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  • Aurangzeb arrives in Washington for IMF, World Bank spring meetings
    Dawn - 06:19 Apr 13, 2026
    Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb arrived in Washington on Monday to attend the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings 2026, the Ministry of Finance said. According to a statement, the minister is scheduled to hold key meetings with global financial leaders to advance “Pakistan’s reform agenda and economic priorities”. Aurangzeb departed for the United States on Saturday to participate in the high-level gathering, which will take place from April 13 to 18 in Washington, DC. The Spring Meetings bring together finance ministers, central bank governors, policymakers and development experts from around the world amid ongoing global economic uncertainty. As per an earlier statement, during his visit, the finance minister will “represent Pakistan at important events organised by the IMF and the World Bank Group”. At the conference, he is expected to engage with “leading academics, policymakers, and members of the Pakistani diaspora, and share Pakistan’s economic outlook, reform tra...
  • Four officials hurt as Afghan residents clash with police in Islamabad
    Dawn - 03:16 Apr 13, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: A police search operation targeting Afghan residents in Islamabad turned violent when officers were attacked, resulting in injuries to four officers and the arrest of 23 people who now face terrorism charges, authorities said. The clash erupted in the Sarai Kharboza area when residents resisted the operation, according to an FIR filed at the Golra Police Station. The report, lodged by Assistant Sub-Inspector Saqib Mehmood, alleges that a group led by a suspect identified as Mubeen abducted a police official, held him inside a house, and then set the building on fire. Attackers also snatched a submachine gun from an officer and opened fire with the “intent to kill,” the formal complaint stated. The 23 individuals arrested in connection with the incident are being investigated under multiple statutes, including Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. A team from the Counter Terrorism Department has launched a wider operation to find and apprehend additional suspects who fled the scene, police said. In a...
  • Gas supply to power sector may double amid LNG shortfall
    Dawn - 03:07 Apr 13, 2026
    • Govt mulls diversion from households, CNG and fertiliser • Minister warns unless additional gas diverted, tariffs may rise sharply or result in massive loadshedding ISLAMABAD: Domestic natural gas supply to the power sector is expected to at least double by the end of the current month to minimise tariff hikes and loadshedding, which have become inevitable following the non-availability of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) and upcoming hike in summer consumption. Informed sources told Dawn that arrangements were being made on a war footing to increase gas supply to around 160-170 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) by end-April or early May, up from about 85-90mmcfd at present. An additional 20-25mmcfd could be diverted from the CNG sector, provided the government is able to sustain political pressure. Gas supplies to the fertiliser sector would be protected as far as possible, alongside vigilance on stocks due to a wide price gap between locally produced urea at Rs4,500 per bag and imported one at Rs15,0...
  • Israeli minister storms Al Aqsa Mosque again amid restrictions on worshippers
    Dawn - 21:56 Apr 12, 2026
    Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Sunday stormed the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem under heavy police protection. Citing the Jerusalem Governorate, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said the incursion came amid an ongoing escalation of violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in East Jerusalem, as well as continued restrictions on worshippers’ access to the mosque. Such incursions by Ben-Gvir are typically carried out without prior public announcement. Israeli ministers are only permitted to enter the Al Aqsa compound with advance approval from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The minister has continued these provocations despite repeated Arab, Islamic, and international condemnations. Al Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times. Sunday’s raid comes after Israeli forces turned parts of East Jerusalem, including...
  • After Trump’s blockade announcement, IRGC says will view military vessels approaching Hormuz as ceasefire breach
    Dawn - 21:44 Apr 12, 2026
    Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz would be considered a violation of the two-week ceasefire with the US, and warned that it would be dealt with harshly and decisively. “The strait is under the control and smart management of Iran’s Navy,” the Guards said in a statement reported by Iranian state media, adding it is “open for the safe passage of non-military vessels in accordance with specific regulations”. The IRGC has also warned that enemies would be trapped in its “deadly vortex” in case of any miscalculation. “All traffic … is under the full control of the armed forces,” the Guards naval command said in a Persian language post on X. “The enemy will become trapped in a deadly vortex in the strait if it makes the wrong move,” it added, posting a video showing vessels in crosshairs. The IRGC’s warning came after US President Donald Trump, in a surprise announcement, said the United States Navy would begin the p...
  • Dar urges US, Iran to uphold commitment to ceasefire as talks conclude without deal
    Dawn - 21:31 Apr 12, 2026
    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the United States and Iran to remain committed to a ceasefire after both countries ended historic face-to-face talks without an agreement on Sunday. “It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to the ceasefire,” Dar said in a press conference following the conclusion of the 21-hour marathon talks. Dar expressed Pakistan’s readiness to continue to play its role to “facilitate engagement and dialogue” between the US and Iran. He hoped that both sides would “continue with the positive spirit to achieve durable peace and prosperity for the entire region and beyond”. The foreign minister also thanked Iran and the US for following through on the ceasefire call by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and accepting the invitation for the Islamabad Talks. Dar stated that he, along with Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, “helped mediate several rounds of intense and constructive negotiations between...
