Dawn
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Dawn - 12:17 Jul 20, 2025
A series of powerful earthquakes struck off the coast of Russia’s far east on Sunday, triggering a tsunami alert, the US Geological Survey said. Earlier 5.0-magnitude and 6.7-magnitude earthquakes did not initially trigger a tsunami alert, but were followed by a 7.4-magnitude quake at 0849 GMT (1:49pm PKT), prompting the USGS to warn that “hazardous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts”. The USGS said it expected waves of between 30 centimetres and one metre (up to 3.3 feet) on Russian coasts, and less than 30cm (one foot) in Japan and the US state of Hawaii. The epicentre of the quakes was in the Pacific Ocean, around 150 kilometres east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, it said. The initial earthquakes were followed by several aftershocks, including another 6.7-magnitude quake, said USGS. Russia’s emergency situations ministry wrote on Telegram that it expected waves of up to 60cm in the Commander Islands in the southwestern part of the Bering Sea, and waves of 15 to 40cm in the Kamchatka penin... -
Dawn - 11:48 Jul 20, 2025
A cricket match between Indian and Pakistani veteran players — part of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) — was called off after Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, refused to play against Pakistan, citing recent “geopolitical tensions” between the two nations, according to a statement issued by WCL on Sunday. The WCL is an international cricket league where retired, non-contracted international players return to competitive T20 cricket, according to the league’s website. The tournament commenced on July 18 and is being held in Birmingham, England. In a statement posted on X, WCL organisers announced that, “We have decided to call off the India vs Pakistan match,” saying that the match between the two countries was planned in light of recent positive development between India and Pakistan, indicating improved bilateral sporting ties. The statement cited a recent volleyball match between the rival nations and speculations around Pakistan’s hockey team touring India later this year. On Friday, Pakist... -
Dawn - 10:49 Jul 20, 2025
Iran has replaced air defences damaged during last month’s conflict with Israel, Iran’s Defah Press news agency reported on Sunday quoting the regular army’s deputy for operations, Rear Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi. During the conflict in June, Israel’s air force dominated Iran’s airspace and dealt a heavy blow to the country’s air defences while Iranian armed forces launched successive barrages of missiles and drones on Israeli territory, successfully hitting strategic targets. “The Zionist enemy sought to destroy Iran’s defence capabilities, and some of our defence systems were damaged in this war; But with the efforts of my comrades, the damaged systems were replaced and deployed in predetermined locations,” Mousavi said. Admiral Mousavi added that Israel was not able to achieve its objectives and that the United States and NATO helped Tel-Aviv in the war. Prior to the war, Iran had its own domestically-made long-range air defence system Bavar-373 in addition to the Russian-made S-300 system. The report by Defa... -
Dawn - 09:58 Jul 20, 2025
A Federal Constabulary soldier was killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire at a forest checkpoint along the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district, police said on Sunday. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Diamer Farrukh Rasheed said in a statement, “The deceased has been identified as Muhammad Gul Sher from Dera Ismail Khan. “The motive behind the attack is not yet known, and the police are investigating the case. The suspects fled with the gun of the deceased.” Senior Superintendent of Police Abdul Hameed told Dawn.com, “Unknown assailants opened fire at the checkpoint while the deceased was on duty and his colleagues were asleep.” He added that police teams were raiding nearby areas to look for the suspects. In his statement, he speculated that the case appeared to be related to terrorism, ruling out personal enmity or a timber smuggling attempt. The forest checkpoint was situated at the Thore Road, primarily to inspect vehicles for wood smuggling via the road, which connects the... -
Dawn - 08:15 Jul 20, 2025
In a clip that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) put out following Pakistan’s 3-0 sweep over Bangladesh last month, Mohammad Haris beamed as his captain Salman Ali Agha quipped that “it was probably the first time he had used his brain.” The comment was ironic because Haris is known by the moniker ‘Mr Google’ among his teammates, because of his cricketing intelligence. Such PR content is primarily used to display camaraderie among the players and to provide fans with wholesome moments to cherish. At times, it also provides a peek into the dressing room. Haris, that night, had become the first non-opening batter from Pakistan to score a century in T20Is, while facing only 45 balls — the second least for any batter from his country — to reach the mark. It was also his first century across all T20s. Haris had long been censured for being a reckless slogger and considered not good enough for international cricket. He averaged a paltry 13.46 runs per dismissal and lasted only 11 balls per innings before the home T2... -
