A total of 128 journalists were killed around the world in 2025, more than half of them in the Middle East, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said on Thursday. The grim toll, up from 2024, “is not just a statistic, it’s a global red alert for our colleagues,” IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger told AFP. The press group voiced particular alarm over the situation in the Palestinian territories, where it recorded 56 media professionals killed in 2025 as Israel’s war with Hamas ground on in Gaza. “We’ve never seen anything like this: so many deaths in such a short time, in such a small area,” Bellanger said. Journalists were also killed in Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru, India and elsewhere. Bellanger condemned what he called “impunity” for those behind the attacks. “Without justice, it allows the killers of journalists to thrive,” he warned. Meanwhile, the IFJ said that across the globe, 533 journalists were currently in prison – a figure that has more than doubled over the past half-decade. China once again topped the list as the worst jailer of reporters with 143 behind bars, including in Hong Kong, where authorities have been criticised by Western nations for imposing national security laws quashing dissent. The IFJ’s count for the number of journalists killed is typically far higher than that of Reporters Without Borders, due to different counting methods. This year’s IFJ toll also included nine accidental deaths. Reporters Without Borders said 67 journalists were killed in the course of their work this year. It said in the report that Israel was responsible for nearly half of all journalists killed this year worldwide, with 29 Palestinian reporters slain by Israeli forces in Gaza. In Pakistan, the Pakistan Press Foundation documented at least 137 confirmed incidents targeting journalists and media professionals in 2025, including eight killings. It also reported 35 incidents of physical assault and manhandling, along with two journalists injured while on assignment, five detentions, two abductions and four attacks on property, including raids.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday said 446 lawmakers — including 125 members of the National Assembly — failed to submit their statements of assets and liabilities with the ECP by the due date — set at December 31. In a press release issued today, ECP notified the lawmakers who had missed the earlier deadline to submit their statements by January 15, and said that “as many as 446 lawmakers failed to submit their statements of assets and liabilities” with the ECP by the due date. Out of these, 125 lawmakers are members of the National Assembly, 26 Senators, 159 members of the Punjab Assembly, 62 members of the Sindh Assembly, 48 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly and 26 members of the Balochistan Assembly. The commission said that members of the parliament and provincial assemblies were required to submit a copy of a statement of assets and liabilities by Dec 31, including assets and liabilities of their dependents. It stated that the submission was a mandatory requirement under Section 137 of the Elections Act, 2017. Section 137 (1) of the Elections Act, 2017 stipulates that “every member of an assembly and senate shall submit to the Commission, on or before Dec 31 each year, a copy of his statement of assets and liabilities, including assets and liabilities of his spouse and dependent children as on the preceding thirtieth day of June on Form B.” ECP directed lawmakers who had not yet complied to submit their statement by Jan 15 during office hours. It warned that members who failed to do so will be suspended the next day, in accordance with Section 137 (3) of the Elections Act, 2017. Section 137(3) pertains to the suspension of lawmakers who fail to comply with the deadline. Last year, ECP suspended the membership of 139 lawmakers after they failed to submit their annual statements of assets. Those suspended included two Senators from Balochistan, Muhammad Qasim of BNP and Abdul Quddus of PPP. Other lawmakers included 16 members of the National Assembly, 68 of the Punjab Assembly, 33 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, 15 of the Sindh Assembly and five of the Balochistan Assembly. The suspended lawmakers were barred from attending the respective legislature’s proceedings.

Pakistan’s consumer price inflation slowed to 5.6 per cent year-on-year in December, while prices fell every month, official data showed on Thursday. The data comes after the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) cut its key policy rate by 50 basis points to 10.5pc last month, breaking a four-meeting hold, in a move that surprised markets. All analysts polled by _Reuters_ had expected rates to remain unchanged at the December meeting. Inflation eased from 6.1pc in November and marked a sharp slowdown from levels that peaked above 30pc in 2023, according to official data. Lower prices of perishable food items helped drive the monthly decline, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said, with food prices falling 1.7pc month-on-month in December, led by declines in both urban and rural areas. The finance ministry had said on Wednesday that inflation was expected to remain moderate at 5.5-6.5pc in December. The SBP has said that inflation stayed within its 5-7pc target range during the July-November period, but warned that core inflation remains sticky and headline inflation could rise temporarily towards the end of this fiscal year, which ends in June, due to base effects. Non-food inflation remained elevated in both urban and rural areas in December, underscoring the central bank’s concerns over persistent underlying price pressures. The central bank has said the inflation outlook remains broadly unchanged, while the International Monetary Fund has cautioned against premature monetary easing under the $7 billion loan programme.

