The APNS expressed its grave concern on the complete stoppage of Govt. advertisements to Dawn Media Group stated a press release of the APNS.

KARACHI, FEB 3 /DNA/ – The Executive Committee of the APNS at its meeting held on February 03, 2026 at Karachi adopted a special resolution wherein it showed its dismay over the complete ban on the Federal, Provincial Govt. ads for last 15 months. The Executive Committee noted that the newspaper founded by Quaid-e-Azam is facing existential survival issue.

The APNS was of the considered opinion that the denial of Govt. ads to Daily Dawn is not only unjust but also an attack on freedom of expression. The APNS observed that this action has been taken to force the media group to change its editorial policy. The APNS reiterated that the Govt. advertisements are paid through public exchequer hence should not be used as tool to impact editorial policy of newspapers. The Executive Committee unanimously expressed its solidarity with Dawn Media Group in the hour of financial strangulation.

The APNS Executive Committee expressed its concern on consistent indifference of the Federal Govt. to implement the decision of the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, announced three years ago to increase the Govt. advertisement rates of newspapers. The delay has not only caused severe financial crunch to newspaper industry but also shows that the instructions of the Prime Minister are not being honored .

The members of the Executive Committee observed that PID Islamabad has not paid major portion of dues of member publications released after the new advertising policy of 2020. They requested the PID to expedite the payment of outstanding dues and allocate a fair share in the quantum of advertisements for the print media. They also demanded that the regional PID offices be empowered to suggest media of their regions and authorized the clients to select the media of their choice.

The Sindh based members appraised the Executive Committee that the share in quantum of advertisements released by Sindh Govt. has been considerably reduced. Further, the payments of non-budgeted advertisements and outstanding liabilities has not being made. The members unanimously decided that the office bearers should meet the Provincial Minister for Information and apprise him the problems faced by Sindh based publications.

The Executive Committee approve the applications for provisional accreditations of M/s. Balance Publicity (Pvt.) Ltd., Lahore and M/s. Red Ocean Communications and PR (Pvt.) Ltd., Lahore.

The Executive Committee also approved the restructuring of M/s. Solution 1, Karachi.

The meeting was attended by the following:

Senator Sarmad Ali, President, Mr. Shahab Zuberi, Vice President, Mr. Muhammad Athar Kazi, Secretary General, Mr. Mohsin Bilal, Joint Secretary, Mr. Mohsin Seyal (Aftab), Mr. Bilal Farooqui (Aghaz), Mr. Najamuddin Sheikh (Deyanat), Mr. Muhammad Younus Mehar (Halchal), Kazi Asad Abid (Ibrat), Syed Akbar Tahir (Jasarat), Mr. Faisal Shahjehan (Jiddat) Mr. Javed Mehr Shamsi (Kaleem), Mr. Aamir Malik (Mashriq Quetta), Ms. Zahida Abbasi (Nau Sijj), Mr. Salman Qureshi (Naya Rukh), Mr. S.M. Munir Jilani (Paigham), Mr. Mubashir Mir (Pakistan), Mr. Ebraheem Faisal (Pakistan Observer), Mr. Humayun Gulzar (Sayadat), Mr. Irfan Athar (Tijarat).

Mr. Waseem Ahmed (Awam), Mr. Ansar Mahmood Bhatti (Centre Line), Ms. Fauzia Shaheen (Dastak) and Mr. Bilal Mahmood (Nawa-i-Waqt) attended the meeting on Zoom.

Mr. Mumtaz Ali Phulpoto (Awami Parchar) attended the meeting as special observer.

ISLAMABAD, FEB 3 /DNA/ – Serena Hotels, through its Cultural Diplomacy Initiative, partnered with the Behbud Association to host a fundraising event in support of the Behbud Maternity and Children Hospital, which provides essential healthcare services to women and children from underserved communities.

The evening brought together culture and philanthropy, with proceeds directed towards strengthening medical facilities at the hospital. A highlight of the programme was an engaging presentation by renowned Egyptologist Salima Ikram, titled “A Journey Through Ancient Egypt,” offering guests an insightful exploration of ancient history, art, and civilization.

Ms. Abida Malik, President of the Behbud Association, expressed her appreciation for the collaboration, emphasizing the importance of such partnerships in sustaining Behbud’s mission of providing quality maternal and child healthcare. Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Dr. Ihab Abel Hamid who was also the chief guest at the event, underscored the significance of cultural dialogue and exchange in fostering international understanding, while commending the initiative for supporting a meaningful social cause.

