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Dawn - 11:54 May 24, 2025
Monsoon rains hit the coast of India’s southernmost state of Kerala on Saturday, eight days earlier than usual, marking the earliest arrival in 16 years and providing the promise of a bumper harvest and relief from a gruelling heatwave. The monsoon, the lifeblood of the country’s $4 trillion economy, delivers nearly 70 per cent of the rain that India needs to water farms and replenish aquifers and reservoirs. Nearly half of India’s farmland, without any irrigation cover, depends on the annual June-September rains to grow a number of crops. Summer rains usually begin to lash Kerala around June 1 before spreading nationwide by mid-July, allowing farmers to plant crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans and sugarcane. The onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala on May 24 is its earliest onset since May 23, 2009, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday. The monsoon has covered Kerala and parts of neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, as well as parts of the northeastern state of Mizoram, ... -
Dawn - 11:14 May 24, 2025
Four tourists from Gujrat who went missing in Gilgit-Baltistan on May 16 were finally located on Saturday morning at the bank of Indus River near Istak village in Skardu’s Roundu valley. Family sources said Wasif Shahzad, 36, and Umar Ehsan, 20, both cousins from Kot Gakka near Mangowal; Salman Nasrullah Sandhu, 23, of Jassoki village; and Usman Dar, 23, of Saroki had arrived in Gilgit on May 13. Gilgit range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Raja Mirza Hassan said that according to police records, the four friends had started their travel from Hunza to Skardu on May 15. On the way they had stayed in a hotel near Karakoram at Danyor in Gilgit. The four friends had resumed their journey to Skardu on May 16 and since then their mobile phones could not be reached. Skardu Deputy Commissioner Arif Ahmad today confirmed that the location of the missing tourists’ vehicle has been traced near Satak Nala. The vehicle had fallen into a deep gorge on the bank of the river below the Baltistan Highway after an accident. Resc... -
Dawn - 11:06 May 24, 2025
The National Accountability Bureau recovered and disbursed over Rs88 billion during the first quarter of 2025, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. This was announced during the 24th “DGs Conference” of the bureau, a three-day event that concluded at NAB headquarters in Islamabad. According to a press release, these recoveries included direct recoveries worth over Rs2bn and indirect recoveries amounting to Rs86bn. The recoveries were made from public and private lands associated with cases of illegal transfer and occupation, Radio Pakistan said, adding that the disbursed amounts were returned to the relevant affected entities. Regarding indirect recoveries, NAB Balochistan retrieved state land measuring 340 acres of Chiltan Park and 250 acres of forest department which translate into Ra6.45bn. NAB Lahore recovered Rs70.87bn in three mega cases including Employees Cooperative Housing Society, State Life Insurance Employees Cooperative Housing Society and Sarwar Omega Villas. NAB Multan recovered Rs13... -
Dawn - 10:14 May 24, 2025
PPP Secretary General Humayun Khan has supported the inclusion of all stakeholders, including the PTI, in the diplomatic delegation set to represent the country in important world capitals following the rise in hostilities with India. Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided to send a “high-level diplomatic delegation to important world capitals to expose Indian propaganda” in the aftermath of the recent military escalation with India. Speaking on DawnNewsTV programme ‘Doosra Rukh’ on Friday night, when asked if PTI should also be included in the delegation, Khan said: “All stakeholders are welcome to get this country out of this crisis.” “We need to be on one page and fight the country’s case. Prime Minister [Shehbaz] sahib has made the right choice by choosing Bilawal [Bhutto-Zardari] sahib to continue fighting Pakistan’s case in international forums,” Khan added. The military confrontation between New Delhi and Islamabad came as tensions over last month’s Pahalgam attack continued to build up, as I... -
Dawn - 10:01 May 24, 2025
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday said that the passports of the Pakistanis, who were returning to the country after being deported, will be cancelled and also face the registration of an first information report (FIR) against them. Saudi Arabia deported a total of 5,033 Pakistani beggars whereas another 369 individuals have been apprehended for begging in five other countries in the last 16 months. Last month, the interior minister had said that the government would block the passports of Pakistanis deported, and tighten the process of issuing new travel documents. Around 106 Pakistanis were also deported from European countries arrived in Islamabad last month. According to state-run PTV News, an important meeting, led by the interior minister, was held in Islamabad where it was decided that deportees who were coming back will have their passports cancelled and an FIR will also be registered against them. The names of the deportees will also be put on the passport control list for five years, PTV Ne... -
