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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry briefed the Senate on Monday on recent strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, pointing out that they were carried out following multiple attacks by militants in Pakistan and saying that Islamabad “cannot tolerate this anymore”. Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Afghanistan in a retaliatory operation late on Saturday night, targeting groups responsible for recent attacks in its territory. The strikes were conducted in retaliation for a series of suicide attacks in Islamabad , Bajaur , and Bannu that had claimed the lives of Pakistani security personnel and civilians. Mentioning these incidents, Chaudhry said they were “linked” to Afghanistan-based actors, adding that it was subsequently decided to give a “decisive response” to the neighbouring country. “As a result, our Air Force carried out strikes in three Afghan provinces, Paktika, Nangarhar and Khost on February 21,” he said, adding that there were reports...

KARACHI: A food delivery rider lost his life after a speeding vehicle flipped over and crashed into his stationary motorcycle in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area, according to police. The video of the incident that took place on Sunday was widely shared on social media. South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) told Dawn that the food delivery rider was on his motorcycle outside a bungalow in DHA’s phase IV when a speeding car turned over and crashed into his vehicle. “Both the rider and the car driver were injured in the incident,” he said, adding that they were initially taken to a private hospital in the Clifton area. The rider was later taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in critical condition and died during treatment, the official said. Meanwhile, the car’s driver was at the private hospital in Clifton, and a police mobile was deployed outside the facility for the arrest of the car driver after treatment, DIG Raza said. from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/wc4...

QUETTA: Armed men abducted 14 workers of a construction company wor­king on a government project and at a crushing plant at two different places in Khuzdar and Barkhan districts of Balochistan, police said on Sunday. A senior police officer said the armed men barged into the construction company’s camp in Mula area, some 60 km from Khuzdar, and kidnapped 11 workers including a project manager. “Six labourers belonged to Sindh province who were working with the com­pany while five others are residents of Khuzdar and other areas of the province,” the police official said. He said the armed men attempted to take away arms and ammunition of the police station but police personnel offered resistance, forcing the kidnappers to flee. Six out of 11 labourers have been identified as Project Manager Gul Sher, Ghulam Sarwar, Abdul Malik Bugti, Maulana Bakhsh, Muhammad Irfan and Ikhtiar. Security forces reached the area after getting information of the incident and launched a search operation...

Ramazan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, focusing on prayer, charity and deepening their connection with the Almighty. Homes and mosques come alive with pre-dawn meals (sehri) and the evening ritual of breaking the fast. Across Pakistan, communal iftars bring people together, as neighbours, friends and even strangers share meals to end the day’s fast. Held in mosques, community centres and public spaces, these gatherings are about more than just food, as they nurture unity, strengthen bonds, and foster a sense of togetherness. They also create spaces for conversation, understanding and generosity, embodying the spirit of the holy month. Photographs from cities across Pakistan capture these quiet, meaningful moments: prayers in reflection, the preparation of iftar, the laughter and chatter around shared tables, and the calm anticipation as the sun sets. Together, they paint a picture of Ramazan as a time of patience, gratitu...

President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent visit to southern Punjab and his outburst against PTI founder Imran Khan have raised eyebrows in political circles. Some observers view the visit as a “message of displeasure” to the ruling PML-N, while others see it as preparation for early general elections. Amid media reports suggesting the possible release of Mr Khan from jail, Mr Zardari’s aggressive tone is also being seen as an attempt to block such a move. Although the president, as head of state, should remain apolitical, Mr Zardari has often acted otherwise. As the PPP supremo, he acts as a shield for the party against political odds and offensives. Mr Zardari has just completed his visit to Punjab, where he stepped up his political engagements by holding several public meetings with PPP provincial leaders. In a series of public addresses, he criticised Mr Khan, saying the jailed PTI leader should face imprisonment “like a man” and should not order his party leaders and workers to bloc...

LONDON: Prime Min­ister Shehbaz Sharif arr­ived in London in the early hours of Saturday morning after attending the in­augural meeting of the ‘Board of Peace’ in Was­hington, convened by US President Donald Trump. The prime minister’s spe­cial aircraft touched down at Luton Airport, after which he travelled to his residence in the British capital. Sources said he would remain in London for two days before leaving for Pakistan on Monday. He is accompanied on the visit by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar. The premier had travelled to the United States at President Trump’s invitation to participate in the high-level gathering foc­u­sed on Gaza and broader peace efforts. Addressing the gathering in Washington, PM Shehbaz stressed the need to end ceasefire violations in Gaza, calling it “very important” for achieving long lasting peace in the war-torn territory. “The people of Palestine have long endured illegal occupation and immense sufferin...