Around 40 people have been killed and 100 injured, most of them seriously, after an explosion tore through a crowded bar during a New Year’s Eve party in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana, Swiss officials said on Thursday. A fire broke out at 6.30 a.m. PKT in a bar called “Le Constellation” in the resort in southwestern Switzerland. The cause of the blast remains unclear but authorities said it appeared to be an accident. “At the moment we are considering this a fire and we are not considering the possibility of an attack,” prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud told a press conference, adding that authorities had opened a full investigation. Some of the victims are from other countries, said Stephane Ganzer, head of security for the Valais canton. The canton’s head of police, Frederic Gisler, said a helpline had been opened for relatives. “I cant hide from you that we are all shaken by what happened overnight in Crans,” Gisler told the press conference. “Our count is about 100 injured, most seriously, and unfortunately tens of people are presumed dead,” he said, adding that patients had been dispatched to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich. Police officers and rescuers stand next to a firefighters vehicle on the site of an explosion that ripped through the bar Le Constellation in Crans-Montana on January 1, 2026. —AFP The Italian foreign ministry said information from Swiss police indicated about 40 deaths, but Gisler declined to give a specific figure. Earlier, police said many people were being treated for burns and that the area had been completely closed off, with a no-fly zone imposed over Crans-Montana. Authorities said 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances had been deployed. “What was meant to be a moment of joy turned, on the first day of the year in Crans-Montana, into mourning that touches the entire country and far beyond,” Swiss Federal President Guy Parmelin said on X, expressing condolences. > Prosecutor Pilloud said authorities were trying to get the bodies of the victims to their families. “A lot of resources have been put into forensics to identify the victims. These resources are intended to allow us to get the bodies to the families as soon as possible,” she said. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the fire may have been caused by fireworks. “It seems to have been an accident caused by a fire, by some explosion, by some firecracker thrown during New Year’s celebrations,” he told Italy’s Sky TG24 tv channel.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said on Thursday that Islamabad and New Delhi exchanged the lists of their respective nuclear installations, continuing the annual practice under an agreement signed between the two nations in 1988. Under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Atta­cks against Nuclear Insta­llations and Facilities, signed on December 31, 1988, both countries committed to annually share information about their nuclear installations and facilities. The agreement took effect from Jan 27, 1991, and the annual exchange has been taking place on the first day of every year since 1992. In continuation of the practice, the exchange took place today as well, Andrabi said during the FO’s weekly briefing. “A list of nuclear installations and facilities in Pakistan was officially handed over to the representative of the Indian High Commission in the Foreign Office today. “I understand that the Indian government is also sharing the list of Indian nuclear installations with our High Commission in New Delhi today,” he said. The FO spokesperson further noted that the 1988 “agreement provides that both countries shall inform each other of their nuclear installations and facilities“. Moreover, the two countries had “exchanged a list of prisoners as well“, he said. “The Indian government is also sharing the list of Pakistani prisoners in their custody with the Pakistani high commission in New Delhi,” he added. In pursuance of the Agreement on Consular Access, 2008, both sides are required to share the lists of prisoners in each other’s custody on January 1 and July 1, every year. ## ‘India should urgently return to treaty compliance’ Andrabi also addressed India’s recent activity regarding hydroelectric projects, and said that under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), India could not misuse its restricted allowance for unilaterally building any hydroelectric projects on the western rivers. He made these remarks while responding to a question about India’s approval of the 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district of India-held Jammu and Kashmir. The IWT is a water-distribution agreement between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank and was signed in Karachi on Sept 19, 1960 by President Ayub Khan and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The treaty gives India complete rights to waters of the eastern rivers (Ravi, Sutlej and Beas) and gives Pakistan the rights over the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) with limited allowance for use of water by India from the western rivers for purposes of, among others, power generation. In his remarks, Andrabi said, “We have seen these media reports regarding Indian plans to construct the Dulhasti Stage-II hydroelectric [project] on the Chenab River. Obviously, these reports raise serious concerns as no prior information or notification was shared with Pakistan with regard to this project.” He further said that sharing of this information was mandated by the IWT. “Such acts of commission and omission yet again exemplify a complete disregard of international law and bilateral treaties. The Pakistani commissioner for Indus water has sought clarification from his counterpart in India regarding the nature, scope and technical details of the reported projects, and he also wishes to ascertain whether this constitutes a new run-of-the-river project, an alteration or additional work on an existing plant,“ he said. He said that under the IWT, India could not misuse its “restricted allowance” for unilaterally building any hydroelectric projects on the western rivers. “Any such project on the western river is subject to strict design and operational controls as well as information sharing requirements,” he said. “In the absence of formal communication from the Indian side, Pakistan is unable to access the project’s conformity with the treaty provisions. We, therefore, call upon India to urgently return to treaty compliance and respond to the queries raised by our Indus water commissioner in his latest as well as his earlier communications.“ He said that Pakistan reiterated that IWT remained a binding international agreement. He said that Pakistan remained committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes with India but would “never compromise on our existential water rights”. ## ‘Pakistan stands with China in all its core interests, including Taiwan’ In response to a question about the recent US arms sales to Taiwan, Andrabi said that Pakistan has “consistently supported China, in all matters of its core interests, including Taiwan”. He stressed that Pakistan will continue to “adhere to the One-China principle and in that way, we regard Taiwan as an inalienable part of China”. “We would urge all relevant countries to abide by their historical commitments, take steps to foster peace, security and development in Taiwan,” he said. He further stated: “We would also urge them to refrain from measures that may aggravate tensions or undermine peace and stability in the region”. The FO spokesperson also recalled that “during a press briefing of the foreign minister on Saturday, a few colleagues had asked about the issue of stranded Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan due to border closure”. Addressing the issue, he said that “15 students and another 291 individuals had safely returned to Pakistan”. “We are in contact with the Afghan authorities,” he added. “You may note that a total of 1,199 Pakistanis approached our embassy in Kabul seeking assistance for their return; these include 549 students and 402 [other] individuals,” he said.

The PTI submitted a reference to the Senate chairperson on Thursday, seeking the disqualification of Senator Saifullah Abro for defecting from the party line and voting in favour of the 27th Constitutional Amendment. PTI Senator Ali Zafar posted about the development on his X account, saying: “Saifullah Abro went against the party line by voting in favour of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, for which a reference for his disqualification has been filed.” > The reference, moved by Zafar, invoked Article 63-A of the Constitution, which deals with disqualification on grounds of defection. “In terms of Article 63-A of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, I in my capacity as the parliamentary leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the Senate/ party head hereby submit this declaration that Senator Saifullah Abro has defected from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). “The declaration is being submitted for onward reference to the chief election commissioner for laying the same before the election commission in accordance with the said Article 63-A,” the reference, dated January 1 and seen by _Dawn,_ said. It added that a meeting of the PTI was convened prior to voting on the 27th Amendment, in which it was “explicitly decided and communicated to all PTI senators in writing” that they were to oppose and not vote in favour of any legislative measure or bill relating to the said amendment. The direction to oppose and not vote in favour of any legislative measure relating to the 27th Amendment was also issued by Zafar to all PTI senators, including Abro, the reference stated, adding: “The record confirms that this direction was properly conveyed to him and that he was fully aware of it.” The direction was also widely published in the media, the reference mentioned. However, Senator Abro voted in favour on the legislation first on November 10 — when the Senate first voted on the amendment — and then on November 13, when the house considered the legislation for the second time after some changes were made to it. At both instances, the reference said, Abro voted in favour if the amendment, contrary to the “clear, unanimous and duly communicated direction” of the PTI and his parliamentary leader in the Senate. The reference further stated that a show-cause notice dated December 2 was issued to Abro, and it was subsequently “received at his residential/ official mailing addresses of Larkana and Islamabad, affording him full and adequate opportunity to show cause as to why a declaration may not be made against him in terms of Article 63-A”. The show-cause was notice was issued in compliance with the requirements of Article 63-A, the reference said, further stating that “despite the lapsed time, no reply or explanation was received from Senator Saifullah Abro”. By voting against the direction issued by the PTI, Abro “committed a deliberate and wilful breach of party discipline“, the reference said. “This squarely attracts the provisions of Article 63-A of the Constitution, which stipulates that if a member of a parliamentary party composed of a single political party in a house votes contrary to any direction issued by the parliamentary party, in relation to a constitution (amendment) bill, he may be declared in writing by the party head to have defected from the political party.” The reference stated that after due consideration of facts, the PTI, as well as its parliamentary leaders in the Senate, had “concluded that the conduct of Senator Saifullah Abro [of] casting a vote in favour of the 27th Constitutional Amendment on November 10 and November 15 [sic], contrary to the direction issued by the PTI parliamentary party constitutes defection from the PTI”. “Senator Saifullah Abro is, therefore, declared to have defected from the PTI in terms of Article 63-A.” The PTI requested the Senate chairperson to refer this declaration to the chief election commissioner “for laying it before the election commission for [a] decision in terms of Article 63-A”. Speaking about his party’s move to _Dawn_ , PTI Senator Aon Abbas Buppi said, “We are sure that the [Senate] chairman is not going to forward this reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). So we are also filing a reference with the ECP.“ * * * _More to follow_