Dawn - 07:47 May 24, 2025
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Saturday said it would continue discussions over the next fiscal year’s federal budget in the upcoming days as its mission concluded. Pakistan and the Fund had opened high-level policy talks in Islamabad on May 19 to discuss the FY2025-26 budget. As deliberations with the IMF remained inconclusive, the government has postponed the budget announcement till June 10. In a statement issued today, the IMF’s Pakistan mission chief Nathan Porter termed the recent discussions “constructive” and said: “We will continue discussions towards agreeing over the authorities’ FY26 budget over the coming days.” “Discussions focused on actions to enhance revenue — including by bolstering compliance and expanding the tax base — and prioritise expenditure,” Porter added. “We held constructive discussions with the authorities on their FY2026 budget proposals and broader economic policy, and reform agenda supported by the 2024 Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the 2025 Resilience and Sustain... -
Dawn - 07:25 May 24, 2025
Hong Kong has said it will open its universities to more international students, highlighting those affected by the US government’s move this week to block Harvard from enrolling foreign nationals. The sharp escalation in US President Donald Trump’s longstanding feud with the prestigious university came as tensions simmer between Washington and Beijing over trade and other issues. The Trump administration’s decision on Thursday — which was temporarily halted by a US judge after Harvard sued — has thrown the future of thousands of foreign students and the lucrative income stream they provide into doubt. On Friday, Hong Kong Education Secretary Christine Choi called on universities in the Chinese city to welcome “outstanding students from all over the world”. “For international students affected by the United States’ student admission policy, the Education Bureau (EDB) has appealed to all universities in Hong Kong to provide facilitation measures for eligible students,” Choi said in a statement, noting the ban ... -
Dawn - 07:05 May 24, 2025
The spending bill passed by the US House increases a tax the richest private universities pay on their endowment investment gains, a move proponents say reins in “woke” schools but that critics say will wind up hurting the poorest students the most. Tucked within US President Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending bill the House narrowly passed on Thursday is a proposal to increase a tax that some universities pay on the investment returns of their endowments from 1.4 per cent to as high as 21pc for some of the most elite colleges in the country. The measure, part of the bill headed to the Republican-controlled Senate, is considered another front in Trump’s attack on elite colleges that he says are overrun by left-wing extremist thought and are cradles of anti-American and antisemitic movements. On Thursday, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll foreign students, a move the university said was illegal. Representative Jason Smith, a Republican of Missouri and chairman of the ... -
Dawn - 06:38 May 24, 2025
KARACHI: A married woman was shot dead in Gulshan-i-Maymar on Friday, police said. Area SHO Abdul Ghaffar Korai said that Aqsa, 22, was killed in her home in Esa Goth. He said that the police questioned her husband, Ismail, about the incident and he told investigators that he was ‘cleaning’ his pistol when it went off accidently and a bullet hit his wife. She suffered critical bullet wounds and was shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead on arrival. The officer said the police were investigating the case to ascertain husband’s claim. Man kills wife in Mominabad In another incident, a woman was gunned down allegedly by her husband in Orangi Town on Friday. Mominabad police officer Mohammed Shoaib said that Rukhsana, 56, was shot and killed by her husband Gul Sher, 58, inside their home in Fareed Colony, Sector-10. The suspect managed to escape, he said, adding that the couple often quarrelled with each other over some family issues. He said that Gul Sher shot at and wounded hi... -
Dawn - 05:40 May 24, 2025
TAXILA: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, criticised the Indian government’s refusal to issue visas to Sikh pilgrims intending to perform religious rites in connection with two religious events next month in Pakistan. He was addressing a press conference at Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hassanabdal on Friday. Chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board Dr Muhammad Sajid Chauhan, Additional Secretary Shrines Saifullah Khokhar, Rawalpindi Zone Administrator Tanveer Hussain, Deputy Administrator Yasir Asghar Monga, and other leaders of the Sikh community were also present on this occasion. He strongly condemned the Indian government’s move to not allow Indian Sikh pilgrims to offer religious rituals in June on the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The minister stated that the Modi-led government is rattled by Pakistan’s diplomatic success and is now resorting to religious restrictions in clear violation of... -
Dawn - 05:04 May 24, 2025