    Tags: Iran
  • Viktor Orban concedes ‘painful’ defeat to conservative Peter Magyar in Hungary polls
    Dawn - 20:23 Apr 12, 2026
    Nationalist Viktor Orban, who has ruled Hungary for 16 years, on Sunday conceded defeat to conservative Peter Magyar in parliamentary elections. With votes in almost 67 per cent of precincts counted, Magyar’s party stood to have gained 137 seats, or more than two-thirds of all 199 parliamentary seats, according to official election results. The vote on Sunday was being closely watched across Europe and in the United States, with US President Donald Trump endorsing Orban, a self-described “thorn” in the European Union’s side and a defender of “illiberal democracy” who is also close to  Russian President Vladimir Putin. “The election results, though not yet final, are clear and understandable; for us, they are painful but unambiguous,” Orban, 62, told reporters. “We have not been entrusted with the responsibility and opportunity to govern. I congratulated the winning party,” he said. Magyar, 45, a political newcomer and former government insider, posed on social media that Orban “just called to congratulate us ...
  • Dar briefs Turkish, Saudi, Egyptian FMs on Islamabad Talks, reaffirms support for diplomacy and dialogue
    Dawn - 19:48 Apr 12, 2026
    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to continue supporting diplomatic efforts for sustaining dialogue and promoting peace. His remarks came during telephonic conversations with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye after the conclusion of US-Iran talks in Islamabad on early Sunday morning. In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Dar had spoken with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal Bin Farhaan, today and shared developments regarding the Islamabad Talks. During the phone call, Dar “stressed the importance of all parties adhering to their ceasefire commitments,” the FO stated. Underscoring Pakistan’s role in facilitating the dialogue, Dar reaffirmed the “resolve to continue supporting all diplomatic efforts and sustain dialogue to promote peace and stability in the region and beyond,” the FO said. In his conversation with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Dar briefed him on the Islamabad Talks and Pakistan’s contin...
  • Gaza-bound aid flotilla sets sail symbolically, delays international waters departure due to weather conditions
    Dawn - 19:01 Apr 12, 2026
    The Global Sumud Flotilla left Barcelona symbolically for Gaza on Sunday, but delayed its departure into international waters due to adverse weather conditions, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition coordinator, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported. “Due to weather conditions, our mission will sail from this port today, but will not be sailing to international waters because we cannot make this journey safely today,” said Thiago Avila. He added that the mission would proceed towards Gaza in phases, with possible delays depending on weather conditions along the route. “We are leaving here, going to Gaza in different steps, maybe sometimes having to stop a little bit to wait for the weather,” he said. He stressed that the convoy would remain flexible, adding that safety and technical requirements would determine movements at sea. The Global Sumud Flotilla was created to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, deliver humanitarian aid, and draw international attention to the situation in the enclave. The miss...
  • The US-Iran ceasefire appears to be holding. What next?
    Dawn - 18:41 Apr 12, 2026
    A historic meeting, 21 hours of negotiations, and one “final” offer. Yet, the high-level ‘Islamabad Talks’ between the United States and Iran ended inconclusively early Sunday morning. Although commentators and analysts say the dialogue was unlikely to end any other way, the heart wants what it wants, and the entire world sat on the edge of their seats, hoping for nothing short of a miracle. After a day and an entire night of talks, US Vice President JD Vance finally addressed journalists at a press briefing at 6:30am, where he announced the “bad news”. “We have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America,” he said, elaborating that Iran had chosen “not to accept our terms”. “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vance added. Shortly after, he flew back to the US. On the other hand, Iran’s Parl...
  • Jannik Sinner beats Alcaraz in Monte Carlo final to reclaim top spot in tennis rankings
    Dawn - 18:12 Apr 12, 2026
    Italy’s Jannik Sinner dethroned defending champion Carlos Alcaraz ​7-6(5) 6-3 in Sunday’s Monte Carlo final to claim his first Masters title on clay and snatch back the world ‌number one ranking from the Spaniard. The victory capped a remarkable run for Sinner, who became just the second player to win the Sunshine Double and Monte Carlo in the same season — a feat previously achieved only by Novak Djokovic in 2015. It marked Sinner’s fourth consecutive Masters 1000 crown ​following triumphs in Paris, Indian Wells and Miami, and his eighth Masters title overall. “We came here just trying to ​get as many matches as possible before other big tournaments coming up. Today was a ⁠very high level from both of us,” Sinner said in an on-court interview. “It was a bit windy, breezy — completely ​different conditions the tournament has brought until today. “The result is amazing, getting back to number one means a lot to me. ​At the same time, as I always say, the ranking is secondary. I’m very happy to win at least one...