Dawn - 07:58 Jul 20, 2025
THE delay in wheat supply has put an immense strain on locals who say they cannot afford to buy flour from open market.—Dawn GILGIT: A severe wheat shortage is intensifying across Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), depleting the region’s reserve stocks and raising fears of a food crisis after the federal government failed to release subsidised supplies more than two weeks into the new fiscal year, GB food department has said. Officials with the food department said that wheat stocks have been completely exhausted. GB residents rely almost entirely on the subsidised wheat supplied annually by the federal government. While the federal government allocated Rs20 billion in its budget to procure over 170,000 tonnes of wheat for Gilgit-Baltistan for the current fiscal year, officials said not a single sack has been delivered. The delay is putting immense strain on locals who say they cannot afford to buy flour from the open market. Officials say not a single bag delivered though federal govt allocated Rs20bn for the purpose in... -
Dawn - 07:24 Jul 20, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank-financed ‘Pakistan Hydromet and Climate Services Project’ has concluded, but without delivering several of its originally planned components, including weather radars, automatic weather stations and observatories, according to the project’s completion report. The report reveals that during in June 2020, the hydro-meteorological and climate change services component was initially scaled back and later dropped. Activities aimed at improving the service delivery capacity of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, private sector engagement and mitigation of seismic and glacial hazards were also removed from the plan. Although the original project financing of $188m, approved in 2018, remained unchanged after the first restructuring, the second restructuring in June 2023 reduced the total budget to $168m due to exchange rate fluctuations. Despite this, the project was completed within the original budget, albeit after an 18-month extension — an outcome the Bank attributes to efficient res... -
Dawn - 07:19 Jul 20, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf on Saturday walked back a statement that 40,000 religious pilgrims were missing, clarifying that the figure stemmed from a “misunderstanding” of outdated paper records that have not yet been fully digitised. He told reporters that approximately 40,000 pilgrims’ records remain in paper form and have not been transferred to the digital registry system. “It was never said that thousands of Pakistanis are missing,” Mr Yousuf said. “The records of around 40,000 pilgrims were previously maintained in paper form and have not yet been fully transferred to the central digital registry.” The initial report, which said tens of thousands of pilgrims (zaireen) had not returned from trips to Iran and Iraq, was first floated by the minister himself as he announced a travel system overhaul. To prevent future errors and enhance security, the Ministry of Religious Affairs launched a modern online registration system for all pilgrims travelling to Iran, Iraq and S... -
Dawn - 07:15 Jul 20, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Azerbaijan are expected to launch two freight train services, namely the ‘Pakistan-Azerbaijan Express’ and the ‘Pakistan-Iran-Azerbaijan’, aimed at promoting bilateral trade and economic cooperation. These two pilot cooperation projects were discussed in detail by delegations of both countries during a video conference in Islamabad on Saturday. Minister of State for Railways and Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani and Deputy Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways Closed Joint Stock Company Arif Aghayev led delegations of their respective countries during the talks. The meeting discussed opportunities for cooperation in increasing freight volumes, port integration, joint investment projects, and transport routes that pass through Azerbaijan and Pakistan within the Middle Corridor, according to a press release by the Ministry of Railways. Delegations of both countries agreed to establish joint working groups to finalise freight transport initiatives and advance mutual cooperation in rail and trade secto... -
Dawn - 06:41 Jul 20, 2025
• Punjab Assembly speaker says allegations of constitutional violations need to be first proven in ‘court or tribunal’ • Notices issued to 10 MPAs for payment of damages caused during budget session withdrawn LAHORE: In a significant step towards de-escalation of political tensions in the Punjab Assembly, PA Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan has formally rejected the petitions seeking the disqualification of 26 PTI members. This decision followed successful negotiations between the government and the opposition, and is expected to pave the way for the swift reinstatement of these suspended lawmakers. The ruling comes after weeks of parliamentary deadlock, which saw the opposition members suspended for “disorderly conduct” during the budget session on June 27. The suspension for 15 sittings was a direct response to protests that disrupted Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s speech and involved the use of “offensive, abusive, and unparliamentary language and slogans”, as well as alleged physical altercations. In his ... -
