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Dawn - 12:14 Jul 25, 2025
The Chinese leadership has lauded the role of the Pakistan Army and hailed it as a “cornerstone of resilience and a vital contributor” for peace in the region, the military’s media affairs wing said on Friday. Pakistan and China share a longstanding strategic partnership rooted in mutual trust, economic cooperation, and regional connectivity. Over the decades, ties have expanded across different sectors, including trade, energy, infrastructure, and defence collaboration, with initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) symbolising a shared vision for development. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir is currently on an official visit to China. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement today that he held meetings with senior Chinese political and military leadership in Beijing. “Chinese military leadership reiterated full confidence in the strength of the bilateral defence partnership and acknowledged Pakistan’s pivotal role in promoting regional peace,” it s... -
Dawn - 11:51 Jul 25, 2025
Multiple users on social media platform X have been sharing a purported document since Thursday, titled “catering guidelines” from the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, DC — where PTI founder Imran Khan’s sons recently dined during their visit to the US capital — claiming the club does not serve halal food. However, the document is fake. Earlier this month, Imran’s sons — Sulaiman Khan, 28, and Kasim Khan, 26 — kicked off a campaign calling for their father’s release from prison. The siblings are currently in the US and holding engagements with lawmakers for this purpose in Washington, DC. On July 25, the X account of PML-N Digital shared a post with an image of the two siblings at Capitol Hill Club, a private clubhouse in Washington, DC, with Republican Congressman Joe Wilson. The post was captioned: “Imran Niazi’s sons’ illicit feasting”, with an additional claim: “Capitol Hill Club, where Kasim and Sulaiman ate, doesn’t even have halal food available.” The post also shared an alleged document claiming to sh... -
Dawn - 11:36 Jul 25, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday lauded S&P Global upgrade to the country’s sovereign credit rating to ‘B-’ from ‘CCC+’ and vowed to achieve sustainable economic growth. A day earlier, ratings agency S&P Global had raised Pakistan’s sovereign credit rating to ‘B-’ from ‘CCC+’ and placed it on a ‘stable’ outlook, saying the country’s finances and reserves had been stabilised by International Monetary Fund (IMF) support. “S&P’s upgrade of Pakistan’s credit rating from CCC+ to B-, with a stable outlook, is a welcome development,” PM Shehbaz said in a post on X. “It reflects growing confidence in our economic reforms and the macroeconomic stability we have been able to achieve,” he added. He continued that his administration remained committed to sustaining the momentum of reform, fostering transparency, and deepening investor confidence, “so that the early signs of recovery translate into lasting prosperity for our people and translate into sustainable economic growth”. In its statement, S&P had said: “Th... -
Dawn - 11:14 Jul 25, 2025
The main suspect involved in kidnapping a three-year-old girl in Karachi was arrested while the victim was recovered, police said on Friday. According to a first information report (FIR) filed by the girl’s father, seen by Dawn.com, the incident occurred on July 23. The girl went to a shop near her house and disappeared around 9pm, the FIR read, adding that the family tried to search for her but was unable to find her. A case was registered at the Khawaja Ajmer Nagri police station under Section 364-A (kidnapping or abducting a person under the age of fourteen) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). “The police took prompt and effective action by not only recovering the girl safely, but also arresting the main suspect involved in the kidnapping,” a statement by the Central Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) spokesperson Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi said. “The police team, led by Station House Officer Khawaja Ajmer Nagri Sarfaraz, conducted a successful operation within 24 hours,” it added. The statement cited police ... -
Dawn - 10:40 Jul 25, 2025
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressed deep appreciation for the World Bank’s (WB) continued partnership in a high-level meeting with a WB delegation on Friday, particularly for its robust support during and after the catastrophic floods of 2022. In January, Pakistan became the first country to launch a longer-term country partnership framework (CPF) with the WB, after the bank’s board of directors approved the 10-year programme and pledged to provide $20 billion to Pakistan. According to a WB statement, the new framework for the country aimed to “support inclusive and sustainable development through a strong focus on building human capital”, in addition to fostering durable private sector growth. In today’s meeting, held at Chief Minister’s House, Shah highlighted the strong collaboration between the Sindh government and the WB across multiple development sectors, with the bank’s total active portfolio in the province now standing at $4.012bn. “The WB has been an essential partner in Sindh’s deve... -
