Dawn
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Dawn - 15:04 Jun 04, 2025
A tanker driver attempted to kidnap a traffic police officer in Karachi’s Manghopir, resulting in a clash which injured three cops, police said in a statement on Wednesday. According to District West Police spokesperson Nabeel Ahmed Rajput, “A tanker driver attempted to kidnap a traffic official near the Malik Chandio Chowk area of Manghopir Police Station. “Instead of stopping at the checkpoint, the tanker driver tried to kidnap the traffic policeman,” he said, adding that the noise prompted a nearby police mobile to chase the tanker to stop it. The statement also said, “An angry group of people, accompanying the driver, launched an attack, injuring three police officers by assaulting them with sticks and stones.” The injured have been shifted to the hospital for immediate medical attention, the spokesperson said. He added that the police were present at the scene and the situation was under control. The city has lately witnessed a rise in traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles, including d... -
Dawn - 14:39 Jun 04, 2025
The high-powered delegation, led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, has reached Washington after concluding its two-day visit to the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Wednesday. Pakistan had launched a broad-based engagement campaign in the United States to present its perspective on the recent spike in tensions with India, and counter New Delhi’s growing lobbying presence here. The delegation comprises Senator Rehman, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Dr Musadik Malik, Engineer Khurram Dastgir, Faisal Subzwari, Tehmina Janjua, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt and Jalil Abbas Jilani. In New York, the delegation “drew attention to India’s illegal use of force and violations of international law, including the UN Charter and International Humanitarian Law, particularly targeting of civilian areas and killing of innocent civilians, including women and children”, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office. It added that the delegation rejected India’s allegations regarding t... -
Dawn - 12:46 Jun 04, 2025
A law banning the marriage of children under eighteen years of age has been challenged in the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) in Islamabad, arguing that it was against the Constitution as well as the tenets of Islam and should be abolished. The bill, which sought to protect the rights of children and eradicate marriages of children under the age of 18, was signed into law by the president on May 27 after sailing through both houses of parliament. However, the move attracted strong opposition from the religious segments of society, with the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) — a constitutional body responsible for giving legal advice on Islamic issues to the government and parliament — ruling that “classifying marriage under the age of 18 as rape did not conform with Islamic law”. A citizen, Shahzada Adnan, filed a petition through his lawyer, Advocate Mudassar Chaudhry, against the recently enacted Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025. The petition has been filed against the Ministry of In... -
Dawn - 12:42 Jun 04, 2025
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that abandoning uranium enrichment was “100 per cent” against the country’s interests, rejecting a central US demand in talks to resolve a decades-long dispute over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The US proposal for a new nuclear deal was presented to Iran on Saturday by Oman, which has mediated talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. After five rounds of talks, several hard-to-bridge issues remain, including Iran’s insistence on maintaining uranium enrichment on its soil and Tehran’s refusal to ship abroad its entire existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium — possible raw material for nuclear bombs. Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state, said nothing about halting the talks, but said the US proposal “contradicts our nation’s belief in self-reliance and the principle of ‘We Can’”. “Uranium enrichment is the key to our nuclear programme and the enemies h... -
Dawn - 11:47 Jun 04, 2025
Shares at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) climbed by 1,300 points on Wednesday ahead of the budget announcement on June 10. The KSE-100 index climbed 923.71, or 0.77 per cent, to stand at 121,374.58 from the last close of 120,450.87 at 1:31pm. The index closed at 121,798.86, with a gain of 1347.99 points or 1.12pc. Sana Tawfik, head of research at Arif Habib Limited, attributed the bullish momentum to the news of the approval of a new financial package between Pakistan and Asian Development Bank (ADB). The ADB approved an $800 million programme to strengthen fiscal sustainability and improve public financial management in Pakistan, according to a statement issued by the Philippines-based lender. The statement read that subprogramme 2 of the “Improved Resource Mobilisation and Utilisation Reform Programme” includes a policy-based loan of $300m, and ADB’s “first ever policy-based guarantee” of up to $500m, which is expected to mobilise financing of up to $1 billion from commercial banks. Additionally, Tawfik ... -