RAWALPINDI: The investigating officer in the case of violent protests outside the General Headquarters on May 9, 2023, testified before an Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Friday. Former prime minister Imran Khan is one of the accused in the case. The protests, triggered by Mr Khan’s arrest in a corruption case from the Islamabad High Court, turned violent as protesters torched and vandalised government buildings and military installations. Following the violence, the government launched a crackdown on PTI leaders and supporters, making several arrests. Mr Khan was indicted in the case on Dec 5, 2024. The PTI founder, who has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail since August 2023, was arrested by the Rawalpindi police in the protest case in January 2024. He, however, filed an application seeking acquittal, which was also rejected by the ATC earlier this year. Special Prosecutor Raja Ikram Ameen Minhas produced the IO before the trial court. The investigating officer informed the court about the ... -
Dawn - 05:00 May 24, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Alibaba.com on Friday announced the launch of a comprehensive suite of online logistics services tailored to assist Pakistani exporters in optimising their international trade processes. Alibaba will offer essential tools to help Pakistani businesses tap into significant growth opportunities in global markets. The logistics services aim to support Pakistani exporters by providing solutions to overcome traditional barriers in international trade. The statement by the company has added that amid the explosive growth of cross-border e-commerce, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan are presented with new opportunities to participate in global trade. However, they also face significant challenges, particularly in optimising their export processes. Will help SMEs overcome barriers in sending goods worldwide Alibaba.com has partnered with leading international express delivery companies to support exporting Pakistani goods to over 200 countries and regions worldwide. As logistics has been... -
Dawn - 04:22 May 24, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan received $16.08 billion in foreign loans and grants in the first 10 months of 2024-25, compared to an annual target of $19.2bn by June 30. While half of this portfolio was legacy rollovers from China, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, fresh loans and grant inflows amounted to $6.086bn in July-April, almost 15 per cent lower than the comparable period of last fiscal year. In its monthly report on Foreign Economic Assistance (FEA) released on Friday, the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) said that against its annual target of $19.4bn, FEA in July-April amounted to $6.086bn compared to $7.142bn in the same period last year with an annual target of $17.6bn. This does not include about $1bn disbursed by the IMF in October as an upfront payment under the $7bn ongoing Extended Fund Facility (EFF) that is accounted for separately by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). This also does not include the subsequent $1bn IMF inflow last week. With three rollovers and fresh disbursements, the total e... -
Dawn - 02:55 May 24, 2025
• Warn any unilateral move to be treated as act of war • Zafar says ‘ticking water bomb must be defused before it goes off’ • Caution advised when ministers discuss water issue • Shibli decries ‘tyranny of majority’ in Senate ISLAMABAD: Senators on Friday made it clear that India would not be allowed to suspend or amend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) warning that any unilateral move to this effect would be treated as an act of war. They said the treaty was a settled matter and international law would justify Pakistan’s military response if India blocked the water. Speaking on a motion on the unilateral suspension of IWT by India, PTI parliamentary leader Ali Zafar said the impending water crisis was as serious a threat as terrorism. “This is also a war thrust on us. The ticking water bomb must be defused before it goes off,” he remarked. The PTI lawmaker said international law and UN resolutions have called water a fundamental human right for the lower riparian regions. Noting that India was violating internat... -
Dawn - 02:38 May 24, 2025
• Interior secretary says NAP being reinvigorated • FO slams Modi’s allegations • UNSC condemns school bus attack ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities on Friday said they would continue with intelligence-based operations (IBOs) to combat terrorism in Balochistan, instead of launching a large-scale kinetic military campaign at this stage. “The intelligence-based operations would continue,” said Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during a joint press briefing with Federal Interior Secretary Khurram Agha near the military headquarters in neighbouring garrison city of Rawalpindi. The joint appearance of military and civilian officials underscored the government’s unified approach to counterterrorism, especially in the wake of escalating regional tensions with India and aggravating security situation in Balochistan. Their remarks come days after a suicide attack in Khuzdar targeted a school bus carrying children of military personnel, in which eight people, includ... -
