Dawn
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Dawn - 18:36 Oct 15, 2025
Pakistan and Afghanistan have often engaged in minor border skirmishes, particularly since the withdrawal of US forces and the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. However, tensions have recently escalated to an unprecedented level, with clashes over the past few days prompting intervention from mediators. The latest flare-up coincided with a historic visit by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India, raising alarm in Islamabad after he referred to Kashmir as part of India and said terrorism was Pakistan’s “internal problem” that the country should solve itself. Escalation The recent clashes began late on Saturday night, when 23 Pakistani troops were martyred and 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists killed at the border following an attack from the Afghan side at around 9pm, according to the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The ISPR said skirmishes between the two sides began “on the night of Oct 11/12, 2025, [after] Afghan Taliban and India-sponsored Fitna-al-Khawarij lau... -
Dawn - 18:19 Oct 15, 2025
The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday announced that a temporary ceasefire has been agreed with Afghanistan for the next 48 hours amid recent border hostilities between the two countries. “A temporary ceasefire has been decided between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban regime, with the mutual consent of both parties, for the next 48 hours from 6pm today, at the request of the Taliban.” “During this period, both sides will make sincere efforts to find a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue,” the FO said. Taliban regime spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said on X that Afghan forces were instructed to respect the ceasefire, “unless any aggression takes place”. Strikes on Kabul, Kandahar Earlier, state broadcaster PTV News reported that the Pakistan armed forces conducted “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and capital Kabul. A statement uploaded on X, quoting security sources, said: “Pakistan Army’s retaliatory action against Afghan Talib... -
Dawn - 17:19 Oct 15, 2025
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg revealed that she was beaten, humiliated and threatened with being “gassed in a cage” during her time in Israeli custody, Swedish news outlet Aftonbladet reported in an interview published on Wednesday. Greta was one of 450 people aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian aid mission involving over 40 vessels which aimed to deliver food, water and medicine to the Gaza Strip amid Israel’s two-year onslaught on the besieged enclave. The boats were intercepted by the Israeli navy on October 1, with Greta and all other activists being arrested and kept in Israeli custody. She was released and deported to Greece on October 6. In her interview, Greta recounted her treatment in Israeli custody, which ranged from humiliation, threats of violence and physical beatings. “She doesn’t want headlines about herself and the torture she says she was subjected to,” Aftonbladet reported. “That was one of the first things she said on the evening she returned home, at a press conference in ... -
Dawn - 17:17 Oct 15, 2025
Pakistan’s hopes of of a first victory at the Women’s World Cup were hit by rain on Wednesday with their crucial fixture against England being abandoned after a second downpour at the R. Pramedasa Stadium in Colombo. Chasing a revised target of 113 to win after earlier rains had reduced the match to 31 overs per side, Pakistan were 34-0 in 6.4 overs when rains returned to end any chance of the match being completed. Fatima Sana shone with the ball earlier as England could only make 133-9 after being put into bat. The Pakistan skipper ended with figures of 4-27 that included three of the English top-order batters including their captain Nat Sciver-Brunt. England’s innings was interupted in the 25th over when rains first arrived in the Sri Lankan capital before the game resumed several hours later. Having lost their first three matches at the tournament, Pakistan needed a win to boost their chances of reaching the semi-finals and they looked a team on a mission. Just in the second over of the first innings, Dia... -
Dawn - 17:14 Oct 15, 2025
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency on Wednesday, where both discussed internal and external security threats. The meeting comes in the wake of escalating border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with security forces repelling an attack by the Afghan Taliban along the Balochistan border this morning and killing 15 to 20 fighters, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. Today’s clash, the third major skirmish between Pakistan and Afghanistan within a week, follows the incident in Kurram on Tuesday night and earlier skirmishes that began on Saturday night and continued into Sunday morning at several locations. According to a statement from the President’s Secretariat, Field Marshal Munir briefed the president on Pakistan’s overall internal and external security landscape. “He (army chief) also apprised the president of the recent security situation arising from the aggressive and provocative actions of the Afghan Taliban reg... -