Days after concluding a three-day visit to Lahore to launch PTI’s street movement, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced on Thursday that he will visit Karachi on January 9. “Friday, January 9!” the chief minister said on social media platform X. “Karachi, Sindh, are you ready?” Afridi said he would be coming to Karachi “bearing Imran Khan’s message”, adding that he would be meeting “all friends of the party”. > Afridi had previously announced that Karachi was his next destination for galvanising party supporters. During his visit to Lahore, the KP CM had attempted to deliver a speech to supporters at Liberty Chowk but was unable to do so as a heavy contingent of police had blocked all roads leading to the area by setting up pickets. He had also addressed PTI lawmakers at the Punjab Assembly, a visit that was marred by altercations between members of his entourage and security officials, while several heated exchanges between PTI leaders and journalists were also witnessed. He was also barred from visiting the cantonment to meet party leaders, as well as the food street that had been shut down ahead of his visit. He also went to Zaman Park amid heavy police deployment, while the detention of party supporters during the tour was also reported. On Monday, he wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to complain about the treatment meted out to him during his visit. He maintained that the Punjab government’s adoption of an extraordinary and excessive security posture — including sweeping detentions and visible enforcement theatrics — was “a message of intimidation rather than cooperation”. He complained that “such measures were neither proportionate nor warranted and conveyed an intent that went well beyond legitimate security considerations”. The KP CM was of the view that, “taken together — protocol degradation, exce­ssive policing optics, and synchronised digital vilification — the pattern is too consistent to be dismissed as coincidental”. He termed the conduct “beneath the status of a provincial government” and stressed that it damaged the “collective credibility of federating units”. Separately, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan said the KP CM’s visit to the provincial assembly would be investigated by the law enforcement agencies in light of the CCTV footage and the initial inquiry report. * * * _More to follow_

A fire ripped through a crowded bar in the luxury Swiss ski resort town of Crans Montana on New Year’s Eve, killing and injuring several people, police said early on Thursday. As revellers rang in the new year, a “fire of undetermined origin” broke out in a bar popular with tourists, police in the Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, police said in a statement. “Several people lost their lives and others were injured,” the statement said, describing the incident as “serious” and said “a major emergency response is underway”. “A large contingent of police, firefighters, and rescue workers immediately went to the scene to assist the numerous victims,” it said. “The operation is still ongoing.” Swiss daily Blick cited a doctor at the scene suggesting that the death toll could be in the “dozens”. Regional daily Le Nouvelliste also said its sources were describing “a heavy toll”, with “around 40 dead and 100 injured”. Images published by Swiss media showed a building in flames, and people screaming and running in the dark. Swiss media suggested that the fire may have started when pyrotechnics were used during a concert, but police siad the cause was unkown. Police spokesman Gaetan Lathion told _AFP_ earlier there had first been an “explosion of unknown origin”. He said the explosion took place at around 1:30am (0030 GMT) in a bar called Le Constellation, where more than 100 people had gathered for New Year celebrations. Several hours after the blast, an _AFP_ photographer saw a number of ambulances on the road from Crans Montana. Police said the areas was “completely closed to the public”, and that “a no-fly zone over Crans Montana has been imposed”.

KARACHI: At least 28 people were injured in celebratory aerial fire during New Year celebrations in the metropolis, Edhi said on Thursday. Incidents of aerial firing are a routine occurrence on occasions such as Independence Day and New Year’s Eve. Last year, over two dozen citizens were wounded in celebratory aerial firing According to the information given by Edhi, a total of 28 people were brought to hospitals across the city after suffering injuries from stray bullets, with the youngest victim being 11-years-old. Sixteen people were brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), including a 32-year-old man from North Nazimabad, a 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man from Mehmoodabad, a 24-year-old woman from Qayyumabad, and a 71-year-old man from Manzoor Colony. An 18-year-old man from Korangi, a 24-year-old man from Azam Town, a 55-year-old man and an 18-year-old man from Saddar were also brought to the hospital. A 33-year-old woman from Gulistan-i-Johar Block 2, a 43-year-old woman from Scheme 33 in Gulzar-e-Hijri, and an 18-year-old boy from Landhi were also brought to the facility. The six injured brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital included a 40-year-old man from Gulbahar, an 18-year-old man from Liqaquatabad, a 32-year-old man from near Pakistan Colony, a 40-year-old man from near New Sabzi Mandi, a 24-year-old man from Moosa Colony, and a 12-year-old boy from near Liaquatabad. Four injured people were brought to Civil Hospital, including a 45-year-old man from Hub Chowki, a 25-year-old man from Lyari, a 40-year-old man from near Mauripur Road, and another 43-year-old man from Garden. A 22-year-old man was brought to Liaquat National Hospital from Safoora, while an 11-year-old girl from Korangi was brought to the Sindh Government Hospital. On Wednesday, Sindh police had urged citizens to refrain from aerial firing, hooliganism and one-wheeling on New Year’s Eve. In a statement, police had also warned of strict legal action against those involved in aerial firing, calling on citizens to act responsibly. First Lady and MNA, Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, on Wednesday had also called on citizens to celebrate responsibly. “Aerial firing costs innocent lives every year. Senseless shooting can turn moments of joy into tragedy. Be responsible and celebrate safely!” she said in a post on social media platform X. >

