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Dawn - 10:45 Aug 12, 2025
The newly appointed Representative of Unicef in Pakistan, Pernille Ironside, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protect and uphold the rights of all children as she began her role in the country, it emerged on Tuesday. The agency supports the government to “accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realise their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children”, Unicef Pakistan’s official website said. After formally taking up the role, Ironside presented her credentials to Special Secretary (UN) Ambassador Nabeel Munir at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to a press release. “During the meeting, Ms Ironside reaffirmed Unicef’s commitment to protect and uphold the rights of all children in Pakistan,” it read. As the new Representative, she will provide “strategic leadership across Unicef’s country programme”, which “aims to nurture, educate, protect and support children from their earliest moments through adolescence” with... -
Dawn - 08:36 Aug 12, 2025
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on Tuesday raised questions over some observations made by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on former premier Imran Khan’s bail pleas in eight May 9 cases. In November 2024, a Lahore anti-terrorism court had denied Imran bail in the cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots, including an attack on the house of the Lahore corps commander. The incarcerated PTI leader’s plea challenging that was also rejected by the LHC on June 24. Subsequently, days later, Imran moved the Supreme Court against the high court’s decision. A three-member bench led by CJP Afridi, which also included Justices Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui and Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, resumed hearing the bail pleas today. Barrister Salman Safdar appeared on behalf of Imran, while Punjab Special Prosecutor Zulfiqar Naqvi was representing the state. During the hearing, CJP Afridi took note of some “findings” issued by the LHC in its detailed verdict of dismissing Imran’s bail pleas. “Can final observations be given in a ... -
Dawn - 08:18 Aug 12, 2025
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday ordered the confiscation of properties owned by PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed a day after they were convicted in two May 9 cases. ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill on Monday sentenced the four PTI leaders to 10 years in prison in the cases pertaining to the Shadman police station attack and burning of police vehicles near Jinnah House. The court, however, acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cases. Today’s hearing was also taken up by Gill, who ordered the confiscation of the convicted PTI leaders’ properties. The judge issued jail warrants for the leaders and handed them to the jail superintendent. In its verdict yesterday, the ATC had also fined Dr Yasmin, Chaudhry, Cheema and Rasheed Rs600,000. PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed were sentenced to five years in prison in the Shadman case. In a separate development today, Judge Gill ordered the release of Qureshi in the two ... -
Dawn - 07:05 Aug 12, 2025
United States President Donald Trump on Monday ordered a delay in the re-imposition of higher tariffs on Chinese goods, hours before a trade truce between Washington and Beijing was due to expire. The White House’s halt on steeper tariffs will be in place until November 10. “I have just signed an executive order that will extend the tariff suspension on China for another 90 days,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. The truce on steeper levies had been due to expire on Tuesday. While the US and China slapped escalating tariffs on each other’s products this year, bringing them to prohibitive triple-digit levels and snarling trade, both countries in May agreed to temporarily lower them. As part of their May truce, fresh US tariffs targeting China were reduced to 30 percent and the corresponding level from China was cut to 10pc. Those rates will now hold until November — or whenever a deal is cut before then. Around the same time that Trump confirmed the new extension, Chinese state media Xinhua news agenc... -
Dawn - 06:57 Aug 12, 2025
Italian orienteering athlete Mattia Debertolis died on Tuesday at the World Games in Chengdu, China after collapsing during competition, organisers said. Debertolis, 29, was found unconscious during an orienteering event on August 8 and died four days later, said a joint statement from World Games organisers and the International Orienteering Federation (IOF). The World Games is a multisport event held every four years for disciplines not included in the Olympics. “Despite receiving immediate expert medical care at one of China’s leading medical institutions, he passed away,” the statement said. It did not provide details on the cause of death. Orienteering sees athletes navigate an unmarked course with a map and compass, punching in at designated spots along the route in the quickest time. The event, held about 50 kilometres outside of central Chengdu, took place in intense heat and humidity, with temperatures above 30 degrees. Debertolis, from Primiero in eastern Italy, was taking part in the final of the m... -
