Pakistan

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Number of planned bazaars reduced from 26 to seven; hundreds of thousands of aid requests rejected

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NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Aina Wazir, a young girl from North Waziristan’s Shewa village, has made waves on social media with her bowling skills, prompting the owner of Pakistan Super League franchise Peshawar Zalmi to select her for his upcoming women’s team. A video of Aina appeared on the social media platform X over the past 24 hours, where she can be seen showcasing both her batting and bowling skills in a street match. The video captured the attention of Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi, who said “talent like this deserves the right platform”. In a post on X, he said that she would be part of the upcoming Zalmi Women League — a platform for girls to “play, inspire, and express their talents”. “We will ensure she is provided with all necessary cricket equipment and proper facilities so she gets the opportunity she truly deserves to grow and shine and become the next Saira Jabeen,” he said. The video had also captured the attention of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, who said on X, “It is truly he...

Ramazan is welcomed by Muslims around the world as a sacred month of fasting, reflection and spiritual renewal, observed by more than 1.9 billion people across different countries. From dawn to sunset, Muslims fast from food and drink, dedicating the month to prayer, charity and community. Mosques fill for nightly Taraweeh prayers, families gather for iftar meals at sunset, and acts of generosity increase as believers seek spiritual growth and closeness to Allah. Beyond the physical fast, Ramazan emphasises patience, self-discipline and compassion for those less fortunate, making it one of the most significant and unifying periods in the Islamic calendar. Here are some glimpses from different countries, including Pakistan, Occupied Kashmir, Palestine, Sudan, Nigeria, Kosovo, Malaysia and Indonesia, capturing how communities welcomed the holy month with prayers, acts of charity, and communal meals. Madrassa students recite the Quran on the first day of Ramazan, in Peshawar on February 19, 2026. — Abdul Majeed ...

KARACHI: At least 15 people, including women and children, were killed, and 18 others were injured after a gas explosion caused part of a residential building to collapse in Karachi’s Soldier Bazaar area, according to officials. The incident occurred at a residence in the Gul Rana Colony area of Soldier Bazaar. The injured and the deceased were shifted to Civil Hospital. Initially, Rescue 1122 put the death toll at 16. However, officials later confirmed that the death toll was 15, while 18 others were injured. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Jamshed Asher said the incident occurred at around 4:15am during Sehri, and that the gas explosion took place on the building’s first floor. East Deputy Commissioner Nasrullah Abbasi told Dawn that the gas explosion occurred at the time of Sehri in a building located in Gul Rana Colony. He said it was a highly congested locality where a ground plus three-storey building was constructed on 40-45 yards with one small room on each floor. He said that the explosion d...

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Thursday underscored Pakistan’s transformative role as a vital “Economic Bridge” linking South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Eurasia.

In a significant judgment, the Supreme Court of Pakistan reduced a murder convict’s life sentence to 15 years while issuing far-reaching directions on the handling of personal information in police documentation.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on Thursday took notice of the alleged death by suicide of a medical student from Lahore’s Fatima Jinnah Medical University (FJMU) and sought a report. Moreover, observing the lack of strengthened student support systems, the council also advised all medical and dental colleges to hire qualified counsellors/psychologists to provide timely guidance, and mental and physical health support to students in distress. On Tuesday night, a 22-year-old female student allegedly died by suicide after jumping from the fourth floor of a hostel at FJMU. The student in question was a resident of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and was living in the varsity’s government hostel in Lahore. On Thursday, a letter from the PMDC registrar to the FJMU principal, available with Dawn, stated that in light of the seriousness of the incident and its impact on the student community, the council was directing the college to share a factual account of the incident so that the medical body ma...

King Charles’ younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor, celebrating his 66th birthday on Thursday, was arrested and questioned by detectives from Thames Valley Police, which this month said it was looking into allegations that he had passed documents to the late convicted sex offender while working as a trade envoy. “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” Thames Valley’s Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement. “We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.” The former prince, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, who is in police custody, has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and said he regrets their friendship. But he has not responded to request...

Australian police said on Thursday they had launched an investigation after a threatening letter was sent to the country’s largest mosque, the third such incident in the lead-up to Ramazan. The letter sent to Lakemba Mosque in Sydney’s west on Wednesday contained a drawing of a pig and a threat to kill the “Muslim race”, local media reported. Police said they had taken the letter for forensic testing and would continue to patrol religious sites, including the mosque, as well as community events. The latest letter comes weeks after a similar message was mailed to the mosque, depicting Muslims inside a mosque on fire. Police have also arrested and charged a 70-year-old man in connection with a third threatening letter sent to Lakemba Mosque’s staff in January. The Lebanese Muslim Association, which runs the mosque, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) it had written to the government to request more funding for additional security guards and CCTV cameras. Some 5,000 people are expected to attend the mosq...

