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Dawn - 12:59 Aug 22, 2025
At least five Iranian police have been killed in an ambush in the restive Sistan-Baluchestan province, Iranian media reported on Friday. The unidentified assailants struck two units on patrol near the town of Iranshahr, the Fars news agency said, citing local police. “In this terrorist act, five servants of security and peace were martyred,” it quoted police as saying. Sistan-Baluchestan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long been a flashpoint for clashes between security forces and armed groups, including drug traffickers and separatists. The province, which is home to a large Sunni Muslim Baloch minority, is one of the poorest regions of the Shia-majority country. Police said the officers had been on routine patrol when they came under fire. Iranian media published an image of a bullet-riddled police pickup with bodies lying on the ground nearby. An operation was underway to “track down and identify” the assailants, Fars said. No group immediately claimed responsibility. Iran regularly reports de... -
Dawn - 12:51 Aug 22, 2025
Pakistan’s commerce minister and a Bangladeshi government adviser met in Dhaka on Friday to discuss the enhancement of bilateral trade and the strengthening of economic ties between the two countries. Ever since a popular uprising in Bangladesh that saw Hasina’s government toppled in August of last year, with the deposed premier fleeing to her old ally India, there has been a thaw in ties between the Islamabad and Dhaka, with trade and bilateral relations seeing a marked improvement. A press release by the Ministry of Commerce said that Pakistan’s Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, who reached Dhaka on August 21 for an official visit, met with Bangladesh’s Adviser for Commerce Sheikh Bashir Uddin. During the interaction, both sides “held in-depth discussions in Dhaka today to advance economic cooperation, mutual investments and strengthen bilateral trade ties”. It added that Pakistan’s high commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, was also present during the meeting. “The two countries are in the process ... -
Dawn - 12:40 Aug 22, 2025
Former Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe, who led the country during a devastating 2019-2024 economic crisis, was arrested and appeared in court on Friday over allegations he misused state funds while in office, police said. Wickremesinghe, 76, who lost power in a 2024 election, had been investigated over a visit he made to London to attend his wife’s graduation ceremony, local media reported. Police confirmed his arrest for alleged misuse of public funds. “Former president Ranil Wickremesinghe has been arrested and produced in court. We are awaiting the court directive to decide what further steps need to be taken,” a police spokesperson said. Wickremesinghe’s office did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. An ally from his United National Party (UNP) proclaimed his innocence and suggested the case was politically motivated. “Ranil Wickremesinghe has never misused public funds or state funds,” UNP member Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe told reporters gathered outside the court complex where t... -
Dawn - 12:30 Aug 22, 2025
Saleema Imtiaz is set for her umpiring debut in the upcoming women’s ODI series between Pakistan and South Africa in Lahore, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday, alongside confirming other match officials for the series. Last year, Saleema became the first Pakistani female official to join ICC’s International Panel of Development Umpires, enabling her to officiate women’s bilateral international matches and ICC women’s events. The three-match One-Day International series will be staged at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from September 16-22. Saleema, who is part of the ICC International Panel of Umpires will be joined by Australia’s Claire Polosak, who returns to Pakistan after officiating in the Pakistan v West Indies women’s series last year in Karachi, PCB said. Polosak, also a member of the ICC International Panel of Umpires, will stand in all three ODIs as an on-field umpire. Humairah Farah has been named as the reserve umpire for the series, while Tariq Rasheed from the PCB Elite Panel of Umpi... -
Dawn - 12:16 Aug 22, 2025
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a meeting with Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Islamabad during his official visit to the country, discussing regional security and counter-terrorism, the military’s media wing said on Friday. The Chinese foreign minister arrived in Pakistan late Wednesday night to attend the sixth Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue on Thursday morning. He also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reaffirming China’s commitment to working with Pakistan to promote regional peace, development, and stability. Wang said that China was prepared to support its neighbours on issues concerning their core interests and to firmly oppose external interference in the region, per a Chinese foreign ministry handout. He stressed the need to improve the security dialogue mechanism, deepen law enforcement and security cooperation, strengthen the fight against transnational terrorism, and eliminate conditions that promote extremism. According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public ... -