In his New Year’s message, Supreme Court Chief Justice Yahya Afridi has said that the judiciary will “pursue meaningful reforms” in 2026 in a bid to improve accessibility, reduce delay and strengthen transparency in the justice system. In a message posted on the Supreme Court’s website, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Afridi conveyed his greetings to the people, members of the judiciary and the legal fraternity on the new year. “In the coming year, the judiciary will pursue meaningful reforms aimed at improving accessibility, reducing delay, strengthening transparency, and responsibly leveraging technology in the service of justice,” he said. He said that the efforts would be guided by “a clear focus on outcomes that matter most to the public — timely decisions, understandable processes, and courts that are approachable and humane”. CJP Afridi maintained that it was the judiciary’s responsibility to “ensure that justice is not only done, but is seen to be done — fairly, impartially, and without delay“. “This responsibility acquires deeper meaning when viewed through the lived experience of ordinary citizens who approach our courts with hope, vulnerability, and trust,” the CJP said. He underscored that the new year called on the judiciary “to reflect, to reform, and to renew our commitment to a justice system that places the citizen at its very centre“. He asserted that “justice must be accessible in practice, not merely in principle; dignified in process, not just in outcome; and responsive to the needs of women, children, the marginalised, and those living in remote and underserved regions”. The CJP expressed confidence that “through collective resolve, professionalism, and integrity, the judiciary will continue to strengthen public trust and uphold the ideals enshrined in our Constitution“. He reaffirmed the “judiciary’s unwavering commitment to serve every citizen with fairness, independence, and compassion”. CJP Afridi hoped that the new year would “bring renewed confidence in the rule of law and a justice system that truly reaches every doorstep.”

Zohran Mamdani, the young upstart of the US left, was sworn in early on Thursday to take over as New York mayor for a four-year term sure to see him cross swords with US President Donald Trump. The 34-year-old Democrat took his oath of office at an abandoned subway stop under City Hall just after midnight to take the helm of the United States’ largest city. He will be New York’s first Muslim mayor. His office said the understated venue beneath City Hall reflected his commitment to working people, after the 34-year-old Democrat campaigned on promises to address the soaring cost of living. _NBC News_ reported that Mamdani took the oath with his hands on two copies of the Holy Quran — one belonging to his grandfather and the other from the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture. > View this post on Instagram > > “Happy New Year to New Yorkers, both inside this tunnel and above,” said Mamdani, standing beneath a vaulted ceiling with the words City Hall over his head. “This is truly an honor and a privilege of a lifetime.” He also called the ornate subway station “a testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health, and the legacy of our city”. Mamdani’s private swearing-in to start his four-year term was performed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud. His wife, Rama Duwaji, was also present alongside him. > View this post on Instagram > > According to _CNN_ , his parents, filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, a professor at Columbia University, were also in attendance. A larger, ceremonial inauguration is scheduled later on Thursday with speeches from left-wing allies Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Around 4,000 ticketed guests are expected to attend the event outside City Hall. Mamdani’s team has also organised a block party that it says will enable tens of thousands of people to watch the ceremony at streetside viewing areas along Broadway. > View this post on Instagram > > New York law spells out that four-year mayoral terms start on the January 1 after elections. To avoid any ambiguity about who’s in charge of America’s most populous city, it has become a tradition to hold a small swearing-in just after midnight. Born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin, Mamdani moved to New York at age seven and enjoyed an elite upbringing with only a relatively brief stint in politics, becoming a member of the New York State Assembly before being elected mayor. He is surrounding himself with seasoned aides recruited from past mayoral administrations and former US president Joe Biden’s government. Mamdani has also opened dialogue with business leaders, some of whom predicted a massive exodus of wealthy New Yorkers if he won. Real estate leaders have debunked those claims. He has promised a freeze on rents and free buses and childcare, building a campaign around affordability issues that some have seen as a path forward for his Democratic Party around the country ahead of midterm elections. Mamdani had inspired a record-breaking turnout of more than 2 million voters and took 50 per cent, nearly 10 points ahead of Andrew Cuomo running as an independent and well ahead of Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Several people were killed and others injured when an explosion ripped through a bar in Switzerland’s luxury Alpine ski resort town of Crans Montana, police said on Thursday. “There has been an explosion of unknown origin,” Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesman in Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland told _AFP_. “There are several injured, and several dead.” He said the explosion took place at around 1:30am (local time) in a bar called Le Constellation, which is popular with tourists, as revellers rang in the new year. Images published by Swiss media showed a building in flames, and emergency services nearby. “The intervention is still ongoing,” he said. * * * _This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters._

KARACHI: At least 28 people were injured in celebratory aerial fire during New Year celebrations in the metropolis, Edhi said on Thursday. Incidents of aerial firing are a routine occurrence on occasions such as Independence Day and New Year’s Eve. Last year, over two dozen citizens were wounded in celebratory aerial firing According to the information given by Edhi, a total of 28 people were brought to hospitals across the city after suffering injuries from stray bullets, with the youngest victim being 11-years-old. Sixteen people were brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), including a 32-year-old man from North Nazimabad, a 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man from Mehmoodabad, a 24-year-old woman from Qayyumabad, and a 71-year-old man from Manzoor Colony. An 18-year-old man from Korangi, a 24-year-old man from Azam Town, a 55-year-old man and an 18-year-old man from Saddar were also brought to the hospital. A 33-year-old woman from Gulistan-i-Johar Block 2, a 43-year-old woman from Scheme 33 in Gulzar-e-Hijri, and an 18-year-old boy from Landhi were also brought to the facility. The six injured brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital included a 40-year-old man from Gulbahar, an 18-year-old man from Liqaquatabad, a 32-year-old man from near Pakistan Colony, a 40-year-old man from near New Sabzi Mandi, a 24-year-old man from Moosa Colony, and a 12-year-old boy from near Liaquatabad. Four injured people were brought to Civil Hospital, including a 45-year-old man from Hub Chowki, a 25-year-old man from Lyari, a 40-year-old man from near Mauripur Road, and another 43-year-old man from Garden. A 22-year-old man was brought to Liaquat National Hospital from Safoora, while an 11-year-old girl from Korangi was brought to the Sindh Government Hospital. On Wednesday, Sindh police had urged citizens to refrain from aerial firing, hooliganism and one-wheeling on New Year’s Eve. In a statement, police had also warned of strict legal action against those involved in aerial firing, calling on citizens to act responsibly. First Lady and MNA, Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, on Wednesday had also called on citizens to celebrate responsibly. “Aerial firing costs innocent lives every year. Senseless shooting can turn moments of joy into tragedy. Be responsible and celebrate safely!” she said in a post on social media platform X. >

