition against the incarcerated former premier regarding “inflammatory posts” made from an X account operated in Imran’s name. During today’s hearing, PTI leader Salman Akram Raja, who is representing Imran in the case, told the court that he had not been able to meet his client for consultation. “The court has received responses from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and jail authorities,” Justice Tahir said. Addressing Raja, Justice Tahir said that “final arguments in the case will be presented on February 24 if you meet (Imran)”. The judge then directed Raja to submit a detailed response in court in connection with the contempt petition over the denial of meetings with the PTI founder. The court also issued i... -
Dawn - 07:48 Jan 21, 2026
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted an invitation to join US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” aimed at resolving conflicts, Netanyahu’s office said Wednesday. “Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he has accepted US President Donald Trump’s invitation and will join as a member of the Board of Peace, which will be composed of leaders of the world,” the office said in a statement. The board was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of post-war Gaza, but its charter seen by AFP does not appear to limit its role to the Palestinian territory, and members have to pay up to $1 billion for a permanent spot on it. The board “seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict”, reads the preamble of the charter sent to countries invited to participate. It will be chaired by Trump himself, who will also “separately serve” as the representative of the United States. Dozens of countries and leaders... -
Dawn - 07:15 Jan 21, 2026
Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and former captain Steve Waugh are among the franchise owners in a new European Twenty20 league, which will begin in August after two false starts. Backed by the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands, and approved by the governing International Cricket Council, the European T20 Premier League’s (ETPL) founders include Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan. “Mainland Europe is not known for cricket,” Bachchan told Reuters from Sydney, where they unveiled owners of the three teams, including the Amsterdam franchise owned by a group that includes Waugh and Jamie Dwyer, a five-time International Hockey Federation player of the year. “It’s an opportunity to create a huge cricket ecosystem in and around Europe. With ETPL, we hope we can bring the magic of cricket euphoria to mainland Europe.” View this post on Instagram Maxwell is a co-owner of the Belfast franchise, while former New Zealand internationals Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills bought the Edinburgh side. The... -
Dawn - 06:46 Jan 21, 2026
India will withdraw its diplomats’ families and dependents from Bangladesh in the face of security threats as tension rises ahead of a February 12 general election, an Indian official said on Wednesday. Campaigning begins on Thursday for Bangladesh’s election, which has sparked protests and counter-protests. Ties between the South Asian neighbours soured after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in 2024, following deadly protests. India’s past support for Hasina has frayed relations between the two neighbours since her overthrow. India’s withdrawal move was part of “internal readjustments”, the official said, without elaborating. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, pointed to Indian media reports of New Delhi’s decision. It was not immediately clear when the families would return. The foreign ministries of India and Bangladesh did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In December, India summoned Bangladesh’s high commissioner, or ambassador to voice its concern over wha... -
Dawn - 06:16 Jan 21, 2026
Pakistan has warned that India’s unilateral decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance has created an unprecedented crisis for Pakistan’s water security and regional stability. Calling the move a deliberate “weaponisation of water,” Pakistan’s representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, said India’s actions amounted to material breaches of the landmark 1960 treaty. Speaking at the Global Water Bankruptcy Policy Roundtable hosted by Canada and the United Nations University on Tuesday, Ambassador Jadoon said that since April last year, India had committed several serious violations of the treaty, including unannounced disruptions of downstream water flows and the withholding of critical hydrological data. “Pakistan’s position is unequivocal; the treaty remains legally intact and permits no unilateral suspension or modification,” he said. He stressed that for more than six decades, the Indus Waters Treaty had provided a time-tested framework for the equitable and predictable ma... -
Dawn - 06:12 Jan 21, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s plane was forced to return to an air base late Tuesday due to a “minor electrical issue” shortly after departing for Switzerland, the White House said. Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews out of an abundance of caution, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. It landed shortly after 0400 GMT. Journalists traveling with Trump reported that lights in the cabin went out briefly after takeoff. After returning to Andrews, Trump resumed his trip to the Davos forum early Wednesday. Trump and his entourage changed planes at Joint Base Andrews and took off again shortly after 0500 GMT, about two-and-a-half hours after his initial departure. With its classic blue and white livery, Air Force One is arguably the world’s most iconic plane and an instantly recognisable symbol of the US presidency. Trump has long been unhappy with the current Air Force One jets - two highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft that entered service in 1990 under president George H.W Bush. Last year, ... -
Dawn - 05:57 Jan 21, 2026
