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Dawn - 13:12 Dec 09, 2025
Fresh clashes along the Thai-Cambodia border are being met with grim resignation by civilians, as they flock again to makeshift shelters still standing from the last bout of combat. Displaced children chased each other on the tarmac of Thailand’s Chang International Circuit race track, where hundreds of families were sheltering in vast silo-shaped tents. “I want the government to deal with this decisively so it stops for good,” said handyman Boonsong Boonpimay at the racecourse in Buriram city, 70 kilometres from the fraught frontier. “Otherwise we’ll have to keep living like this — unable to work and constantly on edge,” the 51-year-old told AFP. Thailand and Cambodia have a long-standing dispute over portions of their boundary dating back to their colonial-era demarcation. Residents rest inside a temple after they evacuated following clashes along the Cambodia-Thailand border, in Siem Reap province on December 9. — AFP Five days of combat in July killed dozens of people and displaced around 300,000 on both ... -
Dawn - 12:40 Dec 09, 2025
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared on Tuesday a petition seeking the verification of Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri’s degree maintainable and sought a reply from the judge on the matter within three days. The petition questioning the legitimacy of the LLB degree of the IHC judge and seeking a judicial determination on whether he lawfully held office as a high court judge was filed by lawyer Mian Daud. The court had reserved its decision on the maintainability of the plea in July last year. The case against Justice Jahangiri centres on a letter that began circulating last year on social media, purportedly from the University of Karachi’s controller of examinations, regarding the judge’s law degree. A two-member IHC bench, comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, issued the verdict today after hearing arguments on the matter. During the hearing, Ahmed Hassan Shah, who was representing the District Bar Association, contended that the matter should be referred to the Is... -
Dawn - 12:34 Dec 09, 2025
An annual survey released by Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) on Tuesday showed that the police is perceived as the most corrupt government sector in Pakistan, followed by the tender and procurement sector, and then the judiciary. According to a press release issued by TIP, the National Corruption Perception Survey aims to gauge the perception of the public on important governance issues. This year’s survey showed that 24 per cent of 4,000 people (1,000 from each province) surveyed believed police to be the most corrupt sector, with the highest level of perception of corruption in Punjab at 34pc, followed by 22pc in Balochistan, 21pc in Sindh, and 20pc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Screengrab from the Transparency International 2025 National Corruption Perception Survey shows results of this year’s survey. The department has consistently ranked the most corrupt in previous surveys conducted by TIP. Screengrab from the Transparency International 2025 National Corruption Perception Survey showing results from... -
Dawn - 12:29 Dec 09, 2025
The latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections for Pakistan suggest that the immediate risk of economic free fall has eased but the country remains locked into a narrow stabilisation path marked by weak growth, heavy debt and limited relief for households. Projections by the Fund, released early on Tuesday alongside the statement announcing a fresh disbursement of around $1.2 billion to Pakistan, showed that the country’s economic growth was projected to inch up from 2.6 per cent in FY2024 to 3.2pc by FY2026, a pace that barely matches population growth in the country of 240.5 million people. With a per capita income of $1,677, this trajectory points more to economic containment than recovery. Pakistan’s population also continues to grow at a high pace, with mid-2025 official figures citing 2.55pc, while World Bank data points to 1.8–1.9pc. Though slightly lower than past peaks, the rate remains a significant development challenge. Pakistan, however, appears to have made the most striking turnaround... -
Dawn - 11:42 Dec 09, 2025
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Tuesday said that she was not in favour of a ban on political parties or the imposition of governor’s rule in a province, but stressed that the PTI’s “recent actions” were “pushing” authorities in that direction. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Bokhari, in response to a two-part question regarding the possibility of a ban on PTI and the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, said, “As a political worker, I do not support that any party should be banned or that governor’s rule should be imposed.” But, she continued, “considering the state of affairs, the PTI is pushing us to go in that direction.” “On the one hand, KP remains most afflicted by terrorism, the police their remain understaffed; they do not yet have a Crimes Control Department (CCD), and police do not have the necessary equipment,” she said. The minister stressed that the PTI’s rhetoric was putting “Pakistan at stake, and if they do not stop, we will not be left with any other opti... -
