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Dawn - 14:06 Sep 15, 2025
Two fresh polio virus cases have been detected in the south of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, taking the nationwide tally to 26, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said on Monday. Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed progress. According to a press release issued by the NIH, one of the cases was detected in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali tehsil in a 19-month-old infant, while the other case was confirmed in an 11-month-old infant in Lakki Marwat’s Suleman Khel tehsil. The two new cases have taken the total number of cases reported in KP to 18, the highest out of any province in the country. The nationwide tally now stands at 26, with six cases from Sindh, 18 from KP and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan, NIH said. Detailing the results of August’s environmental sewage samples regarding polio — collected from 87 ... -
Dawn - 13:40 Sep 15, 2025
Social media influencer Samiya Hijab on Monday agreed to withdraw her complaint in her alleged harassment and kidnapping case, with the court granting bail to the suspect. The suspect was arrested on September 2 and a case was registered in the capital’s Shalimar Police Station at her complaint under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 365 (Kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person), 392 (punishment for robbery), 500 (punishment for defamation), 509 and 511 of the Pakistan Penal Code. He is currently on judicial remand. During today’s hearing at an Islamabad district and sessions court — presided over by Additional District and Sessions Judge Amir Zia — Samiya recorded her statement before the court, stating that the case had been resolved and she withdrew her complaint. “I have no objection to granting bail to the accused and his acquittal,” Samiya said in her statement. When asked by the judge if she was forgiving the su... -
Dawn - 12:43 Sep 15, 2025
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) maintained its policy rate steady at 11 per cent on Monday for a third straight meeting as policymakers weighed inflation risks from flood-hit crops against a fragile economic recovery. After slashing the interest rate by 1,000 basis points (bps) from 22pc since June 2024 in seven intervals, the central bank has maintained it at 11pc since May. However, the business community had expressed disappointment over the decision. “The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep the policy rate unchanged at 11 per cent in its meeting today,” an SBP statement said. The MPC noted that inflation remained “relatively moderate in both July and August, whereas core inflation continued to decline at a slower pace”. “Economic activity — as captured by high-frequency economic indicators, including large-scale manufacturing (LSM) — gained further momentum. However, the near-term macroeconomic outlook has deteriorated slightly in the wake of the ongoing floods,” the committee noted. It cauti... -
Dawn - 11:37 Sep 15, 2025
India and the United States will hold trade talks in New Delhi on Tuesday, weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed punitive tariffs on the South Asian nation’s exports, slowing its overall shipments to a nine-month low in August. India and the US will “fast-track” trade talks, Rajesh Agarwal, India’s chief negotiator and a special secretary in its commerce ministry, told reporters at an event for the release of trade data, but gave no details. “US Trade Representative for South Asia Brendan Lynch is set to make a one-day visit to New Delhi on Tuesday,” Agarwal said. India’s exports slowed to $35.10 billion in August from $37.24bn in July, and its trade gap narrowed to $26.49bn, from $27.35bn in July. The US imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil starting August 27, taking the total on Indian exports to 50 per cent, among the highest for any US trading partner. Exports to the United States fell to $6.86bn in August from $8.01bn in July... -
Dawn - 11:19 Sep 15, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry has asked manpower from five different departments and forces, including Islamabad police, Frontier Constabulary (FC), and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Dawn has learnt. A few months ago, AJK police initiated a strike with an 11-point charter of demands. These include increases in medical allowance, conveyance allowance, house rent, and the implementation of a career progression system similar to that of Punjab police. Additionally, there are demands for improved retirement policies, training, housing, and educational facilities for the children of police personnel. In July, AJK police observed a pen-down strike and subsequently organised a state-wide strike to demand better rights and facilities in major districts. The manpower for law enforcement in AJK should consider the police protests and strikes in the region. Moreover, the government suspects that the AJK police may extend their protests and strikes, potentially expressing further resentment. Sources within the i... -
Dawn - 09:44 Sep 15, 2025
