Dawn
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Found 5467 news
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Dawn - 18:24 May 19, 2025
Small Indian grocery shops and major online fashion retailers are boycotting Turkish products ranging from chocolates, coffee, jams and cosmetics to clothing amid growing anger at Turkiye’s support for Pakistan in a confrontation with India. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressed public solidarity with Pakistan after India conducted military strikes in response to an attack in occupied Kashmir. Cross-border fighting continued for four days before a ceasefire was declared. On Monday, the All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF), which supplies 13 million mom-and-pop grocery stores, said it was launching an “indefinite and total boycott” of all Turkish-origin goods, which would affect chocolates, wafers, jams, biscuits and skincare products. Indian fashion websites owned by Walmart-backed Flipkart and billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance have removed numerous Turkish apparel brands, according to three sources and a review of their websites. Flipkart’s fashion website Myntra removed listi... -
Dawn - 18:12 May 19, 2025
Justice Hashim Kakar observed on Monday that Noor Mukadam was “mercilessly murdered” as the Supreme Court took up accused Zahir Jaffer’s appeal against his death sentence. Noor, aged 27 years, was found murdered at Zahir’s Islamabad residence in July 2021, with the probe revealing she was tortured before being beheaded. Zahir’s death sentence by the trial court was upheld by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), which had also turned his jail term over rape charges into a second death penalty. Justice Kakar was leading a three-member bench, which included Justices Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Ali Baqar Najafi. Barrister Salman Safdar appeared as Zahir’s counsel while Advocate Shah Khawar was present on behalf of Noor’s father, retired diplomat Shaukat Mukadam. The accused’s lawyer contended that no medical board was formed to assess his client’s mental state. The hearing was adjourned till tomorrow, with both sides’ counsels expected to present their arguments. During the previous hearing, Safdar had sought more time from t... -
Dawn - 16:59 May 19, 2025
Twelve terrorists of “Indian proxy” outfits were killed by security forces while two personnel were martyred in separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Monday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were conducted on Saturday and Sunday against the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan group in KP and the proscribed Balochistan Liberation Front in Balochistan. It said an IBO was conducted in Lakki Marwat district during which troops engaged the enemy at its location and sent “five Indian sponsored” terrorists to “hell”. In a second IBO in Bannu district, two “Indian sponsored” terrorists were “successfully neutralised” by the security forces. It added that terrorists ambushed a security forces convoy in another incident in North Waziristan district’s general area of Mir Ali, adding that two “Indian sponsored” terrorists were “sent to hell” after the effective response of troops. “However, during the in... -
Dawn - 16:38 May 19, 2025
A fire broke out once again in Islamabad’s Margalla Hills on Monday, prompting an emergency response from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and district administration officials. According to the spokesman of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, firefighters from the CDA were called into action after a blaze erupted in the Margalla Hills. He said that more than 70 firefighters were taking part in the operation to control the fire. District administration officers also reached the site to support the efforts and confirmed that the fire had been brought under control earlier in the day, but it reignited due to dry conditions and wind. “Efforts are underway again. Our teams are working to bring the situation under control shortly,” the spokesman said. The fire was lit in a forested area, causing concern among authorities and residents due to the ecological importance of the hills. These hills are part of the Margalla Hills National Park, which hosts a wide range of plant and animal life. CDA’s... -
Dawn - 13:40 May 19, 2025
Former US president Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, his office said in a statement on Sunday. Biden, 82, was diagnosed on Friday after experiencing urinary symptoms, and he and his family are reviewing treatment options with doctors, according to the statement. “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office said. Taking to his X account on Monday, Biden wrote: “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.” Cancers that have spread, or metastasised, are considered Stage 4, the most advanced. Most prostate cancers are detected at an earlier stage. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, of the 236,659 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in 2021, 70 per cent were diagnosed before the cancer had spre... -
Dawn - 13:15 May 19, 2025