Dawn - 06:37 Aug 12, 2025
Security forces have eliminated another three terrorists attempting to infiltrate via the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Balochistan’s Zhob district, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday. The military’s anti-infiltration operation, which began on the night of August 7, has so far killed 50 terrorists. “On night [of] 10/11 August 2025, a deliberate sanitisation operation was conducted in surrounding areas of Sambaza along [the] Pakistan-Afghanistan border,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a press release. “During the conduct of the operation, three more Indian sponsored khawarij were hunted down and successfully neutralised. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed khawarij,” the ISPR added. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The ISPR highlighted: “The number of khawarij killed in four days’ anti-infiltration operation has risen to 50.” It noted that “47 khwarij were sent to hell” pre... -
Dawn - 05:47 Aug 12, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Various religious groups joined hands on Monday to protest against the demolition of a mosque in the capital. The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) along with other groups held a protest at the site of the demolished Madni mosque near Rawal Dam Chowk. The protesters also uprooted the saplings planted by the CDA on the place. The mosque had been demolished late Saturday night. The JUI-F Member of National Assembly, Naeema Kishwar, also submitted a resolution condemning the demolition of Madni mosque. Addressing the protesters, JUI-F Islamabad chapter Emir Mufti Owais Aziz announced that legal proceedings would be initiated against the demolition of the mosque. He said the government was planning to raze 50 mosques in Islamabad and vowed to resist the move. He said the religious groups have unanimously agreed to get an FIR registered against Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials under blasphemy laws. “If the police refuse to register the case, we will consider them enemies of Islam,” Muf... -
Dawn - 05:42 Aug 12, 2025
PESHAWAR: Around 55,000 people have been displaced from different areas of Mamund tehsil in Bajaur tribal district due to the military operation, while 400,000 residents remain hostage to the suddenly-imposed curfew, local lawmaker Nisar Baz told the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday. During a debate on the law and order situation in the province with Speaker Babar Saleem Swati chairing the session, Mr Baz of the opposition Awami National Party insisted that the people displaced from his district due to a military operation against terrorismfaced multiple problems due to the government’s failure to cater for them. He said that neither the provincial government nor the federal government had made any arrangements to meet the needs of displaced residents. Mr Baz urged authorities to lift curfew to enable people to shift to safety. Opposition demands end to curfew to help residents move to safety “Almost the entire population is literally hostage to the curfew, which halted their migration. It’s astonishing ... -
Dawn - 05:20 Aug 12, 2025
TOBA TEK SINGH: Faisalabad’s Lyallpur division Crime Control Department (CCD) police claimed to have arrested a paedophile serial rapist on Monday, who allegedly raped several minor boys and girls, recorded their videos and blackmailed them. According to CCD sources, the suspect ‘M’, a refrigerator mechanic residing in Kot Khan Muhammad locality on Satiana Road, had allegedly been raping minor boys and girls at gunpoint. The sources say the suspect would also record videos while raping children through secret cameras and later blackmail the victims. More than two dozen pornographic videos of eight to 12-year-old children were recovered from his mobile phones, besides other objectionable and obscene videos. The sources say that around a year ago, the suspect was caught red-handed raping a child, after which he fled to Multan. However, he returned to Faisalabad after six months and again raped an eight-year-old girl and made her pornographic videos. According to sources, the suspect had also allegedly electrocu... -
Dawn - 05:13 Aug 12, 2025
WASHINGTON: The 50 per cent tariff imposed by the Trump administration on Indian goods, including basmati rice, has reshaped trade flows in the United States, providing Pakistan an opportunity to expand its share in the American aromatic rice market. Pakistan’s basmati rice exports have witnessed steady growth in recent years. According to the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), the country exported approximately 772,725 tonnes of basmati rice in FY24, generating $876.9m — up from 595,120 tonnes worth $650.4m in the previous fiscal year. The average export price per tonne also increased from $1,092.93 to $1,134.86. Data from Volza’s Global Trade platform shows that between November 2023 and October 2024, the United States accounted for 24pc of Pakistan’s total basmati exports through 1,519 shipments. Italy and the United Kingdom followed with shares of 14pc (908 shipments) and 11pc (716 shipments), respectively. Together, these three markets consumed nearly 49pc of Pakistan’s basmati rice exports. ... -