Aziz Boolani, CEO Serena Hotels reaffirmed the group’s commitment to social development through cultural diplomacy, highlighting how cultural platforms and strategic partnerships can create lasting positive impact for communities.

The evening concluded with a soulful performance by acclaimed Pakistani artist Abrarul Haq, adding a cultural dimension to the fundraising effort.

Through initiatives like these, Serena Hotels continues to advance cultural exchange while supporting inclusive and impactful community development.

ISLAMABAD, FEB 3: Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Pakistan on a two-day official visit as his plane landed at Nur Khan Airbase on Tuesday.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar received the visiting dignitary upon his arrival.

A twenty-one-gun salute was presented to President Tokayev, while children dressed in traditional attire presented a bouquet of flowers to him.

The Kazakhstan president is accompanied by a high-level delegation, comprising senior cabinet ministers and other high-ranking officials.

During his first state visit to Pakistan, President Tokayev will meet his Pakistani counterpart, as well as hold talks with PM Shehbaz, and address the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum.

Both sides will also sign a number of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and cooperation agreements between the two countries in diverse sectors.

“The visit will provide the two sides an important and timely opportunity to undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral relations, discuss new avenues for broadening cooperation, particularly in trade, logistics, regional connectivity, people-to-people contacts, and explore collaboration at regional and international forums,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a day ago.

“The forthcoming visit reflects the strengthening bonds between Pakistan and Kazakhstan, their mutual commitment to transforming historic and cultural affinities into robust cooperation, and their common desire for peace and progress in the region,” it added.

In September, during a visit to Pakistan by then-Kazakh deputy premier Murat Nurtleu, the two countries signed an Action Plan of Cooperation to strengthen bilateral ties.

ISLAMABAD, FEB 3 /DNA/ – A high-level Libyan delegation called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at Prime Minister’s House, today.

The Libyan delegation included  Dr. Osama Saad Hamad, Prime Minister of the Libyan Government, Field Marshal Khalifa Abu-al-Qasim Haftar, Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces and Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, COAS & CDF, were also present during the meeting.

During the discussions, both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral relations. The meeting reflected the shared desire to enhance cooperation in areas of common concern and to promote peace, stability, and development at regional and international levels.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly relations with Libya and emphasized the importance of continued engagement and dialogue. The Libyan leadership appreciated Pakistan’s role and expressed interest in expanding collaboration between the two countries.

The meeting concluded with an understanding to maintain close contact and explore avenues for future cooperation.

ISLAMABAD, FEB 3: Pakistan has been invited to take part in Iran-US talks focused on easing tensions between Tehran and Washington, according to a Reuters report on Tuesday.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some of the countries invited to the talks at the foreign ministers’ level included Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The person said the format of the meetings remained unclear, but that the “main meeting” would take place on Friday and that it was important to start dialogue between the parties to avoid further escalation.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed on Tuesday that he had ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, after his counterpart Donald Trump threatened “bad things” if no deal was reached.

“In light of requests from friendly governments in the region to respond to the proposal by the President of the United States for negotiations….. I have instructed my Minister of Foreign Affairs, provided that a suitable environment exists — one free from threats and unreasonable expectations — to pursue fair and equitable negotiations,” Pezeshkian said in a post on X.

The talks will be held “within the framework of our national interests”, he said.

Washington dispatched an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East following anti-government protests in Iran that peaked last month.

US President Trump has said he remains hopeful that Washington will “work something out” with Iran, but warned on Monday that “bad things would happen” if no deal is reached.

Tehran has insisted it wants diplomacy while vowing an unbridled response to any aggression.

It has repeatedly stressed that talks should remain focused solely on the nuclear issue, rejecting negotiations over its missile programme or defence capabilities.

In an interview with CNN broadcast on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a nuclear deal with the US was achievable.

“So I see the possibility of another talk if the US negotiation team follows what President Trump said: to come to a fair and equitable deal to ensure that there is no nuclear weapon,” he said.

“So if that is the case, I am confident that we can achieve a deal,” he added.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned of a “regional war” if the US attacked his country.

The priority of talks between the US and Iran this week in Istanbul is to avoid any conflict and de-escalate tensions between the two sides, a regional official told Reuters.