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Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee to meet in Peshawar today for Ramazan moon sighting

The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee will meet today (Wednesday) in Peshawar to sight the Ramazan moon. The committee chairman, Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad, will preside over the meeting. The zonal and district Ruet-i-Hilal Committees in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and other cities will also gather to sight the new moon. Earlier this month, based on the moon’s expected age, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) predicted that the first day of Ramazan was “likely to fall” on February 19. However, Suparco said the final announcement regarding the beginning of the holy month would be made by the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, “which is the sole competent authority, based on credible witness testimonies from across the country”. Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan observed their first day of fasting on Wednesday after the Ramazan moon was sighted on Tuesday night. It is worth mentioning that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif h...
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Afghan woman’s boutique brightens Bamiyan

With women banned from most jobs in Afghanistan, an embroidery boutique run by 22-year-old Rahima Alavi is a surprising and treasured sight in Bamiyan. “Spring flowers, tailoring and embroidery,” reads a sign outside Alavi’s small store, which opened in January after a months-long search for work. “I really feel proud because I can support my family, my parents and three sisters. I can pay the rent,” said Alavi, who was wearing a burgundy coat that had a few pieces of leftover coloured thread stuck to it. This photograph taken on January 20, 2026 shows Afghan tailoress Rahima Alavi embroidering a scarf at her boutique in Bamiyan. —AFP Demonstrating her new skills, she guided material through her sewing machine to create delicate silk leaves and flowers. Alavi is one of more than five million people who have returned to the country since 2023 from Pakistan and Iran, which have been pushing back Afghans after hosting them for decades. Having grown up in rural Bamiyan province, w...
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8 Muslim nations, including Pakistan, condemn Israeli move to claim West Bank land as ‘state property’

Eight Muslim countries, including Pakistan, on Tuesday condemned the Israeli move to claim land in the occupied West Bank as “state property”, saying that the step reflected an attempt to “impose a new legal and administrative reality designed to consolidate control over the occupied land”. Al Jazeera reported on Sunday that the Israeli government had approved a proposal to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property”, for the first time since the Israeli occupation of the territory in 1967, in clear violation of international law that states an occupying power cannot confiscate land in occupied territories. Israel’s foreign ministry claimed the measure, approved late on Sunday, would enable “transparent and thorough clarification of rights to resolve legal disputes” but the move drew strong condemnations from across the globe for its violation of international law. In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the foreign ministries of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, th...
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CTD claims 4 suspected terrorists dead after raid in Karachi’s Shah Latif Town

KARACHI: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said on Tuesday it conducted a raid in the city’s Shah Latif Town, as a result of which four suspected terrorists died while two cops sustained injuries. According to information provided by CTD Deputy Inspector General Ghulam Azfar Mahesar, the encounter began when CTD personnel surrounded a house in Shah Latif Town based on the identification of previously arrested suspects. The men inside opened fire, leading to an exchange of gunfire, the CTD said. Additional police contingents were then called to the scene. The four alleged terrorists were injured by firing “from their own accomplices” during the crossfire and later died at a hospital, CTD claimed. Three of the suspects were identified as Jaleel alias Farid, Niaz alias King and Hamdan alias Farid, while efforts were underway to determine the identity of the fourth. A Kalashnikov and a hand grenade were recovered from the possession of one of the suspected terrorists. Two CTD of...
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PM Shehbaz in Vienna on 2-day visit; present guard of honour upon arrival at Austrian Chancellery

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif began his two-day visit to Austria on Monday, during which he will hold bilateral meetings and delegation-level talks, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. The premier arrived in Vienna for the two-day visit on Sunday, at the invitation of Austria’s Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker. As per a PMO statement, PM Shehbaz arrived at the Austrian Chancellery today, where he was presented with a guard of honour and welcomed by Stocker. The statement said that the national anthems of both countries were played at the arrival, and both leaders “introduced their respective delegations to each other before proceeding for tête-à-tête and the delegation-level talks, wherein both sides will take stock of the entire gamut of bilateral relations”. PM Shehbaz also penned his remarks in the guest book at the Chancellery. The premier is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and one of his a...
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Corrigendum

A story titled “Imran Khan’s right eye vision ‘improving’, says sister citing report” was published by Dawn.com on February 16. The report quoted a social media account purporting to belong to Noreen Niazi, a sister of former prime minister Imran Khan. Subsequent checks have confirmed that the account was not authentic and that the information shared was inaccurate and mala fide. The story has since been removed from our platforms. We are conducting an internal review of the circumstances that led to its publication and strengthening our verification protocols, particularly with regard to social media sourcing. Dawn remains committed to upholding the highest standards of accuracy, verification and editorial integrity, and will continue to take corrective steps whenever necessary to ensure responsible reporting. from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/C6Dpy9f
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CRICKET: REBALANCING CRICKET

It was never going to be easy for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to sideline Pakistan from the T20 World Cup, let alone exclude them from the marquee clash against India. That is precisely why, today on February 15, Pakistan will take on India for the ninth time in T20 World Cup history. It is a rivalry in which Pakistan has managed only one victory so far. Yet win numbers barely matter when these two teams meet, because this contest has grown far beyond cricket and has become arguably the most anticipated fixture in global sport. In the build-up to this match, uncertainty loomed large. Until just days before the game, there was no official confirmation that Pakistan would play. This followed a dramatic political intervention when the Government of Pakistan announced that it would not permit the Pakistan team to participate in the World Cup group-stage match against India. Despite the tournament featuring 20 teams, this single lucrative fixture dominated headlines across the...
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