Police arrest lawyers Imaan Mazari, Hadi Ali Chatha in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Human rights activist and lawyer Imaan Mazari, daughter of former PTI leader Shireen Mazari, and her husband Hadi Ali Chatha have been arrested on Friday. They were on their way from the Islamabad High Court to the District Court when they were stopped near Serena Chowk and arrested. Imaan and Hadi, who have been involved in a controversial tweets case, had announced that they would not back down from their stance. Earlier, the Islamabad District and Sessions Court had ordered Imaan and Hadi to appear in person in the case. The District and Sessions Courts Islamabad directed advocates Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha to appear in person on Friday in the controversial tweets case.
Source:The Patriot
January 23, 2026 16:07 UTC
Hammad Azhar among 7 PTI leaders declared
Lahore (Dunya News) – An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has declared seven PTI leaders, including former federal minister Hammad Azhar and Zubair Khan Niazi, as proclaimed offenders in the Club Chowk GOR Gate attack case. During the hearing, ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul issued perpetual arrest warrants for the absconding leaders, including Hammad Azhar, Zubair Khan Niazi, and five other accused: Akbar Khan, Masood Ahmed Subhani, Arsalan bin Basharat, Farooq Anjum, and Habib Ahmed. These warrants mean that the court has officially recognized the accused as deliberately avoiding the judicial process and has ordered their arrest without a fixed date. This status makes them legally accountable as proclaimed offenders, and their trial will proceed at a later stage once they are apprehended. The case was originally registered at Race Course Police Station, and it is notable that some accused in the case have already been sentenced to imprisonment.
Source:The Patriot
January 23, 2026 11:24 UTC
LHC to make judges' daily performance public for the first time
LAHORE :Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Aalia Neelum has taken a historic step by deciding to make the performance of subordinate judiciary public for the first time. On the instructions of the chief justice, special software has been developed through which the daily performance of judges in Punjab will be available to the public at just one click. For the first time in history, the daily performance of judges of Punjab’s subordinate judiciary will be made public, enabling any citizen to view the performance of judges from any district of Punjab on a website with a single click. Chief Justice Aalia Neelum appreciated the performance of the IT team and stated that the public has the right to know what judges are doing. The chief justice has suggested that all sanctioned positions should be filled to address the growing backlog of cases and reduce the workload on serving judges.
Source:The Patriot
January 23, 2026 11:24 UTC
Parliamentary
RawalpindiRawalpindi — Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting, Barrister Danyal Chaudhry, graced the closing ceremony of the Annual Sports Gala at Government Gordon College Rawalpindi as the Chief Guest. During the event, he awarded shields and trophies to students who excelled in various athletic competitions. In his keynote address, Barrister Danyal Chaudhry emphasized the critical role of sports in holistic education. “Sports are not merely an extracurricular activity; they are fundamental to the comprehensive development of our youth. They build physical health, discipline, teamwork, and a resilient competitive spirit”.
Source:The Patriot
January 23, 2026 11:24 UTC
Heavy snowfall
ISLAMABAD: Severe snowfall and heavy rain across Pakistan’s upper regions have paralyzed daily life, blocked key roads, and stranded tourists, while at least two people lost their lives and dozens were injured in weather-related incidents. Snowfall is ongoing, and further heavy snowfall and rain are expected over the next 24 hours. Heavy snowfall was reported in Mansehra, Upper Galiyat, Shangla, Lower Dir, Mohmand, Kalam, Orakzai, Chitral and Khyber districts. Heavy rain in Haripur caused urban flooding, turning streets into ponds. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that heavy rain and severe snowfall may further disrupt life in upper regions, while rain is expected in plains over the next 24 hours.
Source:The Patriot
January 23, 2026 11:24 UTC
Pakistan, Somalia agree on joint strategy against terrorism
ISLAMABAD Somalia’s Interior Minister Ali Yusuf met with Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi during his official visit to Pakistan, where both sides agreed to adopt a joint strategy to counter terrorism and extremism. Minister Mohsin Naqvi welcomed the Somali interior minister upon his arrival at the Ministry of Interior, where discussions were held on bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between Pakistan and Somalia. The Somali interior minister expressed his commitment to benefiting from Pakistan’s experience in combating terrorism and maintaining internal security. In response, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi assured Somalia of Pakistan’s full support, particularly in the fields of policing and counterterrorism. On the occasion, the Somali interior minister conveyed a special message from the Prime Minister of Somalia to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and formally invited Mohsin Naqvi to visit Somalia.
Source:The Patriot
January 23, 2026 11:24 UTC
Board of Peace (BoP
▪️ The “fuss” over Pakistan’s participation is built on a deliberate confusion:Signing a multilateral framework is not the same thing as sending troops. Conflating BoP with an ISF deployment is either ignorance—or agenda. ▪️ Let’s be clear: BoP ≠ ISF. An ISF, if ever proposed, would be an operational military instrument with a separate mandate, separate approvals, and separate conditions. ▪️ The UN Security Council approval (13–0) establishes that the Gaza Peace Plan and the Board of Peace carry formal international legal backing, not an ad-hoc or unilateral initiative.