Dawn - 11:43 Jun 04, 2025
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make his first visit to occupied Kashmir since the conflict between the country and Pakistan began last month, inaugurating a ‘strategic railway’ service to the mountainous region, his office said on Wednesday. Modi will visit the valley on Friday to open the Chenab Bridge, a 1,315-metre-long steel and concrete span that connects two mountains with an arch 359m above the river below. “The project establishes all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country,” the Indian Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. Modi is expected to flag off a special train. Last month, nuclear-armed India and Pakistan fought an intense four-day conflict, their worst standoff since 1999, before a US-brokered ceasefire was agreed on May 10. This military confrontation took place after New Delhi, without evidence, blamed Islamabad for backing terrorists who killed 26 tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam and launched a series of airstr... -
Dawn - 10:51 Jun 04, 2025
US federal prosecutors have accused two Chinese nationals of smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen that had the potential to be used as an agricultural terrorism weapon into the United States for research. The US Department of Justice on Tuesday identified the pathogen as Fusarium graminearum, a fungus it said was classified in scientific literature as a potential agroterrorism weapon. In a statement, it said that the fungus causes “head blight” in some crops and is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses globally each year. According to an FBI criminal complaint, Zunyong Liu, 34, a researcher currently in China, brought the fungus into the US while visiting his girlfriend, Yunqing Jian, 33, in July 2024. He admitted to smuggling in the fungus so he could conduct research on it at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend worked, according to the complaint. The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to the complaint, an examination of elect... -
Dawn - 10:25 Jun 04, 2025
‘In the quiet hours just past midnight on May 6, a battle unfolded above the clouds that rewrote the rules of modern air warfare. It wasn’t marked by dogfights or dramatic barrel rolls seen in past conflicts between the two arch-rival South Asian neighbours. Instead, the skies over Pakistan and India became a silent battlefield of invisible forces — electromagnetic pulses, jamming beams, satellite interference, and beyond-visual-range missiles slicing through the night.’ This excerpt from a Dawn report describes the recent aerial clash between Pakistan and India, which has been termed as a significant development in the regional air power constellation. This military confrontation took place after New Delhi, without evidence, blamed Islamabad for backing terrorists who killed 26 tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam and launched a series of airstrikes on different Pakistani cities. In its response, the Pakistan Air Force took down six Indian jets, including three advanced French Rafale planes, one Su-30MKI,... -
Dawn - 09:56 Jun 04, 2025
Tump Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Hanif Noorzai was abducted from Balochistan’s Kech district on Wednesday, an official told Dawn.com. According to Kech Deputy Commissioner Bashir Ahmed Barich, unidentified militants kidnapped the AC, who was posted at Tump, near the Iranian border. He said Noorzai was on his way from Quetta to Tump on Wednesday morning, but did not provide further details. Noorzai is from Quetta and has previously served as AC in different areas of the province. In September 2016, Asad Khan Tareen, son of then-Balochistan’s Minister for Local Government Sardar Mustafa Tareen — who had been kidnapped in May that year — was recovered from an area of Qila Abdulla district close to the Pak-Afghan border. Armed men kidnapped Asad Tareen in Pishin town on May 21 when he was returning from Cadet College Pishin, where he worked as a warden. He was reportedly taken across the border in Afghanistan. This is a developing story -
Dawn - 09:36 Jun 04, 2025
The meteorological chief has said tremors will continue to be felt in Karachi for the next two to three days and the situation will improve as the intensity of the quakes will reduce, adding that residents of the city should not panic. Parts of Karachi experienced three more tremors on Tuesday morning, as the city has been shaken by 19 mild earthquakes over the past three days, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) officials said. The tremors, all classified as low to moderate in intensity, ranged from 2.1 magnitude to 3.6 on the Richter scale. The strongest tremor, measuring 3.6, was recorded on Sunday, while the weakest was of 2.1 magnitude. PMD Director General Mahr Sahibzad Khan, while speaking during Dawn News TV programme ‘Doosra Rukh’, said Karachi will face low-intensity quakes for the next couple of days. The Met chief claimed earthquakes are occurring in Karachi due to lack of ground water and illegal pumping by the so-called ‘tanker mafia’. “Karachi has small fault lines in areas of Korangi and ... -
Dawn - 09:26 Jun 04, 2025
