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Dawn - 12:54 Jun 06, 2026
Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Saturday criticised the federal government for what he described as a “low priority” approach towards Karachi, arguing that the country’s largest city continues to shoulder immense economic and infrastructural burdens despite its significant contribution to the national economy. Speaking to the media in Karachi, Memon said Karachi remained Pakistan’s most challenging city, facing pressures stemming from migration, trade, employment and transportation. “We do have motorway issues. Karachi has been given low priority by the federal government,” he said, noting that as the country’s main port city, Karachi should have been prioritised in the development of the motorway network. “When you have to start a motorway, you should start it from Karachi. But it has been built everywhere except Karachi,” he added. The minister said Karachi’s infrastructure was under extraordinary strain as heavy traffic from across the country converged on the city. “All of Pakistan’s heavy tr... -
Dawn - 11:59 Jun 06, 2026
KHYBER: Enraged Zakhakhel tribesmen blocked the main highway leading to Torkham on Saturday and announced that they would take up arms in self-defence after two men were killed in a targeted attack late on Friday evening. Led by local tribal elder Malak Abdullah Khan, the protesters — including scores of political party activists, civil society members and tribesmen — announced that armed volunteers would be assigned the responsibility of patrolling local areas. They also announced a complete ban on motorcycle riding and barred all government employees belonging to the Zakhakhel tribe from performing their official duties until a durable solution for restoring peace was found. Furthermore, they called for a boycott of polio vaccination campaigns and the closure of all government and private schools in the Zakhakhel area. The protesters also refused to meet any government functionary until a meaningful crackdown was launched against suspected militants holed up in Mazreena and the surrounding localities. They ... -
Dawn - 09:31 Jun 06, 2026
Young students gathered in New Delhi on Saturday for the first street protest by the satirical “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP) over alleged irregularities in recent major examinations. Carrying paper cockroach masks and pamphlets, the protesters called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who has faced criticism over the irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical glitches. The CJP has garnered millions of followers on social media since its launch last month. Modi’s government has blocked the movement’s X account in the country, a move the CJP has challenged in a Delhi court. Political analysts say the group’s popularity has begun to dent Modi’s image despite his party’s recent victories in key state elections, even as wider frustration grows over rising fuel prices and gas shortages brought by the Iran war. Abhijeet Dipke, head of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), holds a copy of “My Autobiography” by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as he gestures towards his supporters upon his arr... -
Dawn - 09:18 Jun 06, 2026
Pakistan and India again traded barbs at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) — this time on occupied Kashmir — with Islamabad slamming the other side for “misleading” the council. Speaking during the presentation of the UNSC’s Annual Report to the General Assembly on Friday, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad called for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, according to a press release. Pakistan coordinated and drafted the introduction to the annual report. Subsequently, in his statement, India’s UN envoy, Harish Parvathaneni, accused Pakistan of misusing the UN platforms for its so-called “divisive political interests”. He also asserted that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India”. In turn, Political Coordinator at the Pakistan Mission Gul Qaiser Sarwani, utilising the right of reply, pointed out that Jammu and Kashmir “remains an internationally recognised dispute on the agenda of the Security Council”. “N... -
Dawn - 08:58 Jun 06, 2026
India have called up teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for their upcoming Twenty20 international series against Ireland and England, the country’s cricket board (BCCI) announced on Saturday, while Shreyas Iyer has been named captain. Sooryavanshi, 15, is fresh off a breakout campaign in the Indian Premier League in which he topped the scoring charts with 776 runs in 16 matches, while also breaking Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in a season. His performances for the Rajasthan Royals made him the first player in IPL history to be named both the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the Best Emerging Player, with many tipping him for a spot in the senior Twenty20 International side. Selectors also fired Suryakumar Yadav as captain following a poor run of form, just three months after he led the country to World Cup glory at home. Should Sooryavanshi go on to make his debut against either Ireland or England, he would become the youngest player to represent an Indian men’s senior team, bettering great Sachin Tendulkar, ... -