Dawn - 17:06 Oct 15, 2025
A police constable deployed for the security of a polio team was killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on him in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera district on Wednesday, police said. The attack comes a day after a Levies constable was shot dead while guarding a polio team in the province’s Swat district. The government launched a nationwide polio eradication campaign earlier this week, aiming to vaccinate over 45 million children. A special order was issued for the drive, with the deployment of 285 police personnel across the country to provide security to the vaccination teams. A statement shared with Dawn.com by Nowshera police spokesperson Turk Ali Shah said that the constable, identified as Maqsood, was killed on the spot when assailants opened fire on him. However, he managed to protect the polio workers he was accompanying. “The attack took place within the jurisdiction of the Nizampur police station,” the statement said. “Following the incident, security for polio teams across the area was tighte... -
Dawn - 16:59 Oct 15, 2025
Fact check: Viral video does not show Pakistani tank captured by Afghan Taliban amid recent conflict
Posts from Afghan media outlets and users on social media platform X on Wednesday shared a video allegedly showing a Pakistani tank captured by the Afghan Taliban. However, the tank in the clip is not Pakistani. On Sunday, fierce border clashes between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban resulted in the martyrdom of 23 troops and left over 200 Taliban fighters dead, including a number of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan terrorists. Both nations claimed to have destroyed the border posts of the other side. On Tuesday, fighting flared up again between the neighbours in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The next day, the third major skirmish also took place, with the Pakistani security forces saying an attack by the Afghan Taliban was repulsed in Spin Boldak, killing about 15-20 Taliban fighters. Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a social media post that the Afghan forces were “forced to retaliate” after attacks by Pakistani forces in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. Mujahid claimed... -
Dawn - 16:33 Oct 15, 2025
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Wednesday that former prime minister Imran Khan has offered to resolve the recent hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan and other issues if he is released on parole. Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9 protests. The PTI has regularly raised concerns about his health and that of the former first lady. Meanwhile, lingering tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross-border terrorism broke out into outright fighting and skirmishes over the weekend that left several dead and injured on both sides. A temporary ceasefire was announced today after three days of fighting. Addressing a press conference outside Adiala Jail after a meeting with Imran, Barrister Gohar said: “Today, Imran has sent this message: ‘I offer you people that release me on parole and I will solve the Afghanistan problem for you.’” The ... -
Dawn - 16:26 Oct 15, 2025
Justice Ayesha Malik wondered on Wednesday whether Article 191A of the Constitution meant that a full court could no longer be formed as the Supreme Court’s (SC) Constitutional Bench (CB) heard petitions against the 26th Amendment. Article 191A was an addition to the Constitution made under the 26th Amendment to form constitutional benches in the Supreme Court to specifically deal with cases pertaining to constitutional matters, with its judges nominated by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP). The Amendment was passed by Parliament during an overnight session in October last year, with the PTI claiming seven of its lawmakers were abducted to gain their favour as the party opposed the legislation. The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) also alleged its two senators were being pressured, with both later defying party line to vote in the tweaks’ favour. The legislation, which altered judicial authority and tenure, has been a lightning rod for debate, with both opposition parties and legal experts qu... -
Dawn - 15:35 Oct 15, 2025
Pakistan men’s Test captain Shan Masood said the challenge was to perform consistently after the Green Shirts’win against South Africa on Wednesday in the first Test. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali was South Africa’s chief tormentor as Pakistan won a gripping first Test by 93 runs at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Set a daunting 277-run target for victory, the visitors and World Test champions were bowled out for 183 on day four. Speaking at the post-match press conference, skipper Shan said: “The message is this — we are playing good cricket against quality oppostions. “But at the same time, the challenge is that we need to consistently perform and win matches against top teams.” He added that talk regarding the first and second divisions of teams in Test cricket would become moot as a result. Shan also said that mistakes were made, and although there was room to work around them in home conditions, there might not be similar chances in away conditions. South African left-armer Senuran Muthusamy took 11-174 in the ma... -