Dawn - 04:43 Aug 12, 2025
KARACHI: A judicial magistrate was on Monday informed that a dumper driver booked and arrested for killing two siblings in an accident on Rashid Minhas Road a day before did not possess a heavy transport vehicle (HTV) licence. The investigating officer of the case brought the suspect before Judicial Magistrate (Central) Farman Ali Tager and sought his custody for 14 days for interrogation. He informed the court that as per initial inquiry the suspect did not possess a licence to drive a heavy vehicle. He said he only had the licence to drive light transport vehicles (LTV) and that too had expired in 2016. The IO asked for more time to get information regarding the owner of the dumper — involved in the accident — as well as need to verify the documents of the suspect. After hearing the IO, the court remanded him in police custody for two days and directed him to submit a progress report at the next hearing. Body formed to probe arson attacks A high-powered committee was formed to investigate arson attacks, whe... -
Dawn - 18:29 Aug 11, 2025
The US State Department on Monday added the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, to its Foreign Terrorist Organisation list, according to a press release. Last year, Pakistan proscribed the Majeed Brigade, which is the BLA’s dedicated suicide squad. The BLA itself was proscribed in 2006, according to the National Counter-Terrorism Authority’s list of proscribed organisations. Pakistan has previously requested that the Majeed Brigade be listed as an international terrorist organisation. In 2019, the State Department labelled the BLA as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), making it a crime for anyone in the US to assist the militants, but did not designate the Majeed Brigade at that time. FTO designations are made by the Secretary of State, following section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), and “are an effective means of curtailing support for terrorist activities and pressuring groups to get out of the terrorism business”. SDGT designations, meanwhil... -
Dawn - 17:04 Aug 11, 2025
Pakistani leadership, including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the rights of minorities while hailing their services to the country on Monday, in celebration of National Minorities Day. National Minorities Day is celebrated on August 11 every year. It commemorates the historic speech by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, made on Aug 11, 1947, where he emphasised equal rights for all citizens regardless of religion. The day aims to highlight the religious and socio-economic rights of minorities in Pakistan. In separate statements today, President Zardari and PM Shehbaz both reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding and advancing the rights of minorities while acknowledging their contributions to the country. The president reaffirmed his resolve to continue efforts to promote interfaith harmony, brotherhood and unity to build an inclusive and prosperous Pakistan. “This day reflects Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah... -
Dawn - 17:00 Aug 11, 2025
United States President Donald Trump on Monday deployed military and federal law enforcement to curb violent crime in Washington, as he seeks to make good on his campaign pledge to be a “law and order” president. The Republican leader said he would place the city’s Metropolitan Police under federal government control while also sending the National Guard onto the streets of the US capital. The overwhelmingly Democratic city faces allegations from Republican politicians that it is overrun by crime, plagued by homelessness and financially mismanaged — although violent offences are down. “This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back,” Trump said. Trump — a convicted felon who granted blanket clemency to nearly 1,600 people involved in the 2021 US Capitol riot in Washington — has complained that local police and prosecutors aren’t tough enough. He said 800 DC National Guardsmen — “and much more if necessary” — would be deployed to the city of 700,000. As Trump was speaking at the White H... -
Dawn - 16:55 Aug 11, 2025
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department on Monday announced that a three-day curfew was being imposed from today until August 14 (Thursday) amid an operation against militants in the areas. At the end of July, security forces backed by gunship helicopters and artillery launched ‘Operation Sarbakaf’ against terrorists in Lowi Mamund tehsil and imposed a three-day curfew in the region. The operation was paused after both sides agreed to a ceasefire until the conflict was completely resolved through dialogue; however, peace talks between militant commanders and the Bajaur peace jirga fell through. Today’s statement said that the curfew would be imposed from 11am today until 11am on August 14, in order to ensure the safety of the public during the anti-terror operation. “A complete curfew will be imposed … in which movement on the roads and leaving houses will be prohibited,” the statement read. It listed Laghari, Guati, Ghanam Shah, Bad Siya, Kamar, Amanta, Zagai, Gut, Gunde, Gadigal, Niag Kali, Rigi, Daag, Dama... -
Dawn - 16:31 Aug 11, 2025
