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  • KKH partially blocked by river flow in GB’s Hunza: spokesperson
    Dawn - 10:51 Aug 08, 2025
    River erosion and increased water flow caused a blockage on part of the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Hunza Valley on Friday, according to a government spokesperson. GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said that the flow of water in GB rivers had increased, because of which a part of the KKH had been blocked due to erosion. “The chief minister of GB has ordered the restoration of the highway,” he said. He added that relevant institutions were on their way to restoring the KKH in Morkhun. Faraq also said that a search was underway for tourists who went missing after a boat capsized in Skardu on Tuesday. “Due to the increase in the flow of water in the lakes, there is a ban on operating boats and Section 144 is in force,” he said. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period. “Action is being taken against those who take tourists out on lakes by boat des...
  • Govt suspends mobile data services in Balochistan until Aug 31 for ‘security reasons’
    Dawn - 10:20 Aug 08, 2025
    Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind on Friday said that mobile data services in the province have been suspended until August 31 over “security reasons”. In recent months, the security situation in Balochistan has worsened, as militants, long involved in a low-level insurgency, have stepped up the frequency and intensity of their attacks. In February, nearly 62 per cent of the total terrorism-related deaths in the country occurred in Balochistan. The move came after a notification issued by the Balochistan Home Department on Aug 6, seen by Dawn.com, ordered the immediate suspension of data services until Aug 31, citing the “peculiar law and order situation” in the province. “It is, therefore, requested to please direct the concerned authorities for suspension/closure of 3G and 4G services in the entire province … to avoid any untoward incident,” the notification read. “The service has been suspended because they (militants) use it for coordination and sharing information,” Rind said, according to Reu...
    Tags: Balochistan
  • Pakistan set to become first South Asian country to ratify Unesco underwater heritage convention
    Dawn - 09:57 Aug 08, 2025
    Pakistan is set to become the first South Asian nation to ratify the 2001 Unesco Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH), marking a significant step toward safeguarding its submerged maritime legacy, a statement from the Press Information Department (PID) said on Friday. In recent years, underwater cultural heritage has attracted increasing attention from both the scientific community and the general public. For scientists, it represents an invaluable source of information on ancient civilisations, maritime practices, human use of land and marine environments, and climate change, according to Unesco. The announcement was made by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry during a meeting with Unesco representative Dr Cristina Menegazzi in Islamabad today. The two sides discussed collaborative efforts to document, preserve, and promote Pakistan’s rich underwater archaeological resources. “Pakistan is set to become the first South Asian nation to ratify the 2...
    Tags: Pakistan UNESCO South Asian
  • Arshad Nadeem marks one year since historic Paris gold with London rehab
    Dawn - 08:43 Aug 08, 2025
    A year ago to the day, Arshad Nadeem stunned the world with a monstrous javelin throw that propelled him to global stardom and salvaged Pakistan’s plummeting sports glory with its first individual gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The javelin star sweetened the deal when his 92.97m throw shattered the Olympic record — not once, but twice, to the delight of a roaring crowd at Paris’ Stade de France. But a year on from the historic triumph, Arshad is undergoing physiotherapy in London following surgery on his calf muscle. The two upcoming Diamond League championships he was set to compete at this month have been scrapped from his sports calendar as he recovers in time for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September. But there is no disappointment from Arshad or his coach Salman Butt, who doubles as his mentor, manager, and much more. “Things are looking good for Tokyo,” he told Dawn.com in a call from London. “We’re hoping to accomplish a lot there.” A gold medal at the World Championships will...
    Tags: London Arshad Nadeem Paris
  • Record-breaking heat impacting millions worldwide, Pakistan exceeds 45°C: UN weather agency
    Dawn - 08:40 Aug 08, 2025
    Extreme heat is breaking records around the world, with wildfires and poor air quality compounding the crisis and some areas including southern Pakistan exceeding 45 degrees Celsius, according to a report from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) released on Thursday. Extreme temperatures caused approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths annually between 2000 and 2019, with 36 per cent occurring in Europe and 45pc in Asia, the report said. The health impacts of heat are especially severe in cities due to the so-called ‘urban heat island effect’ — the over-heating of dense city areas compared with their rural surroundings — which is magnifying problems as urbanisation continues, it was pointed out. Amid rising 21st-century temperatures, the WMO underscored that July 2025 was the third-warmest July ever recorded, behind those in 2023 and 2024. In this record-breaking July, heatwaves especially impacted Sweden and Finland, which experienced unusually long spells of temperatures above 30°C. Southeast Europe...
