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Dawn - 10:59 Nov 04, 2025
PPP stalwart and former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani on Tuesday said the recently proposed changes to the Constitution, if passed, would amount to a rollback of the much-touted 18th Amendment. Yesterday, the ruling party PML-N’s coalition partner PPP revealed it had been approached by the government for its support in passing a 27th Constitutional Amendment. The key features were heavily criticised by lawyers and politicians, who termed them an attempt to revoke provincial rights granted in the 18th Amendment. “The proposed constitutional amendments of the federal government, with reference to provincial autonomy, amount to a rollback of the 18th Amendment,” Rabbani said in a statement. The 18th Amendment, passed in 2010, had allayed provinces’ concerns by devolving several ministries and departments from the Centre to them, including education and population. “In the brittle internal political situation, playing with provincial autonomy will cast deep shadows over the federation,” the veteran politician warn... -
Dawn - 10:02 Nov 04, 2025
India’s top financial crimes agency said it had seized properties worth over $846 million from firms linked to beleaguered tycoon Anil Ambani as part of a bank fraud probe. Anil, the younger sibling of Asia’s richest person, Mukesh Ambani, has business interests ranging from power to defence, but has seen his fortunes wane over the last two decades. In recent months, the industrialist has attracted law enforcement scrutiny with investigators probing alleged crimes ranging from diversion of bank loans to money laundering. On Monday evening, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it had frozen assets worth more than Rs75 billion, including office premises, residential units and over 132 acres (53 hectares) of land as part of its investigation. The agency said it had “detected fraudulent diversion of public money by various Reliance Anil Ambani group companies” and that it was “committed to restituting” the proceeds of these crimes to “their rightful claimants”. The ED also said it had initiated the probe based o... -
Dawn - 09:51 Nov 04, 2025
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday launched Pakistan’s first Google Chromebook assembly line and hailed it as a “historic milestone” that would make digital tools more accessible. “Today marks a historic milestone in that journey as we celebrate the invaluable partnership between Google and Pakistan,” Dar said while addressing a ceremony marking the launch in Islamabad. Terming the move a “defining moment for our country’s digital transformation”, the deputy PM said localising the assembly of Chromebooks would make access to digital tools more affordable and inclusive, particularly in the education sector. Dar, who is also the foreign minister, said the assembly line’s establishment held great economic significance as it laid the “foundation for jobs, supply chain, development and future tech exports”. Dar said that under a strategic memorandum of understanding, Google and Pakistan would “collaborate to provide skills training for 100,000 developers nationwide while also developing targeted programmes... -
Dawn - 09:40 Nov 04, 2025
Four Indian-sponsored terrorists were killed after security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Kalat district, the military’s media affairs wing said on Tuesday. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that on the night of November 1, security forces conducted an IBO on the reported presence of militants belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Hindustan. The state has designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and resultantly, four Indian-sponsored terrorists were sent to hell,” it said. “Weapons and ammunition [were] also recovered from the killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities,” it added. “Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorist found in the area,” the statement said, a... -
Dawn - 09:15 Nov 04, 2025
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will be at the White House on November 18 for an official working visit with United States President Donald Trump, a White House official said on Monday. The visit comes as Trump pushes Saudi Arabia to join the list of nations that have joined the Abraham Accords. In 2020, Trump reached deals with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco to normalise relations with Israel. The Saudis have been hesitant to join in the absence of steps toward Palestinian statehood. Trump told CBS’ “60 Minutes” in an interview broadcast on Sunday that he believed the Saudis would ultimately join the accords. The US president also said earlier this month that he expected an expansion of the Abraham Accords soon and hoped Saudi Arabia would join the pact. In August, he also stressed the importance of Middle Eastern countries joining the accords. Trump and the crown prince may also discuss a US-Saudi defence agreement. The Financial Times reported two weeks ago that there ... -
Dawn - 08:34 Nov 04, 2025