Lahore has again emerged as the most polluted city in the world with its air quality being classed as “hazardous”, according to air quality monitoring platform IQAir. In past few years, air pollution has become one of the most pressing public health and environmental crises facing Pakistan. Various cities of the country, most notably Lahore, deal with smog, especially in the winter months. The phenomenon is attributed mainly to industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, stubble burning and air movement. Lahore was placed at the top of the list of most polluted cities globally on Wednesday morning, with an air quality index (AQI) of 452, while Karachi ranked ninth at 179, according to the IQAir live tracker. Lahore remains at the top of the list of most polluted cities in the world on January 21. — screengrab via IQAir On Tuesday, the platform issued an air quality alert for Pakistan as major cities experienced “unhealthy” to “hazardous” levels of air pollution, posing “serious health risks to residents, espec... -
Dawn - 02:34 Jan 21, 2026
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that his proposed “Board of Peace” might one day replace the United Nations, which he described as “not very helpful”, as he marked the first anniversary of his second term in office at the White House. Speaking for more than an hour before taking questions from reporters, Trump said the UN had potential but added that he had never considered turning to the organisation to help resolve conflicts. Asked whether his envisioned Board of Peace could supplant the UN, he replied that it “might”. Earlier in the day, Trump released a list of what he described as major achievements from his first year back in office, highlighting what he portrayed as successes in both domestic and foreign policy. Public opinion polls released around the same time showed growing voter dissatisfaction with the administration’s immigration policies. Against that backdrop, the first 15 minutes of Trump’s appearance in the White House briefing room appeared aimed at reshaping ... -
Dawn - 18:37 Jan 20, 2026
The sisters of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan on Tuesday abandoned their sit-in near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail and headed to Islamabad for a protest rally. Sit-ins a short distance away from the prison on Tuesdays and Thursdays by PTI workers and supporters, as well as Imran’s sisters, have become a usual occurrence as the former premier’s family continues to be restricted from meeting the ex-premier. A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24, 2025 mandated that meetings with Imran would be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Despite the IHC’s order, Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi — along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have tried and failed to meet Imran. On Tuesday, the party and Imran’s sisters had staged a sit-in near Adiala jail after again being denied a meeting with the incarcerated prime minister. However, on Tuesday night, the party’s media coordinators told Dawn that the sisters suddenly ended the demon... -
Dawn - 18:31 Jan 20, 2026
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Belarus on Tuesday joined US President Donald Trump’s newly proposed Board of Peace. The UAE’s foreign ministry said it had accepted an invitation to join the board. It added that the country stood ready to contribute actively to the mission of the Board of Peace, supporting greater cooperation, stability, and prosperity for all, marking Abu Dhabi’s formal alignment with Washington’s new conflict-resolution effort. Bahrain’s foreign ministry said it had accepted Trump’s invitation to the Board of Peace as a founding member. Separately, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed an agreement to join the Board of Peace. A presidential Telegram channel published a video of Lukashenko signing the document, and quoted him as saying he hoped to contribute towards peace in Ukraine. Trump had originally proposed establishing the Board when he announced his plan last September to end the conflict in Gaza. But an invitation sent to world leaders last week outlines a bro... -
Dawn - 18:06 Jan 20, 2026
KARACHI: A committee formed by the Sindh government to investigate the circumstances that led to the devastating fire at the Gul Plaza shopping mall initiated its probe on Tuesday as the death toll reached 28. The Sindh chief secretary had formed the body on Monday, comprising Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi and the Karachi additional inspector general, directing that a report be submitted within seven days. Sources told Dawn that the committee held its first meeting on Tuesday, led by the Karachi commissioner. They said the committee called officials from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Fire Brigade, Rescue 1122 and the owner of the mall and sought details from them. Meanwhile, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that based on the KMC’s audit of various buildings, the SBCA had started to “take action”. “A letter with a list of non-compliant buildings has been sent to the Association of Builders and Developers (Abad),” he said on X. The SBCA letter a... -
Dawn - 17:50 Jan 20, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday arrived in Davos, Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF). In a post on X, PM Shehbaz wrote that he arrived to advance Pakistan’s engagement at the WEF with global trade and investment partners. A video included with the post showed him disembarking from his plane, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. “Pakistan’s ongoing economic reform journey is unlocking profound opportunities, driven by a resilient and entrepreneurial workforce and significant potential across energy, agriculture, minerals, and emerging technologies,” PM Shehbaz said. He added that Pakistan was “ready to harness this potential into mutually beneficial economic cooperation and long-term investment”. A separate post from the Foreign Office (FO) said that Dar, in addition to participating in WEF sessions, would also hold “sideline bilateral meetings with counterparts to advance Pakistan’s diplomatic and economic prio... -
Dawn - 16:57 Jan 20, 2026
Hours after he was notified as the opposition leader in the Senate on Tuesday, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas met lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, expressing solidarity with them and ruing that “dissent has been made a crime” in the country. The meeting took place at the office of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) president, following which a statement on Abbas’s X account detailed his media talk after his interaction with the lawyers. The post quoted him as saying that Pakistan was currently going through a “severe crisis”. “Unfortunately, the country seems to be heading in a direction where fundamental rights of people, constitutional guarantees and human dignity are being continuously violated. The real tragedy is that those who have the power and authority are the ones ruthlessly crushing the state’s soft power. “Today, civil society, lawyers, human rights organisations and every other voice that raises awareness and questions is being p... -