The federal government on Monday welcomed the decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague to issue an “Award on Issues of General Interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)” in the Indus Waters case, stating that India must generally “let flow” the waters of the western rivers for Pakistan’s “unrestricted use”. India in April held the IWT in abeyance following the attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”, noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension. It later said it was considering court action, citing a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. A supplemental award by the PCA in June held that India could not unilaterally hold the treaty in abeyance. India, in response, said it did not recognise the court or its decisions. A press release issued today by the PCA said it rendered an award on Friday in an ... -
Dawn - 15:58 Aug 11, 2025
The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday castigated India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for “distorting” and “twisting” remarks made by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir during his recent visit to the United States. Field Marshal Munir on Sunday completed his second high-profile trip to the US in less than two months. Like his previous visit, he engaged with both political and military leadership in the host country. In Tampa, Florida, the army chief attended the US Central Command’s (Centcom) change of command ceremony. His most closely watched appearance came later at a black-tie dinner hosted by Adnan Asad, Pakistan’s honorary consul in Tampa. The event was attended by about 150 guests, including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Ambassador Rizwan Shaikh, embassy officials, and prominent members of the diaspora. Comments Field Marshal Munir reportedly made at the event were later picked up and, according to the FO, distorted by Indian media outlets. Responding to Indian media reports, the M... -
Dawn - 15:50 Aug 11, 2025
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday acquitted PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two more cases related to the May 9 riots, while sentencing Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid to 10 years in prison. On May 9, 2023, PTI supporters, protesting party founder Imran Khan’s arrest, staged violent protests throughout the country, following which thousands were arrested. The ATC had reserved its verdict in the two cases on Saturday related to the May 9 riots — the Shadman police station attack and burning of police vehicles near Jinnah House — after completing proceedings at Kot Lakhpat jail. The judge concluded the hearings inside the jail in two sessions during the whole day. ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill announced the judgments today and convicted Dr Yasmin, Chaudhry, Cheema and Rashid in both cases. PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed were also sentenced to five years in prison in the Shadman case. Advocate Rana Mudassar confirmed today’s sentencing to Da... -
Dawn - 14:59 Aug 11, 2025
The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) on Monday received offers in its international tender to buy 100,000 tonnes of white sugar, European traders said in initial assessments. On July 8, the government had approved plans to import 500,000 tonnes of sugar to help maintain price stability. Market analysts said that retail sugar prices in the country have risen sharply since January. TCP had last week issued a fresh international tender to purchase 100,000 tonnes of white refined sugar, after a previous one for 50,000 tonnes of sugar in July reportedly received no offers. The lowest price offered in the tender was believed to be $539.00 a tonne, cost and freight (c&f) included, according to traders. They said offers were still being considered and no purchase had been reported yet. The lowest offer was said to have been submitted by trading house ED&F Man for 50,000 tonnes of fine-grade sugar sourced from any origin. There were reportedly three other participants in the tender. Dreyfus was said to have offer... -
Dawn - 14:58 Aug 11, 2025
A court in Bangladesh on Monday heard cases brought by the anti-corruption organisation against ex-leader Sheikh Hasina and her family, including her daughter who has served as a top UN official. Three officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) read out testimonies in three separate cases over an alleged land grab of lucrative plots in a suburb of the capital Dhaka. Hasina, 77, fled Bangladesh by helicopter on August 5, 2024, after weeks of student-led protests against her autocratic rule. She has defied orders to return from India, including to attend her separate and ongoing trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity, over the deadly crackdown on the uprising. Hasina has been named in six corruption cases, along with her US-based son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and her daughter Saima Wazed, who has been serving as the World Health Organisation’s Southeast Asia chief in New Delhi. “If found guilty, Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and Saima Wazed could face up to 14 years in prison,” ACC la...
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