More than a million pilgrims joined Islam’s most important rite under a beating sun on Wednesday, as the Haj kicked off with the Saudi hosts scrambling to avoid last year’s 1,000-plus deaths in sweltering heat. With the temperature expected to top 40 degrees Celsius, robed pilgrims slowly circled the Kaaba at the heart of Makkah’s Grand Mosque. State media reported that others had begun arriving in the tent city of Mina on Makkah’s outskirts where they will stay overnight before the Haj’s high-point on Thursday — prayers on Mount Arafat, where the Holy Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him) delivered his final sermon. About 1.4 million pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of the Haj. Authorities have ratcheted up heat protection measures such as extra shade to avoid a repeat of last year, when 1,301 people died as temperatures hit 51.8C. On Wednesday, pilgrims will perform the tawaf — walking seven times around the Kaaba. Pilgrims arriving on buses had begun already trickling into Mina on Tuesday afternoon, g... -
Dawn - 07:09 Jun 04, 2025
Minister of State for Crypto & Blockchain and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Bilal Bin Saqib met with the Executive Director of US President Donald Trump’s Council on Digital Assets Robert ‘Bo’ Hines at the White House to discuss strategic alignment on digital assets, a press release said on Wednesday. During the meeting, the two officials also spoke about “Bitcoin integration, and the future of decentralised infrastructure”. Bo Hines was appointed by President Trump in January 2025 to lead the national policy development on digital asset innovation, regulation, and emerging financial technologies, according to the statement. In May, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Chief Executive Officer Bilal Bin Saqib as his special assistant on blockchain and cryptocurrency, with the status of a minister of state. Saqib is now responsible for developing a comprehensive, FATF-compliant regulatory framework for digital assets, launching Bitcoin mining initiatives, and over... -
Dawn - 06:52 Jun 04, 2025
Fourteen terrorists belonging to Fitna-al-Khawarij were killed in an operation by security forces in North Waziristan district’s Datta Khel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday. Despite heightened military tensions between Pakistan and India last month, militant groups were unable to significantly escalate their activities in the country, according to data released by an Islamabad-based independent think tank. The monthly security assessment issued by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) recorded 85 militant attacks in May as compared to 81 in April, resulting in 113 fatalities. These included 52 security forces personnel, 46 civilians, 11 militants, and four peace committee members. “On June 2-3 2025, an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the Security Forces in the general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District, on the reported presence of khwarij belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna-al-Khawarij,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) ... -
Dawn - 06:00 Jun 04, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The capital police on Tuesday announced the arrest of the suspect in the murder case of a social media influencer, who was gunned down at her house in G-13 on Monday. Addressing a hastily-called news conference, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said after the murder of 17-year-old Sana Yousuf, seven police teams were formed under the supervision of DIG Operations Jawad Tariq. These teams conducted a technical investigation, analysing social media accounts and more than 300 call records. Footage from Safe City Islamabad and private cameras was also obtained. The suspect was arrested from Faisalabad within 20 hours of the incident. Additionally, the victim’s mobile phone and the murder weapon were recovered from his possession. “The ruthless killer took the phone with him after the murder to destroy evidence. In order to apprehend the accused, raids were conducted at over 11 locations in three cities. The accused is a 22-year-old unemployed man who repeatedly attempted to contac... -
Dawn - 05:11 Jun 04, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Planning Commission has conceded that policy decisions and government measures at both the federal and provincial levels have caused a substantial contraction of 13.5 per cent in major crops this fiscal year, which may lead to increased food imports next year at the expense of precious foreign exchange. In a working paper for the federal budget 2025-26, the Planning Commission also attributed the lower-than-targeted GDP growth to a poor performance of the agriculture sector. “GDP growth for FY25 is recorded at 2.7pc against the target of 3.6pc, primarily due to a massive contraction in key commodity-producing sectors, including important crops, which witnessed a 13.5pc contraction due to adverse weather conditions, reduced rainfall, input challenges, and policy shift”, the Planning Commission candidly placed on record. Last year, the government announced a lucrative minimum support price (MSP) for wheat, but the Punjab government subsequently withdrew its support for farmers, leaving them at th... -
Dawn - 03:32 Jun 04, 2025
