Pak Daily News: Pakistan’s Major Dailies and How to Read Them
“Pak daily news” means the newspapers — the dailies that have recorded Pakistan’s story every morning since before partition. This guide introduces the major Pakistani dailies in Urdu and English, and how to read them well.
Quick answer: Pakistan’s major Urdu dailies are Jang (1939), Express, Nawa-i-Waqt (1940) and Dunya; the major English dailies are Dawn (1941), The News and Express Tribune. All publish free e-papers daily. Read one Urdu and one English paper and you will see the whole national conversation.
The Urdu Dailies
Daily Jang (1939, founded by Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman) — the circulation leader, multi-city. Daily Express — the great rival, equally multi-city. Nawa-i-Waqt (1940, Hameed Nizami) — Lahore’s historic paper of the Pakistan Movement. Roznama Dunya — Punjab-strong. Aaj (Peshawar), Ausaf (Islamabad), Jasarat and Ummat (Karachi), Mashriq — regional voices with loyal readers. Every one publishes a free e-paper daily. See our complete Urdu news guide for the full landscape.
The English Dailies
Dawn (1941, founded by Muhammad Ali Jinnah) — the paper of record. The News International — the Jang group’s English flagship. Express Tribune — the Express group’s English paper. Smaller English papers (Daily Times, Pakistan Today, Business Recorder for markets) serve niches. The English press leads on policy analysis and business; the Urdu press leads on mass politics — reading one of each gives you both Pakistans.
How to Read a Paper Well
The efficient 15-minute read: front page (what happened), editorial (what the paper thinks), op-ed page (what others think), city page (what affects you), business page (what it costs). Skip the rest unless it interests you. And once a week, read a second paper’s editorial on the same story — the contrast is the education. For the day’s headlines pre-digested, our Current Affairs of Pakistan Today briefing does the front-page job in one page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the oldest newspaper in Pakistan?
Among the majors: Dawn was founded in 1941 (in Delhi, moving to Karachi after partition); Daily Jang in 1939; Nawa-i-Waqt in 1940. All three predate the country itself.
Are Pakistani newspapers free to read online?
Yes — the e-papers of Jang, Express, Nawa-i-Waqt, Dunya, Dawn, The News and Express Tribune are all free on their websites, updated with each print edition.
Which is better: Urdu or English newspapers?
Neither — they cover different Pakistans. Urdu papers lead on mass politics and carry the biggest audiences; English papers lead on policy, business and analysis. Read one of each.