Britain agreed the most significant reset of defence and trade ties with the European Union since Brexit on Monday after US President Donald Trump’s upending of the global order pushed the two sides to move on from their acrimonious divorce. Nearly nine years after it voted to leave the bloc, Britain, the second largest defence spender in Europe, will take part in joint procurement projects. The sides also agreed to make it easier for UK food and visitors to reach the EU, and signed a contentious new fishing deal. Trump’s tariffs, alongside warnings that Europe should do more to protect itself, forced governments around the world to rethink trade, defence and security ties, bringing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer closer to France’s Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders. Starmer, who backed remaining in the EU in the Brexit referendum, also bet that offering benefits to Britons, such as the use of faster e-gates at EU airports, would drown out the cries of “betrayal” from Brexit campaigner Nigel Fara... -
Dawn - 12:46 May 19, 2025
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Monday nominated Justice Ejaz Swati as the top judge of the Balochistan High Court (BHC). A press release issued today by the Supreme Court’s public relations officer said a “JCP meeting of the judicial commission was held to consider the nominations for the BHC chief justice’s appointment. “The Commission, by consensus, has nominated Mr Muhammad Ejaz Swati, Acting Chief Justice High Court of Balochistan, for his appointment as Chief Justice of the High Court of Balochistan,” the release said. A circular from the JCP secretary to the prime minister’s principal secretary requested that further action be taken in this regard. Justice Swati had taken his oath as the acting BHC chief justice on February 14. According to his profile, Justice Swati was born on June 6, 1963, in Quetta. He completed his primary and secondary education at the Tameer-i-Nau Public School, Quetta, in 1978. He pursued a graduate degree in English from the University of Balochistan and completed... -
Dawn - 12:32 May 19, 2025
Pro-EU Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski scored a narrow win in round one of Poland’s presidential election but faces an uphill struggle after right-wing and far-right candidates won a majority of votes, analysts said on Monday. Trzaskowski, who is backed by the governing centrists, will face nationalist historian Karol Nawrocki in the June 1 run-off vote. An overall victory for Trzaskowski as head of state would be a boost for the centrist government led by former European Union leader Donald Tusk, which has been at loggerheads with the current nationalist president. A Nawrocki win would probably extend the political deadlock in the Central European country of 38 million people, which is a member of NATO and the EU. Analysts predict that fresh parliamentary elections may have to be called. With all ballots counted, the national election commission said Trzaskowski won 31.36 per cent against 29.54pc for Nawrocki in Sunday’s first round. The razor-thin margin between the two sets the stage for a fierce electoral ... -
Dawn - 12:08 May 19, 2025
The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday dismissed reports of the Indian media claiming that Pakistan used nuclear-capable Shaheen missiles during the recent tensions with India. New Delhi had accused Islamabad, without evidence, of orchestrating last month’s deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Pakistan had strongly denied the allegations and called for a neutral probe. As the situation turned into a military confrontation between the nuclear powers, it took American intervention for both sides to agree to a ceasefire. A day earlier, the Indian army claimed that Pakistan launched a nuclear-capable Shaheen missile at India during the intense shelling, News Arena India reported. A video released by the Indian army allegedly showed the use of the Shaheen missile during the recent crossfire, according to NDTV. In a statement today, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly rejected the unfounded allegations circulating in certain segments of the Indian media, which fals... -
Dawn - 12:07 May 19, 2025
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued last week’s renewed momentum and crossed the 120,000-point barrier to reach a record high during intraday trade on Monday before losing its gains to settle a little below. The benchmark KSE-100 index climbed 636.4 points, or 0.53 per cent, to stand at 120,285.54 points from the previous close of 119,649.14 points at 9:33am. However, it witnessed fluctuation, dropping to 119,426.44 points at 11:44am, 222.70 points lower than the last close. The market subsequently closed at 119,689.63 points, 40.49 points higher, or 0.03pc. After the Pakistan-India ceasefire relieved investors’ worries, the PSX recorded a historic rebound last week as the KSE-100 Index gained 12,474 points to settle at 119,649 on Friday. The bullish momentum in recent days has been further supported by the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) approval of the first review of Pakistan’s loan programme and a climate fund, as well as the disbursement of a $1 billion tranche. Yousuf M. Farooq, director of ... -
Dawn - 12:03 May 19, 2025
