Dawn
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Dawn - 04:47 Jun 29, 2025
SAHIWAL: The Okanwala Bangla police has booked two individuals in separate cases for allegedly spreading sectarian hatred and sharing blasphemous content on social media under the newly-amended Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016. The FIRs were lodged on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Riaz Ahmed of Okanwala police and the suspects were booked under sections 295-A and 298-C of the PPC and section 11 of Peca. According to reports, a resident of Haseeb Town allegedly posted blasphemous content from his social media account, which subsequently went viral within the local community. The content reportedly contained inflammatory sectarian comments, inciting discord among the residents of surrounding rural areas. In the other incident, a resident of village 105/12-L was accused of sharing a video containing sectarian content and using hate speech against religious sects. Police claimed his mobile phone contained a video attacking revered religious figures. Police started investigation but so far no arres... -
Dawn - 04:45 Jun 29, 2025
KARACHI: The provincial health department on Saturday reported fourth death from Naegleria fowleri in Sindh. According to officials, a 17-year-old student reportedly suddenly developed fever, body aches and vomiting on June 25. A day later, he was admitted to the Aga Khan University Hospital where he tested positive for the deadly infection. On June 27, his condition deteriorated and he was shifted to ventilator support. The patient had no history of swimming, the officials said and added that apparently he contracted the infection through the contaminated, or non-chlorinated, tap water. According to experts, lack of filtration and chlorination of potable water is a major source of Naegleria’s infection. Besides, city’s water distribution system is faulty, allowing seepage of sewage in the domestic water supply lines, which in turn gets contaminated and causes harmful diseases. Karachi recorded this year’s first death from Naegleria fowleri in March. The woman victim was a resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal and died... -
Dawn - 04:24 Jun 29, 2025
KHYBER: A rapid increase in use of ecstasy pills and ice (crystal meth) by majority of youth has alarmed parents, health professionals and civil society activists in Khyber tribal district. Information collected by this scribe about the excessive use of ecstasy pills and ice by local youth unfolds a horrifying situation as the drug is now considered an essential ‘ingredient’ in social gatherings like weddings, engagements and other festive or recreational ceremonies owing to its easy availability throughout Khyber. Locals said that a majority of youth had gone out of the control of their parents or other family members as those two ‘lethal’ drugs were easily available in designated shops, kiosks, private houses and hujras and even outside educational institutions and sports grounds where those could be supplied through motorcycles or young carriers by using mobile phone service in all the three tehsils of Khyber. Ghafoor Shah, a social activist in Landi Kotal, said that local drug addicts invented their own n... -
Dawn - 03:38 Jun 29, 2025
President Donald Trump on Saturday lashed out at prosecutors in Israel over the corruption trial that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced, saying Washington, having given billions of dollars worth of aid to Israel, was not going to “stand for this”. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which he denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. “It is INSANITY doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, adding that the judicial process was going to interfere with Netanyahu’s ability to conduct talks with Palestinian militants Hamas, and Iran. Trump’s second post over the course of a few days defending Netanyahu and calling for the cancellation of the trial went a step further to tie Israel’s legal action to US aid. “The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar [sic] a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We ... -
Dawn - 03:35 Jun 29, 2025
NAROWAL:Funeral prayers for nine members of a family who drowned in the Swat River were offered in Daska, Sialkot, on Sunday. A large number of grieving relatives and thousands of citizens attended the ceremony as the victims were laid to rest in their ancestral graveyard. The bodies of the victims, who were swept away by flash floods on Friday, were brought to Daska by ambulances. Among the deceased were 45-year-old Rubina Kausar, and her daughters 20-year-old Tazmeen and 16-year-old Shermeen, whose funeral prayers were held at Darul Uloom Madina, Daska. Seven-year-old Mohammad Ayaan and 15-year-old Imam, siblings, were laid to rest following funeral prayers at Eidgah on Sambrial Road. Four daughters of Muhammad Mohsin, 17-year-old Meerab, 18-year-old Ajwa, 13-year-old Mashal and 7-year-old Anfal, were also among the victims. Their funeral prayers were offered at Noor Masjid on College Road, Daska. Gujranwala Commissioner Syed Naveed Haider, RPO Tayyab Hafeez Cheema, DPO Sialkot Faisal Shahzad, Assistant Com... -