Pakistan has struck seven “terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to Pakistani Taliban of [Fitna al Khwarij] and its affiliates and [the Islamic State-Khorasan Province] at the border region of Pakistan Afghan border,” the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced in an post early Sunday on social media platform X. The statement asserted that “Pakistan has always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region, but at the same time, the safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority.” The press release stated that the action against the seven camps and hideouts was “a retributive response”, carried out based on “intelligence-based selective targeting”. More to follow. from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/BKgZeC4 https://ift.tt/GbKFrwf

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor • With only one conviction in US, legislators accuse justice dept of dragging its feet • Most Americans now find leaders ‘untrustworthy’ • Australian PM says referendums ‘hard to pass’ after Andrew’s arrest WASHINGTON: The arrest of former prince Andrew has underlined the striking contrast bet­ween Europe, where high-profile, powerful people are being held to account over their links to Jeffrey Epstein, and the United States, where the fallout has been limited. Only one person has been arrested or convicted in the United States in connection with the activities of the late sex offender — Ghislaine Maxwell , Epstein’s ex-girlfriend and accomplice. Epstein cultivated a global network of powerful politicians, business executives, academics and celebrities — many of whom have been tainted by their association with him. A number of prominent Americans — from former president Bill Clinton to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates — have had their reputations ...

• President vows alternative ways to impose levies as court declared his tariff regime ‘illegal’ • Trump insists ‘India deal is on’ • Three liberal justices joined three conservatives in Friday’s ruling • Canada hails ruling, UK, Germany cautious in their response • Stocks rise, Treasury yields gain after the verdict WASHINGTON: After the US Supreme Court struck down the President’s sweeping tariffs that he pursued under a law meant for use in national emergencies, Donald Trump announced on Friday he was imposing an extra global tariff of 10 per cent on US trade partners. The conservative-majority court ruled the emergency powers law — International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) — “does not authorise the President to impose tariffs”, marking Trump’s biggest defeat at the SC since returning to the White House last year. While hard-hit Canada welcomed the ruling pointing out the levies were always “unjustified”, other US trading partners particularly European powers were ...

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Railways continues to face a significant sustainability gap, with its immediate obligations more than 10 times higher than the current operational surplus, a National Assembly panel was told on Thursday. “Against a current operational surplus of Rs2.4 billion, immediate obligations amount to Rs27.4 billion, highlighting a structural funding shortfall that requires strategic support and long-term financial restructuring to ensure sustainable operations,” Paki­stan Railways’ member of finance told the National Assembly’s Stan­ding Committee on Parli­amentary Affairs, which met here with Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, MNA, in the chair. The secretary of parliamentary affairs briefed the committee on the status of complaints received about Pakistan Railways pensioners to the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit. The member of finance told the committee that PR has undertaken active liability management to address longstanding emp­loyee obligations, disbursing Rs5.622bn ...

ISLAMABAD: To salvage government credibility, Power Minister Awais Leghari on Thursday decided to honour all applicants of net-metering solar connections till the change of regulations on Feb 8 and directed electricity distribution companies (Discos), including K-Electric, for its implementation. At a meeting of the Power Division’s attached entities, the minister was informed that 5,165 consumers had applied for net-metered connections by the cut-off date of Feb 8 — the day the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) notified the Prosumers Regulations 2026, replacing the net-metering framework with net billing and negatively affecting rooftop solar economics for households and industry. All these applications entailed a net-metering capacity addition of about 250.8 megawatts. “All net metering applications minister on commerce and industry. He was later sworn in as the provincial minister for agriculture and cooperatives. Meanwhile, Sardar Bhootani continued his ...

US President Donald Trump on Thursday promised $10 billion and Muslim-majority nations offered funding and troops for Gaza at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington. Pakistan, however, was not named among the five nations who have committed troops for the International Stabilisation Force, which will be tas­k­ed with securing reconstruction zones and supporting a post-conflict governance arrangement in Gaza. Trump brought together allies from around the world — many authoritarians, with few Western democrats who traditionally ally with the United States — to hail his peacemaking at the first Board of Peace meeting. Presiding with a gavel over the meeting in the gleaming Washington building of the former US Institute of Peace, which has been gutted and renamed after the 79-year-old Republican, Trump hailed the “powerful people” who joined his board. “We will help Gaza. We will straighten it out. We’ll make it successful,” Trump said, holding up a document with pledges...