Pakistan’s agriculture sector is grappling with a deepening crisis, which is likely to worsen in the coming years. The prices of agricultural commodities have been on a consistent downward slide in international markets, and so have they in local markets. Meanwhile, agricultural input prices in Pakistan continue to rise. This growing imbalance — rising production costs amid government claims of easing inflation, coupled with shrinking farm incomes — raises serious concerns about the long-term viability of farming in the country. Global food inflation, triggered during the Covid-19 pandemic, is gradually subsiding. A review of the World Bank’s commodities price data over the past three years highlights this downward trend. Maize price, which stood at $319 per metric tonne (MT) in 2022 (annual average), has now dropped to $214 per MT in 2025 (Jan-March average). Similarly, the price of wheat has declined significantly, falling from $430 per MT in 2022 to $258 per MT in 2025. The coarse variety of rice, which wa... -
Dawn - 11:44 May 19, 2025
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday arrived in China’s capital of Beijing on a three-day official visit at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi amid regional tensions, state-owned Radio Pakistan reported. The visit comes as tensions remain high in the region following last week’s ceasefire between Pakistan and India after a tense military standoff over the Pahalgam attack in Occupied Kashmir — which India blamed on Pakistan without evidence. On May 6–7, Indian air strikes in Punjab and Azad Kashmir killed civilians, prompting Islamabad to shoot down five Indian jets. After drone interceptions and airbase strikes, US intervention on May 10 led to a ceasefire. India has maintained its aggressive stance, while Pakistan has warned against further escalation and offered dialogue. “Today, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar arrived in Beijing on a three-day official visit from 19-21 May 2025. He was received at the airport by senior Chinese off... -
Dawn - 10:39 May 19, 2025
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has denied reports of withdrawal from all Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events amid recent tensions with Pakistan, according to Indian media. Earlier, The Indian Express, citing sources, reported that the BCCI had informed the ACC about its decision to pull out from the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Sri Lanka next month and from the biennial Men’s Asia Cup in September in a bid to “isolate Pakistan cricket.” “The Indian team can’t play in a tournament that is organised by the ACC whose chief is a Pakistan minister”, the source said, referring to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was appointed as the new president of the ACC last month. The outlet further quoted the source as saying that the BCCI was aware that an Asia Cup without India was not a feasible option as many of the sponsors of international cricket events were from India. The International Cricket Council (ICC), the global governing body for cricket, did no... -
Dawn - 09:36 May 19, 2025
Six people, including three women, lost their lives in an exchange of fire over a family feud on Monday in the Khatko Pul area of Peshawar in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, according to a Rescue 1122 spokesperson. Seven people were reported to have been shot in the exchange of fire between two families, six of whom died on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Fazl Amin, Hazrat Amin, Ahmed, along with three women. Another woman was reported to be critically injured and has been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital. “The incident took place when a dispute over family issues escalated and members of both families opened indiscriminate fire at each other,” said Rescue 1122 KP spokesperson Bilal Faizi. According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Peshawar Noor Jamal who oversees investigations, a first information report (FIR) has been registered, and three have been named as accused. Raids are currently underway to arrest them. “The sister of one of the accused had died three days ago,” as per the SSP. The accus... -
Dawn - 09:10 May 19, 2025
A family suffered from health problems after consuming food believed to be contaminated, resulting in the death of three siblings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera district, police said on Monday. Nowshera police spokesperson Turk Ali Shah told Dawn.com, “The family had consumed Mithai [sweets] with tea at night, after which their condition deteriorated.” “Three siblings have died after consuming poisonous food. Their mother was in critical condition,” he added. He said that the family were shifted to the Qazi Hussain Ahmad Medical Complex, where the siblings — 8-year-old Maryam, 6-year-old Hareem and 4-year-old Muhammad Yaman — were pronounced dead. “The mother is undergoing treatment at the hospital,” Shah continued. The police lodged an inquiry report on the complaint of Bakht Sher, the children’s father, the spokesperson said, adding that an investigation was underway to ascertain the cause of the deaths. In April, three children lost their lives while five others were in critical condition after having “p... -
Dawn - 08:37 May 19, 2025
