In a region long accustomed to sharp rhetoric and diplomatic deadlock, even the smallest gestures can carry disproportionate weight. The brief and informal interaction between Pakistan’s Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar in Dhaka may not alter the trajectory of Pak-India relations overnight, but it is nonetheless noteworthy. The encounter occurred on the sidelines of the funeral of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia, where both leaders were present to pay their respects. According to reports, Dr Jaishankar walked over to Ayaz Sadiq’s seat, exchanged a handshake, and shared a…
Author: Aslam
KARACHI: Tensions escalated in Karachi following an alleged assault on YouTuber Rajab Butt during a court appearance, as police registered a fresh case against several lawyers for allegedly attacking the Station House Officer (SHO) of the City Court police station during subsequent protests. The situation deteriorated after lawyers protested the registration of a case over the alleged beating of Rajab Butt inside the court premises. On Wednesday, a First Information Report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Dawn, was registered on the complaint of City Court SHO Jahangir Bhutto, accusing lawyers of manhandling him and disrupting official duties.…
KARACHI: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has introduced a facial recognition-based biometric verification system to facilitate citizens who face difficulties with fingerprint authentication, particularly senior citizens and individuals suffering from medical conditions. According to a NADRA spokesperson, the initiative has been launched in line with directives issued by the Prime Minister and the Interior Minister to modernize and strengthen Pakistan’s identity verification framework. As part of this move, amendments have been made to the National Identity Card Rules, expanding the legal scope of biometric verification to formally include facial recognition technology. NADRA has confirmed that it is fully…
Lahore: India, in another display of military aggression, has announced large-scale air force exercises near the Pakistani border, raising concerns over regional peace and stability. According to reports, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) declaring extensive aerial drills in the Kutch region of Gujarat, located close to Pakistan’s border. The airspace will remain closed to international commercial flights from January 20 to January 21 to facilitate the exercises. Indian media sources report that frontline combat aircraft, including Rafale jets, Sukhoi-30 MKI, Jaguar fighters, and other advanced platforms, will participate in the drills. The exercises…
Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi has announced the termination of a joint defense agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), ordering all Emirati military forces stationed in Yemen to leave the country within 24 hours. According to Arab media reports, Rashad Al-Alimi stated that Yemen would also impose a complete air, land, and sea blockade across all ports and border crossings for 72 hours. The decision comes amid rising tensions following a limited air operation conducted by the Saudi-led military coalition, which reportedly targeted Mukalla Port. The Saudi-led coalition said the airstrike was aimed at stopping foreign…
Peshawar: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Regional Meteorological Office Peshawar, has issued a weather advisory warning that a westerly low-pressure system is expected to enter the country on the night of December 29 and is likely to affect most parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from December 30, 2025. According to PMD, under the influence of this system, fairly widespread to widespread rain accompanied by wind and thunderstorms is expected in upper and central districts of the province from December 30, 2025 to January 2, 2026, with occasional breaks. The affected areas include Upper and Lower Chitral, Upper and Lower Dir, Swat,…
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed strong bullish momentum on the second trading day of the business week, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index reaching an all-time high. During intraday trading, the KSE-100 Index surged by 703 points to touch 174,600 points, reflecting renewed investor confidence. The index later climbed to an intraday high of 174,805 points, while the lowest level recorded during the session stood at 174,132 points. Market data shows that the KSE-100 Index has gained 59,473 points so far in 2025, marking a significant rise within the current calendar year. It is worth noting that the market had…
Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and chief of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda Zia, passed away on Sunday after a prolonged illness. She was 80. According to party officials, Khaleda Zia had been on a ventilator for several days as her health continued to deteriorate. The BNP formally confirmed her death. Bangladeshi media reported that Khaleda Zia had been suffering from a severe liver disease and had remained under medical treatment for a long period. Doctors had declared her condition critical a day earlier. A member of the medical board treating her, Dr Ziaul Haque, stated that Khaleda…
Nauman Ijaz is widely regarded as one of Pakistan’s most dependable and powerful actors, whose presence alone is often seen as a guarantee of quality. From critically acclaimed dramas like Bismil and Parwarish to his ongoing performance in Shar Pasand, his work continues to set benchmarks in television acting. However, despite decades of success, admiration, and relevance, Nauman Ijaz has openly expressed disappointment with the showbiz industry. In a recent interview with BBC Urdu, Nauman Ijaz revealed that when choosing roles, his primary concern is not screen time or co-stars, but whether a character can deliver a meaningful message to…
KARACHI: Chaos erupted inside the Karachi City Court on Monday when YouTuber Rajab Butt was physically attacked by a group of lawyers during the hearing of a case registered against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Rajab Butt appeared before the Sessions Court Central after the expiry of his interim bail granted on December 20. During the hearing, a scuffle broke out, and Butt was assaulted, disrupting the court proceedings. Lawyer Alleges Unprofessional Conduct Butt’s lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, told social media platform X that some lawyers attacked his client in the presence of the court staff. He added that…