After a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the two leaders envisioned an “exciting and promising future” for both countries. In a post on the social media platform X on Thursday morning, the premier echoed the statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) a day earlier. Calling it a “warm and most cordial telephone conversation”, PM Shehbaz said the two “reaffirmed our shared commitment to further strengthening the long-standing fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which have attained new heights in recent months”. “While expressing Pakistan’s complete solidarity with the kingdom, we also exchanged views on the regional situation, emphasising the need for unity within the Ummah and maintaining regional peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said. > PM Shehbaz said he was “grateful” to the Saudi crown prince, who reaffirmed the kingdom’s desire to expand cooperation with Pakistan in all areas of mutual interest and also “shared his intention to undertake an official visit to Pakistan in the coming year”. “Together, we envision an exciting and promising future for Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” he said. A similar statement was also issued by the PMO a day earlier, when the premier had also met Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy at the Prime Minister’s House to discuss regional and global developments. The prime minister reiterated the need to maintain peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy. He expressed satisfaction over bilateral relations and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further deepening ties, while appreciating Saudi Arabia’s support for Pakistan and its role in promoting regional peace and stability, the statement said. The prime minister recalled his meetings with the crown prince during the year, which he said had been highly productive and contributed significantly to elevating Pak-Saudi ties to new levels. He also expressed deep appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s consistent support to Pakistan in times of need and its constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability. Ambassador Al-Malkiy conveyed greetings from the Saudi leadership and reiterated the kingdom’s desire to expand cooperation with Pakistan in all areas of mutual interest.

The US military said Wednesday that eight people were killed in multiple new strikes on alleged drug boats, bringing the death toll in Washington’s campaign against what it says are narcotics traffickers to at least 115. US Southern Command, which is responsible for American forces operating in Central and South America, announced two sets of strikes, which were carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, “three narco-trafficking vessels traveling as a convoy” were targeted in “international waters,” it said in a statement on X. > “Three narco-terrorists aboard the first vessel were killed in the first engagement. The remaining narco-terrorists abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before follow-on engagements sank their respective vessels,” it said. Accompanying the statement, posted on X, was a video showing the vessels traveling together at sea and then hit by a series of explosions. The exact location of the strikes was not immediately made clear. Previous strikes have taken place in the Caribbean or the eastern Pacific. The military said it had notified the Coast Guard to “activate the search and rescue system,” without offering more details about the fate of those aboard the other boats. Hours later, it issued a second statement about strikes on two more vessels conducted on Wednesday, killing five people. Again, it was not clear where the strikes took place. Since September, the US military has carried out more than 30 such strikes on what it says are boats used to smuggle drugs to the United States, without providing any concrete evidence that the targeted boats are involved in trafficking. International law experts and rights groups say the strikes likely amount to extrajudicial killings as they have apparently targeted civilians who do not pose an immediate threat to the United States. In recent months, US President Donald Trump has waged a pressure campaign against Venezuela’s leftist President Nicolas Maduro, accusing him of running a drug cartel. Maduro denies the allegation and has accused Washington of seeking regime change to gain access to the Latin American country’s massive oil reserves.

Zohran Mamdani, the young upstart of the US left, was sworn in early on Thursday to take over as New York mayor for a four-year term sure to see him cross swords with US President Donald Trump. The 34-year-old Democrat took his oath of office at an abandoned subway stop under City Hall just after midnight to take the helm of the United States’ largest city. He will be New York’s first Muslim mayor. His office said the understated venue beneath City Hall reflected his commitment to working people, after the 34-year-old Democrat campaigned on promises to address the soaring cost of living. “This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani told reporters after taking his oath. * * * _More to follow_

After a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the two leaders envisioned an “exciting and promising future” for both countries. In a post on the social media platform X on Thursday morning, the premier echoed the statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) a day earlier. Calling it a “warm and most cordial telephone conversation”, PM Shehbaz said the two “reaffirmed our shared commitment to further strengthening the long-standing fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which have attained new heights in recent months”. “While expressing Pakistan’s complete solidarity with the kingdom, we also exchanged views on the regional situation, emphasising the need for unity within the Ummah and maintaining regional peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said. > PM Shehbaz said he was “grateful” to the Saudi crown prince, who reaffirmed the kingdom’s desire to expand cooperation with Pakistan in all areas of mutual interest and also “shared his intention to undertake an official visit to Pakistan in the coming year”. “Together, we envision an exciting and promising future for Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” he said. A similar statement was also issued by the PMO a day earlier, when the premier had also met Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy at the Prime Minister’s House to discuss regional and global developments. The prime minister reiterated the need to maintain peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy. He expressed satisfaction over bilateral relations and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further deepening ties, while appreciating Saudi Arabia’s support for Pakistan and its role in promoting regional peace and stability, the statement said. The prime minister recalled his meetings with the crown prince during the year, which he said had been highly productive and contributed significantly to elevating Pak-Saudi ties to new levels. He also expressed deep appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s consistent support to Pakistan in times of need and its constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability. Ambassador Al-Malkiy conveyed greetings from the Saudi leadership and reiterated the kingdom’s desire to expand cooperation with Pakistan in all areas of mutual interest.