Dawn - 03:23 Jun 29, 2025
KARACHI: India’s attempt to disrupt Pakistan’s external trade by banning ships carrying Pakistani goods from anchoring at its ports has failed to yield the desired impact, according to shipping industry representatives. On May 2, India imposed a ban on ships carrying goods originating from or destined for Pakistan, barring them from entering Indian ports or transiting through Indian territory. The move followed military aggression under ‘Operation Sindoor’ launched on May 7, which ended within four days due to Pakistan’s forceful retaliation. While India initially sought to hurt Pakistan’s trade flows, the outcome fell short of expectations. Shipping companies reportedly adapted by separating cargo bound for and from Pakistan, thereby avoiding dependence on Indian ports. Importers, however, said the Indian ban has resulted in longer shipping times and higher freight charges. “Mother vessels are not coming to Pakistan due to this Indian action, which delays our imports by 30 to 50 days,” said Javed Bilwani, Pr... -
Dawn - 18:24 Jun 28, 2025
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday slammed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for its failure to address the Swat River flash flood a day prior, as 11 bodies have been dredged from the waterway by rescuers. At least 19 people have been killed and six others injured in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid heavy rains and the consequent flash floods and landslides, according to data from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). Separately, KP Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah suspended Swat Additional Deputy Commissioner for relief Ihsan-ul-Haq, Babuzai Assistant Commissioner (AC) Nida Iqbal and Khwazakhela AC Muhammad Amir Khan. Tarar expressed his grief over the disaster in the Swat River, stating, “Whenever there’s a natural disaster, it is the government’s responsibility to extend relief.” Speaking about the KP government suspending the Swat deputy commissioner, Tarar said that KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur should have been suspended instead. “The CM should have been suspended; a man who say... -
Dawn - 18:16 Jun 28, 2025
The United States and the Group of Seven nations have agreed to support a proposal that would exempt US companies from some components of an existing global agreement, the G7 said in a statement on Saturday. The group has created a “side-by-side” system in response to the US administration agreeing to scrap the Section 899 retaliatory tax proposal from President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill, it said in a statement from Canada, the head of the rolling G7 presidency. The G7 said the plan recognises existing US minimum tax laws and aims to bring more stability to the international tax system. G7 officials said that they look forward to discussing a solution that is “acceptable and implementable to all”. In January, through an executive order, Trump declared that the global corporate minimum tax deal was not applicable in the US, effectively pulling out of the landmark 2021 arrangement negotiated by the Biden administration with nearly 140 countries. He had also vowed to impose a retaliatory tax against c... -
Dawn - 17:34 Jun 28, 2025
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Saturday stated that Pakistan proved itself as a “net region stabiliser” after having repelled Indian military aggression twice and demonstrating its commitment to regional security. The remarks followed recent tensions between India and Pakistan over New Delhi’s allegations against Islamabad, without evidence, about a 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. Speaking at the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi, COAS Munir said that Pakistan will protect its sovereignty and national interests decisively and without hesitation, state media PTV reported. The report quoted the army chief as saying, “In recent years, India has twice undertaken acts of unprovoked aggression against Pakistan, which were met with our resolute response.... -
Dawn - 17:00 Jun 28, 2025
Lando Norris delivered a superb final flying lap in his McLaren on Saturday to end Max Verstappen’s run of domination in qualifying at the Red Bull Ring by claiming pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix. The 25-year-old Briton clocked an outstanding lap in one minute and 3.971 seconds to outpace nearest rival Charles Leclerc of Ferrari by 0.521 seconds, with McLaren team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri third. Norris, who is 22 points behind Piastri in the drivers’ title race, erased any hangover from his collision with Piastri in Canada two weeks ago with a thrilling demonstration of his speed and talent. “It was a good lap, that’s for sure,” said Norris. “I guess that just little bit by little bit, I was able to get more time. Q1 was good, but I knew there were a few places I could get more time and I did what I planned to do.” Verstappen had taken pole position at the Red Bull-owned circuit in the Styrian Alps for the last five F1 races before Norris succeeded and seized his first pole in Aus... -
Dawn - 16:31 Jun 28, 2025