• PM Shehbaz addresses Peshawar jirga, calls on authorities to fast-track work on Bhasha dam • NFC meeting in August, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to keep receiving funds to fight terrorism • CM Gandapur wants tribal districts’ share in finance award, KP’s input in talks with Afghanistan PESHAWAR: As India’s move to place the Indus Waters Treaty into abeyance puts Pakistan’s water security in peril, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday asked authorities to speed up construction of the Bhasha Dam, while also hinting at inter-provincial consultations to increase the country’s storage capacity. The premier made these remarks while addressing a jirga at the Corps Headquarters Peshawar, in which he stressed the need for tough decisions for the development and prosperity of the country. PM Shehbaz, while talking about the hostile measures taken by the Modi government, said that under the Indus Waters Treaty, every drop of water was the right of the Pakistani people. He said that India had tasted its own medicine after a... -
Dawn - 03:20 Jun 04, 2025
ISLAMABAD: In a significant move, incarcerated founding chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has decided to become patron-in-chief of the party ahead of the planned nationwide protest movement. This was revealed by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Tuesday. Talking to media persons outside Adiala Jail after meeting the former prime minister, he said Mr Khan would himself lead the protest campaign announced by the party, from jail. He said all instructions regarding the protest would be conveyed through opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan. Mr Khan, through a message shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, had called on the public last week to prepare for a countrywide protest movement. Gohar denies reports he is being removed from party chairmanship; says Gandapur won’t lead upcoming protest The post had come a day after his sister, Aleema Khan, had proposed a “give-and-take formula” for his release. Although the ex-premier does not have direct access to his social media ac... -
Dawn - 19:41 Jun 03, 2025
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday urged the United Nations and the International community to push India towards a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, where the two countries could address their outstanding issues and achieve peace in the wake of their recent military conflict in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. Bilawal was addressing a press conference at the UN Headquarters in New York on recent regional developments after the military conflict. The address came amid the visit of a high-level team — consisting of three former foreign ministers, two former foreign secretaries, two former ambassadors to the US, and a serving federal minister — for consultations at the United Nations. The team arrived in New York on Sunday. Ex-FMs Bilawal, Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir; Senators Sherry Rehman, Musadik Malik, Faisal Sabzwari and Bushra Anjum Butt; and Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua are members of the delegation. Bilawal said Pakistan’s position was to hold a “comprehensive ... -
Dawn - 19:31 Jun 03, 2025
Police on Tuesday launched raids to arrest eight suspects who allegedly abducted a couple in Hafizabad and subjected them to physical and sexual assault. The first information report (FIR) was filed by the husband today at the Kasoki Police Station under Sections 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (Unlawful assembly), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (assault or use of criminal force to woman and stripping her of her clothes ), 355 (causing hurt by dangerous means), 365 (kidnapping), 375-A (rape), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint to commit the theft), 496A (enticing away a woman) and 506B (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The FIR said the incident occurred on April 25 around 7pm when the complainant and his wife were on a motorcycle when they stopped for a bit. As the wife got off the motorcycle, a man came towards them who verbally abused and hit her, it stated. A group of armed men later arriv... -
Dawn - 18:33 Jun 03, 2025
A first information report (FIR) was registered against a prayer leader on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy inside a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district, police said. According to the FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the complainant (victim) told the police that he was sexually assaulted by his teacher six days ago. “I had not told anyone in my family because I was afraid of their reaction. But I gathered the courage and informed my father about the entire ordeal. I want justice for myself and demand police action against the suspect, who used to molest students in the mosque,” the FIR read. Charsadda police have lodged the FIR under sections 377-B (punishment for sexual abuse) of Pakistan Penal Code and 53 (sexual abuse) of Child Protection Act. Speaking to Dawn.com, Charsadda District Police Officer Suleman Zafar confirmed the incident, saying “I have taken notice of the incident and have instructed the respective area sub-divisional police officer to...
5467 items