Dawn - 08:40 Jun 06, 2026
New attacks in the Middle East on Friday threatened to unravel an already fragile US-Iran ceasefire. Weeks of complex talks marked by threats and flare-ups of violence have failed to secure a deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for global energy flows. A ceasefire in the Middle East war, triggered nearly 100 days ago by US and Israeli strikes that wiped out Iran’s top leadership, has been in place since April 8. But tensions surged again on Friday when the US military said it struck radar sites in Iran after downing drones headed toward the strait. Shortly after, air raid sirens sounded in neighboring Gulf nations Kuwait and Bahrain — both US allies — and AFP correspondents in both countries heard explosions. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said early on Saturday they had targeted “enemy bases in the area” with missiles in response to a US “invasion” of the country’s Sirik and Qeshm islands. US Central Command (Centcom) said Iran launched seven ballistic missiles toward Kuwait and B... -
Dawn - 08:30 Jun 06, 2026
Hundreds of young students gathered in New Delhi on Saturday for the first street protest by the satirical “Cockroach People’s Party” over alleged irregularities in recent major examinations. Carrying paper cockroach masks and pamphlets, the protesters called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who has faced criticism over the irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical glitches. “We want accountability from the government,” Utkarsh Raj, a medical college aspirant, told AFP at the protest site, which was watched closely by police officers in riot gear. “How is it that exam papers get leaked in this country? How is this right?” added Raj, 16. Protesters were led by Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old Boston University graduate who arrived in New Delhi from the United States on Saturday. “The youth of the country will no longer fear anyone, they will fight,” Dipke, a former political communications strategist for the opposition Aam Aadmi Party, told supporters at the rally. “... -
Dawn - 08:29 Jun 06, 2026
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and local partners have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the development of a maritime business district on prime Karachi Port Trust’s (KPT) waterfront land, the maritime affairs ministry said on Saturday. In a statement, Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the MoU was signed between KPT, Saudi Business Council–Najd Gateway Holding Company, Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management Limited (AHDRML), and the Pakistan Corporate Consortium. The proposed project would be built on a 140‑acre KPT site on Karachi’s MT Khan Road and is intended to transform the area into a major commercial and maritime hub, the minister said. The development is envisaged to include modern commercial infrastructure aimed at attracting investment, generating employment, and supporting urban development, he added. “This strategic collaboration is a transformative opportunity to unlock the full potential of KPT’s waterfront assets and position Pakistan as a regional hub for maritime co... -
Dawn - 07:49 Jun 06, 2026
North Korea plans to build a 10,000-ton destroyer and develop secret underwater weapons, state media said on Saturday, ahead of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper, reporting on a Thursday naval test supervised by leader Kim Jong Un, said he ordered the navy to deploy the destroyer Kang Kon and another 5,000-ton warship, the Choe Hyon, as soon as possible. The newspaper did not give further details. It is the first time North Korea has mentioned a plan to build a 10,000-ton destroyer, said Hong Min, a senior analyst at South Korea’s Institute for National Unification. Kim may be seeking to showcase the country’s military capabilities ahead of Xi’s visit on Monday and Tuesday, Hong said. The North Korean leader said Pyongyang must enhance its naval capabilities to deter a nuclear war, while calling for powerful military capabilities across land, sea and air, the newspaper said. Xi is making his first visit to North Korea in nearly seven years as Beijing looks to reassert ties w... -
Dawn - 06:16 Jun 06, 2026
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, signed agreements to enhance cooperation in preventing illegal immigration and drug trafficking, the interior ministry said on Saturday. Naqvi is currently attending a special meeting of the Ministers of Interior and Public Security of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. According to the interior ministry, Naqvi and Kolokoltsev signed agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation to curb illegal immigration and facilitate the repatriation of citizens. The two also signed an agreement to enhance collaboration in combating narcotics and preventing drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Naqvi also held separate meetings with his counterparts from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, the ministry said. It added that during his meeting with Tajikistan’s Interior Minister Rahimzoda Ramazon Hamro, the discussions focused on terrorist camps inside Afghanistan. “Both ministers agreed that terrorist ca... -