Dawn - 15:33 Oct 15, 2025
Police on Wednesday launched an operation to demolish hundreds of houses vacated by Afghans in Karachi’s Afghan Camp in the Sohrab Goth area to prevent “illegal occupation by rogue elements,” officials said. The land belongs to the Malir Development Authority (MDA). It comprises 3,117 houses, including those of 200 to 250 Pakistani families. Around 15,680 Afghan nationals were previously residing in the camp. Of them, 14,296 have returned to Afghanistan, while the remaining 1,384 are still living there and are being repatriated in phases. West Zone Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Ali Baloch told Dawn.com, “The government-owned land was spread over 200 acres, with 3,000 houses built to accommodate Afghans.” DIG Baloch further said he had written a letter to police authorities to set up a special committee comprising representatives of the city administration, police and other relevant institutions to prevent illegal occupation of the vacated government land. “It was the biggest camp of displaced Afghans w... -
Dawn - 15:30 Oct 15, 2025
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday announced that the October 15 deadline for filing income tax returns will now be extended to October 31. A notification issued by the revenue board read that the deadline was being extended following requests from trade bodies and tax bar associations, and was being implemented as per Section 214A of the 2001 Income Tax Ordinance. “The Federal Board of Revenue is pleased to communicate that the date of filing of Income Tax Return for Tax Year 2025, for the persons who were required to file their returns by September 30, 2025 and was extended up to October 15th, 2025 … is further extended to October 31, 2025, in view of the requests from various trade bodies and tax bar associations,” the notification read. This is the second time the FBR has extended the deadline for filing income tax returns despite an earlier stance that it would not do so, signalling that the tax authority yielded to pressure from various quarters and walked back on its firm commitment. At mi... -
Dawn - 14:42 Oct 15, 2025
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday he would honour all past deals struck between his country and Moscow, a pledge suggesting Moscow’s two main military bases in Syria are safe. Sharaa, who once headed the Syrian branch of al Qaeda and who toppled predecessor Bashar al-Assad, a close Russian ally, late last year, was speaking at the start of Kremlin talks with Putin, his first visit to Russia since coming to power. “There are bilateral relations and shared interests that bind us with Russia, and we respect all agreements made with it. We are working on redefining the nature of relations with Russia,” Sharaa, who was speaking in Arabic, told Putin. Putin told him that Moscow was ready to do all it could to act on what he called “many interesting and useful beginnings” that had already been discussed between the two sides when it came to renewing relations. The Kremlin chief also congratulated Sharaa on the fact that parliamentary elections were held earlier this ... -
Dawn - 14:18 Oct 15, 2025
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari on Wednesday rejected the claims made by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) regarding the government “concealing information” about the Muridke operation carried out to disperse Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) march they claimed was in solidarity for Palestinians. The TLP began protests in Lahore on Oct 9, announcing a march to the US embassy in Islamabad to oppose the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after two years of conflict in Gaza. The demonstrations quickly turned violent, with police using baton charges and tear gas against stone-pelting protesters. The following day, clashes in Lahore’s Shahdara area left at least 40 officers injured, while the TLP claimed over 10 workers were killed. As the group attempted to move towards Islamabad, Punjab Rangers and police from five districts were deployed to Muridke, where trenches were dug and an operation launched to disperse them. Regarding the Mudrike Operation and the violence that broke o... -
Dawn - 13:18 Oct 15, 2025
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi administered the oath to PTI MPA Sohail Afridi as the province’s chief minister on Wednesday. Footage of the event showed throngs of people surrounding the two amid the ceremony. View this post on Instagram Afridi also held up a portrait of PTI founder Imran Khan during the event. After his oath-taking, PTI leader Asad Qaiser extended “heartfelt congratulations” to Afridi. “I hope that, God willing, he will take effective measures to resolve the province’s issues and for the welfare and prosperity of the people […] And that he will also play a role in securing the release of all innocent prisoners, including Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and Shah Mahmood Qureshi,” Qaiser posted on X. The CM’s focal person on digital media Yar Muhammad Khan Niazi said that upon arrival at the CM’s secretariat, a well-equipped police contingent presented a guard of honour to Afridi. Afridi was elected the new KP chief executive on Monday during an assembly session marred by the oppositi... -