Security forces killed 31 terrorists in two separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts, the military’s media wing said on Monday. “On 13-14 September, 31 khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij were killed in two separate engagements in [the] Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release. The state uses the term Fitna al Khwarij to refer to terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It has also designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. The ISPR said an IBO was conducted in Lakki Marwat on the “reported presence of khwarij”. “During the conduct of [the] operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location, and after an intense fire exchange, 14 Indian-sponsored khwarij were sent to hell,” it added. The ISPR added that another IBO was carried out in Bannu, w... -
Dawn - 08:11 Sep 15, 2025
United States President Donald Trump said on Monday he would call a national emergency and federalise Washington DC after Mayor Muriel Bowser said its police would not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). At issue is the provision of information on individuals living in, or entering, the United States illegally. Trump’s threat adds to a move critics have seen as federal overreach, with more than 2,000 troops patrolling the city. The comments come after several thousand protesters hit the streets this month over Trump’s August deployment of National Guard troops to “re-establish law, order, and public safety“, after calling crime a blight on the capital. “In just a few weeks. The ‘place’ is absolutely booming … for the first time in decades, virtually no crime,” Trump said on Truth Social. Bowser’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s post. Earlier, he had put the metropolitan police department under direct federal control and sent federal law enforcement,... -
Dawn - 07:44 Sep 15, 2025
Indian security forces killed a top Maoist commander and two other rebels in a gun battle on Monday, officials said, as the government intensifies efforts to crush the decades-long conflict. India is waging an all-out offensive against the last remaining traces of the Naxalite rebellion, named after the village in the foothills of the Himalayas where the Maoist-inspired guerrilla movement began nearly six decades ago. More than 12,000 rebels, soldiers and civilians have been killed since a handful of villagers rose up against their feudal lords there in 1967. The latest gun battle took place early on Monday in the mineral-rich eastern state of Jharkhand, India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said in a statement. The federal police described the operation as a “major breakthrough”. Three “top Naxal commanders” were killed in the fight, the CRPF said, including Sahdev Soren, who was part of the central committee of the Maoist organisation. Authorities had issued a bounty of around $113,000 for his capture... -
Dawn - 05:19 Sep 15, 2025
SAHIWAL: A member of the local Ahmadiyya community narrowly escaped an alleged gun attack late on Saturday night outside his residence in village 6/11-L in Sahiwal tehsil. According to eyewitness accounts, victim Z took cover behind an iron gate as two unidentified motorcyclists allegedly opened fire on him. The victim, however, escaped unharmed and the attackers managed to escape from the scene. The Harappa police registered a case under sections 506 and 34 of the PPC against two unknown suspects, based on Z’s complaint. Speaking to Dawn, Z said that he was standing near the gate of his house when two young men — estimated to be between 20 and 25 years old — approached on a motorcycle and fired directly at him. “It was dark, and I managed to hide. That’s what saved me,” he said. He claimed that he would be able to identify the attackers if he saw them again. Local villagers, who witnessed the incident, confirmed hearing multiple gunshots. The area has a documented history of communal tensions, particularly f... -
Dawn - 04:54 Sep 15, 2025
• Fixed rate for industrial, commercial consumers increased from Rs400 to Rs750 • Opposition leader asks KE to withdraw MUCT increase in electricity bills • Mayor claims City Council approved hike in its budget session KARACHI: In a move drawing sharp criticism from the opposition for allegedly violating “defined legal limits”, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has increased the rates of the Municipal Utility Charges and Taxes (MUCT) for industrial and commercial users from Rs400 to Rs750. Members of the business community complained that they were being charged nearly double the previous amount in the head of the MUCT. The MUCT are collected via K-Electric bills from its consumers living within the jurisdiction of the KMC. Leader of the Opposition in the City Council Advocate Saifuddin of the Jamaat-i-Islami has sent a legal notice to KE Chief Executive Officer Moonis Alvi, demanding that the power utility immediately withdraw the increase in the MUCT, which was made “unlawfully” without the approv... -
Dawn - 04:53 Sep 15, 2025