Dawn - 10:38 Jul 25, 2025
France defended its decision to recognise Palestinian statehood amid domestic and international criticism on Friday, including against the charge that the move plays into the hands of Hamas. President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move. Macron’s announcement drew condemnation from Israel, which said it “rewards terror”, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “reckless” and said it “only serves Hamas propaganda”. Mike Huckabee, US ambassador to Israel, quipped that Macron did not say where a future Palestinian state would be located. “I can now exclusively disclose that France will offer the French Riviera & the new nation will be called “Franc-en-Stine”, he said on X. Hamas itself praised the French initiative, saying it was “a positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people”. But French Foreign Minister... -
Dawn - 10:11 Jul 25, 2025
A Lahore court on Friday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Senate opposition leader and PTI leader Shibli Faraz as well as summoned his party’s founder Imran Khan in connection with a case involving an alleged attack on the Islamabad Police outside Khan’s residence in 2023. In March 2023, the Islamabad police lodged a first information report (FIR) against PTI founder Imran, party leader Faraz, along with 150 other party workers, for harassing and hurling life threats at an Islamabad police team when it visited Zaman Park in Lahore to arrest the former premier for skipping proceedings in the Toshakhana case. The FIR was registered by the Race Course police on the complaint of Islamabad Secretariat Station House Officer (SHO) Nadeem Tahir, who alleged that Imran, with the connivance of Faraz and 150 charged party workers, committed a crime by dodging and barring the Islamabad police from discharging their duty. Today, Judicial Magistrate Sohail Rafique, presiding over the case, ordered a non-bailable ar... -
Dawn - 10:00 Jul 25, 2025
A group of non-Muslim senators have written a letter to Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani for the formation of a minority caucus in the House to represent their rights, it emerged on Friday. A caucus refers to a formal or informal group within Parliament or provincial assemblies, often focused on specific issues or the interests of particular groups. At present, the most prominent one in the Senate is the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), a cross-party forum for women parliamentarians to address issues related to women, girls and gender equality. The letter dated July 24, seen by Dawn.com, was signed by Senator Khalil Tahir Sandhu (PML-N, Punjab), Senator Gurdeep Singh (PTI, KP), Senator Poonjo Mal Bheel (PPP, Sindh), and Senator Danesh Kumar (BAP, Balochistan) and addressed to the chairman Senate. “We, the undersigned non-Muslim members of the Senate of Pakistan, respectfully submit this joint request for the activation and formal recognition of the minority caucus within the Senate, and for our inclusion... -
Dawn - 09:30 Jul 25, 2025
A terrorist attack on the Basia Khel police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district was successfully foiled, with the attackers forced to flee after a swift response by security personnel, a statement issued on Friday said. Bannu Police Spokesperson, Aamir Khan, told Dawn.com, “A big group of terrorists attacked the Basia Khel police station in the early hours of Friday using heavy weapons. However, the cops present at the police station bravely thwarted the attack.” Terming the attack “cowardly”, he added that all the police personnel present at the station were safe. “Station House Officer (SHO) Asmatullah Khan Niazi led the operation, and the collective and timely response of the police team forced the terrorists to flee,” said Khan. Regional Police Officer Sajjad Khan and District Police Officer Saleem Abbasi commended the Basia Khel police station personnel for “braving the situation and responding promptly to protect the police station and their colleagues from harm”, the statement said. Pakistan... -
Dawn - 09:03 Jul 25, 2025
At least seven children were killed and 26 others injured Friday after part of the roof and walls of a government-run school collapsed in western India, police said. “Seven children have lost their lives so far and 26 others are injured,” Nand Kishore, a police officer in the state of Rajasthan, told AFP. There were around 60 students, teachers and staff members in the single-storey building when the accident happened in Jhalawar district, some 322 kilometres (200 miles) from the state capital Jaipur. Kishore said the structure collapsed when students were attending their classes early on Friday. Villagers rushed to the site and rescued many injured children who were taken to the closest medical facilities. Local media reports said the building was in a dilapidated condition and several complaints had been previously been raised about it. It had also been raining heavily in the area over the past few days. According to local news outlets, the children who died were between eight and 11 years of age, while two... -