Dawn - 03:10 Jun 06, 2026
A PAKISTANI couple living in the Italian city of Reggio Emilia have been sentenced to two years in prison for forcing their 22-year-old daughter to abort and coercing her into marrying her cousin in Pakistan, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The case echoes the tragic tale of Saman Abbas, a young woman murdered by her family for refusing an arranged marriage in Pakistan. The young woman, who was not identified, reportedly rebelled and reported her parents to the Carabinieri (Italian police) after years of abuse. The victim was said to have been locked in the basement at night, deprived of her cell phone, slapped, forced to kneel, and beaten with her face smashed against the floor. She was subsequently forced to go to Pakistan and threatened if she didn’t agree to an engagement and marriage to a cousin. Finally, when it was discovered that she had become pregnant by a young boyfriend whom her family deemed unsuitable, she was punched in the abdomen and back and forced to have an abortion. Her parents, aged 5... -
Dawn - 02:55 Jun 06, 2026
RECENT photos and videos of the Attabad Lake in Gilgit-Baltistan seem to show that the size of the water body has shrunken considerably. But the phenomenon at play here is not a drying-up of the lake, rather heavy silt and sedimentation encroaching on the lake bed, according to an iVerify fact check published on Friday. Known as GB’s “crown jewel” and a major tourist attraction, the lake was formed after the Attabad village in the Gojal Valley witnessed a major landslide on January 4, 2010. Recent visuals of the lake have had netizens talking, showing large parts of its once-turquoise waters replaced by dry, exposed land. Many raised concerns over a “visible decline in water levels”, linking it to environmental degradation, while other argued that the apparent drying was a usual phenomenon. Jamil Nagri, Dawn’s correspondent in Gilgit, confirmed the authenticity of the visuals circulating on social media. But the size of the lake, which is not a natural water body, rather a landslide-dammed reservoir, is susce... -
Dawn - 02:49 Jun 06, 2026
KARACHI: Quantum Global Data Centre (QGDC), a venture of the Gul Ahmed Energy Group, announced plans on Thursday to develop Pakistan’s largest Tier III data centre, which is expected to become operational in 2027 with an initial investment of $230 million, Bloomberg reported. The project’s investment could rise to $600 million over the next three to four years. The announcement came as QGDC signed a strategic partnership agreement with Huawei Pakistan to develop the facility and a science and technology park to support Pakistan’s digital transformation, according to the press release. Speaking at the Q Summit, QGDC Chairman Danish Iqbal said that, although Pakistan was still in the early stages of AI adoption, it was already spending between $700m and $800m annually, warning that demand for computing power would rise sharply in the coming years. “Right now, with this minimal AI, we haven’t even started,” he said. “For our economies to grow, we need to go to very high AI compute. And that compute, without data... -
Dawn - 02:24 Jun 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday invited Saudi investors to participate in the construction of the long-awaited Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M6) and two other major highway projects, as Islamabad sought to attract foreign capital into its expanding transport infrastructure sector. Once completed, the motorway is expected to provide uninterrupted motorway connectivity from Karachi Port to Peshawar and onward to Gilgit. The offer was extended by Federal Communications Minister Aleem Khan during a meeting with the Chairman of the Saudi-Pakistan Joint Business Council, Prince Mansour bin Muhammad Al Saud, who held high-level talks with the minister on promoting bilateral economic cooperation and investment. According to the Ministry of Communications, Aleem Khan presented investment opportunities in three strategic road projects: the M6 Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, the M10 Karachi Port and the M13 Kharian-Rawalpindi motorways. The minister described the projects as commercially attractive ventures with strong potential ... -
Dawn - 02:14 Jun 06, 2026
• Approves Rs100bn financing facility for PSO • Oil company facing over Rs900bn receivables from SOEs • Special honoraria expanded to more ministries, departments • Rs10.15bn cleared for Pakistan Navy’s Hangor Project • Rs4.38bn granted to Gilgit-Baltistan ahead of elections ISLAMABAD: Less than a week before the next budget, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet on Friday approved more than Rs40 billion in supplementary grants and a Rs100bn sovereign-guarantee-backed financing facility for the Pakistan State Oil (PSO), which is facing over Rs900bn in receivables from other state-owned enterprises, raising concerns about smooth oil supplies. And despite financial constraints forcing development cuts in the name of IMF restrictions, the ECC meeting, presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, also allowed Rs10bn additional funds for parliamentarians’ development schemes and expanded the scope of special honoraria running up to six-month additional salaries to more ministries and d... -
