Dawn
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Dawn - 06:06 Jun 01, 2025
Elon Musk on Saturday denied a report that he used ketamine and other drugs extensively last year on the 2024 campaign trail. The New York Times reported on Friday that the billionaire adviser to United States President Donald Trump used so much ketamine, a powerful anaesthetic, that he developed bladder problems. The newspaper said the world’s richest person also took ecstasy and mushrooms and travelled with a pill box last year, adding that it was not known whether Musk also took drugs while heading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after Trump took power in January. In a post on Saturday on X, Musk said: “To be clear, I am NOT taking drugs! The New York Times was lying their ass off.” He added: “I tried ‘prescription’ ketamine a few years ago and said so on X, so this not even news. It helps for getting out of dark mental holes, but haven’t taken it since then.” Musk first dodged a question about his drug use at a bizarre farewell appearance on Friday with Trump in the Oval Office in... -
Dawn - 05:22 Jun 01, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to ramp up operations against foreign nationals unlawfully residing in Pakistan, a month after the expiry of a deadline set for around 44,000 Afghan nationals approved for relocation to a third country. The decision was taken at the third meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee and Harden the State Committee held here under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday. The government had already announced it would deport thousands of Afghan refugees awaiting resettlement in the West if the prospective host countries didn’t relocate them by April 30. Tens of thousands of Afghans came to Pakistan fearing retribution after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US-led forces. An official told Dawn that so far 1.023 million Afghans had been repatriated. He said 135,865 had been repatriated in April and another 65,057 in May. On May 30 alone, 1,483 individuals had been repatriated. Naqvi asks all institu... -
Dawn - 05:11 Jun 01, 2025
GILGIT: Despite rain and winds in different parts of Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday, government schoolteachers continued to boycott classes and hold a protest sit-in for a sixth consecutive day to press the authorities for their one-point agenda of long overdue promotions. Academic activities at government schools across Gilgit-Baltistan have been suspended since last week, as thousands of teachers announced that they would call off their protest only when their single-point demand was fulfilled. For the past five days, teachers have organised demonstrations and rallies outside the education department offices in Hunza, Nagar, Astore, Skardu, Diamer, Ghanche, Shigar, Kharmang and Ghizer. On Friday, the protesting teachers from these districts marched towards Gilgit and joined the protest sit-in outside the Gilgit-Baltistan Directorate of Education in Gilgit, the regional headquarters, where the minister’s office is situated. Despite harsh weather conditions on Saturday, a number of male and female government te... -
Dawn - 02:37 Jun 01, 2025
KARACHI: Building on the success of its inaugural conference, DawnMedia on Saturday announced the ‘Second Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference’ to be held on April 15-16, 2026. The first edition of Breathe Pakistan sparked national dialogue and global collaboration around vital climate challenges — from climate justice and finance to renewable energy transitions, disaster risk reduction, and inclusive public-private partnerships. It emphasised the crucial roles of accountability, media engagement, and the empowerment of women and smallholder farmers in building climate resilience, according to a press release. Pakistan remains increasingly vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change, facing record-breaking heatwaves, destructive hail and windstorms, water scarcity, and extreme weather events that threaten lives, infrastructure, and livelihoods. As climate challenges intensify, DawnMedia continues to bring this critical issue to the forefront through the following ways. Raising ... -
Dawn - 18:59 May 31, 2025
The Finance Division on Saturday night announced that the price of petrol would increase by Re1 per litre, while the prices of high-speed diesel (HSD) would remain the same. This follows an earlier announcement by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) notifying the decrease of liquified petroleum gas prices by Rs4.62 per kilogram for the month of June. According to a notification seen by Dawn.com, the finance divison stated that the new rates had been decided “based on the recommendations of Ogra and the relevant ministries”. Petrol, which previously stood at Rs252.63 per litre, was increased to Rs253.63, the notification read. Earlier, Ogra notified a decrease in the price of LPG by Rs4.62 per kilogram, or 1.88 per cent for June. The authority had announced a decrease of Rs3.20 per kg for May. According to the notification issued by the authority today, the new price for an 11.8kg cylinder stood at Rs2,838.31 for June against Rs2,892.91 for May, making the cylinder cheaper by Rs54.6 per kg. It added th... -
Dawn - 18:57 May 31, 2025
