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Dawn - 18:08 May 04, 2025
Pakistan on Sunday banned the import of Indian-origin goods transiting through Pakistan by land, sea and air and prohibited the transit of goods exported to India by third countries, a notification from the commerce ministry said. An attack on April 22 in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in one of the deadliest assaults since 2000. India has implied cross-border links without evidence, while Pakistan has rejected the claim and called for a neutral probe. Tensions have since spiked, with Pakistan reinforcing its forces as it expected an incursion and India’s premier granting “operational freedom” to his military. As temperatures remain high, both nations have imposed tit-for-tat measures on each other in a tug-of-war started by India. The notification, which has been seen by Dawn.com, stated that these bans would not be applicable to goods for which a bill of lading or letter of credit had already been issued. The ministry banned, “the import of Indian origin goods by third countr... -
Dawn - 17:23 May 04, 2025
Brazilian police on Sunday said they had arrested two people in connection with a foiled plot to attack Lady Gaga’s packed mega-concert in Rio de Janeiro. Rio’s civil police force said that “together with the ministry of justice”, it had “prevented a bomb attack that would have occurred at Lady Gaga’s concert in Copacabana” on Saturday night. Officials said the superstar’s huge free gig on the beach, her first concert in Brazil since 2012, drew up to two million people. Writing on X, Rio police said it had arrested an adult who was “responsible for the plot” as well as a teenager in the operation codenamed “Fake Monster” — a reference to the US pop diva’s pet name for her fans, “Little Monsters”. It said those involved had recruited people online to “carry out attacks using improvised explosives” and Molotov cocktails as “a collective challenge with the aim of “gaining notoriety on social media”. The police added that the group behind the plot “spread hate speech”, radicalised youths, and used self-harm on di... -
Dawn - 15:34 May 04, 2025
United States President Donald Trump said in a television interview airing on Sunday that he does not know whether he must uphold the US Constitution. He also said he is not seriously considering running for a third White House term, after musing publicly over an idea clearly barred by the nation’s founding legal document. “I don’t know,” Trump responded when the host of NBC News programme ‘Meet the Press’, Kristen Welker, asked directly whether he believes he needs to uphold the supreme law of the land. Asked specifically whether American citizens and non-citizens alike deserve the due process of law, as the US Constitution states, Trump said: “I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know.” The president’s aggressive moves to deport undocumented migrants — some without the benefit of a court hearing — have drawn widespread criticism, but Trump insists it is necessary in the face of what he has declared to be a “national emergency”. The suggestion of possibly seeking a third term in office has been sharply questioned by le... -
Dawn - 15:25 May 04, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The two telecom companies have agreed to pay outstanding taxes totalling Rs26 billion to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) instead of pursuing further litigation after losing a case in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The Large Taxpayer Office (LTO) Islamabad had decided to attach the bank accounts of the two telecoms before they could file an appeal against the court decision. The LTO remained operational on Saturday for the purpose of attaching the bank accounts of Telenor Pakistan and Deodar Pakistan, a subsidiary of Jazz. Following the promulgation of Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, the FBR has started recovery proceedings and enforcement measures. The FBR officials were preparing for a forceful recovery of taxes through the attachment of bank accounts of these two companies falling under the jurisdiction of the LTO Islamabad, as the head offices of both companies are situated in the federal capital. Both companies had gone to court over tax on equipment import However, a final settlement ... -
Dawn - 13:23 May 04, 2025
A small plane has crashed into a backyard of a residential neighbourhood in southern California, in the United States, killing two people onboard and damaging homes, local authorities said. The Ventura County Fire Department said firefighters received reports on Saturday afternoon of a single-engine aircraft that had crashed into two houses in Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles. Police and the medical examiner’s office “verified there were two passengers in the aircraft, both of whom were fatally injured in the accident,” the county fire department wrote on X. The two homes were occupied at the time of the crash but no injuries to residents were reported, the fire department said. Photo and video images posted by the department showed firefighters on top of a house with holes in the roof, a fence and brick wall between residences knocked down, and the tops of trees sheared off. The Simi Valley Police Department said officers had located the plane “in the backyard of a residence.” Police told CBS News that ... -