Dawn - 01:07 Jun 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has set aside the government’s decision to deny foreign postings to several selected Trade and Investment Officers, ruling that executive authorities cannot deprive individuals of accrued rights on the basis of undisclosed intelligence reports that are neither shared with the affected persons nor produced before the court. In a detailed 26-page judgement, Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas declared unlawful the Ministry of Commerce’s decision to withhold the appointments of successful candidates solely on the basis of adverse assessments attributed to the Intelligence Bureau (IB). The petitioners were represented by advocates Kashif Ali Malik, Barrister M. Saad Buttar, and Syed Hasnain Ibrahim Kazmi, who argued that the government could not reverse a completed merit-based selection process through secret vetting reports that were never disclosed to the candidates. They maintained that the petitioners had acquired vested rights after obtaining approval from th... -
Dawn - 20:48 Jun 05, 2026
Wall Street’s nine-week winning streak ended with a thud on Friday, as red-hot technology stocks suffered their largest daily decline this year after a hot May jobs report fueled fears of a hawkish policy pivot from the US Federal Reserve. Selling was concentrated among chip stocks and other technology favorites that have surged higher in recent weeks as the Nasdaq Composite Index and S&P 500 rose repeatedly to fresh highs. All three major US stock indexes closed sharply lower, with plunging chip stocks dragging the tech-laden Nasdaq down by its largest one-day percentage loss since last year. The S&P 500 ended its nine-week run of Friday-to-Friday gains, its longest weekly winning streak since one that ended in December 2023. “After the record run we’ve seen the last nine weeks in equities, specifically tech and semiconductors, the dam just broke today,” said Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group in Omaha. “Obviously, the stronger-than-expected jobs report puts the Fed in a tough spot rega... -
Dawn - 20:25 Jun 05, 2026
The government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Friday declared the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation and placed it under the First Schedule of the region’s anti-terrorism act. The notification by AJK’s Home Department said the group is “engaged in terrorism” and has acted in a manner “prejudicial to peace and security” of the state. It further stated that JAAC is involved in “creating anarchy in the state by intimidating public, promoting hatred and creating a sense of insecurity in society and public at large etc”. “Now, therefore, in exercise of powers conferred under section 12 of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Terrorism Act, 2014, the President, Azad Jammu and Kashmir has accorded approval to list the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JK-JAAC), also known by names such as Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and Awami Action Committee (AAC) etc, in the First Schedule of ATA, 2014, Proscribed Organization for the purpose of the said Act.” Persistent avoidance of institutional... -
Dawn - 20:20 Jun 05, 2026
The government on Friday cut the petrol price by Rs4 per litre and kept the diesel rate unchanged with immediate effect for the week ending June 12, owing to changes in global prices over the past week. Accordingly, the ex-depot price of high-speed diesel (HSD) will remain fixed at Rs380.78 per litre for another week. The government made adjustments in taxes and other levies to maintain the diesel price, which is otherwise considered on the higher side. The price of diesel has come down from a peak of Rs520.35 recorded on April 10. HSD is considered the most inflationary fuel, given its extensive use in freight transportation. The ex-depot price of petrol was cut by Rs4 to Rs377.79 per litre, from the current Rs381.78 per litre. This is the fourth consecutive weekly reduction in petrol prices, with a cumulative decline of about Rs37 per litre. Last week, the government announced a reduction of Rs22 per litre in the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel. The government is currently charging about Rs100 per li... -
Dawn - 19:06 Jun 05, 2026
WASHINGTON: The US Congress is moving to tighten oversight of Pentagon leadership decisions and limit unilateral military action against Iran, in a rare bipartisan effort that underscores renewed tensions over presidential war powers and civilian control of the military. On Thursday, the House Armed Services Committee adopted a bipartisan provision that would require the Pentagon to notify Congress within five days whenever a senior military officer is dismissed, along with a written explanation for the decision. Lawmakers say the measure is intended to improve transparency over personnel changes at the top levels of the armed forces, where congressional visibility has traditionally been limited. The move comes amid broader scrutiny on Capitol Hill of the Trump administration’s handling of military operations against Iran and recent changes in senior defence leadership. While Congress frequently debates executive war powers, bipartisan agreement on measures that directly constrain presidential military author...
10391 items