Dawn - 06:29 Jul 20, 2025
• IO highlights complex electronic fraud schemes devised by the suspect in interim charge sheet in data theft case • Says Armaghan planned to shift call centre operations to Lahore and Islamabad • Seeks more time to file final report as record from crypto exchanges still awaited KARACHI: The investigating officer (IO) of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has informed a judicial magistrate that the prime suspect in the credit card data theft case, Armaghan Qureshi, had rented two properties to set up call centres in Lahore and Islamabad after the murder of Mustafa Amir. The IO of the case, Ameer Ali Khoso, submitted this information in an interim charge sheet before the judicial magistrate (South), stating that more time was needed to file the final report as records from Binance and Coinbase were still awaited. He added that some documentary and digital evidence also remained to be collected. Regarding the call centre operations, the IO claimed that during interrogation, the suspect reveal... -
Dawn - 05:34 Jul 20, 2025
• Over 500 injured nationwide since rains began • NDMA blames climate change, glacier melt for floods • PDMA issues fourth spell alert as rivers swell • Rs5m relief package announced in Punjab ISLAMABAD: As the country grapples with a monsoon season that has intensified by up to 60 per cent over previous years, the national and provincial disaster management authorities have predicted further rains in the coming days. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at least 180 people have already been killed and more than 500 injured so far since the rains began unusually early in July. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Saturday forecast further rain, wind and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls, in Sindh over the next 24 hours. Cities and districts likely to be affected include Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Thatta, Badin, Larkana, Jacobabad, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas and others. The NDMA’s NEOC has also issued alerts for urban flooding in low-lying parts of Sindh. It advised c... -
Dawn - 05:33 Jul 20, 2025
• Business community warns of escalation as govt fails to meet tax reform demands • Islamabad, Rawalpindi and a few other cities remain normal KARACHI/LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Karachi and Lahore — Pakistan’s two largest commercial cities — witnessed a near-complete shutdown on Saturday as traders observed a strike against what they described as harsh and anti-business taxation measures introduced through the Finance Act 2025-26. The strike, called by the Karachi and Lahore Chambers of Commerce and Industry, marked one of the most widespread protests by the business community in recent years. In Karachi, nearly 90 per cent of commercial activity remained suspended, including wholesale markets, retail shops, industries, and fruit and vegetable markets. KCCI President Jawed Bilwani told Dawn that this was the first time in the chamber’s history that the city’s entire business community had voluntarily shut down operations in protest. Mr Bilwani said industrial production had come to a halt in all seven industrial zones... -
Dawn - 04:49 Jul 20, 2025
Chief executive officer (CEO) Andy Baron of American tech company Astronomer resigned on Saturday after a video of him embracing an alleged colleague at a Coldplay concert went viral and fueled relentless memes. “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” New York-based Astronomer said in a statement shared on LinkedIn. “Andy Byron has tendered his resignation,” the firm said, after previously launching an investigation. The company added that Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy, who was assigned the role of interim CEO, will continue to serve in that position. During a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Wednesday, the jumbotron zoomed in on a man and a woman embracing in the stands. But the canoodling pair appeared shocked and horrified when they spotted themselves on the big screen, with the man ducking out of frame and the woman covering her face with her hands and spinning around. “Uh-oh, what? Either... -
Dawn - 04:25 Jul 20, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The illicit cigarette trade in Pakistan has emerged as a serious economic and public health concern, driven by weak regulatory enforcement and a significant knowledge gap among retailers, according to a new study. The report, titled ‘Tax Stamps and Illicit Cigarette Sales in Pakistan: Understanding Retailers’ Knowledge Gap’, was released by Umeed-i-Sehar, a non-profit organisation focused on public health initiatives. Based on a survey of 2,000 retailers in seven major cities — including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad — the study paints a troubling picture of regulatory neglect and widespread retailer unawareness. An overwhelming 97pc of retailers said they had never been approached by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials for compliance guidance, while 86pc were unaware of the government-imposed penalties for selling illicit cigarettes. Only 27pc of retailers could differentiate between tax-paid and illicit cigarette packs. Meanwhile, 73pc did not understand the placement or purpose of tax ... -