NEW DELHI: India’s opposition Congress party said on Wedne­s­day it was concerned by Beijing’s claims on helping broker the India-Pakistan truce after the military flare-up in May and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify the issue. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that the conflict between India and Pakistan in May was among the contentious matters mediated by Beijing in 2025. India has repeatedly rejected claims made by US President Donald Trump that Washington had mediated the ceasefire. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has not reacted to the claim made by Mr Wang. But it has maintained that the ceasefire with Islamabad was not the result of mediation. The decision to stop the firing was taken after the Pakistani director general of military operations had called his Indian counterpart, New Delhi has said. “China’s claims of mediating betw­een India and Pakistan are concerning — not just because they contradict what has been told to the country’s people so far, but also because they appear to mock our national security,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a social media post. Mr Wang was commenting on China’s role in a tricky world. “This year, local wars and cross-border conflicts flared up more often than at any time since the end of WWII [World War II],” Mr Wang said at a conference on China’s foreign relations in Beijing. “Geopolitical turbulence continued to spread.” To build lasting peace, “we have taken an objective and just stance, and focused on addressing both symptoms and root causes”, the Chinese minister added. “Following this Chinese approach to settling hotspot issues, we mediated in northern Myanmar, the Iranian nuclear issue, the tensions between Pakistan and India, the issues between Palestine and Israel, and the recent conflict between Cambodia and Thailand,” he claimed. _Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026_

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first National Vaccine Policy has proposed creating a National Vaccine Alliance to reduce imports as a strategic and economic move, as all vaccines used in the country were currently imported. The draft policy estimates Pakis­tan’s annual vaccine requirement at 125 to 150 million doses in 2024-25 and suggests multi-year contra­cts of up to 10 years to reduce inves­tment risks and cut reliance on imports. Prepared by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), the policy was finalised on Wednesday at meeting of a high-level committee formed by the prime minister. > Chairing the meeting, its chairman, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, announced that the policy would be forwarded to the premier for approval and implementation. > Proposes creating an alliance; draft will be forwarded to prime minister for approval The meeting was co-chaired by Federal Minister for National Health Services Mustafa Kamal. On capacity, the draft notes that Pakistan currently has only three vaccine manufacturing facilities: the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad, Amson Vaccines and Pharma in Islamabad, and Dow University in Karachi. Only one private facility produces limited vaccines, such as tetanus toxoid and hepatitis B, and it is not WHO-prequalified, restricting market access. The NIH’s infrastructure is largely limited to small-scale fill-and-finish operations and would require major upgrades for end-to-end manufacturing. To build capacity, the policy proposes a phased approach, starting with fill-and-finish operations, followed by technology transfer or joint ventures, and eventually full upstream production. It acknowledges that WHO prequalification can take more than five years and prioritises meeting domestic needs first. Around 40 different vaccines are administered in the country, of which 13 are included in the Expanded Programme on Immu­ni­sation (EPI). However, due to the lack of local production, all vaccines are impor­ted, including some from India. **Guiding principles** The policy lays out guiding principles for developing local vaccine manufacturing to strengthen natio­nal health security, achieve self-suf­ficiency, enhance pandemic preparedness, and create a sustainable do­­mestic market with export potenti­­al. For FY 2025–26, the government will contribute 49 per cent of vacci­­ne costs, while Gavi will cover 51pc. Pakistan is expected to enter the accelerated transition phase by 2030, followed by a five- to eight-year path to full self-financing. The policy warns that reduced subsidies will increase pressure on public finances at a time when vaccine-preventable diseases remain a challenge. To address these risks, it propo­ses establishing a National Vaccine Alliance under the Ministry of National Health Services as a coordination platform to guide investment and avoid duplication. The alliance would include representatives from Drap, the pharmaceutical industry, public-sector manufacturers, the Federal Direc­torate of Immunisation, the Public Procurement Regulatory Autho­ri­­ty, academic institutions, development partners, and the Board of Investment. Under its proposed mandate, the alliance would recommend buy-back guarantees or long-term procurement mechanisms, facilitate access to domestic and export markets, propose financing tools such as vaccine innovation funds and advance market commitments, and advise on regulatory reforms and incentive structures. The policy identifies high entry costs and the absence of sovereign procurement guarantees as the main barriers to local vaccine manufacturing. Under the proposed buy-back framework, the draft calls for amendments to procurement rules to prioritise locally produced, non-WHO-prequalified vaccines once they pass lot release testing. It proposes framework contracts of up to 10 years, with prices and volumes indexed to import parity benchmarks and efficiency targets. Long-term contracts would be tied to technology transfer milestones, requiring manufacturers to move from fill-and-finish operations to full-scale production within the contract period. _Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026_

• Official data shows over 64,000 street crimes reported in outgoing year compared to 71,105 in 2024 • More than 46,000 citizens lost their cars / bikes, over 17,000 their cell phones in 2025 KARACHI: Although police have claimed a significant reduction in the overall crime rate for the outgoing year, muggers, carjackers and mobilephone snatchers continue to haunt Karachiites in 2025, with official figures showing over 64,000 street crime incidents and more than 70 deaths resulting from these crimes. The precise figure of 64,323 incidents is based on the number of FIRs registered during the outgoing year. However, the actual number of street crimes is believed to be much higher as there are a large number of victims who have either been turned away by the police or have chosen not to visit a police station to register a case of looting. According to comparative street crime data of Karachi maintained by the police, a total of 64,323 incidents of street crimes — robbery, cell phone snatching, vehicle snatching / theft — have been reported in the outgoing year of 2025 as compared to a total 71,105 such incidents in 2024, showing a reduction of 6,782 street crimes. The data show a total of 70 people were killed and 290 wounded by street criminals till the first week of December 2025, whereas in 2024 a total of 99 people were gunned down and 400 others injured by robbers. The police say that during the same period of 12 months, a total of 17,706 mobile phones were snatched at gunpoint while during corresponding period in 2024, a total of 19,353 cell phones were snatched. The police data say that 6,683 vehicles (302 cars and 6,381 motorcycles) were hijacked at gunpoint in 2025 as compared to 8,370 of last year. As many as 39,934 vehicles (1,813 cars and 38,121 motorbikes) were stolen as compared to 43,382 vehicles of last year. **Analysis by expert** Analyst Dr Zoha Waseem, who teaches criminology at the University of Warwick, UK, and has done extensive research on policing and crimes in the metropolis, believes that a comparison of just two years is not a good benchmark as at least five- or 10-year data is required to assess whether crimes have been prevented or only a perception of “safe city” has developed. She says there is no better data collection as all incidents are not reported because people still do not like to approach police. She opines that maybe only half of the total cases are being reported as there is no estimation about unreported number of cases in the metropolis. Dr Waseem says there is no study or research to assess people’s perception about police or state as to whether any improvement has occurred in the public perception. “There has been no research that public perception has been improved and people feel safer and the city as safe,” Dr Waseem says. “There is no study or survey that people’s perception has improved and the people are happy about performance of the police or the government. I have not seen such thing and I am not sure about the extent of achievement of the law enforcers,” she says, adding: “But if there is a trend that over a period of time, the number of crimes has gone down, then you could say they are doing good job.” **Carjacking ‘declines’ due to use of technology** Citizens-Police Liaison Commission (CPLC) Chief Zubair Habib opines that snatching of vehicles and cell phones is on decline partly because of use of technology (installation of CCTV cameras). As with the use of this technology, the criminals are being detected and arrested, he adds. Mr Habib suggests that the way forward for controlling crimes, despite rising unemployment and closure of factories and migration of people to Dubai or other countries, lies in utilisation of technology. Another major step that needs to be taken pertains to improving “Thana culture”, he adds. He says that the Thana culture should be turned into service oriented. As the use of technology has “ended” the “corruption” of traffic police through e-challan system, such technology should also be used at the police stations to end corruption of the police, he suggests. **IGP takes pride in crime reduction** Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon told _Dawn_ that there is an overall reduction in crime despite significant challenges. He says this achievement has been made “despite severe socio-economic challenges, including inflation, unemployment, urban migration, and population growth”. Regarding street crimes in Karachi, the IG says this crime has also been “contained”. “Karachi is witnessing a stabilisation and gradual containment and reduction in street crime in 2025, preventing escalation despite economic stress and population growth,” says the top cop of Sindh. “The daily average street crimes has declined from 1.36 per day in the year 2024 to 1.04 per day in the year 2025.” He says “violent robberies” have also been kept under check. “The incidents of robbery with murder and injury have remained contained and closely monitored, with 70 fatalities and 290 injuries recorded during the year 2025 as compared to 99 fatalities and 400 injuries during the year 2024.” The IGP cites a host of steps behind the reduction in street crimes. He says that the police are focused on operations against armed gangs and habitual offenders, which has helped prevent “a wider spike in violent crime”. Besides, targeted and intelligence-led policing has also been initiated, he adds. He says that the police have emphasised data-driven deployments, snap checking, weapons recovery, and repeat offender tackling, which have delivered “tangible results in high-crime corridors”. _Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026_