Dawn - 11:24 May 04, 2025
President Asif Ali Zardari promulgated four ordinances on Friday — one of them to increase the salaries of federal ministers and ministers of state to match those of National Assembly members (MNAs). In February, the lower house of the parliament passed the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025 — already approved by the Senate — with a majority vote, increasing the salary of the parliament members. The National Assembly’s Finance Committee, headed by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, approved the proposed increase of the monthly salary of each MNA and senator to Rs519,000. Previously, lawmakers received a monthly salary of Rs180,000. “The federal ministers and ministers of state shall receive a monthly salary equivalent to the salary of a member of the National Assembly,” read the ordinance. The changes were made to the Federal Ministers and Ministers of State (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act, 1975. The ministers’ salaries will now be Rs519,000 per month and equivalent to the MNAs.... -
Dawn - 10:33 May 04, 2025
Afghanistan officials on Sunday expressed their concern that the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India would have a “direct negative impact” on Kabul and the region. After an attack on April 22 in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam killed 26 people, India, without investigation or evidence, implied “cross-border linkages” of the attackers. Pakistan has firmly rejected the claim and called for a neutral probe. In response to India’s aggressive moves against the country, Pakistan had announced retaliatory measures that have included halting all border trade, closing its airspace and ports to Indian carriers and expelling Indian diplomats. Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Hekmatullah Zaland, the deputy director of the Afghan foreign ministry’s Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS), said: “Since Pakistan and India are located in our neighbourhood, if this tension spreads, it will have a direct negative impact on the region and Afghanistan.” The CSS deputy director added, “We are currently interacting wit... -
Dawn - 10:02 May 04, 2025
Chinese president Xi Jinping will make an official visit to Russia from May 7-10, where he will participate in celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Kremlin said on Sunday. In a statement on Telegram, the Kremlin said that Xi will discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin the development of the two countries’ strategic partnership, as well as signing a number of documents. “During the talks, the main issues of further development of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction, as well as current issues on the international and regional agenda will be discussed,” the Kremlin said. The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in World War II but pushed Nazi forces back to Berlin, where Hitler died by suicide and the red Soviet Victory Banner was raised over the Reichstag in 1945. Several other national leaders are expected at the celebrations, including the presidents of Brazil and Serbia, and the prime minister of Slovakia. Putin has proposed a three-day ce... -
Dawn - 09:18 May 04, 2025
Karachi could experience isolated dust and thunderstorms accompanied by rain on Monday evening, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Sunday. The PMD has predicted that a westerly wave is affecting the upper and central parts of the country. Weather was expected to remain “hot and humid with chances of isolated dust-thunderstorm and rain on [Monday] evening,” in Karachi, according to the PMD’s forecast. It added that there were chances of thunderstorms and rain in the outskirts of Karachi in the evening. Dust storms and thunderstorm-related rain are likely at isolated places in Jamshoro, Tando Mohammad Khan, Badin, Hyderabad, Mitiari, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas, Nosheroferoz, Sanghar, Khairpur, Ghotki, Umerkot, Tharparker, Badin, Shikarpur and Kashmore districts today, the PMD said. Its advisory said that windstorms, thunderstorms, hailstorms, and lightning may damage loose structures like electric poles, trees, vehicles and solar panels. “Farmers are advised to manage their crop activities kee... -
Dawn - 08:28 May 04, 2025
Samsung has asked an Indian tribunal to quash a $520 million tax demand for allegedly misclassifying imports of networking gear, arguing officials were aware of the practice as India’s Reliance imported the same component in a similar manner for years, documents show. Samsung becomes the second major foreign company in recent months to challenge an Indian tax demand. Volkswagen has sued Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in court for a record demand of $1.4 billion for misclassifying its component imports. In the Samsung case, tax authorities in January asked Samsung to pay $520m for evading the 10-20 per cent tariffs by misclassifying imports of a key mobile tower equipment, which it then sold to billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s telecom giant, Reliance Jio, from 2018 to 2021. In its 281-page challenge at the Customs Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal in Mumbai, Samsung criticises Indian authorities for being “fully aware” of the business model as Reliance had a “long-established practice” of importi... -
