Dawn
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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... -
Dawn - 17:30 Jun 03, 2025
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday said low-intensity tremors helped prevent major earthquakes as he attempted to allay panic caused by the recent seismic activity that continued for the third day in Karachi. The metropolis continued to witness faint tremors today, taking the tally since Sunday to 20, according to data provided by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). Experts have previously pointed out that such minor seismic activities “preempt” high-intensity earthquakes by constantly releasing accumulated energy within the tectonic plates. “I have also studied engineering […] these (low-scale tremors) are a good thing. The earth is releasing its energy,” CM Shah said, responding to reporters’ queries about yesterday’s jail break incident in Karachi. He explained that if the earth released its seismic energy altogether, it could result in a major earthquake. “But if it releases in bits, then it is better — nothing is actually better — but saves us from a big tragedy,” Murad added. The m... -
Dawn - 17:15 Jun 03, 2025
Over two hundred inmates managed to escape from District Prison Malir in Karachi last night, the Sindh police chief confirmed on Tuesday, adding that 78 were recaptured while one was shot dead. Police officials earlier said the prisoners broke through the jail’s outer wall, which had been weakened due to the multiple low-intensity tremors felt in the area since Sunday. Police cordoned off the whole area and no one was allowed to enter or leave without ascertaining their identity. Sindh Inspector General of Police (IG) Ghulam Nabi Memon on Tuesday told Dawn.com that over 200 prisoners managed to escape from Malir prison late on Monday night when they were brought out from their barracks for counting due to an earthquake, out of them 78 were recaptured while teams are being constituted to re-arrest the remaining 138. Memon, who visited the jail earlier today, said that as per his assessment and briefings of jail and police officials, after the earthquake in the area, the jail administration brought an estimated... -
Dawn - 16:22 Jun 03, 2025
A person stole a Holy Quran from a mosque near the French city of Lyon and set it on fire at the weekend, religious leaders and a police source said Tuesday. On the night of Sunday to Monday, “an individual with an uncovered face entered the prayer room, grabbed a copy of the Holy Quran, set it on fire then dropped it outside the building before fleeing,” the council of mosques in the Rhone region said. The police source said an investigation had begun into the incident. The attack comes after a man who had posted racist videos shot dead his Tunisian neighbour and badly wounded a Turkish man in the southern town of Puget-sur-Argens on Saturday. The suspected killer, a Frenchman born in 1971, fled the scene in a car but was arrested not far away after his partner alerted police. According to Le Parisien newspaper, the suspect said he “swore allegiance to the French flag” and called on the French to “shoot” people of foreign origin in one of his videos posted on social media. Anti-terrorism prosecutors have tak... -
Dawn - 16:16 Jun 03, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday vowed to resolve all the issues afflicting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and set up a committee for the task, Radio Pakistan reported. Addressing a representative jirga in Peshawar, he said the committee would deliberate on all demands and issues raised by the KP chief minister. He added that the committee would sit together with tribal elders and the KP governor and chief minister to formulate recommendations in this regard, further saying that the federal government would give serious attention to the recommendations to benefit the province’s valiant people. Shehbaz affirmed the immense sacrifices rendered by the people of KP in the fight against terrorism and said the federal government would stand by the province until the complete eradication of the menace. The prime minister said that KP had received Rs700 billion since 2010 under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award as its one per cent share allocated for anti-terrorism efforts. These funds were released to strength... -
Dawn - 15:27 Jun 03, 2025
Posts from users on multiple social media platforms since Monday alleged that TikToker Mashal Khan and his wife Meena Khan from Peshawar were shot dead. However, both are still alive and well. A day ago, 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf was shot dead at her home by an unidentified man who entered her house and shot her in the chest. She was popular on TikTok and Instagram, with over a million combined followers Today, a user on X claimed that TikTok influencer Mashal Khan and his wife Meena Khan had been shot dead. The caption of the post said: “Peshawar TikTokers Mashal Khan and his wife Meena Khan were shot dead, while Chitral TikToker Sana Yousaf was also killed in Islamabad.” The user made derogatory remarks, blaming people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a specific Muslim sect for the incidents. The post was viewed over 17,200 times. The same claim was shared by other users as can be seen here, here and here on X, and here and here on Facebook. A fact-check was initiated to determine the verac... -
Dawn - 15:24 Jun 03, 2025
The Islamabad Police said on Tuesday they had arrested the main suspect in the murder case of 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf, a day after she was shot dead in her house. A first information report (FIR) had been filed yesterday evening at the Sumbal police station against an unidentified man on the complaint of Sana’s mother, Farzana Yousaf, invoking Section 302 (intentional murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The teenager was well-known for her social media activities, with nearly 800,000 followers on her TikTok account and almost 500,000 on her Instagram account. Addressing a press conference, Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said the culprit was a 22-year-old man arrested from Faisalabad and termed it a case of “repeated rejections”. “A beast, cold-blooded murderer is now in the law’s grip,” IG Rizvi announced, adding that the man had tried to contact Sana repeatedly and was being “rejected by her again and again”. View this post on Instagram The police chief sai... -
Dawn - 14:53 Jun 03, 2025
Terrorist attacks on two police stations were thwarted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur and Bannu districts, injuring four police personnel, police said on Tuesday. According to a statement by KP Inspector General of Police (IG) Zulfiqar Hameed, “Two police stations came under attack in Bajaur and Bannu on Monday night, but police forces bravely thwarted both attacks.” He said that four police personnel, including a station house officer and three other constables, were slightly injured while responding to the terrorists. “The police’s quick response saved the police station from a major loss and casualties,” he said, adding that those police officers will be rewarded for their courage and bravery. The statement further said that the terrorists used rocket launchers, hand grenades, SMGs and RPGs in the attack. The police at Bajaur’s Lowi Mamond police station believed that the terrorists who fled the scene were also injured, the statement said, adding that there were no casualties at the Meryan police station i... -
Dawn - 13:57 Jun 03, 2025
National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has exposed a child sexual exploitation gang operating in Punjab’s Muzaffargarh district, leading to the arrest of two suspects and the recovery of ten children. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry made the revelation during a press conference in Islamabad, saying the NICCIA has uncovered a “huge network” during an operation conducted on May 23. He said an international gang masterminded by a German citizen was operating a child sexual exploitation group in Muzaffargarh where children were groomed. “They set up a small club where children aged 6-10 years were taught games. They provided state-of-the-art facilities and modern cameras,” he said. He added that children from disadvantaged families were “brought there, given money, and then blackmailed” to exploit them, and “their videos were uploaded on the dark web daily and sold for thousands of dollars.” “Some videos were live-streamed and seen around the world from Muzaffargarh,” the state minister ... -
Dawn - 13:31 Jun 03, 2025
Near a sprawling tent city outside Makkah, Saudi hospital staff are preparing for a flood of heat-related cases as Muslim pilgrims begin Haj this week in sweltering summer temperatures. The Mina Emergency Hospital is one of 15 such facilities operating just a few weeks a year around the annual pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest sites, which in 2024 saw more than 1,300 people die in the desert heat. Saudi authorities hope to head off a fatal repeat of last year’s pilgrimage when temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius. Temperatures this year are forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius as one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings, bringing together devotees from around the globe, officially commences on Wednesday. So far, authorities have recorded 44 cases of heat exhaustion. Abdullah Asiri, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for population health, told AFP at the Mina hospital that “the focus is on heat-related conditions because the Haj coincides with extreme heat”. Brimming with staff but no patients jus...
6698 items