The PTI on Thursday once again voiced concerns regarding party founder Imran Khan’s health, taking exception to the government’s alleged “silence and lack of clarity” over the matter. The incarcerated ex-prime minister’s family and party have been raising concerns about his health since his eye ailment — right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) — came to light in late January. In a statement on X, the PTI expressed “profound concern over the growing anxiety spreading among the nation regarding” Imran’s health. “Any ambiguity surrounding the health of a leader who commands the confidence of millions is unacceptable. The government’s silence and lack of clarity have only intensified public unease rather than alleviating it,” the PTI contended. “This is not merely a political matter; it is a test of national trust, human rights, and the government’s responsibility,” the party asserted. Stating that “any uncertainty regarding his health and safety is intolerable”, it stressed that if the government had nothing...

The government is paying compensation totaling more than Rs190 million to the families of 40 people killed in a suicide bombing at an imambargah in Islamabad this month, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday. The February 6 attack, claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group, on the outskirts of the capital was the deadliest in Islamabad since a 2008 truck bombing that killed 60 people at the Marriott Hotel. “Relief cheques have been delivered to the heirs of 36 martyrs belonging to Islamabad,” PMO said in a statement, adding each victim’s family received Rs5m. Cheques will also be delivered to four families of victims living outside Islamabad, the statement said. Although officials have not released a final death toll, the statement marked the first official acknowledgement that 40 people were killed in the blast. On Feb 11, PM Shehbaz had announced compensation for those martyred and injured in the suicide attack while visiting the site of the attack. Speaking on the occasion, he said, “These terrorists ...

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Thursday approved the release of Rs19 billion for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Ramazan package. On February 12, PM Shehbaz had announced a Rs38bn Ramazan relief package, which would benefit more than 12 million families — around 36m people — through direct digital payments. In a post on X, the finance ministry said Finance Minister Muhammad Aurengzeb remotely chaired a meeting of the ECC. The post said that the ECC approved the “immediate release” of Rs19bn for the prime minister’s package to “ensure timely disbursement of assistance to vulnerable families”. “The remaining requirement out of the proposed Rs25bn will be released as and when necessary, in line with fiscal space,” the ministry said. “The prime minister’s Ramazan relief package 2026 is designed to provide targeted cash assistance to low-income households during the holy month, using National Socio-Economic Registry data to ensure transparency and objective beneficiary selection,” the finance ministr...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed deep grief and sorrow over loss of precious lives caused by a building collapse in Karachi’s Soldier Bazaar area.

ISLAMABAD: In a dramatic development in the narcotics and terrorism case against senior journalist Matiullah Jan, a forensic report submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday revealed that the substance allegedly recovered from him was not a prohibited drug. The case — registered at Margalla Police Station on Nov 28, 2024 — had accused the journalist of snatching a government-issued rifle, hitting a vehicle at a police barrier and possessing narcotics. Initiation of legal proceedings against Jan drew strong criticism from journalist bodies and rights groups, who maintained that he was being targeted for investigating reports of alleged deaths during law enforcement action against PTI protesters in November 2024. On Thursday, a division bench comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas heard the matter in a packed IHC courtroom. During the hearing, the Islamabad police placed on record a laboratory report prepared by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency. According to ...

Pakistan issued a demarche to the Taliban regime over the use of Afghan soil for a terrorist attack on security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur that martyred 11 soldiers, it emerged on Thursday. According to a press release by the Foreign Office (FO), the demarche was issued on Wednesday afternoon when the FO summoned the Afghan deputy head of mission. “Pakistan condemned in the strongest possible terms the vehicle-borne suicide terrorist attack followed by a fire raid on Pakistan military and law enforcement agencies’ posts in Bajaur, carried out by Fitna al Khawarij [or] the TTP,” the statement said. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The FO expressed concern that the group, whose entire leadership is based in Afghanistan, “operates with impunity from Afghan soil”. It re-emphasised that Pakistan had received repeated assurances from the Afghan Taliban regime, “but, regrettably, with no visible or concrete actions”. “The A...

Pakistan’s Foreign Office summoned the Afghan Deputy Ambassador on Monday to formally register a strong protest following the recent terrorist attack in Bajaur.

The Saudi Riyal opened at Rs74.