Dawn - 18:56 May 23, 2025
German police on Friday said they had arrested a woman after at least 12 people were injured in a knife attack at the main station in the northern city of Hamburg. Around 6:30pm (1600 GMT), Hamburg police said on X they were carrying out a major operation at the main train station in Germany’s second-largest city. “A person injured several people with a knife at the main train station” and a suspect had been arrested, they said. The suspect, police subsequently said, was a 39-year-old woman who was thought to have “acted alone”. Investigations into the incident were “running at full speed”, police said, without giving an indication of a possible motive. A spokesman for the Hamburg fire department told AFP that 12 people had been injured in the knife attack. Among them were “six people with life-threatening injuries”, the spokesman said. German media, however, reported that the number of people with very severe injuries was lower. Security concerns The attack took place around 6:00 pm in the middle of rush hou... -
Dawn - 17:57 May 23, 2025
Adviser to the Finance Minister, Khurram Schehzad, on Friday announced that the federal budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 will be presented on June 10. Earlier, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced that the federal government will present the next fiscal year’s budget on June 2, with a 16 per cent lower development allocation of Rs921 billion, resulting in the likely closure of about 200 ongoing development projects. The adviser published a post on X today, which read, “The Federal Budget for FY 2025–26 of Pakistan will be presented on June 10, 2025. “The Pakistan Economic Survey 2024–25 will be released a day before the Federal Budget, on June 9, 2025,” he added. Last year, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented his first federal budget with a total outlay of Rs18.9 trillion, which analysts said was broadly “in line with IMF guidelines”. Aurangzeb, during the budget presentation, said that the goal was to widen the tax base to avoid burdening existing taxpayers. Pakistan’s total revenue for the cu... -
Dawn - 17:39 May 23, 2025
US President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to ratchet up his trade war once again, pushing for a 50 per cent tariff on European Union goods starting June 1 and warning Apple AAPL.O he may slap a 25pc levy on all iPhones bought by US consumers. The twin threats, delivered via social media, roiled global markets after weeks of de-escalation had provided some reprieve. The S&P 500 fell 1pc in early trading, the Nasdaq fell 1.2pc, and European shares fell 1.5pc. Trump’s broadside against the EU was prompted by the White House’s belief that negotiations with the bloc are not progressing fast enough. But his saber-rattling also marked a return to Washington’s stop-and-start trade war that has shaken markets, businesses and consumers and raised fears of a global economic downturn. The president’s attack on Apple, meanwhile, is his latest attempt to pressure a specific company to move production to the United States, following automakers, pharmaceutical companies and chipmakers. However, the United States does no... -
Dawn - 16:29 May 23, 2025
Iranian and US negotiators closed on Friday a fifth round of nuclear talks in Rome with “some but not conclusive progress”, mediator Oman said, after a public disagreement over Tehran’s uranium enrichment. The talks, which began in April, are the highest-level contact between the foes since the United States quit a landmark 2015 nuclear accord during President Donald Trump’s first term. Since returning to office, Trump has revived his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran, backing talks but warning of military action if diplomacy fails. Iran wants a new deal that would ease the sanctions which have battered its economy. “The fifth round of Iran-US talks have concluded today in Rome with some but not conclusive progress,” Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X, adding that he hoped “the remaining issues” would be clarified in the coming days. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei had earlier said that chief US negotiator Steve Witkoff had left the talks “due to his flight schedule”. The four... -
Dawn - 16:09 May 23, 2025
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has reiterated that “Indian state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan” — which he said had been ongoing since the inception of the country — was also responsible for the recent attack in Balochistan’s Khuzdar. On May 21, at least six people, including three students, were slain while over 40 others — mostly students — were injured after a bomb targeted a school bus near Zero Point in Khuzdar on the Quetta-Karachi highway when it was on its way to drop the students at the Army Public School in Khuzdar Cantonment. On Thursday, the army’s top brass, during the 270th Corps Commander Conference (CCC), had also pointed out India’s involvement in the incident, vowing that the armed forces will prevent the country’s peace from being compromised by “externally-sponsored terrorism.” Key points Initial findings confirm that Khuzdar attack fits pattern of violence sponsored by India through Fitnah al Hindustan “Pakistan has irrefutable ...
6698 items