Canada and Pakistan have agreed to facilitate the export of Canadian canola to the South Asian nation, the countries said in a joint statement issued late on Monday. Canada has been looking to open new markets for the commodity after China announced preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola imports in August, a year after Canada said it would levy a 100 per cent tariff on imports of Chinese electric vehicles. In a joint statement released late on Monday, the two countries said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had held a phone call with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on October 30, “reaffirming the strong and enduring ties between Pakistan and Canada and emphasising the importance of deepening cooperation in areas of mutual interest”. “Pakistan and Canada agreed to facilitate the export of Canadian canola to Pakistan, recognising the significant potential of Pakistan’s expanding market for this Canadian commodity,” the statement said. It added that the ministers also we... -
Dawn - 07:58 Nov 04, 2025
The United States is seeking approval from the United Nations for the establishment of an International Security Force (ISF) in Gaza with a mandate of at least two years, Axios reported on Tuesday. According to the report, the US sent several UN Security Council (UNSC) members a draft resolution yesterday outlining the establishment of its proposed security force to maintain security in the Palestinian enclave. Axios, which obtained a copy of the draft, said that the resolution was designated “sensitive but unclassified”. It reported that the resolution would give the US and other participating countries a broad mandate to deploy security forces to govern Gaza until the end of 2027, and allowed the possibility of extensions beyond that time. The force would be established “in consultation with the Gaza ‘Board of Peace’”, to be chaired by US President Donald Trump, the publication reported. The Board of Peace is also to remain in place “at least through the end of 2027”. However, a US official told Axios that ... -
Dawn - 05:55 Nov 04, 2025
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Tuesday that Pakistan’s economy was in a “good spot”, attributing this to macroeconomic stability and “geopolitical tailwinds”. “Where we are as a country, we find ourselves in a good spot at this point and time because there is a confluence of factors,” he said, adding that macroeconomic stability combined with “geopolitical tailwinds” had boosted the economy. The finance minister made these remarks in a virtual address at the second edition of the Pakistan International Maritime Expo and Conference 2025 (PIMEC-25), which is being held in Karachi. “Our traditional partners, who have helped us through thick and thin … we find ourselves in a spot that we can now leverage, and we should leverage — in terms of these relationships which have been strong for the longest time — to move from government-to-government (G2G) discussions to trade and investment flows into the country,” he said. In his address, the finance minister described blue economy as a game changer for P... -
Dawn - 19:07 Nov 03, 2025
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Monday dismissed fearmongering over the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment and said the government would not impose any “calamity” over the nation in its name. The PPP said earlier today that its coalition partner PML-N has officially sought its support for a proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment — the idea of which had been floated soon after the 26th Amendment. The development comes even as three dozen petitions challenging most of the 26th Amendment, which had also faced sizeable censure, are pending before the Supreme Court. The proposals include setting up constitutional courts, restoring executive magistrates, ending protection for provincial shares under the National Finance Commission and amendments to Article 243 of the Constitution, which pertains to the command of armed forces. Addressing the situation in an interview on Geo News show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, Sanaullah said: “The speculations appear to be such and our... -
Dawn - 18:12 Nov 03, 2025
Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Monday warned that India will attempt a false flag operation in the maritime domain, during a closed-door briefing given to senior journalists from select media outlets. In a press release today, the Indian defence ministry stated that it was beginning the ‘Trishul’ military exercise in early November. The exercise, spearheaded by the Indian Navy, would also include the Indian Army and Air Force. Speaking about the possibility of Indian aggression, DG ISPR said, “Let India do whatever it wants — on land, in the sea, or in the air. India must know — this time, the response will be far more severe.” During his briefing, the military’s spokesperson highlighted that operations are underway against terrorists belonging to Fitna-al-Khawarij — a term the state uses to designate members of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — with 1,667 terrorists killed. Giving some more details, DG ISPR said as many as “62,113 o... -
Dawn - 18:08 Nov 03, 2025