• Aurangzeb says PM has set 100-day target for full rehabilitation of victims • Promises farmers emergency support packages for next sowing season • Says loss assessment surveys likely to be completed within 15 days TOBA TEK SINGH: As Pakistan grapples with devastating floods, a senior International Monetary Fund official confirmed an upcoming mission will evaluate if the country’s financial and emergency plans are adequate to handle the crisis, shortly after the finance minister signalled talks with the lender for relief. An IMF team is expected in Pakistan by the end of the month for a review mission, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Sunday, stressing that discussing flood-related financial needs with the IMF was a necessary step. “There is nothing wrong with asking the IMF about the relief, because we are in the fund programme,” Mr Aurangzeb said during a visit to flood-affected areas in Kamalia. “The IMF responded very responsibly and the prime minister announced the ... -
Dawn - 04:48 Sep 15, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Praising the J-10 and JF-17 aircraft for strengthening Pakistan’s aerial defence capabilities, President Asif Ali Zardari reaffirmed on Sunday that Pakistan and China would continue to expand their collaboration in the field of defence production and aviation. The president expressed this resolve during a visit to top Chinese aerospace and defence conglomerate, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), which manufactures the J-10C aircraft. According to the President’s Secretariat, he is the first foreign head of state to visit the facility. He was accompanied by his children, PPP Chairman Bilawal and MNA Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari. During the visit, President Zardari met with the company’s engineers and scientists and praised the Chinese-made aircraft’s capabilities, which he said were amply demonstrated during the recent Maarka-i-Haq and Operation Bunyanum Marsoos against India. Head of state gets a peek at stealth fighter production; praises J-10C, JF-17 for strengthening a... -
Dawn - 02:45 Sep 15, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The PTI has called on a foreign observation mission to release its report on the 2024 general elections, claiming that it lays bare “systemic rigging, institutional bias, and deliberate targeting of PTI and its founder, Imran Khan”. The demand came after a recent report by the independent news outlet Drop Site News claimed that the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) group had “buried their report” after finding the Feb 8 general elections to be riddled with problems. Although the group’s report on Pakistan has yet to be officially released, media outlets claimed to have obtained leaked copies of the report. In a statement issued on Sunday, the COG said it was aware that a version of its report on the 2024 Pakistan general elections was circulating online, adding that they did not comment on leaked documents as a matter of policy. C’wealth says report shared with govt, ECP; will be released this month “The government and the Election Commission of Pakistan have already received the report. The ful... -
Dawn - 02:34 Sep 15, 2025
• Audit reveals widespread discrepancies, tax evasion, underinvoicing, solar panel money laundering scam • Report warns green channel clearances shrinking scope of pre-clearance controls ISLAMABAD: The Faceless Customs Assessment (FCA) system, inaugurated by the prime minister last year in Karachi to combat corruption, has incurred a revenue loss of about Rs100 billion in three months. This was revealed in a detailed analysis by the Pakistan Customs Audit — an internal arrangement of the Federal Board of Revenue — spanning December 16, 2024 to March 15, 2025. “The scrutiny of 13,140 goods declarations (GDs) led to detection of several discrepancies in 2,530 GDs that raise serious concerns about quality of assessments, indicating revenue and compliance risks,” said the 161-page report, which did not cover 100pc operations. Of the reviewed GDs, the audit looked into 18pc cleared through the green channel, 76pc through the red channel, and 6pc through the yellow channel, highlighting weaknesses of the system, in... -
Dawn - 22:49 Sep 14, 2025
India romped to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory in their high-intensity encounter against Pakistan in the men’s Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai on Sunday. The match had been coloured from the start by calls from across the border to ‘boycott’ the fixture. It seems the pressure got to the players as well, with the Indian team refusing to shake hands, as is customary, at the toss and after the match. Then, at the post-match ceremony, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav seemingly ‘politicised’ the victory by bringing up the Pahalgham terrorist attack in India-occupied Kashmir, over which the two countries fought a four-day military conflict in May, saying the victory was “a perfect gift” for his country. “We stand with the victim’s families of the Pahalgam terror attack, and we express our solidarity, and we want to dedicate today’s win to the armed forces,” the Indian skipper said. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Yadav said: “Our government and the BCCI were aligned. We took a call and came here just to pl... -