Dawn - 08:31 Jul 25, 2025
Maritime Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry stated on Friday that the Gwadar Port had the potential to generate over $850 million in annual exports through consistent investment, strategic policymaking, and improved infrastructure, a press release issued by the ministry said. Gwadar Port is a deep-sea port located in Balochistan, strategically positioned near the Strait of Hormuz. Touted as a game-changer for Pakistan’s economy, the port is meant to boost regional trade, create jobs, and attract foreign investment. Speaking during a high-level meeting on the operationalisation of Gwadar Port today, Minister Chaudhry stated that “with consistent investment, strategic policymaking, and improved infrastructure, the port had the potential to generate over $850m annually through value-added fisheries and date exports.” According to the statement, the meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs (MoMA) and representatives from relevant ministries and organisations, including Gwadar P... -
Dawn - 08:29 Jul 25, 2025
Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai warned on Friday that cross-border clashes with Cambodia that have uprooted more than 130,000 people “could develop into war”, as the countries traded deadly strikes for a second day. A long-running border dispute erupted into intense fighting with jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday, and the UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis later on Friday. A steady thump of artillery strikes could be heard from the Cambodian side of the border, where the province of Oddar Meanchey reported one civilian — a 70-year-old man — had been killed and five more wounded. More than 138,000 people have been evacuated from Thailand’s border regions, its health ministry said, reporting 15 fatalities — 14 civilians and a soldier — with a further 46 wounded, including 15 troops. “We have tried to compromise as we are neighbours, but we have now instructed the Thai military to act immediately in case of urgency,” said Wechayachai. “I... -
Dawn - 07:30 Jul 25, 2025
At least nine people have died as floods and landslides triggered by heavy rain continue to wreak havoc on Gilgit Baltistan, officials said on Friday. The devastating impacts of climate change have become more visible in GB as the region experienced cloudburst-induced floods that claimed lives and damaged infrastructure. On Monday, floods triggered by heavy rain swept through GB’s Babusar area in Diamer district and Naran, leaving many stranded. Subsequently, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a landslide alert for the northern areas of the country. GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq, in a statement, confirmed that nine people have lost their lives in the floods and landslides across the region — including two women and two children — while the search for people swept away by the flood is still underway. In his statement, he estimated that the “number of people swept away by floodwater could be around 12-14.” On the other hand, more than a dozen people were reported to be injured... -
Dawn - 07:13 Jul 25, 2025
At least nine people, including children, were killed in central Vietnam when a bus crashed early on Friday, the government said. The accident, which took place at 1:45am in the central province of Ha Tinh, left another 16 injured, the government said in a statement. Traffic accidents are common in Vietnam, with road crashes killing 5,024 people in the first half of this year, down from 5,343 in the same period of 2024, according to data from the government’s National Statistics Office. The government report said the bus was en route from the capital Hanoi to Danang when it veered off the road and hit traffic signposts before rolling over. All of the injured have been hospitalised with multiple injuries, the government said, adding that the dead are aged between four and 49. -
Dawn - 07:10 Jul 25, 2025
A “notorious drug dealer” was arrested in an injured condition after an exchange of fire with the police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi district, the spokesperson of Swabi Police said in a statement on Friday. According to the statement, police were conducting a search operation on Thursday night in various areas within the limits of Kalu Khan police station, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Circle Shakeel Khan, Station House Officer Abdul Wali Khan, along with a police team, against the presence of drug dealers and criminals. “Police received a tipoff from an informant that notorious drug dealers and wanted suspects were spotted at Wazir Shaheed Road,” the statement said. “A police team was immediately formed to arrest them. Upon seeing the team, the drug dealer opened fire to evade arrest. The police also returned fire using the right of self-defence. The drug dealer was arrested in an injured condition.” Police recovered 400 grams of methamphetamine (crystal meth) and a pistol with cartridges from the... -
