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Dawn - 08:44 Mar 13, 2026
Oil prices headed for weekly gains as of Friday, despite the US trying to ease supply concerns by issuing a 30-day license for countries to buy Russian oil and petroleum products stranded at sea. Brent futures for May rose $1.02, or 1 per cent, to $101.48 a barrel at 07:30 GMT, heading for a weekly increase of nearly 10pc. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for April was up by 94 cents, or 1.0pc, at $96.67 a barrel, poised for more than a 6pc uptick for the week. The license was issued in what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said was a step to stabilise global energy markets roiled by the US-Israeli war on Iran, but analysts said this has failed to resolve wider supply constraints. “ICE Brent futures have already breached $100 per barrel and are still supported today, despite moves to calm the markets with the Russian oil waiver and the unprecedented release of emergency stockpiles,” said Emril Jamil, senior analyst at LSEG. “The market sees this as a short-term solution that does not address the crux of... -
Dawn - 07:25 Mar 13, 2026
A 41-year-old man was killed on Thursday after ramming his pickup truck into a synagogue on the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, causing a blaze and triggering a huge police response. US media reported the assailant had recently lost family members in an Israeli strike in Lebanon, as part of the ongoing Middle East war. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security identified the assailant as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, who was born in Lebanon, came to Detroit in 2011 on a visa granted to spouses of US citizens, and became a US citizen himself in 2016. Security guards opened fire on Ghazali after he smashed a truck through the doors of the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told reporters. At a news conference on Thursday evening, Bouchard said no synagogue staff or children were hurt in the attack, but 30 law enforcement officers were “taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation” after the evacuation efforts. Earlier, he said one security guard was injured b... -
Dawn - 07:04 Mar 13, 2026
Pakistan told the UN Security Council on Thursday that the breakdown of diplomacy in the Middle East has further complicated the Iranian nuclear issue, as Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the escalating crisis poses a “grave threat to international peace and security.” Speaking at a Council briefing on the 1737 Committee, which monitors UN sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear programme, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, highlighted deep divisions within the Council over nuclear-related sanctions on Iran. “The Council remains divided on the 1737 Committee issue,” Ambassador Ahmad said. “Unfortunately, this split is delaying the appointment of Chairs of the Subsidiary Bodies, significantly hindering their work.” He stressed that disagreements over the committee “must not be allowed to obstruct the routine functioning of the Council and its Subsidiary Bodies,” noting that the lack of agreement on a report “should have formed the basis of today’s meeting.” The 1737 Committee, ... -
Dawn - 03:20 Mar 13, 2026
ISLAMABAD: IT Minister Shaza Fatima on Thursday announced that 4G services are set to improve, and work on launching 5G has begun. She was speaking at a ceremony where 480 MHz spectrum was released to three operators, boosting the country’s total spectrum to over 7,500 MHz. “Our capacity has now increased three times from today,” she said, adding “5G pilot launch will start in major cities from next week. The allocation of frequency slots was held in the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) attended by the top management of Jazz, Ufone and Zong. The telcos acknowledged the fairness and transparency of the spectrum auction process and announced that they have already started tests of 5G services in several areas. The minister added that government is working to establish an AI Council to bring experienced professionals on board to guide the country’s AI policy and its development. “The council would help formulate policies and guide the responsible use and development of artificial intelligence in Pakist... -
Dawn - 01:14 Mar 13, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The opposition on Thursday blocked the passage of a bill seeking the transformation of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) — a border security force — into the Federal Constabulary due to a lack of quorum in the National Assembly. The development coincided with the lapse of an ordinance promulgated by the president in July last year, empowering the federal government to transform the FC into the Federal Constabulary to maintain law and order, supplement the law enforcement agencies and address the diverse security needs in a coordinated manner. Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, who moved the bill in the House today, separately told Dawn that the ordinance was extended for 120 days in November and lapsed today. The minister, however, expressed optimism that the bill will be passed by both Houses of Parliament in the upcoming sessions, which he said would most likely be convened after Eid. Earlier, he moved the bill in the House through a supplementary agenda amid a protest from the oppositi... -