Multiple people on social media platform X shared two separate videos on Friday and Monday, claiming to show Indian army officials criticising recent tri-military exercises as a political move to boost the image for the upcoming Bihar elections. However, the videos are dubbed over. India kicked off large-scale combined military exercises named ‘Trishul 2025’ near its western border on October 30 amid heightened regional tensions. The war games, involving armoured divisions, fighter aircraft and advanced drone systems, are being held across Rajasthan and Punjab to test rapid deployment capabilities. Indian defence officials have described the drills as routine preparedness measures. Meanwhile, upcoming elections are scheduled in Bihar, India, for the state’s legislative assembly from November 6-11, 2025. On Friday, an X account, that appears to be anti-Indian based upon its previous posts and is known for repeatedly sharing AI-altered videos, posted a clip with the following caption: “Breaking news: Bikaner, R... -
Dawn - 17:54 Nov 03, 2025
Pakistan and other Muslim countries on Monday slammed Israeli violations of the fragile Gaza ceasefire and demanded the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territory, according to the Foreign Office (FO). Hamas and Israel signed a ceasefire agreement on October 9, agreeing to free the Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of United States President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. Pakistan was one of the eight Arab and Muslim countries to work with Trump on the plan. Despite occasional flare-ups, the fragile truce has been holding in Gaza. The truce, which left thorny issues like the disarmament of Hamas and a timeline for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza unresolved, has been tested by unilateral Israeli bombardment since coming into force. The foreign ministers of Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan — the same countries that met with Trump on Sept 23 on the sidelines of the... -
Dawn - 17:24 Nov 03, 2025
As many as 29,609 tickets have been issued for traffic rule violations since the newly implemented e-ticketing system was inaugurated in Karachi, according to data from the police. Sindh Chief Minister inaugurated the Traffic Regulation and Citation System (TRACS), commonly known as the e-ticketing system, at the Central Police Office (CPO) last week. He explained that the new system replaces the outdated manual ticketing process with a fully automated e-ticketing mechanism, utilising advanced AI-integrated CCTV cameras to detect violations such as speeding, red-light jumping, and helmet non-compliance. Of the 29,609 tickets issued, 17,639 of them were issued to drivers not wearing a seatbelt, while 6,362 were issued to motorcyclists not wearing helmets, the data shows. Another 1,967 tickets were issued for speeding, while 1,655 were issued for running through red lights. Meanwhile, 943 tickets were issued for using mobile phones while operating a vehicle and 298 were handed out for having tinted windows and ... -
Dawn - 17:16 Nov 03, 2025
Former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said on Monday that both the government and the PTI, along with Imran Khan, need to show flexibility in order to create space for engagement to decrease the political friction in the country. Fawad is one of the three former PTI leaders who say they have been engaging with the party’s incarcerated leadership to put an end to politics of confrontation as part of their political outreach initiative. They also visited PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, after he was taken to a hospital in Lahore from prison, on Thursday, to convince him to join their campaign. “I’ve said this from the first day, the government should move one step forward and the PTI and Imran Khan should move back one step so space is created,” said the former PTI leader while speaking during an interview on DawnNewsTV show ‘News Wise’. He maintained that both sides would have to decide on the need to bring down the temperature, warning that if the PTI did not pursue engagement and talks, it would face similar trea... -
Dawn - 16:57 Nov 03, 2025
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday expressed its displeasure at the city administration’s lack of action to counter smog and pollution, questioning the use of anti-smog guns and tree cutting in the metropolis. Last Wednesday, Lahore ranked as the most polluted city in the world in terms of air quality, according to global monitor IQAir. As of today, it still leads the world in terms of poor air quality, registering an air quality index (AQI) reading of 259, which the monitor considers very unhealthy. The Punjab government has tried numerous methods to reduce the smog, including limiting citizens’ time moving in the city, fining industrial units and brick kilns causing pollution and using ‘anti-smog guns’ to fire tiny droplets of water into the air, cleaning dust and other particulates. According to a Dawn correspondent present during the hearing, LHC Justice Shahid Karim summoned the Director General of the Punjab Environment Protection Department, Hamid Sheikh, and questioned why trees are being cut down,... -
Dawn - 16:27 Nov 03, 2025