Dawn - 12:07 Oct 15, 2025
Security forces repulsed an attack by the Afghan Taliban along the Balochistan border on Wednesday, killing around 15 to 20 Afghan Taliban, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. According to a statement by the ISPR, Afghan Taliban “resorted to cowardly attack[s] at four locations in [the] Spin Boldak area” in the early hours of Wednesday. “The attack was effectively repulsed by Pakistani forces,” the statement said. It added that as Pakistani troops repelled the attack, 15 to 20 Afghan Taliban were killed and several others were injured. “The situation is still developing. There are reports of further buildup at staging points of Fitna-al-Khwarij and [the] Afghan Taliban,” the statement said. Fitna-al-Khwarij is the state-designated term for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The ISPR said that the attack from the Afghan side was “unfortunately […] orchestrated through divided villages in the area, with no regard for [the] civil population”. “The Afghan Taliban also destroyed the Pak-Afgh... -
Dawn - 11:56 Oct 15, 2025
PPP leader and former speaker of the Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani passed away on Wednesday at the age of 72, according to a statement by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. In a statement issued by the Sindh CM House, Shah expressed deep sorrow and grief over Durrani’s passing. Murad called Durrani “a sincere, loyal and principled leader of the party, saying he played an important role in strengthening the Sindh Assembly and stabilising democracy. “Agha Siraj Durrani made public service the axis of his politics,” he said, expressing his condolences to the bereaved family. “The services of the late Agha Siraj Durrani will always be remembered,” he said. President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed “deep sorrow” over Durrani’s passing. “The president paid tribute to his political and public services, noting his role in strengthening democracy and serving the people of Sindh,” said a post by the Presidency on social media platform X. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also paid tribute to the late Durrani for his ... -
Dawn - 11:10 Oct 15, 2025
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking the annulment of Sohail Afridi’s election as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, who is set to be administered his oath by the provincial governor, Faisal Karim Kundi, later today. The petition, on which the court had reserved its verdict earlier today, was filed by JUI-F leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman yesterday. Rehman, who was among the four contenders for the KP CM post, had requested the court to “set aside” Afridi’s election and declare it null and void. At today’s hearing, which was presided over by Justice Arshad Ali and Justice Waqar Ahmad, Barrister Yaseen appeared on behalf of Rehman against PTI’s Salman Akram Raja. Addressing the court, Raja pointed out that the JUI-F petition at hand “has become ineffective in light of yesterday’s PHC order.” Responding to his comments, Justice Ali said, “Yes, we are aware of the order, but let’s hear the petitioner’s argument.” Barrister Yaseen told the court, “How was a new chief minister e... -
Dawn - 11:09 Oct 15, 2025
Pakistan Telecommunications Limited (PTCL) on Wednesday said the international cable consortium had completed the repair of a repeater installed in the submarine cable, which had affected internet speeds across the country. Yesterday, internet users, already facing disruptions in parts of upper Punjab and the federal capital due to law and order situation, experienced slow connectivity. PTCL had said that a maintenance activity was planned on one of the company’s submarine cables to repair a faulty repeater by the international cable consortium. “The repair process began at 11 am on October 14 and has been successfully completed,” PTCL spokesperson Amir Pasha said in a statement today. “Internet service speed and connectivity have been restored across the country.” The state-owned PTCL manages three undersea optical fibre cable networks that provide international internet connectivity to Pakistan. The combined capacity of all six submarine cable systems serving the country, including three PTCL cable system... -
Dawn - 10:33 Oct 15, 2025
The Pakistani passport has ranked the fourth worst for the fifth straight year, according to this year’s Henley Passport Index, a ranking of the world’s 199 passports based on the number of destinations their owners can access without a prior visa. In the latest global ranking issued on October 7, Pakistan’s travel document was placed at 103 in the list — tied with Yemen — and ranked higher than only those of Iraq (104), Syria (105) and Afghanistan (106). Per the ranking, Pakistan and Yemen’s passports permit visa-free access to 31 countries only out of 227 travel destinations, Iraq’s allows travel to 29, Syria’s gives access to 26 destinations, and Afghanistan’s travel document only affords the bearer access to 24 destinations without a visa. Pakistan’s passport has been declared the world’s fourth worst since at least 2021 on the Henley index, which calculates countries’ “visa-free score” — the number of destinations travellers can access without a prior visa, or with a visa on arrival. The travel docume...
8012 items