    Tags: Pakistan
  • 2 terrorists planning to attack police killed in Mianwali operation: CTD
    Dawn - 07:58 Aug 08, 2025
    Two terrorists planning to attack the police in Punjab’s Mianwali district were killed during an operation, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said on Friday. 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. In a statement today, the law enforcement agency said, “Punjab CTD killed two terrorists during an operation near Kundian in Mianwali.” It said that the CTD acted on a tip-off after receiving intelligence that the terrorists were planning to attack police and other institutions. “During the operation, the CTD and terrorists engaged in an exchange of fire, as a result of which two terrorists were killed by their own accomplices, while six of them managed to escape.” According to the statement, the CTD recovered “explosive materials, two rifles, hand gren...
    Tags: Mianwali
  • Another organ trade network busted in a week in Rawalpindi
    Dawn - 06:24 Aug 08, 2025
    RAWALPINDI: In the second such incident reported within a week, police on Thursday arrested a member of an alleged organ trafficking ring operating from a private house in a housing society in Rawalpindi. Six other suspects, including a surgeon, managed to escape during a pre-dawn raid, according to the police. Earlier this month, Airport police had also unearthed a similar illegal operation in which a man was found undergoing a kidney removal procedure. Police said on Thursday that Sub-Inspector Wasim Sarwar registered an FIR with the Rawat police, stating he and his subordinates heard screaming of an individual from inside a house during an anti-crime patrol at 12 o’clock midnight in Rafi Block, Phase VIII of Bahria Town. He said an ambulance and other suspicious vehicles were also seen moving outside the house. “When the police reached the house located on the main road at 12:10am, they heard screams from inside,” the SI said. He stated in the FIR that the police knocked on the door and rang the doorbell, ...
    Tags: Rawalpindi
  • Summer vacation extended till 31st in Punjab
    Dawn - 05:29 Aug 08, 2025
    LAHORE: The Punjab government has extended the summer vacation for all public and private schools across the province until Aug 31 with institutions set to reopen on Sept 1. The decision, announced through an official notification by the School Education Department on Wednesday, supersedes the previous directive to resume classes on Aug 14. According to the notification, all district education authorities (DEAs) have been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the revised schedule. The extension comes amid ongoing extreme weather conditions in the province, though the notification did not explicitly cite a reason for the decision. This marks the second adjustment to the academic calendar this summer. Parents and students are advised to note the revised date, while school administrations are expected to adjust their academic plans accordingly. The Punjab government has not yet indicated whether the extended break will affect the overall academic year schedule or examinations. Punjab School Education minis...
  • Jaffar Express escapes blast near Sibi
    Dawn - 04:42 Aug 08, 2025
    QUETTA: The Quetta-bound Jaffar Express narrowly escaped disaster on Thursday when a bomb planted near the track close to Sibi Railway Station exploded just after the passenger train passed. Pakistan Railways authorities confirmed the explosion, which occurred near the outer signal of the track linking Balochistan to the rest of the country. “The explosive device was planted near the outer railway signal and detonated shortly after the train passed, causing significant damage to the track but leaving the train unharmed,” a senior official told Dawn. However, the railway track was badly damaged in the blast. “A portion of the railway track was blown up in the blast,” railway police officials said, adding that train service has been suspended after the explosion and Quetta-bound trains stopped at Jacobabad station. The repair of the damaged railway line has started. Following the explosion, security forces rushed to the scene to investigate. Preliminary findings revealed that the explosive device had been remot...
  • Punjab’s cotton harvest reaches 609,000 bales
    Dawn - 04:23 Aug 08, 2025
    LAHORE: The Agriculture Department of Punjab has reported a significantly higher cotton harvest for the ongoing crop year 2025-26, claiming that 609,000 bales were harvested by July 31. This figure is more than double the 301,000 bales reported by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA). Citing data from its Crop Reporting Service (CRS), a spokesperson for the department clarified on Thursday that the 609,000 bales of seed cotton were recorded up to July 31. In contrast, the PCGA’s estimate reflects only the cotton arriving at operational ginning factories in Punjab, irrespective of its origin. The spokesperson emphasised that the CRS figures are based on internationally recognised, scientifically proven methods. These include randomised sampling, ground truthing techniques, and GPS-enabled tools, all of which are in line with FAO-endorsed methodologies. The CRS also utilises a real-time digital dashboard that ensures transparency and supports evidence-based policy decisions. The department further arg...