• Counsel argues law violates Articles 4, 8, 10-A, 35 and 227 of Constitution • Lahore court convicts man of assaulting wife, mother-in-law ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Ministry of Human Rights on a petition challenging the vires of the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2026 , and sought their response. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir of the IHC heard the petition filed by Advocate Abdul Wahab Farid against the recently enacted law. During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner, Maham Fatima and Sardar Tariq Hussain, arg­ued that the impugned legislation was contrary to several constitutional provisions, including Articles 4, 8, 10-A, 35 and 227. They contended that the law infringes fundamental rights and is inconsistent with Islamic injunctions. The counsel submitted that the procedure prescribed under the new law for registration and redressal of complaints violates the righ...

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that recognition of Israel by Pakistan was “not on the cards at all” as he highlighted the country’s support for the Palestinian cause. The minister made the remarks in an interview with France 24 . The comments come as the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, led by US President Donald Trump, will be held in Washington on February 19. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will be attending the meeting. In the interview, Asif was asked about Pakistan’s decision to join the Board of Peace and if the country would contribute troops for a military force in Gaza. “I don’t see any problem in that. It all depends on what sort of terms of reference are drafted for that peace force,” he said, highlighting that Pakistan was a part of UN peacekeeping missions. “So we have that experience. Palestine is a cause that is very close to our hearts. We have been demonstrating solidarity with them for many, many, man...

DEMONSTRATORS protest in front of New York’s Trump Tower.—Reuters • Hillary accuses Trump of orchestrating ‘cover-up’ • Los Angeles mayor calls for 2028 Olympics chief to resign • Hyatt boss steps down SANTA FE: Lawmakers in the US state of New Mexico passed legislation on Monday to launch the “first full investigation” into what happened at Zorro Ranch, where the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is accused of trafficking and sexually assaulting girls and women. A bipartisan committee will seek testimony from survivors of alleged sexual abuse at the ranch, located about 50 kilometres south of Santa Fe, the state capital. Legislators have urged local residents to testify. Meanwhile, former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton accused President Trump of orchestrating a ‘cover-up’ over the Epstein files. “Get the files out. They’re slow-walking it,” the former first lady said in an interview with the BBC . In other developments, the mayor of Los Angeles called upon Casey Was...

LAHORE: Punjab officials are tight-lipped on reports that claim the provincial government has acquired a Gulfstream aircraft for “VIP transport role”. Meanwhile, the alleged move continues to draw criticism. On Monday, it was claimed by an X account, The Stratcom Bureau — which mainly shares defence and security news — that the “government of Punjab, Pakistan has acquired a new, 2019-manufactured Gulfstream GVII-G500 aircraft for their VIP transport role”. In a separate post by the same account, it was claimed that “the registration number of the luxury plane is N144S” and its “old Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration would be changed to Pakistani registration soon”. The post also said that the approximate asking price for the aircraft was $38 million to $42m. Meanwhile, the US FAA registry shows that the aircraft is currently owned by TVPX Aircraft Solutions Inc. Trustee, which, as per its website, commonly acts as the registered owner for aircraft trusts, facili...

KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has launched ‘Cyber Shield’, a comprehensive cyber resilience strategy, to counter growing global and domestic cyber threats to the financial ecosystem, aligning with international best practices. As part of its Vision 2028 agenda, the SBP launched Cyber Shield, a major initiative aimed at strengthening the safety and robustness of the country’s banking and financial system. The banks have been facing increasing incidents of cyber crimes, while the international organisations believe that every second Pakistani is facing the cybersecurity problem. With the rapid digitisation and very high growth of online payments, cyber threats have also increased. Bankers said the situation is not alarming, but there is a need to implement quick remedies to control it, which would help strengthen the banking system in Pakistan. Outlines key priorities to counter growing threats by 2030 “The milestones laid down in the strategy will be implemented in ...

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi apologised to the people of his province on Monday, saying that PTI workers had taken to the streets of their own accord. His statement comes against the backdrop of protests at multiple places by PTI activists in KP. The party workers have blocked entry and exit points to the province, resulting in inconveniences for the people and KP being cut off from the rest of the country. The protests began on Friday, simultaneously with sit-ins by opposition parliamentarians and Tehreek Tahafuz-i-Ayeen Pakistan leaders in Islamabad, over PTI founder Imran Khan’s health. When KP CM was asked today about what would be the next line of action for PTI workers, he said: “We have not given any line of action to the workers. The workers have come out on their own. Our strategy was just for the parliamentarians.” He said the plan devised for parliamentarians was to stage a “peaceful sit-in” outside the Parliament in Islamabad. “But, unfortunate...