ISLAMABAD: Hatem Bamatraf, President and Group CEO of PTCL and Ufone, announced on Wednesday that PTCL, along with the merged telecom entity of Ufone and Telenor Pakistan, will take part in the upcoming 5G spectrum auction. He hoped that the concerns of the telecom industry would be addressed and the spectrum would be offered under favourable terms during the auction. > Mr Bamatraf was addressing a press conference with the management of Telenor Pakistan, where they formally anno­unced PTCL’s acquisition of 100pc of Telenor Pakistan’s issued share capital and Orion Towers for Rs108bn. **Unresolved $800m issue** The PTCL CEO did not comment on the unresolved issue regarding the $800 million withheld by Etisalat since 2006, when the UAE-based company took control of PTCL. The Pakistani government still holds 62pc of PTCL’s shares, with the remaining 38pc divided between Etisalat (26pc) and public investors (12pc). Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers are now fully owned subsidiaries of PTCL, alongside Pak Telecom Mobile Ltd (Ufone) and U Micr­ofinance Bank. Telenor Pakistan will continue to operate as a separate legal entity for the next 5-6 months before integrating with Ufone as a merged entity (Mer­geCo), subject to approval from the Pakistan Telecomm­unication Authority (PTA) and the Islamabad High Court. Mr Bamatraf said the merged company would optimise spectrum reso­urces, expand network capabilities, and deliver seamless, secure, digitally enabled services aligned with Pakistan’s digital ambitions. He also assured Telenor Pakistan employees that there would be no job losses due to the merger, emphasising respect for talent and the integration of industry best practices. Following PTCL’s acquisition of Telenor Pakistan, the merged entity, which includes Ufone, will become the country’s second-largest telecom operator, with approximately 35pc of the subscriber base. Jazz Pakistan will remain the market leader with 37pc, while Zong will retain its position as the third-largest operator. **Acting CEO** In another development, the newly formed board of Telenor Pakistan appointed Awais Vohra as acting CEO. Mr Vohra, a founding member of Telenor Pakistan’s launch team, was previously the company’s Chief Technology Officer. Telenor Pakistan, now an autonomous subsidiary of PTCL, completed all necessary regulatory approvals to finalise the acquisition. **PTA annual report** The Pakistan Teleco­mmunication Auth­ority’s Annual Report 2024-25 shows telecom revenues exceeding Rs1 trillion, up 12pc year-on-year. Subs­cribers crossed 200 million, broadband users topped 150m, and coverage exceeded 92pc. Fiscal contributions rose to Rs402bn, while investment reached $838m. Data usage surged to 27,727 petabytes. However, PTA official Naveed Butt said high electricity costs and dollar-linked government payments continue to strain operators despite revenue growth. _Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026_

ISLAMABAD: After the Punjab police dispersed protesters outside the Adiala jail in the small hours of Wednesday, the opposition alliance, led by the PTI, denounced the use of water cannons against the family members of ex-prime minister Imran Khan and other party supporters. This is the third time the police have used force to break up the sit-in outside the prison. Imran’s sisters Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi, besides scores of supporters, have been staging weekly protests outside the jail to demand a meeting with Mr Khan. > TTAP says struggle to continue despite govt ‘heavy-handedness’ Videos shared by the PTI Punjab account on the social media platform X after 1am showed water cannons targeting protesters. “In the severe cold, an attack with water cannons was carried out on unarmed, peaceful children, women, and citizens,” the X post said. > In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan condemned the use of water cannons and the arrest of Imran’s sisters and other PTI workers. The police, in a late-night operation, used water cannon to disperse the protesters and also arrested the sisters. However, they were later released near Chakri on the motorway. In its statement, the opposition alliance alleged that the water used to scatter the PTI supporters was laced with a chemical and hundreds of supporters were “badly affected”. The TTAP spokesperson said that such tactics would not deter them from their stance that the violation of basic human rights should be stopped. They will continue the struggle, the statement added. On the other hand, the PTI shared another list of six persons with the Adiala Jail administration, requesting it to allow them to meet Imran Khan on Thursday. The letter, written to the Adiala jail superintendent and signed by Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, mentioned Dr Amjad, Sibghatullah, Usman Bhattani, Jamal Khan, Iqbal Khattak, and Shoaib Ameer Awan. A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24 has mandated that meetings with Imran will be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, the PTI maintains that the court order was not being complied with. _Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026_