India’s meteoric rise over the past decade has imbued its leadership with a confidence that, at times, borders on hubris. An average GDP growth rate of 6.7 per cent from 2014 to 2024 has propelled India’s nominal GDP to a projected $4.2 trillion by 2025, outpacing many global economies, including China’s 6pc growth over the same period. Strategic partnerships like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a burgeoning tech sector, and a youthful population of 1.36 billion have fuelled ambitions of great-power status. Yet, this self-assurance has led to diplomatic bristling, notably India’s irritation with US mediation in its recent ceasefire with Pakistan, which The Economist reported as a perceived slight to New Delhi’s sovereignty. More sobering was a recent aerial skirmish, detailed by the Financial Times, where China’s J-10 ‘Dragon’ fighters outmatched India’s Western-supplied aircraft, exposing technological disparities. A realistic comparison of India and China reveals a stark truth: despite rapid pro... -
Dawn - 08:26 May 19, 2025
The current tense regional environment likely underpins the government’s proposal, endorsed by its largest coalition partner, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party, to raise the defence budget by 18 per cent for the next fiscal year. The critical question for a resource-constrained country, however, remains: who will pay for it? Driven by patriotism and deep respect for a military establishment that successfully repelled the strategic ambitions of a hostile neighbour five times its size, most Pakistanis would readily pledge to defend the nation’s sovereignty and support the security apparatus in any way they can. However, is it fair, or economically prudent, to place a greater burden on those already living below poverty line, or to further tax businesses that are essential to job creation and unlocking the country’s vast human potential? Younus Dagha, former Sindh minister and federal secretary, and current Chairman of the Policy Research and Advisory Council at Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, advocated for ... -
Dawn - 07:15 May 19, 2025
PPP’s Senator Sherry Rehman said on Monday that India built a false narrative during the recent conflict with Pakistan, and now Islamabad will have stay active on the diplomatic front to expose the Indian propaganda. On the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan will high-level diplomatic delegation to important world capitals to expose Indian propaganda in the aftermath of the recent military escalation with India. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has been entrusted to lead the delegation comprising Senator Sherry Rehman, Dr Musadik Malik, Engineer Khurram Dastgir, Hina Rabbani Khar, Faisal Subzwari, Tehmina Janjua, and Jalil Abbas Jilani. The delegation will visit London, Washington, Paris, and Brussels to highlight India’s disinformation campaign and its attempts to destabilise regional peace. Speaking to Geo News today, Sherry said apart from the military front, diplomacy during conflict is an important front, as India built a false narrative using “fake news”. She said Bilawal has eme... -
Dawn - 06:32 May 19, 2025
LAHORE: The Lahore General Hospital (LGH) is embroiled in a controversy as it has been found dispensing irregular and unnecessary medicines, mostly antibiotics, to the patients, putting the health and lives of many of them at stake. The new scam surfaced when the Punjab health department detected several ‘faulty entries’ of the dispensation of medicines to the patients in order to show to the chief minister that the hospital was following her order to provide free medicines/care to the poor patients. An official privy to the development said that the medicines were officially dispensed to the outpatient department (OPD) patients from the hospital’s pharmacy reportedly in violation of the standard healthcare protocols. He said the consultants at the hospital OPD used to update the prescribed slips on the official portal that was linked to the relevant departments, including the official pharmacy of the teaching institute, from where the free medicine was given to the poor/needy patients. Protocols violated to ... -
Dawn - 05:30 May 19, 2025
SAHIWAL: Additional District and Sessions Judge Farrukh Hameed acquitted all seven accused in the murder cases of three members of the Ahmadiyya community, which occurred in 2019 and 2021. The accused included former Union Council chairman Husnain Ali and district office-bearers of the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat organization: Naseeb Ali, Naseer Ali, Muhammad Manasif, Shujaat Ali, and Amjad Asger. Another accused Muhammad Hasan Ramay died of natural causes during court proceedings. According to the report, on Dec 8, 2019, Basharat Ahmed, a village lumberdar, and his brother Mubarik Ahmed were shot dead in broad daylight by nine unidentified assailants on motorcycles in village 99A/6-R, Sahiwal. The incident was suspected to be a sectarian killing. The attackers, whose faces were covered, managed to flee the scene. Farid Town Police registered an FIR against Husnain Ali, Abdul Ghaffar, Naseeb Ali, Naseer Ali, Manasib Ali, Mukhtar Ali, Amjad Ali, Shujat Ali, and two unknown suspects based on a complaint filed by Mubarik’s...
5467 items