Dawn - 00:51 Mar 13, 2026
The Israeli military said on Thursday that it had dropped charges against five soldiers accused of sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee at the high-security Sde Teiman prison, a case that had sparked widespread outrage. “In light of significant developments since the filing of the indictment in the Sde Teiman case, the military advocate general decided today to order the cancellation of the indictment against the five defendants,” the military said. In February 2025, the military announced that five reservists had been charged over the alleged abuse of a Palestinian detainee in July 2024 at the Sde Teiman detention centre near the Gaza Strip. At the time, the army said the soldiers were accused of “acting against the detainee with severe violence, including stabbing the detainee’s buttocks with a sharp object, which had penetrated near the detainee’s rectum”. A video of the soldiers sexually assaulting the Palestinian detainee had also surfaced. Explaining the decision to drop the charges, the military sai... -
Dawn - 23:40 Mar 12, 2026
An American KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq while a second plane involved in the incident landed safely, the US military said onThursday. “One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely. This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” US Central Command (Centcom), which is responsible for American forces in the Middle East, said in a statement. The KC-135 is at least the fourth US military aircraft lost during the war in the Middle East, after three F-15s were shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait. KC-135s, which have been in operation for more than 60 years, generally have a crew of three, a pilot, a copilot and a third who operates the boom used to refuel other aircraft, according to the US Air Force. But some KC-135 missions require a navigator, and the aircraft can carry up to 37 passengers, an Air Force factsheet said. Early in the war, which began on February 28, Kuwaiti forces mistakenly downed three American F-15E fighters, but all six crewme... -
Dawn - 22:32 Mar 12, 2026
Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei delivered his first public address on Thursday in the form of a statement read out on state television. Below is a translated transcript of his speech. “Peace be upon you, O you who invite to God and are the divinely guided interpreter of His signs. “Peace be upon you, O you who are a gate leading to God and the guardian of His religion. “Peace be upon you, O vicegerent of God and supporter of His truth. “Peace be upon you, O proof of God and guide to His will. “Peace be upon you, O you who has been brought forward and in whom hope is placed. “Peace be upon you with an all-encompassing greeting. “Peace be upon you, O my master, the master of the Time. “I would like to offer my condolences to my master, Imam Mehdi, on the heart-rending martyrdom of the illustrious leader of the revolution, the wise and beloved Khamenei. “I beseech his holy presence to offer prayers of grace for every member of the great Iranian nation — indeed, for all Muslims of the world,... -
Dawn - 20:55 Mar 12, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a “restricted meeting” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday, PM’s spokesperson for foreign media Mosharraf Zaidi said in a post on X after the premier landed in Jeddah. The statement said the premier expressed Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support” for Saudi Arabia “in these challenging times”, and agreed to work together for regional peace and stability. The prime minister’s visit comes amid intense hostilities in the Middle East, where Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia — are facing Iranian attacks, which Tehran says are aimed at US and Israeli sites in response to the latter’s deadly large-scale strikes. The statement shared by Zaidi said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir were also present on the occasion. “At the outset, the prime minister conveyed his respectful regards and best wishes to the custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaz... -
Dawn - 19:00 Mar 12, 2026
An unidentified shooter was killed on Thursday after exchanging gunfire with security in an attack on a synagogue on the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, police said. Police said the gunman was dead following the attack on the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield. Law enforcement officers flooded the area soon after the incident, amid heightened tension nationwide over the US-Israeli war on Iran. “At least one individual came to the temple,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told reporters. “Security saw him, engaged him in gunfire. “Nobody at the moment has been confirmed to be hurt except potentially the shooter,” Bouchard added. “We’re looking to see if it was more than one person.” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer condemned the attack on the Temple Israel synagogue. “This is heartbreaking,” she said. “Michigan’s Jewish community should be able to live and practice their faith in peace. Antisemitism and violence have no place in Michigan,” she said. The sheriff said law enforcement had been on... -
