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Haleji Lake begs for attention on World Wetlands Day

THATTA: The greenery leading to Haleji Lake — tall eucalyptus trees, neem, peepal, coconut and other wild vegetation — point to the high water table level in the area. Yet the lake is not doing so well. It is slowly drying. A recent visit to Haleji Lake organised by Green Media Initiatives in collaboration with Accountability Lab Pakistan and the Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) helped highlight several issues with this sanctuary. A man-made lake, Haleji, located some 88 kilometres from Karachi, was constructed during World War II, between 1940 and 1943, by the British rulers in India to provide water to their troops stationed in Karachi. According to In Charge Haleji Wildlife Sanctuary, Sohail Ahmed Khoso this was initially a saltwater lake. But then the British created a small natural depression into a reservoir fed by a feeder canal from the Indus River. “That is how fresh sweet water from the Indus was stored here and supplied to Karachi,” he said. “Soon after, migrant birds from...
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Fact check: Viral video does not show cricketer Wasim Akram saying Imran visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island

Multiple pro-PML-N accounts on social media platform X were sharing a clip since February 1, of cricketer Wasim Akram, claiming that he said PTI founder Imran Khan visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island. However, Akram said no such thing. Epstein, a convicted sex offender and United States financier, was accused of running a years-long sex trafficking network involving underage girls, with abuse linked to multiple properties in the US and overseas. He died in August 2019 in a New York jail while awaiting trial on federal trafficking charges. His close associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was later convicted by a US court for recruiting and grooming minors for Epstein’s abuse and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022. Millions of new files relating to Epstein have been released by the US Department of Justice, showing many of the world’s most renowned individuals. On Feb 1, a user who appears to be a PML-N supporter based on his bio and past posts shared a video of Wasim in a podcast w...
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Russia says India has not said it will halt oil purchases following US trade deal announcement

The Kremlin said on Tuesday it had not received any indication from India that it would stop buying Russian oil following the announcement of a trade deal with US President Donald Trump. Trump said he had struck a deal to reduce tariffs on India and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to stop buying Russian oil over the war in Ukraine. India’s purchases of Russian oil — discounted due to Western sanctions complicating logistics and cutting off markets — have surged since Russia launched its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in February 2022. Ukraine and its Western allies have been seeking to cut off the billions of dollars in revenue, a vital source of income for Russia’s stretched economy and its military. “So far, we haven’t heard any statements from New Delhi on this matter,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, including AFP. Trump said he was cutting levies on Indian goods to 18 per cent. He had previously imposed 25pc “reciprocal” tariffs ...
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Pakistan invited to participate in upcoming US-Iran talks: FO

Pakistan has been invited to participate in the talks between Iran and the United States aimed at de-escalation of tensions between the two countries, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Tuesday. “Pakistan has received the invitation for the upcoming talks between Iran and the United States,” FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said while responding to a query. “Pakistan’s participation is seen as crucial to defusing tensions, as Islamabad has been quietly working to facilitate the talks,” a diplomatic source told Dawn . A diplomatic source said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to participate in the meeting. The meeting is likely to take place in Turkiye on Friday, an Arab official told AFP on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. US outlet Axios cited two unnamed sources and a US official as saying Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected to meet with US envoy Steve Witkoff in Istanbul to discuss a possible deal on th...
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Pakistan launches first polio vaccination drive of 2026

Pakistan’s first polio vaccination campaign of the current year was launched on Monday across the country. The nationwide drive is being held from February 2 to February 5 in most cities, while Sindh is conducting a week-long campaign until February 8. Strict security measures have been taken in various districts, keeping in view past attacks on polio teams. First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, in a post on X, said: “The first nationwide polio vaccination drive of 2026 is underway, with health workers going door to door.” “This campaign is a vital step towards protecting our children and eliminating polio once and for all,” she stressed. The first lady encouraged all parents with children aged five years or below to ensure their kids receive the vaccine every time it is offered, pointing out that this was the “only way to eliminate polio for good”. Speaking at the formal inauguration of the drive in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah noted that the campaign aimed to va...
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Militant violence surges in January after December lull: PICSS

ISLAMABAD: After a noticeable decline in violence in December 2025, the first month of the new year witnessed a renewed surge in anti-state violence, leading to higher fatalities among militants, civilians and security personnel, according to official statistics. Data released by the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) shows that combat-related deaths in January 2026 rose by 43 per cent compared to December 2025. A total of 361 people were killed during the month, including 242 militants, 73 civilians and 46 security force personnel. At least 135 people were injured, among them 71 civilians, 52 security personnel and 12 militants. PICSS reported that January saw 87 militant attacks nationwide, marking a 28pc increase from the 68 attacks recorded in December 2025. Of these, 38 attacks took place in mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 20 in the province’s tribal districts (erstwhile FATA), 27 in Balochistan and two in Punjab. Balochistan emerged as ...
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Saim, Babar score half-centuries as Pakistan give Australians 208-run target in T20 series final

Saim Ayub and Babar Azam scored half-centuries on Sunday as Pakistan posted 207 runs against Australia — the Green Shirts’ highest total against the visitors in a T20 game — during the final contest of a three-match series between the two sides at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. With a target of 208 runs, Australian will have to play at a required run rate of 10.35 runs per over. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan decided to replace Sahibzada Farhaan with Fakhar Zaman, who opened with Saim Ayub. Farhaan was dismissed in the first match of the series without scoring any runs and had managed to score just five runs in the second game. In today’s match, Saim scored 56 runs. He shared a 69-run partnership with Babar Azam, who remained unbeaten on 50. All-rounder Shadab Khan played a searing 46-run knock for Pakistan on just 19 deliveries, smashing five gigantic sixes. Pakistan skipper Salman Agha, who scored 76 runs in the previous match, flopped today and scored just five r...
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