Dawn - 10:28 Dec 09, 2025
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday announced the schedule for local government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory. The term of the local government expired in February 2021, but elections could not be held and were further delayed due to “new legislation.” In a notification also posted to social media, the ECP called on voters in the ICT to elect their representatives to the general seats of union councils. It set Dec 19 as the date for public notice inviting nomination papers to be issued by the returning officers (ROs), while Dec 22-27 (excluding Quaid-i-Azam Day on Dec 25) as the dates for filing of nomination papers with the ROs by the candidates. The names of the nominated candidates will be published on Dec 29, and the nomination papers will be scrutinised by the ROs from Dec 30 to Jan 3, 2026. From Jan 5-8, appeals may be filed against the decisions of the ROs to accept or reject the nominations. These appeals will be decided by the Appellate Authority from Jan 9-13, and the... -
Dawn - 08:53 Dec 09, 2025
The governor of the US state of Florida, Ron DeSantis, on Monday designated Muslim advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood foreign terrorist organisations. The move comes after Texas Governor Greg Abbott last month designated the CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organisations. Since then, US President Donald Trump has also issued an executive order directing agencies to initiate the formal process for designating certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisations. According to Fox News, Florida’s designation of the CAIR is at the state level. It doesn’t carry the legal force of a federal foreign terrorist organisation listing, which only the US State Department can issue. In a post on X, the Florida governor said, “Florida is designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the CAIR as foreign terrorist organisations. “Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful ... -
Dawn - 08:44 Dec 09, 2025
Reduced visibility due to fog resulted in the collision of six trailer trucks on the Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M5) on Tuesday, leaving seven people injured, according to Rescue 1122. A section of the motorway (M5) from Zahir Pir in Rahim Yar Khan to the Multan Sher Shah Interchange — near which the collision took place — was also briefly closed in the morning due to fog hampering visibility. According to a statement by the Rescue 1122, trucks being driven on the motorway collided with stationary ones due to fog. Separately, Multan Rescue 1122 spokesperson Arshad Hussain told Dawn that the collision had taken place between six trucks. The rescue service’s statement further detailed that seven people were injured in the accident, of whom two were taken out of a truck during a rescue operation. Traffic diverted due to closure National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) spokesperson Imran Shah earlier confirmed to Dawn that the M5 was closed from the Multan Sher Shah Interchange to Zahir Pir in Rahim Yar Khan betw... -
Dawn - 08:40 Dec 09, 2025
At least one person was injured after unknown assailants opened fire on PTI Senator Khurram Zeeshan’s in-laws’ home located in Hayatabad area on the outskirts of Peshawar during the early hours of Tuesday. Zeeshan was elected to the Senate in October on a general seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The seat had fallen vacant following the disqualification of PTI leader Shibli Faraz. According to the incident report filed at the Tatara police station, the attack occurred around 3:15am, with unidentified attackers opening fire on the home located in Phase 2 of Hayatabad. According to police, Syed Azhar Hussain Bukhari, the senator’s brother-in-law, said he was at his home when it came under attack. He said that one of the people working at his home, identified as Absar Ahmed, had sustained a bullet injury in the attack. He further said that his property was also damaged in the incident. The spokesperson for the PTI’s KP chapter, Ikram Khatana, also confirmed the attack. He further said that the senator was not presen... -
Dawn - 07:16 Dec 09, 2025
Reporters Without Borders said on Tuesday that Israel was responsible for nearly half of all journalists killed this year worldwide, with 29 Palestinian reporters slain by its forces in Gaza. In its annual report, the Paris-based media freedom group said the total number of journalists killed reached 67 globally this year, slightly up from the 66 killed in 2024. Israeli forces accounted for 43 per cent of the total, making them “the worst enemy of journalists”, RSF said in its report, which documented deaths over 12 months from December 2024. The most deadly single attack was a so-called “double-tap” strike on a hospital in south Gaza on August 25, which killed five journalists, including two contributors to international news agencies Reuters and the Associated Press. In total, since the start of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza in October 2023, nearly 220 journalists have died, making Israel the biggest killer of journalists worldwide for three years running, RSF data shows. Foreign reporters are still un... -