Source:The Patriot
January 23, 2026 08:07 UTC
Deregulation and Discipline
Last year’s decision to allow sugar exports was taken against the backdrop of surplus production. His explanation of why sugar exports were allowed, followed later by limited imports, underscores a reality that policymakers frequently face: managing agriculture in a climate-vulnerable, data-deficient and politically sensitive environment requires flexibility, not rigid dogma. Importantly, the minister acknowledged what many consumers experienced: sugar prices were pushed up by manipulation from some manufacturers and producers. Equally significant is the government’s move towards end-to-end deregulation of the sugar sector, based on the recommendations of a high-level committee chaired by Sardar Awais Leghari. Finally, the minister’s warning about excessive sugar consumption and its link to diabetes reflects a mature understanding that food policy is also health policy.
Source:The Patriot
January 23, 2026 00:07 UTC
What Gul Plaza tragedy teaches us
By Sardar Khan NiaziThe horrific collapse of Gul Plaza, an iconic commercial building in Saddar Karachi, shook Pakistan. The incident exposed glaring weaknesses in building safety standards, urban planning, and governance. In the aftermath, we must ask ourselves what can we learn from the Gul Plaza tragedy, and how can we prevent future disasters? The first and most obvious lesson from the collapse of Gul Plaza is the systemic neglect of building safety in Karachi. One of the most striking aspects of the Gul Plaza tragedy was the complete lack of accountability from those responsible for the building’s construction, maintenance, and inspection.
Source:The Patriot
January 23, 2026 00:07 UTC
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has described the Gul Plaza tragedy as a deeply sorrowful incident affecting not just the victims’ families but the entire nation. He assured that the Sindh g
Independent ReportKarachi | January 22, 2026Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has described the Gul Plaza tragedy as a deeply sorrowful incident affecting not just the victims’ families but the entire nation. Addressing a press conference, Memon said the government has been working from day one to recover all bodies from the debris. He added that the Chamber of Commerce delegation met with the Sindh Chief Minister, endorsing fire safety measures across all buildings. Criticizing political opposition, Memon questioned whether transferring Karachi to federal control would prevent such tragedies, referencing past incidents where political actions led to civilian casualties. He also highlighted ongoing political point-scoring at the expense of victims.
Source:The Nation
January 22, 2026 22:45 UTC
Pakistan
Rawalpindi:Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting, Barrister Danyal Chaudhry, stated that Pakistan has overcome severe economic challenges and is now firmly on the path to development, prosperity, and stability. “We have moved past the propaganda of default; today Pakistan stands as an example of economic resilience”. He credited the government’s prudent policies for reducing inflation and revitalizing the economy, expressing confidence that Pakistan would soon graduate from the IMF program, leading to greater public relief and autonomous growth. In his address, he also paid tribute to the Pakistan Armed Forces and the united spirit of the nation. “Our soldiers sacrifice for our future, and the entire nation stands firmly behind them”.
Source:The Patriot
January 22, 2026 16:08 UTC
Govt submits report to IHC seeking s
ISLAMABAD:The government has submitted a report to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) regarding suspension of the X account of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan. According to the report presented by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the government has been attempting for the past three and a half years to block Imran Khan’s X account. The PTA first wrote to X on August 21, 2022, requesting suspension of the account. The report further stated that on November 27, 2025, the PTA asked X to block 47 posts from Imran Khan’s account. Complaints from other countries, the PTA said, are reviewed by these platforms strictly under their own internal policies rather than local laws.
Source:The Patriot
January 22, 2026 08:08 UTC
Rana Sanaullah says 18th Amendment can
ISLAMABAD :– Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that the 18th Constitutional Amendment was passed with consensus, but it can still be improved through renewed consensus, adding that the Constitution provides room for improvement throughout. Speaking to the media, Rana Sanaullah said a thorough investigation should be conducted into the fire incident at Gul Plaza to determine who approved the additional floors and when they were constructed, stressing that complete accountability is necessary. Rana Sanaullah added that Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas are people who believe in democracy, but he does not think negotiations will begin immediately. Responding to Khawaja Asif’s statement, Rana Sanaullah said that Khawaja Asif expressed his personal opinion in the National Assembly and that it is not appropriate to stop anyone from speaking in parliament. Reiterating his stance, the prime minister’s adviser said that while the 18th Amendment was adopted with consensus, there is room for improvement through dialogue, and discussion on the amendment should take place.
Source:The Patriot
January 22, 2026 08:08 UTC
Pakistan braces for wet weather as snowfall lashes northern areas
The PMD reported that rain has been ongoing since last night in multiple areas of Balochistan. Ziarat, Kan Mehtarzai, Muslim Bagh, Toba Kakari, and Toba Achakzai are experiencing snowfall along with rain. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, cloudy weather has prevailed across most areas, with light snowfall reported on higher mountains and increased cold conditions in lower regions. Most districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are also expected to receive rain over the next 24 hours. Snowfall is expected in upper mountainous areas, raising concerns about landslides and flooding in streams.
Source:The Patriot
January 22, 2026 08:08 UTC
PM Shehbaz meets IMF chief and Palestinian counterpart at Davos
DAVOS :– Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday held separate meetings with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. During the meeting with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF chief acknowledged and commended Pakistan’s ongoing reform efforts. In a separate engagement, Palestinian premier Mohammad Mustafa met PM Shehbaz Sharif during the forum. The Palestinian leader personally approached the Pakistani prime minister to introduce himself, reflecting the cordial nature of the interaction. PM Mohammad Mustafa expressed heartfelt gratitude to PM Shehbaz for Pakistan’s consistent, principled, and unwavering support for the Palestinian people.
Source:The Patriot
January 22, 2026 08:08 UTC