Two people were killed and 11 others were injured in an explosion in the Killi Mangal area near Quetta in Balochistan, a police official told Dawn.com on Saturday. According to Hanna Urak Station House Officer (SHO) Naveed Akhtar, Abdul Salam, a notable and the owner of a coal mine, was the target of the attack. “A banned organisation tried to extort money from him,” Akhtar told Dawn.com. “When he did not pay, around 100 armed suspects attacked his mine and destroyed the machinery there.” The SHO said that Salam, his brother and several of his men arrived at the mine, but were ambushed by the suspects and a gun battle ensued. “The armed suspects had planted explosives in the mine,” the SHO said. “They fled the scene before the explosion. Salam and his brother were killed by one of the explosives. There were also 11 injuries.” Immediately after the explosion, police and security forces reached the scene and started collecting evidence from the crime scene. According to SHO Akhtar, the suspects were armed with ... -
Dawn - 18:51 May 31, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that people who were “misled” by terrorists in Balochistan must be brought back on board, stressing the need for resolving issues through dialogue. The security situation in Balochistan has worsened in recent months, as militants, long involved in a low-level insurgency, have stepped up the frequency and intensity of their attacks. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army, in particular, has adopted new tactics to inflict higher casualties and directly target Pakistani security forces. Last month, ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry accused India of activating its “assets” to intensify terrorist attacks in Pakistan, presenting “irrefutable evidence” of Indian state-sponsored terrorism, directed by the Indian military personnel. Speaking at the Balochistan Grand Jirga in Quetta, PM Shehbaz said, “The terrorists [in Balochistan] must not be tolerated by the public, government or armed forces. “We must make efforts to bring back the people who we... -
Dawn - 17:29 May 31, 2025
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said he had received “elements” of a US proposal for a potential nuclear deal following five rounds of talks mediated by Oman, making the remarks the same day a report by the International Atomic Energy agency (IAEA) exposed Tehran’s nuclear activity. Tensions between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog have repeatedly flared since a 2015 deal curbing Tehran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief fell apart. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi “paid a short visit to Tehran today to present elements of a US proposal which will be appropriately responded to in line with the principles, national interests and rights of the people of Iran,” Araghchi said on X. Iran stepped up its production of highly enriched uranium in recent months, said a confidential report by the watchdog, seen by AFP earlier on Saturday. It said in its quarterly report that it is of “serious concern” that Iran has an estimated amount of 408.6 kilogrammes enriched to up to 60 p... -
Dawn - 17:04 May 31, 2025
Three people lost their lives in separate road accidents in Karachi on Saturday, according to police officials. The city has lately witnessed a rise in traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles, including dumpers and water tankers, which killed nearly 500 people and injured 4,879 in 2024, according to hospital data. A motorbike rider was killed in the Defence Housing Authority when a vehicle hit him early Saturday morning, Deputy Inspector General South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.com. He said, “The Bykea [hail-riding service] rider was passing through Khayaban-i-Nishat crossing when the an sport utility vehicle hit him. He sustained critical injuries and was transported to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) where he succumbed to his injuries.” The police have impounded the vehicle and arrested the driver, he added. Darakshan Station House Officer (SHO) Shahid Taj said that the victim’s heirs and the suspect had reached an out-of-court settlement and they told the police that they did not... -
Dawn - 16:47 May 31, 2025
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth warned on Saturday that China was “credibly preparing” to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, vowing the United States was “here to stay” in the region. The Pentagon chief made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore as the administration of US President Donald Trump spars with Beijing on trade, technology, and influence over strategic corners of the globe. China’s embassy in Singapore blasted the speech, accusing Washington of escalating tensions in the region and “profiting from creating risks of war”. Trump has launched a trade war with China since taking office in January, has sought to curb its access to key AI technologies and deepened security ties with allies such as the Philippines, which is engaged in escalating territorial disputes with Beijing. “The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent,” Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue attended by defence officials from around the world. Beijing is “credibly preparing to... -
Dawn - 15:33 May 31, 2025
Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem threw a massive 86.40m to win gold in the men’s javelin final at the Asian Athletics Championship in Gumi, South Korea, on Saturday. India’s Sachin Yadav took silver with an 85.16m and Japan’s Yuta Sakiyama took home bronze with an 83.75m throw. Both athletes threw a personal best. After leading the field in the first few throws, Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage was bumped off the podium to finish fourth with an 83.27m throw. India’s Yash Vir Singh finished fifth with an 82.57m personal best throw. China’s Hu Haoran threw a season best 80.93m to finish sixth, while Sri Lanka’s Sumedha Jagath Ranasinghe Ranasinghe Mudiyanselage finsihed seventh with a 79.81m throw. Pakistan’s Muhammad Yasir finished eighth with a 75.39m throw. View this post on Instagram In a post on Instagram, Nadeem wrote: “This victory belongs to the Almighty first — His blessings, His will. Without His grace, none of this would be possible. “To my coaches, my team, my family, and every Pakistani who pray... -
Dawn - 14:45 May 31, 2025
PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman on Saturday expressed “serious concern” over Pakistan topping the list of countries most affected by climate change, stating that training Pakistanis to protect themselves from severe weather is the need of the hour. The Climate Risk Index (CRI), published by Germanwatch, ranks countries by the human and economic toll of extreme weather. The latest edition highlights increasing losses and the urgent need for stronger climate resilience and action. In the report published in February, Pakistan was ranked as the most vulnerable country to climate change in 2022, followed by Belize and Italy. Rehman shared the report to her X page, stating that Pakistan had been listed in the report as the country most affected by climate change. “CRI ranks countries by the human and economic toll of extreme weather, measuring realised risk,” she wrote, adding that the report “should serve as a huge wake-up call”. In a longer statement published by the PPP, Rehman regretted that Pakistan ... -
Dawn - 13:42 May 31, 2025
A reduction of 91,000 cusecs in water flows from India into Chenab River was recorded in the past two days, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) said on Saturday. Delhi suspended its participation in the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which governs the usage of the Indus river system, on April 23, shortly after 26 civilians were killed in India-held Kashmir. Delhi, without evidence, blamed Islamabad for the attack. The latter has denied the allegations and called for a neutral probe. Despite the two nuclear-armed neighbours agreeing to a ceasefire this month following the worst fighting between them in decades, the accord remains “in abeyance” by India. According to data provided by Wapda today, the inflow of water at Chenab River at Marala Headworks was 98,200 cusecs on May 29, before dropping to 44,800 cusecs yesterday. The inflows plunged further to 7,200 cusecs today, with no water discharged. Overall, a reduction of 91,000 cusecs in the inflow of water at Chenab River at Marala Headworks wa... -
Dawn - 13:29 May 31, 2025
United States President Donald Trump told reporters late on Friday he wanted to assure Chinese international students in the country that they would be fine amid his administration’s crackdown on academia. Trump’s administration this week said it would specifically target permissions for Chinese students, in its latest broadside against US higher education. But when asked on Friday what message he would send to Chinese college students in the country, Trump insisted: “They’re going to be ok. It’s going to work out fine. “We just want to check out the individual students we have. And that’s true with all colleges,” he told reporters. The softer tone comes after a judge on Thursday extended a temporary block on Trump’s bid to prevent Harvard from enrolling international students. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed on Wednesday to “aggressively” revoke visas to students from China. Rubio has already revoked thousands of visas, largely over students’ involvement in activism critical of Israel’s offensive in ... -
Dawn - 13:15 May 31, 2025
Punjab’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday said it foiled a “major terror plot” by arresting 34 terrorists of banned organisations during 415 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across the province. The CTD regularly carries out operations across the province to prevent and investigate terrorism-related activities and gather intelligence. Operating under the provincial police department, the Punjab CTD plays a key role in maintaining internal security and countering terrorism within the country. The law enforcement agency said in a statement, “Two dangerous terrorists [were] arrested in Lahore along with explosives, both of whom are affiliated with Fitna al Khawarij.” Fitna Al Khawarij is a term the state uses to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The statement quoted a CTD spokesperson as saying, “Punjab CTD conducted 415 IBOs in different districts of the province to effectively deal with any untoward incident of terrorism, in which 420 suspects were questioned and 34 terror... -
Dawn - 13:12 May 31, 2025
