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Dawn - 02:46 Nov 09, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s abundant solar and wind potential positions it well to transition towards affordable, carbon-free electricity, but weak grid infrastructure remains a major obstacle, a United Nations report has warned. According to the 2025 Review of Climate Ambition in Asia and the Pacific, released by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), Pakistan needs significant investment and coordination to upgrade and expand its grid network to integrate large-scale renewable energy while maintaining system stability. The report says that a successful phase-down of coal in Pakistan will require a comprehensive energy transition plan with clear targets, strong policies and engagement of all stakeholders. The transition, it adds, must be “just” to avoid disproportionate impacts on workers, businesses and households. Renewable edge over coal The UN report highlights that solar and wind energy are now cost-competitive with coal, giving Pakistan an opportunity to accelerate its shi... -
Dawn - 02:39 Nov 09, 2025
LAHORE: The Punjab police have registered 51 new cases against environmental violators as part of their ongoing campaign to control smog and reduce air pollution across the province, a spokesperson said on Saturday. The crackdown, which spanned Lahore and other districts over the last 24 hours, led to the arrest of the violators and resulted in fines totaling over Rs1.067 million imposed on 491 people. An additional 38 individuals were issued warnings for environmental violations. According to the breakdown provided by the spokesperson, the operations targeted key sources of pollution. A total of 209 smoke-emitting vehicles were cited, alongside 101 incidents of crop residue burning and 7 violations related to brick kilns. This recent enforcement action is part of a larger, year-long initiative. The spokesperson revealed that since the beginning of the current year, the police have registered a significant 2,275 cases and arrested 2,027 violators. The financial penalties have been substantial, with fines ex... -
Dawn - 02:26 Nov 09, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The government has presented the country’s first National Industrial Policy (NIP) to the federal cabinet for approval, outlining major constraints to industrial growth and proposing reforms to revitalise the manufacturing sector. However, the Ministry of Finance has asked the Ministry of Industries and Production to first seek the IMF’s clearance for the incentives proposed under the new policy. Officials said a meeting between IMF representatives and a team led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan is expected later this month to discuss the annual fiscal cost of the incentives planned for various sectors. The policy targets $60 billion in exports by 2030, GDP growth of 6pc and manufacturing growth of 8pc annually by the end of the decade. It aims to provide a roadmap for industrial competitiveness, job creation and export expansion. Key constraints The NIP identifies a range of structural and policy-related challenges impeding industrial growth... -
Dawn - 19:03 Nov 08, 2025
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is expected to meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to discuss the country’s political situation and the 27th Constitutional Amendment, a statement by JUI-F said. Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be accompanied by Maulana Rashid Soomro, Mufti Abrar Ahmed and others. Earlier today, after getting approval from the federal cabinet, the bill for the 27th Constitutional Amendment was tabled before the Senate and subsequently referred to the standing committees on law and justice. However, during the session of the standing committees, two JUI-F members, Aliya Kamran and Senator Kamran Murtaza, boycotted the meeting and said the proposed draft included amendments that were discarded in the 26th Amendment bill. Yesterday, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that his party would oppose any proposed amendment that seeks to reduce the powers granted to the provinces under the 18th Amendment. “The provinces have a ... -
Dawn - 18:59 Nov 08, 2025
The PML-N and the PPP on Saturday rejected the impression that the 27th Constitutional Amendment was rushed through without proper debate, saying the draft has undergone “extensive scrutiny”. Earlier today, after getting approval from the federal cabinet, the bill for the 27th Constitutional Amendment was tabled before the Senate and subsequently referred to the standing committees on law and justice. Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said there was “no urgency” in convening the cabinet meeting even though Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the session virtually from Baku, Azerbaijan. Malik said there was “a lot of discussion” about the proposed constitutional amendment, adding that deliberations were continuing within party committees and that it was the parliamentarians’ right to propose amendments. He maintained that a “wrong impression” had been created that the process was being hurried. The state minister also said that some cha... -
Dawn - 18:58 Nov 08, 2025
The opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), on Saturday announced a nationwide protest movement against the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, urging the people to take a stand against the “extremely dark and dangerous” change in the Constitution. Earlier today, after getting approval from the federal cabinet, the bill for the 27th Constitutional Amendment was tabled before the Senate and subsequently referred to the standing committees on law and justice. The TTAP is a coalition of six opposition parties and was formed last year. Earlier in July, it formalised its organisational structure, declaring blanket support for all anti-government protests. Pashtunkhawa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen Chairman Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, in a video statement, said the protest movement would begin from November 9 (Sunday). Abbas said that democratic institutions in the country have been “paralysed” and the “nation must step up”. Lam... -
Dawn - 16:53 Nov 08, 2025
The United States and Pakistan early on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, with Islamabad’s envoy describing it as an effort to build an “economically entrenched strategic partnership“. The development came as S. Paul Kapur — who assumed charge as the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs on October 22 — met Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh at the State Department for what was described as a cordial and forward-looking exchange. Ambassador Sheikh said the two sides explored practical ways to translate recent high-level political resolve into concrete cooperation. “We discussed the ways and means of translating the resolve — expressed at the leadership level — of developing Pakistan–US ties into an economically entrenched strategic partnership, through sustained engagement in multiple domains of mutual interest,” he said in a post on social media platform X. Meanwhile, Kapur said it was a “pleasure” to... -
Dawn - 15:59 Nov 08, 2025
A capacity crowd at the Iqbal Stadium got what it so desperately wanted: flowing strokes off the bat of Babar Azam. Normally, home supporters would’ve quietened at seeing Fakhar Zaman cleaned up early on in a small chase – potentially a harbinger of things to come; perhaps an all too familiar collapse in the offing. But here on Saturday night, there were loud roars with chants of “Babar” echoing across the venue with Pakistan’s batting superstar set to come next. Babar didn’t disappoint, dispatching the South African bowlers with his trademark elan, and alongside Saim Ayub set Pakistan on their way to a rousing seven-wicket victory that sealed the three-match One-day International series 2-1 in their favour. The venue had gone silent after Babar’s departure in the 11th over, disappointment filling the air that they weren’t able to see more of him when he was looking close to his best, run out for 27 after stroking five crisp fours. But they soon found their voice as Saim tore into the South African attack wit... -
Dawn - 15:57 Nov 08, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday, once again, thanked the “bold and decisive leadership” of US President Donald Trump for brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India during the conflict between the two nuclear neighbours in May. While addressing Azerbaijan’s Victory Day parade in Baku, the premier praised President Trump’s exemplary leadership, which led to the success of the peace efforts. View this post on Instagram “It was President Trump’s, bold and decisive leadership, that brought about, the ceasefire, between Pakistan and India, restoring peace in South Asia — averting a major war, and saving millions of people.” In his speech, the PM reiterated that Pakistan, “just like their Azerbaijani and Turkish brothers”, seeks peace, adding that no one can ever be allowed to challenge its sovereignty or undermine its territorial integrity. The premier recalled that the Azerbaijani and Turkish military contingents had “proudly” marched alongside the Pakistani armed forces in Islamabad amid tremendou... -
Dawn - 15:25 Nov 08, 2025
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has called the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment a “conspiracy against the Constitution” and refused to become part of the proceedings of the committee established to discuss the bill. “The proposed 27th Amendment is nothing short of a conspiracy against the Constitution. The entire process is being carried out in haste, without consultation or deliberation, in complete disregard of democratic norms and parliamentary traditions,” Senator Ali Zafar said while talking to Dawn. “These amendments strike at the very foundation of the constitutional structure by undermining the independence of the judiciary and eroding the delicate balance of powers that the 1973 Constitution so carefully created,” he said. “Any change to the Constitution must come only through broad-based national consensus, not through secret drafts or executive dictates. The Constitution belongs to the people of Pakistan, not to any government of the day, and no one has the right to mutilate it for politic... -
Dawn - 15:09 Nov 08, 2025