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded a significant drop in cross-border terrorist attacks and violence-linked fatalities after it closed down the border to Afghanistan on October 11. Terrorist attacks went down by almost 17 per cent in December, preceded by 9pc decline in November. Terrorist violence-linked fatalities among civilians and security officials also fell in the last quarter of 2025, by nearly 4pc and 19pc each in November and December, shows data collected by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) as part of its annual security report 2025. With an almost 34pc surge in overall violence, the year 2025 went by as the most violent year for Pakistan in a decade, says the report. The country has suffered a sustained escalation in violence for five consecutive years since 2021, coinciding with the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan; with almost 38pc in 2021, over 15pc in 2022, 56pc in 2023, nearly 67pc in 2024, and 34pc in 2025. The comparative data for 2024 and 2025 reveals a sharp escalation in terrorism and counter-terrorism linked violence nationwide, with fatalities rising from 2555 in 2024 to 3417 in 2025, marking an increase of 862 deaths, or a roughly 34pc year-on-year surge in violence. > CRSS report says most significant surge in violence recorded in KP The most significant surge in violence was recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the fatalities rose from 1620 in 2024 to 2331 in 2025, an absolute increase of 711 deaths, accounting for over 82pc of the net national rise and marking almost a 44pc year-on-year surge in violence in the province. Balochistan also had an upward trend, with fatalities increasing from 787 to 956; an additional 169 deaths, which are nearly 22pc higher than the previous year’s figures. **Regional impact of violence** Violence remained heavily concentrated in the country’s northwestern KP and southwestern Balochistan provinces, with both accounting for over 96pc of all fatalities and almost 93pc of violent incidents recorded during the entire 2025. KP was the worst-hit region, suffering over 68pc (2331) of the total violence-linked fatalities, and around 63pc (795) of the incidents of violence, followed by Balochistan, accounting for 28pc (956) of the fatalities and over 30pc (386) of the incidents of violence. In contrast, Punjab and Sindh experienced comparatively lower levels of violence. The former recorded 25 incidents of violence resulting in 40 fatalities and 24 injuries, representing just 1.15pc of total casualties, while the latter saw 51 incidents causing 56 fatalities and 40 injuries; 1.73pc of the total. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the Islamabad Capital Territory though incidents numbers remained minimal, the injury figures were relatively high, with the former recording 103 injuries, and the latter registering 38, from just five incidents at each location. Gilgit-Baltistan remained the least affected region. Compared to last year, though small in absolute numbers, the region recorded a four-fold increase from one to four fatalities. _Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026_

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday called upon the people and political forces to recommit themselves to safeguarding the country amid global, domestic challenges and hailed the nation’s resilience and paid tribute to the country’s martyrs. In their separate New Year messages, they praised the nation’s resilience in the face of economic and security challenges. In his message, President Zardari urged the people and political forces to recommit themselves to safeguard the country’s shared future amid mounting global and domestic challenges. In his New Year message, PM Shehbaz hailed the nation’s resilience and paid tribute to its martyrs while pledging to accelerate economic reforms and uphold Pakistan’s role for global peace. _Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026_

LAHORE: In a major policy shift, the Punjab government on Wednesday announced that it has no plans to celebrate the Basant festival across the province and that it will instead be celebrated only in Lahore. Basant is returning to Lahore after 18 years, following the passage of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill, 2025 by the provincial assembly on December 24. So far, only the Lahore deputy commissioner has notified the three-day festival starting on February 6, 2026, while deputy commissioners in other districts were expected to follow suit. However, the 46th Cabinet Committee on Law and Order — chaired by Khawaja Salman Rafique — met at the Punjab Home Department today and noted that Basant would be celebrated only in Lahore and on a limited scale. Though there was no need for all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to be present at the meeting, sources in the Home Department told _Dawn_ that they were specially invited to attend via video link, particularly for the “Basant agenda”. Punjab Home Secretary Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi told the cabinet committee meeting, “The provincial cabinet had allowed limited Basant on February 6, 7 and 8 in Lahore only,” adding that kite-flying would remain completely banned elsewhere in the province under the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill, 2025. A divisional commissioner, on the condition of anonymity, told _Dawn_ that an official informed the meeting that Basant would not be allowed across the district. The Home Department had held several meetings on the revival of Basant and discussed permitting the festival at specific locations or at specially notified rooftops, both in the Walled City and elsewhere in the district. The department had also instructed all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to begin registering twine and kite manufacturers ahead of Basant. Meanwhile, the divisional commissioner said the government was piloting Basant in Lahore, calling it an opportunity for citizens to demonstrate responsibility and adherence to instructions, a move that could lead to the festival’s revival on a larger scale. “People should watch their neighbourhoods and ensure that no illegality is committed and that no one is injured … in the best interest of the Basant festival,” he said. Expressing apprehension, the commissioner noted that any serious accident during the festival could lead to Basant being banned for good. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed buses and rickshaws on city roads to offer free rides and minimise the use of motorcycles in Lahore. The government may employ buses from city colleges and universities during the three-day festival. Eventually, the Home Department wrote to all commissioners, deputy commissioners, and senior police officers in the province regarding incidents of kite flying and injuries caused by stray kite twines on Wednesday, seeking action against those involved in the activity in violation of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Ordinance, 2025. The home department has expressed concern in the letter about illegal kite flying observed in certain parts of the province. It stated that incidents were being reported in which passersby had been injured. In the letter, the department said, “such practices pose a serious threat to human life and public safety,” adding that action could be taken against violators, including the arrest of kite fliers and the manufacturers and suppliers of kite flying material, in accordance with the law. The meeting also instructed authorities to adopt foolproof security arrangements for New Year’s Eve, besides taking strict action against those involved in aerial firing, hooliganism and one-wheeling. Additionally, the meeting approved the extension of the deployment of Rangers in Mianwali, Attock, and Dera Ghazi Khan. Kite flying has been the cause of multiple injuries and fatalities across the province, usually caused by kite strings coated with chemicals or glass, or made from metal. Last Saturday, a six-year-old girl was injured by a kite string near Adda Maan on Ganda Singh Road, within the jurisdiction of the Saddar Police Station. The victim was riding on the front of a motorcycle with her brother when a chemical-coated twine slashed her throat. She was immediately rushed to the DHQ Hospital for medical treatment.