Dawn - 20:23 Sep 14, 2025
TOKYO: Two new 100m world champions were crowned on Sunday night as Jamaica’s Oblique Seville led a double podium finish that rewrote men’s sprint history while Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the US ran a championship record — all that happening as Usain Bolt watched from the stands of a sold-out Japan National Stadium. The 21-year-old Seville crossed the finish line in a 9.77 personal best ahead of Thompson in 9.82 and the USA’s reigning champion Noah Lyles, who won bronze with a season’s best 9.89. “It was a good run because these two actually pushed me to run a personal best,” Seville, the youngest 100m champion, said at the post-race press conference. He became the third Jamaican sprinter to win this title. “To come out here and run a 9.77 is something amazing, and in Japan is where I made my debut; to get a medal is something great for me.” Jefferson-Wooden came in as the world lead and left Tokyo with a gold medal, proving her superiority to round off a season unbeaten. Tina Clayton continued Jamaica’s pod... -
Dawn - 19:04 Sep 14, 2025
Another Pakistan-India match, the gulf of quality between the two sides glaring yet again, and brighter than ever. Fair to say Pakistan are a young side undergoing transition under a new captain and a newer team management, but there were enough instances throughout the fixture that highlighted a bigger problem: big-match nerves. One of those few instances was Shaheen Shah Afridi’s late onslaught of 33 off 16, which included four clean hits for sixes. He and Sufiyan Muqeem added 43 off 22 balls — a strike-rate of 195-plus — to drag Pakistan to 127-9 when it looked like the team wouldn’t even get into three figures. If tailenders can do that, why not the specialist batters? India’s Suryakumar Yadav plays a shot during the Asia Cup 2025 T20 International cricket match against Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai, the UAE. — Reuters To put it simply, the pressure of the big occasion got the better of them before India, obviously a well-oiled T20 machine, faced no challenge whatsoever during the c... -
Dawn - 17:36 Sep 14, 2025
The man arrested in the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk is not cooperating with authorities, but investigators are working to establish a motive for the shooting by talking to his friends and family, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Sunday. Cox said the accused gunman, Tyler Robinson, 22, will be formally charged on Tuesday. He remains in custody in Utah. Investigators have yet to piece together why Robinson allegedly scaled a rooftop at Utah Valley University during an outdoor event and shot Kirk in the neck at long range on Wednesday. Kirk, a staunch ally of United States President Donald Trump and co-founder of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, was killed by a single rifle shot during the event attended by 3,000 people in Orem, about 65 kilometres south of Salt Lake City. @dawn.today US conservative activist Charlie Kirk, an influential ally of President Donald Trump, was fatally shot on Wednesday while speaking at Utah University, sparking a manhunt for a lone sniper who the g... -
Dawn - 17:24 Sep 14, 2025
The third and final Twenty20 International between England and South Africa was abandoned without a ball being bowled at Trent Bridge on Sunday as rain had the final say in the series that finishes 1-1. South Africa claimed a rain-reduced five-over contest by 14 runs in the opening game in Cardiff on Wednesday, before England registered a record 146-run win in the second fixture in Manchester on Friday as Phil Salt scored an unbeaten 141. That result set up a grand finale on Sunday, but persistent rain in Nottingham delayed the toss and ultimately meant no play was possible. South Africa won the One Day International series between the sides 2-1. England now move on to a three-match T20 series against Ireland that starts in Dublin on Wednesday. -
Dawn - 16:32 Sep 14, 2025
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday called for urgent steps against Israel to “safeguard the global order”, in the wake of Tel Aviv’s strike on Qatar earlier this week. Israel targeted Hamas leaders on Tuesday in strikes on the Qatari capital, killing five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer. The attack drew widespread international condemnation, including from Gulf monarchies allied with the United States, Israel’s main backer. Attending a ministerial meeting in the Qatari capital, Dar delivered a speech where he highlighted that the frequency of meetings to discuss Israel’s activities in the region underlines “how Israel has become a persistent irritant and a danger to world peace and security”, according to the Foreign Office (FO). Deputy PM Ishaq Dar is welcomed in Doha by Qatari officials ahead of a ministerial meeting of the Arab-Islamic summit, on September 14. — screengrab via X/ForeignOfficePk “Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the illegal and unpr...
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