Shortly after getting approval from the federal cabinet, the bill for the 27th Constitutional Amendment was tabled before the Senate on Saturday and subsequently referred to the standing committees on law and justice. A joint session of both the NA and Senate standing committees on law and justice was then summoned to discuss the amendment. However, during the session of the standing committees, two Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) members, Aliya Kamran and Senator Kamran Murtaza, boycotted the meeting and said the proposed draft included amendments that were discarded in the 26th Amendment bill. Following deliberations on the proposed amendment, the law committees of both Houses adjourned the moot till Sunday. ‘Discussions will continue till consensus is reached’ Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, speaking to the media after the adjournment of the committees, said all parties were participating in the session and they had also “requested the opposition to participate”. “Aliya Kamran had informed us that they h... -
Dawn - 14:04 Nov 08, 2025
Iran was laying plans on Saturday to cut off water supplies periodically to Tehran’s 10-million-strong population as it battles its worst drought in many decades. Rainfall in the capital has this year been at its lowest level in a century, local officials say, and half of Iran’s provinces have not seen a drop fall in months. Now, to save water, the government is planning water cuts in Tehran — and several local news outlets have already reported pipes running dry overnight in some areas. “This will help avoid waste even though it may cause inconvenience,” Iran’s Energy Minister Abbas Ali Abadi said on state television. In a speech broadcast on Friday, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian had warned that Tehran might have to be evacuated if no rain falls before the end of the year. But he gave no details about how such a vast operation would be conducted. Tehran nestles on the southern slopes of the Alborz mountains and has hot, dry summers usually relieved by autumn rains and winter snowfall. Iranians drink wat... -
Dawn - 11:31 Nov 08, 2025
Barely had the dust settled on the 26th Amendment when another constitutional storm began to brew in Islamabad. The government’s freshly tabled 27th Amendment promises, on paper, to “streamline” governance — through new constitutional courts, revived executive magistrates, and even a relook at how the armed forces are commanded. Key changes proposed to judicial structure: Creates a new Federal Constitutional Court, with its own chief justice and judges FCC to assume SC’s most significant powers; SC to be downgraded to apex court for civil and criminal appeals only FCC decisions to be binding on all courts, including the SC HC judges may be transferred to other high courts on the recommendation of the Judicial Commission; refusal to accept a transfer is treated as retirement. At the heart of the amendment is the creation of a new apex court: the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). Inserted into the Constitution as Chapter 1A, the FCC would have its own chief justice — serving a fixed three-year term — and judg... -
Dawn - 10:24 Nov 08, 2025
The government presented the much anticipated draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Senate on Saturday afternoon. The far-reaching legislative proposal, among other changes, rewrites Article 243 of the Constitution, creating the post of Chief of Defence Forces and abolishing the long-standing office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). It also vests broader, constitutionally protected powers and privileges in the country’s top military leadership. Article 243 governs the relationship between the prime minister (as head of the federal government) and the president (as the head of state) in relation to the control and command of the armed forces. Key changes proposed to Article 243: Army chief to be recognised as Chief of Defence Forces, positioned at top of Pakistan’s armed services Office of CJCSC to be abolished Establishing a Commander of National Strategic Command position President to appoint army, naval, air chiefs on advice of premier Life-long constitutional ... -
Dawn - 09:32 Nov 08, 2025
“The judiciary must be independent of every other power; otherwise, there is no liberty, no security, no justice.” — John Adams Centuries after John Adams spoke these words, their resonance feels almost prophetic today, as the government tables the 27th Constitutional Amendment. For those who have witnessed the slow, deliberate erosion of judicial independence in Pakistan, this moment feels less like reform and more like resignation. The judiciary, already weakened and weary after the 26th Amendment, now stands on the precipice of collapse. What is being framed as an administrative restructuring — the creation of a separate constitutional court — in truth, threatens to hollow out the very authority of an institution that has long stood as the final line of defence between power and the people. It is not merely an amendment to a document; it is an assault on the idea that justice must stand apart from politics. The judiciary is not an accessory to government; it is the conscience of the nation. When that consc... -