    Tags: Punjab
  • NAB gets bids for three Bahria Town properties
    Dawn - 03:11 Aug 08, 2025
    ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau on Thursday sold off one already-sealed Bahria Town property, and received conditional bids for two others — at a combined value of Rs2.27 billion — in a long-awaited auction. The auction of three remaining properties, owned by controversial real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, was shelved due to a “lack of qualifying bids”. Although mediapersons were invited to cover the auction, they were not allowed to witness proceedings, which were held behind closed doors at NAB’s regional headquarters for Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Following the auction, journalists seated in a separate committee room were handed a paper carrying brief details of its outcome. Dozens of private vehicles were seen parked outside the NAB headquarters, ostensibly belonging to the bidders. According to NAB’s advertisement, six properties were scheduled to be auctioned. However, only three were sold: Rubaish Marquee fetched Rs508 million, while the bureau received conditional offers of Rs876m and Rs881.5m f...
    Tags: Bahria Town
  • Govt rules out KP military operation
    Dawn - 02:47 Aug 08, 2025
    • No new offensive on the cards, but Talal Chaudhry says actions under National Action Plan to continue, despite PTI objections • Asad Qaiser demands transparent trial of Imran; Marwat seeks inquiry into ‘attack on parliament’ • Commerce ministry says $1 billion saved after US tariff reduced from 29 to 19pc ISLAMABAD: As the PTI vigorously opposed any potential military operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following a spike in terror incidents, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Thursday said action against militants under the National Action Plan would continue, despite their objections. The minister was responding to PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser in the lower house of parliament as the latter vowed to oppose any offensive in the PTI-ruled province to eradicate militancy. Mr Qaiser warned against such attempts, saying they would put up resistance against such plans. His statement is consistent with PTI founder Imran Khan’s stance, who had asked the KP government to oppo...
  • Police search for 2 suspects for allegedly assaulting, filming teenage boy in KP’s Mardan
    Dawn - 18:44 Aug 07, 2025
    A search is underway for two suspects accused of assaulting and filming a teenage boy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan district, police said on Thursday. Mardan police spokesperson Muhammad Faheem Khan said the force had taken prompt action and launched a search operation to arrest the suspects. “The suspects stripped the boy, beat him with sticks, and filmed the assault before making the video go viral on social media,” Faheem said. Quoting District Police Officer Zahoor Babar Afridi, the spokesperson said he reacted strongly to the incident and said that “no powerful person can target the weak or poor class, the law is equal for everyone.” He said the district police took immediate notice of the incident and directed the Hoti police to take strict action against the culprits. According to Faheem, Hoti police Station House Officer Riaz Khan ordered immediate action and registered a case against two residents of Gali Bagh, Misri Abad Road. A first information report (FIR) was registered at Hoti Police Station o...
    Tags: Mardan
  • Trump to sign order requiring universities to disclose admissions data on race
    Dawn - 18:03 Aug 07, 2025
    US President Donald Trump is expected to sign an order requiring universities to hand over admissions data to prove that they are not engaged in affirmative action efforts, the White House press secretary said in a post on X on Thursday. In her post on X, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not give details on the order, such as the ramifications universities will face if they do not cooperate. Since taking office for his second term, Trump’s administration has attempted to dismantle affirmative action policies at universities, launching dozens of investigations and threatening to cut off funding to schools that promote diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Trump has particularly taken aim at Harvard University since he took office, calling the institution a “joke” that teaches “hate and stupidity” and going as far as to freeze their government funding. In May, Trump’s administration revoked Harvard’s right to enrol foreign students — more than a quarter of its annual enrollment. Though the m...
    Tags: Trump
  • Cricketer Haider Ali suspended by PCB amid UK police investigation
    Dawn - 17:22 Aug 07, 2025
    Cricketer Haider Ali was provisionally suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday due to his involvement in an investigation being carried out by police in the UK, according to a statement. The PCB announced last month that Saud Shakeel would lead an 18-member Pakistan Shaheens squad to tour England from July 17 to August 6 for two three-day and three 50-over matches. Ali was a part of the squad. According to the statement, the PCB was informed about the investigation by the Greater Manchester Police regarding an incident that reportedly took place during the tour. The nature of the incident was not immediately clear, nor were any details provided in the statement itself. “In line with its duty of care and responsibility to ensure the welfare and legal rights of all its players, the PCB has ensured that Haider Ali has received appropriate legal support to protect his rights throughout this process,” the PCB stated. The statement added that the cricket board acknowledged British legal processes ...