Dawn - 11:02 Aug 22, 2025
Pakistan’s javelin sensation Muhammad Yasir Sultan threw a season’s best of 77.43m to clinch a bronze medal at the Asian Throwing Championships in Mokpo, South Korea on Friday. The 27-year-old threw a massive 77.43m on his sixth and final attempt to snag a podium finish and smash his previous season’s best of 76.07m set at the Asian Athletics Championships in May. Sri Lanka’s Pathirage Rumesh Tharanga won gold with an 82.05m throw and became the only athlete to cross the 80m barrier this morning. Behind him was Japan’s Gen Naganuma with 78.60m. Yasir opened his campaign with a no-throw, followed by a solid 75.79m. He the then threw two successive throws in the 72m range before anther no-throw on his fifth attempt. It was on his final attempt that he struck his medal-winning 77.43m throw. Yasir said in a social media post that he was “happy for a podium finish” and season’s best throw despite “tough conditions”. He thanked his supporters and hoped for more medals in the future. View this post on Instagram Yasi... -
Dawn - 08:59 Aug 22, 2025
India’s Supreme Court modified its order on stray dogs on Friday, directing that those picked up from streets in and around Delhi be released after sterilisation and immunisation, after a storm of protests from animal lovers. Earlier this month, the court ruled that all stray dogs in Delhi and its suburbs be moved to shelters following a surge in dog bites and cases of rabies. Critics of the ruling had said it could not be implemented because there were not enough shelters. Many animal lovers took to the streets to protest against the order. Animal rights activists signed online petitions asking the court to revoke its decision. The court ruling also drew criticism from politicians and celebrities. India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi called it a “step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy”. On Friday, the court said that dogs picked up in the past few weeks in Delhi and its suburbs would be released after sterilisation and immunisation, barring those showing aggressive behaviour or signs of ra... -
Dawn - 06:39 Aug 22, 2025
LAHORE: The Lahore police arrested on Thursday another nephew of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Imran Khan in a ‘May 9 case.’ A senior officer of investigation police said Shahrez Khan, son of Aleema Khan, was wanted in the 2023 violence which erupted following the arrest of Imran Khan. Rejecting police claim, PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja said Shahrez had nothing to do with politics. Shahrez’ father Suhail Khan said his son was doing business and now he was preparing to go abroad to participate in a world triathlon championship. Earlier, Salman Raja said plainclothes men attacked the residence of Aleema Khan and abducted her son Shahrez. “Aleema Bibi’s home in Lahore has been attacked by men in plainclothes and her son Shahrez abducted,” tweeted Mr Raja. He also alleged that the intruders harassed Aleema Khan’s family members and even thrashed staff. PTI lawyer Rana Mudassar told Dawn.com that Shahrez was “kidnapped” from his home in Lahore. “People dressed in plainclothes entered the house and to... -
Dawn - 06:20 Aug 22, 2025
A Japanese city will urge all smartphone users to limit screen time to two hours a day outside work or school under a proposed ordinance that includes no penalties. The limit — which will be recommended for all residents in central Japan’s Toyoake City — will not be binding and there will be no penalties incurred for higher usage, according to the draft ordinance. The proposal aims “to prevent excessive use of devices causing physical and mental health issues… including sleep problems”, mayor Masafumi Koki said in a statement on Friday. The draft urges elementary school students to avoid smartphones after 9:00pm, and junior high students and older are advised not to use them after 10:00pm. The move prompted an online backlash, with many calling the plan unrealistic. “I understand their intention, but the two-hour limit is impossible,” one user wrote on social media platform X. “In two hours, I cannot even read a book or watch a movie (on my smartphone),” wrote another. Others said smartphone use should be a d... -
Dawn - 05:37 Aug 22, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank will provide a $410 million financing package to help develop Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper mine, one of the world’s largest untapped deposits, which will be operated by Barrick Gold , two sources told Reuters on Thursday. Islamabad hopes the project will serve as a springboard to draw more foreign interest to its mineral sector, particularly to exploit rare earth deposits. Pakistan has already attracted interest from the Trump administration and offered future concessions to US companies. The loans and a financing guarantee will support development of Reko Diq, which is expected to produce copper and gold from 2028 and generate about $70 billion in free cash flow over its lifespan. The financing is composed of two loans totalling $300m to Barrick and a $110m financing guarantee for the Government of Pakistan, both sources said ahead of the official announcement. The $6.6bn project in Balochistan is 50pc owned by Barrick with the other half held by the federal and provincial... -