Dawn - 08:15 May 04, 2025
Two more bodies of Pakistan nationals who lost their lives in a tragic boat accident off the eastern coast of Libya, arrived at Lahore Airport on Sunday, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan. The incident occurred during the night between April 12 and 13, when a migrant boat capsized near Libya’s eastern shoreline. The accident was the latest in a series of mishaps over the past few years in which hundreds of Pakistanis were killed in the Mediterranean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean while trying to reach Europe from Africa. The victims were identified as Sufyan and Nadeem Ahmed, residents of Gujranwala, APP reported. State Minister for Public Affairs Rana Mubashir Hussain and Member Punjab Assembly Mian Imran Javed received the bodies at the Lahore Airport cargo department. Later, the bodies were handed over to the grieving families. Prayers were also offered for the departed souls. Speaking on the occasion, Hussain expressed deep sorrow and grief and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families. ... -
Dawn - 07:47 May 04, 2025
A madrassah teacher in Muzaffargarh district of Punjab was arrested for allegedly raping an 11-year-old student at a seminary, it emerged on Sunday. Last year, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Sahil’s Six Months Cruel Numbers data revealed that a total of 1,630 cases of child abuse were reported from across the country. In the first six months of 2024, 862 cases of child sexual abuse, 668 cases of abduction, 82 cases of missing children and 18 cases of child marriages were reported. 48 cases of pornography after sexual abuse were also recorded. “A case has been registered against a madrassa teacher at the Mirhazar police station,” a police spokesperson said. The spokesperson continued that the police took immediate action and arrested the suspect. The first information report (FIR) was registered under Section 376(iii) (rape of a minor) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The teacher took the student to his residential room in the madrassa and raped the student twice, according to the FIR. “A case was registered o... -
Dawn - 07:17 May 04, 2025
PROLOGUE India has become infuriatingly formulaic when it comes to Pakistan. Here’s how the script goes. There’s an attack in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. India blames Pakistan. The Indian media — mainstream and social — start beating war drums. Retired Indian military officers and other analysts are invited by the Studio Corps who declare, wage and win a war against Pakistan. The hysteria has reached fever-pitch since the arrival on the scene of a Hindutva-driven Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under Narendra Modi, and of social media platforms. In bashing Pakistan, some even calling for its dismemberment, there’s no real difference between the right and the left in India or the many shades in between. Once again, after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, we are at that stage; once again there’s talk in India of punishing Pakistan. Even the negligible few who caution against rashness nonetheless muse about how to punish Pakistan without starting an Armageddon. There are almost no voices challenging India’s occupation ... -
Dawn - 06:45 May 04, 2025
LAHORE: Lady luck was smiling brightly on young Hasan Nawaz here at the Gaddafi Stadium Saturday night. It was a genuine thriller as in-form Quetta Gladiators looked to upstage table toppers Islamabad United on a track which had everything for all. Medium-pacer Mohammad Shahzad was given the ball to bowl the final over with Gladiators needing 15 to win. Shahzad off his own bowling dropped Hasan who top edged a short ball. The very next ball, captain Salman Ali Agha floored a difficult chance in the slip as the batters took two runs. The 22-year-old Hasan lifted the pacer for a six over long-off before wicket-keeper Andries Gous in confusion failed to gather the ball while running towards third man, giving Hasan yet another life as the batters added two more. Hasan — who made a superb 64 not out off 41 balls with four sixes and two fours — had the last laugh on the penultimate ball as the right-hander smashed a slightly short delivery for a six over backward square leg giving Gladiators a memorable win beside... -
Dawn - 06:41 May 04, 2025
KARACHI: The ongoing water crisis caused by the rupture of an 84-inch main water supply line in the University of Karachi is likely to persist as the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation is still struggling to complete the repair work on Saturday. While KWSC Chief Operating Officer Asadullah Khan had on Thursday said that the repair work would be completed by Saturday night, a water utility spokesman said that the repair work was still in progress and would be completed by Sunday (today). The leakage in the main supply line wreaked havoc on Karachi University and nearby housing societies. It also caused an acute water shortage in several areas of the metropolis. Officials said that the city required over 1,200 million gallons of water daily and it was getting 400 MGD, out of a regular supply of 650MGD, due to the repair work on the Siphon No 19. The KWSC spokesman said that the water would be released to the Siphon No 19 after the completion of the repair work. The water pumped from the Dhabeji Pumping Stat... -