Dawn - 18:09 Mar 12, 2026
Authorities have announced a public holiday for all of Islamabad’s educational institutions on March 13 (Friday), according to a notification issued by the district magistrate. Shared by the Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon on his X account, the notification stated: “It is hereby notified that March 13, 2026 (Friday), shall be observed as a public holiday for all educational institutions, both public and private, including schools, colleges and universities, located within the revenue limits of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).” The notification did not specify a reason for the decision. Earlier today, the Sindh government, too, announced a public holiday for March 13. While the Sindh government’s notification also did not state the reason for which the public holiday was being announced, Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said on Wednesday that the public holiday would be observed on Friday for Jummatul Wida. -
Dawn - 17:25 Mar 12, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The government has banned the export of all petroleum products and is considering holding back any immediate increase in petroleum prices, despite continued upward movement in the global market. Instead, it plans to draw on a Rs389 billion ‘emergency fund’ to absorb future price shocks. The decision comes after the latest estimates, based on existing tax rates and pricing formula, suggest that the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) going up by Rs56 per litre and that of petrol by Rs41. Petrol and HSD are currently sold on the higher side of Rs322 and Rs337 per litre, respectively, at retail. Likewise, estimates also showed an increase of Rs7 and Rs53 per litre for the prices of kerosene and light diesel oil, respectively. The next price review is scheduled for March 15 (Sunday) but ministers indicate these could be reviewed on March 13 (Friday). Highly placed sources told Dawn that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently told a consultative session — attended by federal and provincial representatives ... -
Dawn - 16:39 Mar 12, 2026
KHYBER: Pakistan and Afghanistan border forces on Thursday agreed on a brief pause amid ongoing clashes to identify and collect a dead body lying at Zero Point at Torkham for the last few days. However, the body, identified by Afghan authorities as a national, could not be retrieved from the location due to delayed consultation among the Afghan authorities and the time for the pause in fighting lapsing, sources told Dawn. They said that local residents had spotted the body and reported it to the security officials, while videos and pictures of the dead body were also shared on social media. Sources said that soon after, security officials from both countries agreed to constitute delegations of local influentials to identify and remove the dead body from the border crossing. The Pakistan side comprised eight persons, including Malak Tajuddin, Shah Khalid, Murad Hussain, Mufti Ejaz, Saeed Khan, Qari Nazeemgul, Mulana Aaqib and Qari Jihad Shah. From the Afghan side, the delegation comprised 11 persons, including... -
Dawn - 16:11 Mar 12, 2026
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari approved on Thursday the appointment of PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi as Sindh governor, hours after it was announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recommended his appointment to the post previously held by MQM’s Kamran Tessori. “President Zardari has approved the appointment of Mr Nihal Hashmi as Sindh governor, acting on the advice of PM under Articles 48 and 101 of Pakistan’s Constitution,” a post on the Presidency’s X account said. It added, “The Commission of Appointment has been signed. He (Hashmi) will take [his] oath before the chief justice of the Sindh High Court.” Earlier, a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said PM Shehbaz had decided to appoint Hashmi as Sindh governor — a move which came as a surprise. According to the PMO, PM Shehbaz met Hashmi at PM House on Tuesday and decided to nominate him as the governor of Sindh. The premier the forwarded a summary in this regard to President Asif Ali Zardari for the final nod. A video of the PM’s meeting wi... -
Dawn - 15:59 Mar 12, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the formation of a medical board in its verdict on a plea seeking the transfer of PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment. A division bench, comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, presided over the hearing. IHC directed Islamabad Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa to constitute a medical board and ordered that Dr Muhammad Arif and Dr Nadeem Qureshi be included. Dr Qureshi, who is a retina specialist from Rawalpindi’s Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, is also part of the medical board constituted on the orders of the Supreme Court. Dr Arif is the head of the ophthalmology department at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad. In its order, the court also directed the authorities to ensure Imran’s meetings with his lawyers and family. Dr Qureshi was instructed to remain in contact with Imran’s family over his medical treatment. The written verdict, a cop... -