Dawn - 05:18 Dec 09, 2025
Thailand said it was taking action to expel Cambodian forces from its territory on Tuesday, as renewed fighting between the two Southeast Asian neighbours spread along the disputed border. Each side has blamed the other for the clashes, which have derailed a fragile ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump that ended five days of fighting in July. Cambodia’s Defence Ministry said two civilians had been killed overnight, taking its death toll to six. One Thai soldier has died in the fighting. In a statement on Tuesday morning, the Thai Navy said Cambodian forces had been detected inside Thai territory in the coastal province of Trat and military operations were launched to expel them, without providing further details. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said late on Monday that Thailand “must not use military force to attack civilian villages under the pretext of reclaiming its sovereignty”. Earlier, Cambodia said it had not retaliated even after its forces came under sustained attack. The Thai Navy sai... -
Dawn - 03:30 Dec 09, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations and its partners on Monday launched their 2026 global humanitarian appeal, with $64.9 million specifically earmarked to support 1.9m vulnerable people in Pakistan as part of the $33bn plan aimed at saving lives threatened by wars, climate disasters, epidemics, earthquakes and crop failures worldwide. The humanitarian appeals’ immediate priority is to save 87 million lives with $23bn in funding, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said. Ultimately, in 2026, the aim is to raise a total of $33bn to support 135m people through 23 country operations and six plans for refugees and migrants. The appeal, titled ‘2026 Response Plan’ earmarks $64.9m to provide assistance to 1.9m people in Pakistan. The aim of the appeal, called ‘Life by Life’, is to reach 135m in 50 countries in 2026, the UN agency said. UNOCHA noted that in 2025, 98m people received help despite funding cuts and attacks on aid workers. Occupied Palestinian Territory gets the largest individu... -
Dawn - 02:45 Dec 09, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC), in its detailed report submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), has endorsed Karachi University’s (KU) findings that the LLB degree of Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri was obtained through unfair means. However, the HEC claimed, it had never verified Justice Jahangiri’s law degree at any stage, nor had the judge ever approached the commission for verification. The report was filed after a bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Mohammad Azam Khan directed the HEC to provide complete academic record of Justice Jahangiri in a case pertaining to his eligibility to hold judicial office. During the hearing, the court was requested to summon the original academic record directly from Karachi University, which had cancelled the LLB degree awarded to the judge though the university decision was later suspended by the Sindh High Court. Chief Justice Dogar observed that the matter involved a serious allegation and must be exa... -
Dawn - 02:37 Dec 09, 2025
• Ayaz Sadiq feels dialogue the only way forward, says he is still ready to play his role • Barrister Gohar calls for defusing tensions, indicates all party lawmakers will resign if ‘minus-one formula’ is implemented ISLAMABAD: With the main opposition PTI threatening to boycott parliamentary proceedings if the government continued to push it against the wall, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Monday reiterated his offer to mediate between the government and the party. Responding to the points raised by PTI interim Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the NA speaker noted that dialogue was the only way forward. He asked the opposition to consult on his offer and said he would also make a request to the government. “What can be achieved by criticising the institutions. The army not only defends the borders but also fights terrorism in the country,” Mr Sadiq remarked. He added that while his previous efforts to resolve issues between the between government and the opposition had not succeeded, he w... -
Dawn - 02:13 Dec 09, 2025
THE Sindh government has announced that the Premarital and Marital Counselling Bill is in the works, an important attempt to address a long-ignored public health gap. At a press briefing last week, provincial ministers said the bill would make counselling mandatory before a marriage is registered. Couples would receive guidance on family planning, reproductive health, mental well-being, newborn care and basic communication within marriage. These are simple goals, yet their absence has cost women and families far too much. Pakistan’s maternal health indicators remain among the worst in the region. Many women face repeated, closely spaced pregnancies because they lack information or support. Others undergo multiple C-sections without understanding the risks. Unsafe abortions continue because access to reliable contraceptive advice is scarce. Too many women still do not know how to protect themselves or their babies, and too many couples make life-altering decisions without proper knowledge. The proposed bill se... -