  • DIG orders inquiry after video, purportedly showing armed robbery on Karachi bridge, goes viral
    Dawn - 16:54 Apr 12, 2026
    KARACHI: East Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dr Farrukh Ali on Sunday ordered an inquiry into the reports of an armed robbery by several suspects on a bridge in Karachi’s Shah Faisal Colony after a video purportedly showing the incident was widely shared on social media. In the video, a man is heard saying that 10-12 robbers are looting the commuters on the bridge late at night. The police statement said DIG Ali had directed Korangi and Malir’s senior superintendents of the police to conduct an inquiry into the incident and register a first information report. The statement further quoted DIG Ali as saying, “Shah Faisal Bridge is an important public thoroughfare”, and added that the official ordered the immediate additional deployment and patrolling of police at the spot to prevent such incidents in the future. “Protecting the life and property of the citizens and taking action against elements involved in breaching peace without any … is the police’s priority,” he was quoted as saying. On the other hand, Mal...
    Tags: Karachi
  • First lady urges public cooperation as nationwide anti-polio campaign begins April 13
    Dawn - 15:06 Apr 12, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has urged public cooperation as the nationwide anti-polio campaign is set to begin from April 13. The week-long campaign aims to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five across all provinces and regions as part of the ongoing efforts to eradicate polio. In a statement released on Sunday, Aseefa called on families and communities across Pakistan to fully cooperate with the upcoming nationwide polio vaccination campaign to ensure that every child is protected from the crippling disease. Pakistan, she said, stood at a “critical juncture” in its fight against the virus. “Years of sustained effort have brought the country closer to eradication, with the coming phase representing the final stretch where reaching every child is essential,” she stated. “From April 13 to 19, frontline health workers will conduct door-to-door visits, covering urban centres as well as remote communities. “In addition to administering polio drops, children will also receive Vita...
    Tags: April
  • The infant Lebanese girl who was killed by an Israeli strike at her father’s funeral
    Dawn - 14:48 Apr 12, 2026
    Relatives mourn over the bodies of four members of the Saeed family, Taleen (1.5 years old), Qassem (26), Khalil (60) and Fatima (39), killed in an Israeli strike in the village of Srifa, at the Al Kharab mosque in Tyre, Lebanon on April 12, 2026. — ReutersWrapped in bloodied bandages, Aline Saeed, seven, barely survived the Israeli strike on her home in south Lebanon last week. She was there to bury her father as hopes of a truce spread across the region, but a new strike killed her infant sister and other relatives. The strike on the Saeed family home in the village of Srifa took place on Wednesday, the first day of a two-week US-Iran ceasefire that many in Lebanon hoped would apply to their country, too. Instead, Israeli strikes killed more than 350 across Lebanon and left the Saeed family with four more relatives to bury. “They said it was a ceasefire. Like all these people, we went up to the village. We went to the casket to read the prayers and walk home … suddenly we felt like a storm was landing right on us,” said Nasser Saeed, Aline’s 64-year-old grandfather, who also survived. Relatives mourn over the bodies of four members of the Saeed family, Taleen (1.5 years old), Qassem (26), Khalil (60) and Fatima (39), killed in an Israeli strike in the village...
    Tags: Israeli
  • China offers incentives to Taiwan following opposition leader’s visit
    Dawn - 12:28 Apr 12, 2026
    China on Sunday unveiled 10 new incentive measures for Taiwan, including easing tourist curbs, allowing in “healthy” television ​dramas and facilitating food sales, following a visit by the island’s opposition ‌leader. The move comes at the end of a trip to China by Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s largest opposition party. She met Chinese President Xi Jinping and talked about ​the need for peace and reconciliation. The 10 measures, unveiled by the official ​Xinhua news agency, “explore” the establishment of a regular communication mechanism between ⁠the KMT and China’s Communist Party, the full resumption of flights between the ​two sides and permission for individuals from Shanghai and Fujian province to visit Taiwan. A ​mechanism will be established to ease inspection standards for food and fishery products, but that has to be on the political foundation of “opposing Taiwan independence,” Xinhua said. Taiwanese TV dramas, documentaries and ​animation will be allowed to be shown as...