Thirteen security personnel were martyred in a suicide bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district on Saturday, carried out by Indian proxy Fitna-al-Khawarij, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). According to the military’s media wing, a vehicle-borne suicide attacker targeted a security convoy in the district’s Mir Ali area, before being intercepted by the convoy’s lead vehicle. In July last year, the government designated the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as Fitna-al-Khawarij, while mandating all institutions to use the term khariji (outcast) when referring to the perpetrators of terrorist attacks on Pakistan. “In their desperation, an explosive-laden vehicle was rammed by the Indian sponsored kharijis into one of the vehicles of the leading group,” the ISPR stated. “Thirteen brave sons of [the] soil, embraced shahadat (martyrdom) [and] in this tragic and barbaric incident, two children and a woman [were also] severely injured.” The martyred perso... -
Dawn - 15:03 Jun 28, 2025
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Saturday warned that there is a risk of urban flooding across the southern district of Sindh, as rains lash Karachi and are forecast to continue tomorrow. Karachi has been experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall since Thursday night, bringing on reprieve from the scorching summer heat. Monsoon rains continue to lash many parts of the country, prompting authorities to release an urban flooding warning for several cities. Monsoon rains fall across the region from June to September every year. According to an NDMA alert on X, there is a risk of urban flooding within the next 48 hours in the districts of Sujawal, Thatta, Badin, Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas. The authority also issued an urban flood warning for “the low-lying areas of Pothohar/northeast Punjab”, including Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot and Lahore. Meanwhile, two people died in rain-related incidents in Karachi, according to police, hospital and rescue officials. Police su... -
Dawn - 14:53 Jun 28, 2025
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday ordered the government to dissolve the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and transfer its powers to the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (MCI), according to a court order seen by Dawn.com. Established in 1960, the CDA is a civic organisation tasked with the development of the federal capital. The authority’s official website said that it plays a “pivotal role in the sustainable development and management” of the city. A day earlier, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard two writ petitions challenging a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) issued by the CDA in 2015 imposing Direct Access and Right of Way (ROW) charges on petrol pump/CNG stations located on major roads in Islamabad. Today’s judgment said that the CDA charged the petitioners an amount of Rs337,442,856 for payment “under ROW charges”. It said that the “issuance of SRO constitutes an illegal act and is unconstitutional” under Article 77 of the Constitution, which directs that taxation powers must be exercise... -
Dawn - 14:24 Jun 28, 2025
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan has ordered the suspension of 26 opposition MPAs for 15 sittings of the provincial legislature after their protests disrupted the proceedings, it emerged on Saturday. The members raised slogans and protested during Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s speech in the assembly yesterday, when she responded to PTI leadership’s comments that ex-premier Nawaz Sharif — also an MNA — had been removed from the political arena. According to an order issued by Malik on Friday, the suspended MPAs “became disorderly, beyond all parliamentary reasoning and practices”, including tearing the agenda papers and hurling torn pieces towards the treasury benches as well as using “offensive, abusive, and unparliamentary language and slogans”. The order was issued under Rule 210 of the Punjab Assembly Rules of Procedure 1997 (power to order withdrawal or suspension of member) and stated that the 26 MPAs violated four provisions of Rule 223. These were (c) (shall not interrupt any member wh... -
Dawn - 13:12 Jun 28, 2025
Pakistan is leading the Global Emerging Markets (EM) Rankings, indicating improvement in default risk, Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said on Saturday. The current government has reassured that the country has moved onto a path of economic recovery and growth, witnessing “economic stabilisation” after a period of turbulence and uncertainty. Some assessments by global rating agencies have signalled gradual improvements in key economic indicators. In a statement on X, Schehzad said, “As per the latest data posted by Bloomberg Intelligence, Pakistan stands out globally as the most improved economy in terms of reduction in sovereign default risk, as measured by CDS-implied probability.” He said that the country has topped the Global Emerging Markets rankings with the “largest drop in sovereign default risk globally over the last 12 months”. The statement said, “[The] default probability [went] down from 59 per cent to 47pc, a massive 1,100 basis points improvement.” “This marks the sharpest decl... -