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that Pakistan had successfully re-established itself as a respected voice in regional and international forums due to the efforts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “Through the prime minister’s sustained diplomatic outreach, Pakistan has successfully re-established itself as a respected voice in regional and international forums, from the United Nations and SCO to OIC and the World Economic Forum,” said the defence minister while addressing a seminar organised by the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad. He said the government’s current diplomacy reflected a “confident and forward-looking” Pakistan that engaged constructively, built bridges and believed in the power of partnerships. “These achievements reaffirm a simple truth. When guided by clarity of purpose, coherence of policy and continuity of engagement, Pakistan’s diplomacy becomes its strongest national asset. Ladies and gentlemen, our journey of diplomacy is far from over. The progress we have made is ... -
Dawn - 16:04 Nov 03, 2025
At least three terrorists were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Monday. “Movement of a group of khwarij, opposite general area Esham, North Waziristan District, who were trying to infiltrate through Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was picked up by the security forces.” The military’s media wing said troops effecttively engaged the group of khawarij. “As a result of precise and skillful engagement, two khwarij belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna al Khwarij were sent to hell.” In July, the government designated the banned terrorist outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan as Fitna al Khawarij, mandating all institutions to use the term khariji (outcast) when referring to the perpetrators of terrorist attacks on Pakistan. The ISPR added that one of the terrorists killed was identified as Qasim, and Afghan national who was serving in the Afghan Border Police. In another intelligence-based operation (IBO) in KP’s Tank district, security ... -
Dawn - 14:51 Nov 03, 2025
Canada’s clampdown on international students has hit applicants from India particularly hard, government data shows, as what was once a preferred destination loses its allure for Indian students. Canada lowered the number of international student permits it issues for the second year in a row in early 2025 as part of a broader effort to reduce the number of temporary migrants and address fraud related to student visas. About 74 per cent of Indian applications for permits to study at Canadian post-secondary institutions in August — the most recent month available — were rejected, compared to about 32pc in August 2023, according to immigration department data provided to Reuters. By contrast, about 40pc of study permit applications overall in each of those months were refused. About 24pc of Chinese study permits in August 2025 were rejected. The number of Indian applicants has dropped as well, from 20,900 in August 2023 — when Indians formed just over one quarter of all applicants — to 4,515 in August 2025. Ind... -
Dawn - 14:49 Nov 03, 2025
A Lahore judicial magistrate on Monday awarded three days of physical remand to seven National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) officials and a private individual in a case registered against them for allegedly misusing their authority, extorting money, and taking bribes. Last week, a Lahore court granted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) a three-day physical remand of the officials, while a judicial magistrate extended their physical remand for three more days on Friday. According to a copy of the remand order available with Dawn.com, while the initial allegation involved a bribe of Rs9 million, the amount recovered by the investigating officer was Rs42.5m. “After hearing argument and perusal of record, it transpires that complainant … moved [an] application that she paid [Rs9m] illegal gratification to Shoaib Riaz AD/FIA, who was [the] investigation officer (IO) in [the] case of her husband,” the order read. “Complainant also alleged that she got knowledge that a corruption network in NCCIA is ... -
Dawn - 14:07 Nov 03, 2025
An election tribunal has dismissed a petition challenging the victory of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz from PP-159, Lahore, it emerged on Monday. PTI-backed independent candidate Mehar Sharafat had filed the petition, claiming that he initially emerged victorious in the constituency based on the Form 45 results. The tribunal was presided over by retired justice Rana Zahid Mahmood. He alleged that the results were later manipulated using Form 47 to declare Maryam the victor. He had asked the tribunal to set aside Maryam’s victory notification and declare him a returned candidate. Maryam had secured 23,598 and Sharafat obtained 21,491 votes in the Feb 8 general election. An order of the election tribunal dated October 21 emerged today, which said that the counsel for the petitioner advanced “very short arguments … and it is important to mention that his arguments are general in nature with regard to allegations of corruption and corrupt practices during the election process in the constituency concerned, h...
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