Dawn - 15:32 Jan 20, 2026
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik on Tuesday announced his retirement from Pakistan Super League (PSL). In a post on social media platform X, Malik said, “I cherish every single moment and friendship I have made on and off the field throughout my 10 years of the PSL as a player. It’s time to call it a day. “My passion and motivation to serve for the betterment of cricket will always stay. Thank you, PSL,” he said. Last year in May, Malik had announced his resignation from the role of Domestic Cricket Mentor, saying he believed it was “time to move on” to ensure fairness and pay attention to multiple personal and professional responsibilities in his life. During his PSL career, he represented Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators, playing a total of 93 matches and scoring a total of 2350 runs, according to ESPN Cricinfo. -
Dawn - 15:24 Jan 20, 2026
The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has issued a flash flood warning for the Kabul River and its tributaries for January 22 and 23, with the possibility of upper parts of the country getting affected In its alert on Tuesday, the FFC said a “strong westerly wave is likely to affect the upper parts of the country from the evening of January 21 to January 24, 2026. Consequently, flows in River Kabul, along with its associated tributaries, may rise from January 22 to January 23, 2026”. The alert said that “on account of expected moderate to isolated heavy rainfall coupled with snowfall over the upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Swat, Chitral, Buner, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir, Malakand, Bajaur, Chitral, Mardan, Swabi, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Haripur, Kolai-Palas and Kohistan) and Kashmir, the risk of flash flooding cannot be ruled out”. In view of the situation, all organisations concerned, particularly the Provincial Disaster Management Authority in KP, relevant district administrations and K... -
Dawn - 14:39 Jan 20, 2026
The Pakistan Airports Authority has extended the airspace ban for Indian aircraft until February 24 for another month, according to a Notam (notice to airmen) issued on Tuesday. The extension in the ban has been notified just three days before the restriction, last extended on December 17, was set to expire on January 23. India and Pakistan have closed their airspaces to each other’s airlines since tensions between them escalated in late April in the wake of an attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people. According to the latest Notam, Pakistan’s airspace will remain closed for India-registered aircraft until 5am on February 24, extending the restriction that is already in place. The restriction applies to all India-registered aircraft as well as any aircraft operated, owned, or leased by Indian airlines or operators, including military flights. The airspace closure applies from ground level up to unlimited altitude. Pakistan’s airspace is divided into two flight information regions (FIRs) — K... -
Dawn - 13:55 Jan 20, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PML-N Senator Afnanullah Khan on Tuesday alleged that there had to be some involvement of officials in the theft of Pakistanis’ data, saying that it was available on the dark web. The senator made the remarks during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, where he said: “All of Pakistani nationals’ data is on the dark web. And it is the latest data. “And it is such good data that we might not have such well-processed data. For example, they have consolidated data from the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and banks into a dataset,” he said. “And you can get anyone’s data for Rs500, and if you want that of the entire country, you will get it for Rs70-80 billion. Data worth Rs70-80bn is [available] on the dark web,” the senator said. He pointed out that when the data of any individual was stolen, it could be used for any purpose, including obtaining passports and identity cards for others. “Why is Pakistanis’ data stolen time and ... -
Dawn - 13:25 Jan 20, 2026
A diplomatic row has erupted between New Delhi and Warsaw after Indian Foreign Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar took aim at Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski’s recent visit to Pakistan, Indian media reported. According to The Hindu, the visit by the Polish minister was the first since Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Warsaw in August 2024, from where he travelled to Ukraine as well. The report added that Jaishankar, in televised remarks, said he wanted to discuss Sikorski’s “recent travels to the region”, calling it a direct reference to the Polish minister’s visit to Pakistan in October last year. During Sikorski’s two-day visit to Islamabad, Pakistan and Poland had agreed to deepen their political and economic ties during talks in Islamabad, with both countries pledging to transform their relationship into what they called a “comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership”. The Hindu reported that during the meeting between Jaishankar and Sikorski, the former said, “Poland should disp... -
Dawn - 12:27 Jan 20, 2026
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed confidence on Tuesday that the United States and European countries would find a solution over the US administration’s aim to take over Greenland, brushing off “hysteria” about a possible trade war. US President Donald Trump announced tariffs on Saturday on imports from European allies that oppose the United States taking over Greenland, an autonomous part of Denmark. European countries say new tariffs would violate a trade deal reached with Trump last year, and EU leaders are set to discuss possible retaliation at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday. One option is a package of tariffs on 93 billion euros ($108 billion) of US imports that could automatically kick in on February 6 after a six-month suspension. Bessent said the issue had only recently emerged and a solution would be found that ensures national security for the United States and Europe. “It’s been 48 hours. As I said, sit back, relax,” Bessent told reporters on the sidelines of the World Econ...
7934 items