  • In pictures: VP Vance gets cordial send-off as Islamabad Talks conclude
    Dawn - 12:04 Apr 12, 2026
    Freshly printed newspapers featuring a headline about the US and Iran peace talks in Islamabad, are kept on a table at a printing press in Karachi on April 12, 2026. — ReutersDirect talks between the United States and Iran were continuing into the early hours of Sunday in Islamabad, but within hours, delegations from both sides were heading home. In the morning, US Vice President JD Vance addressed a press conference, noting there had been “a number of substantive discussions”. However, he said the two sides did not reach an agreement. Dawn takes a look at scenes from the day of the noteworthy US-Iran talks concluding. Freshly printed newspapers featuring a headline about the US and Iran peace talks in Islamabad, are kept on a table at a printing press in Karachi on April 12, 2026. — Reuters Vice President JD Vance arrives for a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran in Islamabad on April 12, 2026. — AFP US Vice President JD Vance and Jared Kushner arrive for a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran, on April 12, 2026, in Islamabad. — Pool via Reuters Vice President JD Vance (R) speaks during a news conference a...
    Tags: Vance
  • ‘This likely isn’t over’: Journalists, analysts react to ‘stalemate’ in US-Iran talks
    Dawn - 11:25 Apr 12, 2026
    After a marathon 21 hours of high-level talks, delegations from the United States and Iran departed from Islamabad on Sunday morning without reaching an agreement. The Islamabad Talks had the world, especially the Middle East, hoping that the 40-day US-Iran war would come to a permanent end. Both countries had agreed to a two-week ceasefire earlier this week, with Pakistan playing a key diplomatic role. However, speaking to the media earlier today, US Vice President JD Vance said: “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America.” “So we go back to the United States, having not come to an agreement. We’ve made very clear what our red lines are.” He also cited shortcomings in the talks, saying that Tehran had chosen not to accept American terms, including the building of nuclear weapons. On the other hand, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said that “excessive” US demands had hindered an agreement. “...
    Tags: US-Iran
  • At least two members of Quetta’s Hazara community killed in firing incident
    Dawn - 11:10 Apr 12, 2026
    QUETTA: At least two people from the provincial capital’s Hazara community were killed and another three injured after unknown assailants opened fire on them on Sunday. Senior police officer Muhammad Khair Sumalani told Dawn that the men came under attack while they were travelling back to Hazara Town from the Hazarganji vegetable market. “Unidentified armed men riding motorcycles opened fire at their vehicle, killing two people on the spot and injuring three,” he said. The senior police official said that the incident appeared to be a “targeted killing”, adding that the police and Frontier Corps personnel rushed to the site soon after the incident. Civil Hospital Spokesperson Wasim Bag told Dawn that the hospital had received two bodies and three injured persons. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, and police have launched a search operation. The Hazara community blocked the Western Bypass to protest the incident, disrupting traffic. Administration and police were negotiating with the pro...
    Tags: Hazara
  • Iran says time for US to decide ‘whether it can earn our trust’ after talks
    Dawn - 10:10 Apr 12, 2026
    After their face-to-face talks yielded no agreement, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday said it was now time for the United States to decide whether it can “earn” Tehran’s trust. In a post on X, written in Persian, Ghalibaf said: “America has understood our logic and principles, and now it’s time for it to decide whether it can earn our trust or not?” Ghalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation, recalled that before the negotiations, he “emphasised that we have the necessary good faith and will, but due to the experiences of the two previous wars, we have no trust in the opposing side”. “My colleagues on the Iranian delegation Minaab168 raised forward-looking initiatives, but the opposing side ultimately failed to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations,” he added. The Iranian parliament speaker went on to state: “We certainly consider diplomacy of authority to be another method, alongside military struggle, for achieving the rights of the Iranian people, ...
    Tags: Iran
  • Mob beats spiritual leader to death in Bangladesh
    Dawn - 06:17 Apr 12, 2026
    DHAKA: A self-proclaimed spiritual leader was beaten to death by a mob in Bangladesh on Saturday, officials said, in the latest violence fuelled by religious tensions in the country. Muslim-majority Bangladesh has seen a sharp rise in religious intolerance and mob violence since the 2024 uprising that toppled the government of former premier Sheikh Hasina. Shamim Reza Jahangir, believed to be in his 60s, died from his injuries after hundreds of people stormed his residence in Kushtia district and thrashed him with sticks, chief administrative official Touhid bin Hasan said. The mob was angered after an old video of the man resurfaced online on Fri­day. He had uttered remarks against the Holy Quran. “Sensing that something might happen, police went to the spot, and the administration tried their best. But an angry mob of more than 200 people attacked his residence,” bin Hasan said. Jahangir was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police sources said that Jahangir had been briefly arres...

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