Pakistan says India violating global human rights by ‘deliberate incitement’ against its own Muslims
Pakistan on Saturday said India was violating its international human rights obligations by its “deliberate incitement” against Muslims in its own territory. The statement comes amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries in the wake of their recent military confrontation, sparked by New Delhi’s allegations levelled without evidence against Islamabad over a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Responding to media queries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement: “The targeting of Muslims through hate speech, discriminatory actions, and state complicity is a matter of serious concern for the international community. “At a time when restraint and reconciliation are most needed, the deliberate incitement of religious hatred for political or ideological purposes violates international human rights obligations and vitiates the prospects for communal harmony, and regional stability,” it added. Pakistan expressed “grave concern over the alarming ris... -
Dawn - 10:48 May 31, 2025
India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan confirmed on Saturday that his country’s fighter jets were shot down by Pakistan during the four-day conflict earlier in the month. Indian fighter jets were shot down by the Pakistan Air Force on the night of May 6-7 in response to the Indian Air Force’s late-night missile strikes at six Pakistani sites, including Subhan Mosque in Bahawalpur’s Ahmedpur East, Bilal Mosque in Muzaffarabad, Abbas Mosque in Kotli, Umalkura Mosque in Muridke, the village of Kotki Lohara in Sialkot district, and Shakargarh. Pakistan took down six Indian jets, including three advanced French Rafale planes. According to a Dawn report, the recent clash between India and Pakistan marks a significant development in the regional air power constellation. Three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, one Mirage 2000 and one MiG-29 were downed within a 40-minute span. Not one Pakistani jet crossed the border or engaged in close combat. While speaking to Bloomberg at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Ge... -
Dawn - 10:23 May 31, 2025
Hours after Pakistan decided to enhance ties with Afghanistan yesterday, the Afghan foreign ministry welcomed the decision and announced upgrading the status of its chargé d’affaires in Islamabad to ambassador. Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to upgrade their diplomatic relations by exchanging envoys earlier this month — a key step towards normalising ties after years of strained relations due to terrorism concerns repeatedly voiced by Islamabad. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan welcomes the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its diplomatic mission in Kabul to that of an ambassador,” the Afghan foreign ministry said on its X account late on Friday. “In reciprocity, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will elevate the status of its mission in Islamabad from chargé d’affaires to ambassador,” the ministry added. Zakir Jalaly, an Afghan foreign ministry official, wrote on X that the current chargé d’affaires in Islamabad, Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, will ... -
Dawn - 10:17 May 31, 2025
The Punjab government on Saturday said that Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) will be in place to prevent disturbance of public peace and danger to human life from June 5 to June 11. A notification issued by the provincial government today said that it was reported that during Eidul Azha, random people burned the heads and feet of sacrificial animals which emitted unhealthy smoke and unpleasant smell. “Members of the public throw entrails of sacrificial animals on roadside and drains, which causes smell/insanitary conditions and blockage of sewerage system,” the notification added. It continued that people in different areas swim in the “canals, ponds, lakes, riverbanks and distributaries during Eid holidays”, placing their lives at risk. “Cattle sellers illegally establish sale points for sale/purchase of sacrificial animals within populated areas of districts, which causes hindrance in smooth conduct of traffic and also spread of different diseases,” it read. “The said activities are not ... -
Dawn - 07:59 May 31, 2025
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Friday raised alarm over the alleged leaking of Cambridge University’s Advanced Level (A-Level) examination papers in Pakistan, warning it has put the academic futures of bright students in jeopardy. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education met at the education ministry with Dr Azimuddin Zahid Lakhvi in the chair. The members said there were alleged reports that four question papers had been leaked and were available on various WhatsApp groups. They said reports alleged that the question papers were available for sale a day before the exam and were sold for dollars. MNA from Faisalabad Mohammad Ali Sarfraz, who attended the meeting as a special invitee, informed the committee about the leaked papers. He said leaking of papers had put future of shining students at risk. “My own daughter, who has excellent academic record, was crying after one of the papers as some other students got the question paper in advance and 100pc same questions appeared in the e...
7934 items