Dawn - 15:43 Mar 12, 2026
Accurate GPS is a mainstay of modern life, but because of the Iran war, people in the UAE are finding that their phones think they are out at sea or in cities hundreds of kilometres away. Jamming and spoofing, used as a defensive tactic against missiles and drones, are to blame, experts say, but it’s not just enemy projectiles finding themselves lost in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “I was using the maps while driving until it started taking me through weird roads,” said Hind, a French resident of Dubai who gave only her first name. Instead, she was forced to head back to a main road and “relied on the road signs to figure out where I was”. Despite the occasional inconvenience, the bizarre information given by GPS services, such as delivery drivers floating somewhere in the middle of the Gulf, has become the subject of jokes on social media. Andrew, a delivery driver in Dubai originally from Uganda, said it had become a frequent problem. “For example, a delivery that should have taken 10 to 15 minutes ended... -
Dawn - 15:32 Mar 12, 2026
Iran will avenge the blood of its martyrs, keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and attack US bases, new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday in a statement read out on state television, his first remarks since succeeding his father following his assassination. In the defiant address, Khamenei said the United States must close all its bases in the region. The strait, which runs past Iran’s coast and supplies a fifth of the world’s oil, should remain shut to put pressure on the enemy, he said. “The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used,” Khamenei said of the waterway. Ayatollah Mojtaba vowed to avenge the deaths since the start of the war, saying it would remain among his top priorities. “A limited amount of this revenge has so far taken concrete form, but until it is fully achieved, this case will remain among our priorities,” Khamenei said in a statement read on state television. “We will seek compensation from the enemy, and if they refuse, we will take as much ... -
Dawn - 15:24 Mar 12, 2026
Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday that Pakistan was playing the role of a “bridge builder” during the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran. The war began as the US and Israel launched strikes on Tehran on February 28, which also resulted in the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliatory strikes, Iran has targeted US assets and bases in Gulf countries, against which a resolution was adopted in the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Pakistan has been calling for de-escalation, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar holding phone calls with dignitaries from relevant countries over the past few days. On Thursday, Andrabi gave a round-up of the phone calls during his weekly press briefing. During the question-answer bit, a reporter mentioned that Dar had previously spoken about Islamabad “shuttling communications between Tehran and Riyadh to try to ease tensions”. “Has that been Pa... -
Dawn - 15:20 Mar 12, 2026
Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was snapped up by Sunrisers Leeds — a Hundred franchise with links to the Indian Premier League — on Thursday despite fears Pakistani players would be frozen out due to political tensions. The England and Wales Cricket Board last month issued a statement saying all eight of the city-based franchises in the 100-ball-a-side competition were committed to selection based solely on performances. A longstanding political stand-off between India and Pakistan means the two nations only play each other in major global cricket events. Cricketers from Pakistan have not featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009 because of diplomatic tensions. The only two Pakistan players in Wednesday’s women’s auction, Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal, went unsold. Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew from the men’s sale and fellow paceman Haris Rauf failed to attract an offer when put up for his reserve price of £100,000 at the auction in London on Thursday. But Sunrisers bought 27-year-old Ahmed for... -
Dawn - 14:01 Mar 12, 2026
On the 13th day of the US-Israel war against Iran, the conflict appeared to be entering a more volatile phase in which the battlefield could gradually extend beyond conventional air and missile exchanges into attempts to weaken Iran from within; the maritime confrontation in the Gulf continued to tighten pressure on global energy markets and reinforce the centrality of oil flows in shaping the strategic calculations of the belligerents. Reports circulating among Iranian observers and security analysts suggested that Washington and Tel Aviv may now be testing a strategy aimed at fomenting internal dissent while maintaining external military pressure, with recent drone strikes on Basij security infrastructure inside Tehran. This was widely interpreted as an attempt to erode the regime’s internal control mechanisms and probe whether domestic instability could complement the ongoing military campaign. Rescue workers rest next to a damaged residential building in Tehran on March 12, 2026. — AFP The approach bears ...
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