Dawn - 04:39 Aug 22, 2025
PESHAWAR: With the death toll from last week’s flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reaching 393, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Thursday issued an advisory for widespread rains in the province from August 22 to 26. A PDMA report issued here said that the tally of deaths from last Friday’s catastrophic rains and flash floods had gone up to 393, with Buner, the most affected district, reporting 234 fatalities as well as injury to 128 people. Also, 42 people were killed and 20 injured in Swabi district, while Shangla district has recorded 36 deaths, Mansehra 25, Bajaur 22 and Swat 20. The PDMA report said that the Pakistan Meteorological Department had forecast the start of widespread rains in the province’s central and upper parts from August 22. Most 234 fatalities reported in Buner district It said that widespread downpour, along with wind and thunderstorms, were very likely in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Malakand, Buner, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Abbottabad,... -
Dawn - 04:07 Aug 22, 2025
KOT ADDU: Villagers carrying their children on their shoulders wade through floodwaters in Ehsan Pur village.—AFP • Fresh spell of torrential rains forecast across the country • PDMA issues high-alert warning for Punjab • Tarbela Dam is at maximum capacity; Mangla Dam is 74pc full LAHORE / RAWALPINDI: Thousands of families in south Punjab have been displaced as floods caused by overflowing Indus and Chenab rivers have destroyed homes, crops and farmland. Districts including Layyah, Taunsa Sharif, Kot Addu, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur and Multan are among the worst affected. In Multan, floodwaters entered several villages, destroying crops and mango orchards. In Kot Adu, residents of Ehsanpur and Hinjrai union councils were forced to evacuate along with their livestock. “Houses are surrounded by water, crops have vanished and land is eroding,” a rescue official told Dawn on condition of anonymity, adding that his team had evacuated over 150 people and their cattle by boat. In Layyah, floodwaters w... -
Dawn - 04:03 Aug 22, 2025
BAJAUR / SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: At least 11 people — including a woman and children — were injured, when heavy clashes erupted between security forces and militants in the Birmal tehsil of Lower South Waziristan district on Thursday morning, officials and residents told Dawn. The exchange of fire took place near Karmazi Stop, as troops were carrying out an operation to take control of a key militant stronghold. Sources said security forces managed to establish two new posts in the area. Officials said that several militants initially managed to take refuge inside a nearby structure, but later fled during the clearance operation. The crossfire left 11 residents injured, who were provided first aid before being shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Wana. Witnesses said intermittent firing continued throughout the day, and residents said the area remained tense throughout the operation, with families confined to their homes for several hours. The Wana-Azam Warsak Road remained closed until around 1pm, dis... -
Dawn - 19:38 Aug 21, 2025
Hours after the PTI announced late Thursday that men in plainclothes had “abducted” the son of Aleema Khanum, the sister of party founder and ex-premier Imran Khan, from her residence, Lahore police announced that Shahrez Khan had been arrested in connection with a May 9 case. Shortly after the ‘abduction’ was reported, police officials had expressed ignorance of Shahrez’s whereabouts and said they could only look into the matter if an official complaint was lodged. Earlier, PTI Lawyer Rana Mudassar Umar had told Dawn.com that Aleema’s son, Shahrez Khan, was “kidnapped” from his home in Lahore. “People dressed in plain clothes entered the house and took Aleema Khan’s son with them,” he claimed. “No case has been registered against Shahrez, nor is he related to politics.” Mudassar said that no information had been given about Shahrez’s whereabouts and that he would approach the Lahore High Court for his recovery. PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram wrote on X: “During an attack, people dressed in pla... -
Dawn - 19:38 Aug 21, 2025
A US State Department official on Thursday said that continuous vetting applies to “all of the more than 55 million foreigners who currently hold valid United States visas”, including those who have already been admitted to enter the country. “The State Department revokes visas any time there are indications of a potential ineligibility, which includes things like any indicators of overstays, criminal activity, threats to public safety, engaging in any form of terrorist activity, or providing support to a terrorist organisation,” the official said. In a written comment to The Associated Press, the official said that if a visa holder presents these indications, their visa will be revoked and they will be subject to deportation if they are already in the US. US President Donald Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration a focus of his presidency, boosting resources to secure the border and arresting people in the country illegally. Earlier this month, the US government announced that it could require b... -
