Dawn (newspaper)
Dawn is a Pakistani English-language newspaper that was launched in British India in 1941. It is the largest English newspaper in Pakistan, and is widely considered the country's newspaper of record.[2][3][4] Dawn is the flagship publication of the Dawn Media Group, which also owns local radio station CityFM89 as well as the marketing and media magazine Aurora.[5]
For the Australian magazine, see Dawn (magazine).Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan's founding father, launched the newspaper in Delhi on 26 October 1941, with the goal of establishing it as a mouthpiece for the All-India Muslim League. The first issue was printed at Latifi Press on 12 October 1942.[6] Based in Karachi, it also maintains offices in Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and the capital city of Islamabad, in addition to having correspondents abroad.[7] As of 2010, it has a weekday circulation of over 109,000.[8] The newspaper's current chief editor is Zaffar Abbas.
Resignation of Pervaiz Rashid[edit]
In 2016, a story, "Act against militants or face international isolation, civilians tell military" by Cyril Almeida, assistant editor and columnist for Dawn, triggered the resignation of Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, after a preliminary investigation established a "lapse" on his part vis-à-vis the publication of the "planted" story.[14]
Editorial stance[edit]
Dawn's editorial stance has varied over time, influenced by its editors and the prevailing political context.[11] Altaf Husain, the second editor of Dawn, was known for his confrontational editorials that often challenged governmental policies, maintaining the newspaper's editorial independence despite financial pressures from advertising boycotts.[11] He staunchly supported the Pakistan Muslim League and was critical of governments not aligned with it.[11] Husain's foreign policy views favored a military alliance with the United States, shifting only when geopolitical circumstances led him to support ties with China, regardless of its communist regime.[11]
After Husain's tenure, the newspaper experienced a rapid succession of editors, each introducing their own unique editorial policies.[11] Jamil Ansari, for example, closely aligned with the Ayub Khan administration, exercising caution in editorial decisions to avoid offending the government.[11] In contrast, Yusuf Haroon's brief editorship was marked by a conservative approach to content and layout, aiming to preserve the newspaper's independence from state influence.[11] Altaf Gauhar, successor of Yusuf Haroon, notably transitioned from being an architect of restrictive press laws to advocating for free speech, critiquing government policies through his editorials.[11] His successor, Mazhar Ali Khan, brought a progressive stance to the newspaper, focusing on professional journalism and reasoned critique of government policies.[11]
Ahmad Ali Khan, the longest serving editor of Dawn, stabilized the newspaper's editorial direction, blending a progressive outlook with cautious navigation of the restrictive political environment under Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.[11] Despite the constraints, the newspaper managed to subtly critique the regime's policies, especially those that contradicted the principles of democracy and civil liberties.[11]
The period following Khan's tenure saw editors such as Saleem Asmi, Tahir Mirza, and Abbas Nasir each contributing to Dawn's development in their own unique ways.[11] Asmi expanded the newspaper's coverage to include the arts and launched new editions.[11] Nasir adapted the newspaper to the digital age, enhancing its online presence and emphasizing the need for investigative journalism and a diverse range of op-ed contributors.[11]