Dawn - 11:59 Jun 28, 2025
The British government has distanced the incoming head of its foreign intelligence service from her grandfather following reports he was a Nazi spy known as “the Butcher”. Blaise Metreweli will, in the autumn, become the first woman to lead MI6 in its 116-year-old history, the British government announced earlier this month. The Daily Mail newspaper reported this week that her grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Union’s Red Army to become a Nazi informant in the Chernigiv region of modern-day Ukraine. The newspaper said German archives showed Dobrowolski was known as “the Butcher” or “Agent No 30” by Wehrmacht commanders. “Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement. “Blaise’s ancestry is characterised by conflict and division and, as is the case for many with eastern European heritage, only partially understood. It is precisely this complex heritage which has contributed to her commitment to prevent conflict and p... -
Dawn - 11:19 Jun 28, 2025
The US Supreme Court’s ruling tied to birthright citizenship prompted confusion and phone calls to lawyers as people who could be affected tried to process a convoluted legal decision with major humanitarian implications. The court’s conservative majority on Friday granted President Donald Trump his request to curb federal judges’ power but did not decide the legality of his bid to restrict birthright citizenship. That outcome has raised more questions than answers about a right long understood to be guaranteed under the US Constitution: that anyone born in the United States is considered a citizen at birth, regardless of their parents’ citizenship or legal status. Lorena, a 24-year-old Colombian asylum seeker who lives in Houston and is due to give birth in September, pored over media reports on Friday morning. She was looking for details about how her baby might be affected, but said she was left confused and worried. “There are not many specifics,” said Lorena, who like others interviewed by Reuters asked ... -
Dawn - 09:53 Jun 28, 2025
France will ban smoking on beaches and in parks, public gardens and bus shelters from Sunday, the government said. The decree, published in the official government gazette on Saturday, will also ban smoking outside libraries, swimming pools and schools, and is aimed at protecting children from passive smoking. The decree did not mention electronic cigarettes. Violators of the ban will face a fine of €135 (Rs44,849). “Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children,” Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin had said in May, underscoring “the right of children to breathe pure air”. Cafe terraces are excluded from the ban. Some 75,000 people are estimated to die from tobacco-related complications each year in France. According to a recent opinion survey, six out of 10 French people (62 per cent) favour a smoking ban in public places. -
Dawn - 08:45 Jun 28, 2025
At least two more people died in a rain-related incident in Punjab on Saturday, taking the province’s death toll for the past four days to 14, according to rescue officials and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). Monsoon rains across the region offer respite from the summer heat and are vital for agriculture and food security. Weather-related incidents are common during the season, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity. Two people died while four were wounded in a roof collapse incident reported at 3:20am in the Abbas Nagar area of Lahore’s Shahdara Town, Rescue 1122 said in a statement today. It noted that the house was single-storied and the roof was made of mud. The bodies were taken to Shahdara Hospital, where some of the injured were also taken, while others wounded were brought to Mayo Hospital. Separately, eight children were among 12 dead while 39 others were injured in various rain-related incidents across Punjab since Wednesday, according to a PDM... -
Dawn - 07:04 Jun 28, 2025
LAHORE: Ecotourism, the country’s pioneering initiative, led by the Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department, and developed in accordance with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria, marks the first structured effort that offers a unique blend of nature-based experiences, animal conservation, cultural immersion and education, ensuring sustainable tourism that benefits both biodiversity and local communities. Considering the ecological significance of Changa Manga, Uchali Lake and Chashma for their rich flora and fauna, these sites were strategically selected for ecotourism development, officials at the Forest, Wildlife and Fisheries Department told Dawn. Mentioning initiatives taken under the spotlight of ecotourism, the officials said the proposed ecotourism development. Changa Manga Forest Reserve, located 80km south of Lahore, spans over 12,500 acres and is one of the world’s largest man-made forests. It is home to a rich variety of native flora and fauna. With the proposed ecotourism developme...
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