    Tags: Cricketer Haider Ali
  • 8 injured as massive fire at Karachi’s Export Processing Zone put out after hours-long efforts
    Dawn - 16:32 Aug 07, 2025
    A massive blaze at a factory in the Karachi Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) near Landhi that injured eight people and damaged at least three other factories was brought under control on Thursday after hours of rescue efforts, officials said. Fire incidents are common in the metropolis due to the absence of adequate fire safety measures in buildings. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn.com: “A total of 20 fire tenders with two snorkels, five ambulances and water boozers were engaged in the fire that was controlled at 4pm.” The rescue official detailed that they received information about the incident at 10am, following which hectic efforts remained underway till the fire was put out in the evening. However, cooling work continued. “Some repair/construction work was also underway at the factory, whose structure ostensibly appeared to be weak,” Haseeb said. He added that eight factory workers who were removing goods, despite warnings from firemen not to do so, were injured as part of the build...
  • Netanyahu confirms Israeli support during Operation Sindoor: reports
    Dawn - 14:41 Aug 07, 2025
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday confirmed his country’s role in providing support to India during Operation Sindoor in May, when India attacked Pakistani sites under the guise of targeting “terrorists”. The nuclear-armed rivals exchanged artillery, drone and air strikes in May, after India, without evidence, blamed Pakistan for a deadly attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The four-day confrontation came to an end when US President Donald Trump announced a surprise ceasefire. In a post on X, Netanyahu announced that he met the Indian ambassador to Israel, JP Singh, in Jerusalem today, where the pair “discussed strengthening and expanding cooperation between Israel and India, particularly in the fields of security and economics”. “Afterward, I held a meeting with a group of senior journalists from India and answered their questions,” the Israeli leader wrote. According to Indian television channel NDTV, Netanyahu confirmed the use of Israeli weapons during India’s military o...
    Tags: Israeli Operation Sindoor Netanyahu
  • PM Shehbaz calls for national policy to address rapid population growth
    Dawn - 14:30 Aug 07, 2025
    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for an immediate national policy to address Pakistan’s rapid population growth rate on Thursday. Pakistan is home to a vast population of over 251 million, according to World Bank figures. In 2023, the population growth rate was reported to have reached around 2.55 per cent. However, almost forty-five per cent of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line, according to a World Bank report. The prime minister termed the high population growth rate an “alarming trend” and said that immediate and coordinated policy action was required at a national level to address the issue. The World Bank reported Pakistan’s annual growth rate for 2024 as 1.5pc. The statement came during a high-level meeting chaired by the premier at his office to review the challenges posed by Pakistan’s rising population and deliberate on effective strategies to manage it, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. The meeting was also attended by Federal Minister for Planning and ...
  • Muzaffargarh police arrest 2 suspects for allegedly raping disabled teenage girl
    Dawn - 14:22 Aug 07, 2025
    Police on Thursday said they had arrested suspects for allegedly raping a deaf-mute and mentally disabled girl in Punjab’s Muzaffargarh district. Muzaffargarh police spokesperson Wasim Khan Gopang told Dawn.com that the incident occurred in the Rohilanwali area on Aug 4. “Two suspects had been arrested within 24 hours of the incident.” He said the 17-year-old girl was in the fields when one of the suspects allegedly caught her and raped her. “The suspect fled when locals reached the spot after hearing the girl’s voice,” he added. In a first information report (FIR) dated Aug 6, seen by Dawn.com, the victim’s brother said that his sister was born deaf-mute and mentally disabled. He said, “She went out of the house to relieve herself in the fields on Aug 4 around 05:30pm.” The complainant detailed that the suspect, who was standing near the field, “forcibly grabbed the victim and raped her under a tree.” The FIR named two passersby who heard the victim’s voice and caught the suspect raping her. “Upon seeing the...
    Tags: Muzaffargarh
  • India’s Modi unwilling to compromise on agriculture as US tariff war escalates
    Dawn - 14:02 Aug 07, 2025
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday he would not compromise on the agriculture sector, a day after United States President Donald Trump announced 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. Washington announced the hike in levies on Wednesday, citing New Delhi’s purchasing of Russian oil, a key revenue source for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. For New Delhi, one of the main sticking points in trade negotiations has been Washington’s demand to access India’s vast agricultural and dairy market. India has remained steadfast about its labour-intensive agricultural sector, unwilling to risk angering farmers, a powerful voting bloc. “We will not compromise with the interests of our farmers, our dairy sector, our fishermen,” Modi said during a speech at a conference in New Delhi, his remarks widely seen as his first public response to the tariffs. “I know I will have to pay a personal price for this, but I am ready for it,” he added, without giving further details. India has also refused to allow the import of genetically...
    Tags: Modi India

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