Dawn - 05:08 Jul 25, 2025
PARIS: France will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday. “True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the state of Palestine. I will make a formal announcement at the United Nations General Assembly in September,” the French head of state wrote on X and Instagram. Including France, Palestinian statehood is now recognised by 142 countries, though Israel and the United States strongly oppose recognition. France would be the most significant European power to recognise a Palestinian state. “The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population,” Macron wrote. “We must finally build the state of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East.” PA welcomes intent Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas... -
Dawn - 03:05 Jul 25, 2025
NEWLY elected PTI senators Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Noor ul Haq Qadri and Faisal Javed take oath.—White Star • Resolution rejects justification for such crimes on cultural grounds • House passes Whistleblower Protection Commission Bill, okays 20pc reward for exposing corruption • Navy Ordinance amended with stricter penalties for misconduct • Eight new senators sworn in ISLAMABAD: Alarmed by a brutal act of vigilante justice in Balochistan, where a man and woman were executed in broad daylight under a jirga verdict in the name of “honour”, the Senate on Thursday called for an immediate and transparent investigation to bring all perpetrators — including those who convened or sanctioned the jirga — to justice. In a resolution adopted almost unanimously, the Senate declared that so-called honour killings were not “honourable”, rather constituted murder under the law and must be prosecuted as such. The resolution, tabled by PPP parliamentary leader Senator Sherry Rehman, was supported by all parties across the ais... -
Dawn - 18:37 Jul 24, 2025
The Khwazakhela judicial magistrate on Thursday handed over 11 suspects to police custody on a two-day physical remand in relation to the death of a madressah student in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat. A young student was allegedly beaten to death by his madressah teachers on Monday evening in Swat’s Chaliyar village. He was rushed to the nearest hospital by students and teachers, but doctors declared him dead upon arrival. Police announced the arrest of 11 individuals a day ago, including the administrator of the unregistered seminary, in connection with the brutal killing. The police presented the 11 suspects before the Khwazakhela judicial magistrate today — the administrator of the madressah and another key individual. Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Omar Khan told Dawn.com that the police had formed special teams and a search operation was underway to apprehend the remaining two suspects. “We have some key leads to locate the main suspects and will reach them soon,” he said. Meanwhile, the provincial head ... -
Dawn - 17:26 Jul 24, 2025
Incarcerated PTI founder and ex-prime minister Imran Khan has decried the lack of any “meaningful momentum” for the party’s planned August 5 protest and ordered its members to immediately shun all their differences. Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a sentence at the Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests of May 9, 2023. He has issued a nationwide protest call, which will reach its “peak” on Aug 5 to mark the second year of his incarceration in multiple cases. However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur appeared to disrupt the nationwide protest plans and sow confusion by introducing a new 90-day timeline for what he described as ‘a final push’. PTI Punjab chief organiser Aliya Hamza Malik later voiced her reservations about his announcement. The resulting discord in the party leadership and ranks had prompted Imran to prohibit his party members from publicly discussing the party’s internal... -
Dawn - 16:33 Jul 24, 2025
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday suspended a single-member bench’s order to the government to constitute a commission to investigate misuse of the blasphemy law. Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated accusations can incite public outrage and lead to lynchings. Last week, the IHC gave the federal government 30 days to constitute a commission to investigate misuse of blasphemy law, giving the order during the hearing of a case seeking such a commission’s formation. IHC Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan ordered that the commission should complete its work within four months, while allowing the possibility for an extension. Rao Abdur Rahim, a lawyer from the Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan, and others had filed an intra-court appeal against Justice Khan’s verdict. The case was heard today by Justices Khadim Hussain Soomro and Azam Khan. Advocate Kamran Murtaza and others appeared before the court on behalf of Rahim. Asked how they felt about the decision, Murtaza ...
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