They came, they saw, they collapsed. After the hullabaloo of the boycott and “ un-boycott ”, after the claim of a moral victory in the immoral corridors of the ICC, there was some expectation that Pakis­tan’s chutzpah in cricket politics would translate onto the cricket pitch. But it was not to be. For the Pakistani fan, it is usually the expectation that kills you. Beyond the post-boycott optimism, there were genuine cricketing reasons to be optimistic this time around. The only silver lining for Pakistan now is that the outcome of this match should not stop their qualification for the next stage. In recent months, Pakistan have looked like a team getting to grips with modern T20 cricket. They rediscovered spin and are reconnected with the joy of hitting. In recent months, Pakistan seem to have rediscovered spin and the joy of hitting, but the team still have much to learn if they are to challenge the stronger nations A team and game formula has begun to emerge under the low-k...

• US diplomat underscores Islamabad’s role in ‘multilateral diplomacy’, ‘stability’ in South Asia • CDF Munir meets Rubio, top defence leaders on sidelines WASHINGTON: After Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir discussed “global and regional security dynamics” with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio , a senior US diplomat has highlighted Pakistan’s key role in Washington’s global strategy. US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz highlighted Pakistan’s role in Washington’s global and regional diplomacy. “We could walk around the world — Kashmir and India and Pakistan — where we faced a very serious nuclear escalation,” he said during the Munich Security Conference, underlining enduring US concerns about strategic stability in South Asia. Ambassador Waltz also linked Pakistan to multilateral diplomacy. “The United Nations Security Council created the ‘ Board of Peace ’ — unanimously — with countries such as Pakistan, our fri...

JHELUM: A man was arrested on Sunday after he reportedly attacked cleric Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza, the police said. Per a first information report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Dawn , the incident took place in Jhelum at Mirza’s Qur’an-o-Sunnat Research Academy at the end of a lecture. According to the complainant Muhammad Kashif Qureshi, a core member of the academy, attendees were returning home after listening to the lecture, but some of them stayed back to take selfies with Engineer Mirza. “Just then, a man attacked Engineer Mirza by grabbing his collar, throwing punches at him, and removing his turban,” the FIR quoted Qureshi as saying. “He violently threw his honourable turban onto the ground, strangled him with both hands to suffocate him, and loudly chanted slogans,” he added. Qureshi was quoted as saying that people present at the site of the incident intervened immediately to protect the scholar. “We then handed him over to the police on duty to ensure tha...

There are nights when Pakistan versus India feels like theatre: breathless, chaotic, hanging by a thread. And then there are nights like the one in Colombo. At the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, this was not a last-over classic or a heart-stopping choke. It was clinical. India posted 175, Pakistan were rolled for 114. A 61-run defeat . No controversy to dissect, no umpiring debate to hide behind, no “if only” moments to cling to. Just a gulf. Here are five takeaways from a game that was disappointingly straightforward. Agha’s captaincy: bold or baffling? Salman Ali Agha did not hide behind convention and that alone deserves akcnowledgement. He decided to chase on a slow Colombo surface that was expected to grip more under lights. Bold. He opened the bowling himself and dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a duck - poetic, especially after publicly stating he wanted the Indian opener to play. He even promoted himself to bat at no.3 earlier in the tournament, leading by example. But bold decis...

• Bangladesh’s PM-to-be pledges to restore governance, economy; vows to fix ‘broken’ systems • Urges unity as BNP sweeps first polls since 2024 uprising DHAKA: Bangladesh’s prime minister-in-waiting Tarique Rahman on Saturday dedicated his party’s landslide election victory to the citizens who “sacrificed for democracy” during the deadly 2024 uprising and pledged to prioritise the restoration of economy and governance. Rahman, the 60-year-old scion of one of the nation’s most powerful political dynasties, called for national unity as he prepared to lead the South Asian nation of 170 million people following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s sweeping success in Thursday’s vote. He will take over from an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which has steered Bangladesh since a student-led uprising ousted Hasina in August 2024. “This victory belongs to Bangladesh, belongs to democracy,” Rahman said in his first speech since the vote. “This victory belongs to p...