Dawn - 03:23 Jul 20, 2025
INDIA’S opposition Congress party has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi provide a clear explanation after US President Donald Trump claimed that five fighter jets were shot down during the recent military confrontation between India and Pakistan. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led the charge on Saturday, calling on Modi to address the nation regarding the fate of the jets. “Modi ji, what is the truth about the five [jets]? The country has the right to know!” Mr Gandhi posted on X, as criticism from the opposition mounted over the government’s handling of the brief but intense conflict. The controversy erupted after Trump, speaking at a White House dinner with Republican lawmakers on Friday, said, “In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually,” referring to the hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Indian premier asked to ‘speak truth’ Trump did not specify which side’s aircraft were downed, nor did he provide furth... -
Dawn - 02:36 Jul 20, 2025
• Disgruntled leaders say will contest Senate polls in line with Imran’s vision, allege ‘pro-establishment’ candidates being favoured • Insiders claim oath-taking slated for today may get delayed due to ‘quorum’ • PPP leader says opposition alliance intact, will secure five seats PESHAWAR: As the disgruntled PTI workers are adamant on contesting Senate polls despite an understanding between the KP’s ruling party and the opposition, the agreement on seat adjustment, however, seems to remain intact, with both sides now working on the panel of voters for their candidates. The oath-taking of the 25 MPAs-elect, which is scheduled for today (Sunday), has also assumed importance, as non-administration of oaths to them could lead to postponement of Senate polls. One of the ruling party MPAs told Dawn that there was a likelihood that oath-taking would not take place on Sunday, as the session might be adjourned at the outset due to “lack of quorum”. The treasury and the joint opposition alliance had agreed on a seat-sh... -
Dawn - 19:04 Jul 19, 2025
Minister of State for Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani on Saturday said that Pakistan and Azerbaijan had agreed to form joint working groups to further the goals of mutual trade and railway cooperation. Kayani’s announcement followed a high-level meeting he chaired at the Ministry of Railways that brought together key stakeholders to explore avenues for strengthening cross-border linkages and advancing mutual economic interests. “Railway Board Secretary Muhammad Yousaf, briefed the participants on the Pakistan Railways network,” Kayani said. “Discussions were also held on the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan rail agreement, and both sides agreed to form joint working groups to further the goals of mutual trade and railway cooperation,” the minister added. Talking to the media in Jhelum, the state minister said that he led a dialogue with an Azerbaijani delegation headed by Deputy Chairman Arif Aghayev of Railways, who participated in the meeting via video link. Railways Secretary Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, Yousaf, as we... -
Dawn - 18:05 Jul 19, 2025
At least five terrorists were killed, two others were injured and eight were arrested in an operation carried out by police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Malakand district on Saturday evening, according to a local official. Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities over the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. Dargai tehsil Assistant Commissioner Waheedullah Khan told Dawn.com that a major operation was carried out in the Mehrday area of Malakand today. “Police and CTD took part in the successful operation,” the AC said. “Five terrorists were eliminated and two were injured while eight were captured alive.” The AC added that the arrested terrorists were transported to the CTD centre, while the injured were moved to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Dargai. The Dargai AC confirmed to Dawn.com that the terrorists belonged to the TTP and were behind a... -
Dawn - 17:29 Jul 19, 2025
At least 30 people were injured early on Saturday morning when a vehicle drove into a crowd outside a club on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, the city’s fire department and local media reports said. At least seven people were in critical condition and six others were seriously injured, the fire department said in an online statement. The incident occurred just before 2am local time (2pm PKT), the fire department said. Captain Adam VanGerpen, a fire department spokesman, was quoted by ABC News as saying that a paramedic assessing one of the injured found a gunshot wound. The car, he said, apparently first careened into a taco truck outside the venue and then ploughed through a valet stand and into a large group of people. Videos posted on X showed roads being sealed off and patients being taken away in ambulances. The Los Angeles Police Department said on X that it was still investigating why the driver slammed into the crowd. Officers responding to a radio call of an assault with a deadly weapon found ...
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