Dawn - 18:56 Aug 21, 2025
Military spokesperson Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry clarified on Thursday that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir did not seek an apology from anyone over the May 9, 2023 riots, saying the perpetrators should be “held accountable”, Geo News reported. The remarks come days after it was reported that the army chief had sought a ‘sincere apology’ over the 2023 countrywide protests — apparently from the PTI, which the state holds responsible for the May 9 riots. Suhail Warraich, a senior editor for the Daily Jang newspaper, wrote in a column on August 16 that COAS Munir had spoken to him in person recently in Belgium’s capital of Brussels, where the army chief had stopped over on his return from his visit to the United States. “On a question about politics, he (the army chief) said that political reconciliation is possible only if there is a sincere apology,” the column read, without specifying who the army chief was referring to or who the question was about. “Neither did the army chi... -
Dawn - 18:31 Aug 21, 2025
China affirmed its commitment on Thursday to working with Pakistan on promoting regional peace, development and stability. Pakistan and China share a longstanding strategic partnership with ties ranging across different sectors — including trade, energy, defence and infrastructure. The fifth round of Strategic Dialogue in May 2024 was co-chaired by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing. The Chinese foreign minister is currently on a visit to Pakistan. Wang called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House, according to a statement from the PM Office. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and senior cabinet members. “FM Wang Yi emphasised that China regarded Pakistan as an ironclad friend and all-weather strategic partner. He expressed China’s desire to elevate bilateral relations with Pakistan to new heights of cooperation and collaboration. Commending ... -
Dawn - 17:34 Aug 21, 2025
A teenager inspired by Adolf Hitler, who planned to set fire to a Scottish mosque, was sentenced to 10 years in custody on Thursday. Police arrested the 17-year-old in January while he was carrying a military-style rucksack as he tried to gain entry to the building in Greenock, on the west coast of Scotland. Inside the bag, officers found a German-made Glock-type air pistol, ammunition, ball bearings, gas cartridges and aerosol cans, prosecutors said. The teen had mapped out the building’s interior on his phone. Investigators also found a list of individuals who had inspired his political beliefs, including Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik. A search of his home found Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, knives and masks, as well as instructions and ingredients for the manufacturing of explosives. The High Court in Glasgow sentenced him after he pleaded guilty to two charges of terrorism, Scotland’s Crown Office said. The teenager — who cannot be named for legal reasons due to h... -
Dawn - 17:24 Aug 21, 2025
At least two people were killed and 33 were injured when a massive explosion took place inside a warehouse in a densely populated area near Karachi’s Taj Medical Complex on Thursday afternoon, according to police and hospital officials. Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn.com that 20 injured people were brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, including two with critical wounds, while 14 other men were brought to the trauma centre at Civil Hospital Karachi, with two in critical condition. “The condition of other wounded persons is being evaluated,” she said. Later in the day, she said the police brought the body of a 16-year-old who was found dead at the last level of the warehouse. A statement from Rescue 1122 also confirmed the body’s retrieval. In a subsequent update, she said: “One critical patient has unfortunately expired.” Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn.com that there was a three-storey building near Taj Medical Complex in Saddar where families resided on upper flo... -
Dawn - 17:19 Aug 21, 2025
A man was killed in a rain-related incident on Thursday as parts of Karachi received rain again for a third day with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issuing an emergency alert. Tuesday’s rains had severely strained Karachi’s fragile infrastructure, causing stormwater drains and sewers to burst, and also disrupting industrial operations across the economic hub. Several areas experienced extended power and internet service outages, which continued late into Wednesday, disrupting everyday life and adding to citizens’ misery. The rain-related death toll rose to 14. Most of the deaths occurred due to collapsing structures, drowning and electrocution during the past three days, according to hospital officials. Parts of Karachi intermittently received rain today as well, beginning after 2pm. Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn.com that the body of a 30-year-old, who died from an electric shock, was brought from Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority to the medico-legal section of Jinnah Postgrad...
10444 items