Dawn - 01:32 Dec 09, 2025
• Allows Islamabad to draw $1bn under EFF and $200m under RSF after successful review • Says country maintained stability despite severe floods and a difficult global environment • Calls for continuing tight monetary policy, strengthening tax base, improving governance, focusing on SOE reforms and privatisation WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a fresh disbursement of around $1.2 billion to Pakistan under its dual-track bailout — the 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the climate-focused Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The decision came on Monday, after the IMF Executive Board convened in Washington. The board’s statement highlighted that “Pakistan’s strong programme implementation, despite the recent devastating floods, has maintained stability and improved financing and external conditions”. It stressed that the country’s policy priorities remain centred on maintaining macroeconomic stability and advancing reforms to strengthen public finances, enhance ... -
Dawn - 22:13 Dec 08, 2025
LAHORE: The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has lodged a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to track down and take legal action against unknown suspects who cloned the authority’s official website and sent fraudulent alerts to citizens, urging them to pay fines for pending e-challans. Separately, it wrote to the Punjab Police to trace the mobile phone numbers of the suspects, who had created the fake website and disseminated the fraudulent link. The PSCA took action when the link, containing fraudulent pending e-challans, was sent to citizens. The link urged recipients to visit the fake website and follow the steps to pay fines. The authority said that the website and link were not legitimate and confirmed that it was a phishing scheme. A collage of fraudulent text messages sent to citizens, urging them to pay traffic fines. PSCA Managing Director Ahsan Younas told Dawn that scammers use the internet for online fraud and apply various tactics to deceive citizens for finan... -
Dawn - 20:05 Dec 08, 2025
It would perhaps be sacreligious, but not amiss, to call Arshad Nadeem Pakistan’s sporting messiah. He was the saviour the country had pinned all their Olympic aspirations on when he flew to Paris last year, ultimately creating history for a nation facing a medal drought at the most spectacular sporting show on Earth. No sooner had the Olympic champion emerged in the PNS Karsaz ground that he was greeted by the dusty Karachi winter heat and pockets of fans swarming him for selfies every two metres. He obliged, as he always has to his fans. Read: Man of the people. Athletes abandoned their warmup to snap a photo with him, cramming into a single frame lest they miss the historic opportunity. Young women squealed in delight and adjusted their hair before posing for the camera, while older technical officials — the vanguard of Pakistan athletics well before Arshad was born — took his hand in both of theirs as they blessed with him a long life and more prosperity for the nation. One boy even pinched his kameez awa... -
Dawn - 19:05 Dec 08, 2025
On a scorching day of fainting veterans and rifle-shot starts, a girl named Kainat Khalil from Sindh rewrote the meaning of endurance at the 35th National Games. Athletics at the Games began not with a traditional pistol’s pop, but with the sharp, unexpected report of a rifle cutting through the cool Monday morning at the NPT&SC. It was an omen. This would be a day of raw, unvarnished struggle, where the starting command itself felt like a call to battle. The dust from the inaugural men’s 5,000m had barely settled before the December sun perched mercilessly over the open field. It transformed the arena into a kiln, making the very air an opponent. In the women’s 10,000 metres, the drama was medical: Athletes wilted, fainted and were stretchered away — vanquished not by rivals, but by the searing haze. Wapda’s Maria Bibi, who would emerge the quickest in 44 minutes and 21 seconds ahead of Navy’s Mumtaz (47:10.11), later stated the obvious with exhausted clarity. “The heat felt extreme during the race and that’... -
Dawn - 19:01 Dec 08, 2025
Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Monday signed a deal to construct a high-speed rail connecting the Gulf countries’ capitals, marking the latest sign of improved ties between the two nations that were once deeply at odds. According to a statement in the official Saudi press, the “high-speed electric passenger railway” would connect Riyadh and Doha. The Saudi cities of Al-Hofuf and Dammam are also expected to be on the network. The train would reach speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour and the trip would take roughly two hours between the two capitals. A direct flight between the cities clocks in at around 90 minutes. The project, set to be completed in six years, expects to serve 10 million passengers per year, the statement said. The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during the latter’s visit to Riyadh. The deal is just the latest in a series of moves marking the dramatic improvement in ties between the Gulf countries in recent years....
10471 items