Dawn - 06:38 May 04, 2025
KARACHI: The milk and tea leaves used by almost every tea shop and stall across the city have been found to be alarmingly contaminated with harmful chemicals and substances, the Sindh Food Authority (SFD) officials have said. “100 per cent of samples of tea leaves and 90 per cent of milk samples collected in different areas have been found adulterated and contaminated with chemicals and added colours,” the officials added. Speaking to Dawn on Saturday, they said that the SFA had recently inspected as many as 127 tea shops and stalls in different parts of Karachi to collect samples of the two major ingredients of the aromatic beverage prepared by boiling water, milk, sugar and cured leaves. Their analysis showed that all of them were using contaminated and adulterated tea leaves, while only 10 per cent were using pure milk, they added. Food Authority says milk was adulterated with detergent, carbonates, salt and water They said that 80 per cent samples of the milk collected from 127 tea shops were found adulte... -
Dawn - 06:04 May 04, 2025
QUETTA: Gunmen on Saturday freed 10 prisoners, including two convicts and took five police officials captive after they erected a roadblock near Mangocher on the Quetta-Karachi highway and intercepted the vehicle transporting prisoners to Quetta from Gadani jail. The authorities were using a private van to transport prisoners; the driver and the vehicle were released by the gunmen. Officials said that a police team was shifting 10 prisoners to Quetta and the central jail in Mach from Gadani jail. When the wagon reached the Mangocher area of the Kalat district in late evening, the armed men were blocking the national highway and inspecting every vehicle, including buses and trucks. After they came across the prison van, they freed the prisoners and kidnapped five police personnel, who were guarding the van, along with their official weapons. Two police personnel dressed in plainclothes, however, remained safe. The prisoners included one condemned prisoner who was awarded a death sentence and another was awarde... -
Dawn - 06:04 May 04, 2025
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif on Saturday briefed the minister of the political section and acting deputy head of the mission at the US Embassy Zach Harkenrider on what he called politically-motivated cases against political prisoners, including founder of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Imran Khan. An official statement issued here said that Mr Saif met deputy head of the US Embassy in Islamabad where both sides discussed the tense situation between Pakistan and India following the ‘false flag’ operation in Pahalgam. The discussions also covered regional peace, law and order, and the political climate at both national and provincial levels, the statement said, adding that Mr Saif strongly condemned India’s baseless allegations post-Pahalgam and highlighted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s war-mongering behaviour. The statement said that the KP government’s spokesperson briefed the US diplomat on ‘politically-motivated’ and ‘fabricated’ cases against poli... -
Dawn - 05:47 May 04, 2025
• Waqas claims pro-PTI YouTube channels, X accounts being restricted • GB lawmakers call for RTI law in region ISLAMABAD: The opposition party, PTI, has accused the government of harassing journalists and viewing the freedom of expression as a “threat”. In a statement issued on World Press Freedom Day, the party claimed dozens of journalists have been harassed, abducted or targeted with false cases over the past year. “Incidents like the martyrdom of renowned journalist Arshad Sharif stand as clear examples of the choking of independent journalism,” the PTI said, while referring to the journalist killed in Kenya in 2022 before the incumbent government came into power. “In addition, prominent journalists such as Kashif Abbasi, Arif Hameed Bhatti, Habib Akram, Paras Jahanzeb and many others “who dared to speak the truth” have been deprived of their livelihoods,” said the PTI information secretary, Sheikh Waqas Akram, in an apparent reference to news anchors taken off air during the past few months. Mr Akram exp... -
Dawn - 05:30 May 04, 2025
GILGIT: A Polish cyclist, granted permission by the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court to cycle up to the K2 basecamp, will start his journey within the next few days. Paweł Małaszko arrived in Gilgit on Saturday as part of his adventure to cycle across Pakistan — from the shores of the Arabian Sea to the K2 Base Camp. However, his adventure was stalled as the required permit to go to the popular tourist destination couldn’t be issued due to an ongoing legal battle. On Friday, the GB Chief Court ordered the government to issue the trekking permit to Mr Małaszko. Last year, the GB government hiked permit fees for mountaineering and trekking expeditions by 300 per cent under the GB Finance Act, 2024. The region’s tour operators challenged the decision in court, which issued a stay order, effectively suspending the issuance of new permits. Mr Małaszko had filed an appeal in the GB Chief Court for the trekking permit, according to Asghar Ali Porik, a tour operator. View this post on Instagram An official of the GB tou...
5467 items