Dawn - 08:21 Nov 08, 2025
The sense of fear is palpable in parts of northern Japan, where some locals have fastened bells to their bags hoping the noise will keep bears away, while signs warn people to be on guard. The animals have killed a record 13 across the country since April, with a steady flow of reports of bears entering homes, roaming near schools and rampaging in supermarkets. “We hear news almost every day about people being attacked or injured,” said 28-year-old Kakeru Matsuhashi, a traditional “Matagi” hunter, as he walked through a forest clutching a knife. “It’s becoming something that feels personal, and it’s simply frightening,” he added in the northern prefecture of Akita, an area hit by a series of attacks. This year, the number of fatalities is double the previous record of 2023-24, with five months of the fiscal year still to go. Data is patchy from certain regions, but in recent years, Japan has seen among the highest number of fatal attacks globally. Bells used for warning bears of approaching hikers are seen at... -
Dawn - 07:59 Nov 08, 2025
Indonesian police found possible explosive powder as they investigated explosions at a mosque in the capital Jakarta, and the suspected perpetrator is recovering, the police chief said on Saturday. Explosions that injured dozens of people during Friday prayers could have been an attack, officials said, with a 17-year-old student the suspected perpetrator. “Several pieces of supporting evidence were found,” police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo told a press conference after visiting the victims at a hospital. “There were written materials and some powder that could have potentially caused an explosion,” he said. “We are gathering other records, including examining social media and family members to gather all the information.” The suspected perpetrator, a student at a school next to the mosque, was recovering after undergoing surgery on Friday, Listyo said. “The suspect’s condition is improving, and hopefully this will make things easier for us when needed,” he said. -
Dawn - 05:48 Nov 08, 2025
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday that the talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan on addressing cross-border terrorism are “over” and have “entered an indefinite phase” as negotiators failed to bridge deep differences between the two sides, adding that the ceasefire stands for the time being. “Right now, as we speak, negotiations are over,” said the defence minister while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’. Earlier, officials and sources said the talks stalled without any agreement. “The talks in Istanbul are deadlocked,” a senior security source told reporters, confirming that the third round of discussions — which had began on Thursday in the Turkish capital — had hit an impasse. The defence minister added that the Afghan Taliban delegation again came to Istanbul “without any programme” and that they were not willing to sign a written agreement. “They said that they would only respect the verbal agreement, but there is no room to do that.” Asif elaborated that during t... -
Dawn - 05:35 Nov 08, 2025
North Korea’s defence minister warned on Saturday of more “offensive action”, as Washington and Seoul criticised Pyongyang’s latest ballistic missile launch. North Korea’s missile launch on Friday came just over a week after US President Donald Trump — on a tour of the region — expressed interest in meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Pyongyang did not respond to the offer. Pyongyang’s defence minister No Kwang Chol said Washington “has become brazen in its military moves to threaten the security” of the North, and that it was “intentionally escalating the political and military tension in the region”. “We will show more offensive action against the enemies’ threat,” he said, according to Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Earlier in the week, before Friday’s launch, US Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and his South Korean counterpart visited the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) where they “reaffirmed the strong combined defence posture and close cooperation” between their countries. On Wedn... -
Dawn - 04:00 Nov 08, 2025
• Okays Rs960bn sovereign guarantee for Rs1.225tr loans from local banks • Says remittance incentives to be phased out with caution • Gas allocated to fertiliser sector; LNG cost adjustments cleared for tariffs ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Friday approved an inter-corporate circular debt settlement plan, including tariff rationalisation for all six operational nuclear power plants in line with other power producers, thus also paving the way to wind up Power Holding Ltd (PHL), a shell company created to park old circular debt. The meeting of the ECC, presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, also approved about Rs660 billion in sovereign guarantees for Rs1.225 trillion in commercial loans from local banks for circular debt settlement and the diversion of gas for fertiliser plants. As finalised by the military-led task force on power sector reforms in line with similar previous renegotiations with private and government-owned power plants earlier this...
5467 items