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Dawn - 08:28 May 07, 2026
The military’s media affairs wing has said that any hostile design against Pakistan will be countered with “even greater strength, precision and resolve far stronger than what was witnessed by the adversary during Marka-i-Haq”. Last year’s military conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the end of Pakistan’s Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, with a ceasefire ending a military escalation between the two countries on May 10, has been called “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth) by the state. In a statement released late Wednesday night to mark the first anniversary of the conflict with India, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the armed forces, particularly the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) “proudly commemorate a defining chapter in the nation’s military history; one that strengthened national confidence, reaffirmed institutional resolve and validated PAF’s relentless pursuit of modernization and focused capability enhancement”. “This historic milestone reflects PAF’s steadfast journey ... -
Dawn - 07:38 May 07, 2026
The PTI on Thursday expressed concern and anger over reports of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi being “suddenly and secretly” taken to the hospital in the middle of the night and then taken back to jail. “The entire matter is shrouded in unusual secrecy, a lack of transparency, and serious human rights violations, which have raised countless questions in the minds of the nation,” the party said. The statement came after media reports emerged on Wednesday night alleging that Bushra Bibi, who is currently incarcerated at Adiala jail, was taken to a hospital under tight security for a follow-up examination of her eye. Last month, Bushra Bibi underwent eye surgery at a Rawalpindi hospital. According to prison authorities, she was diagnosed with retinal detachment in the right eye, and doctors had advised surgery. “Why is the nation not being informed about her illness, if her condition deteriorated to the extent that she had to be urgently taken to the hospital in the middle of night?” the party asked. “Which hospi... -
Dawn - 07:30 May 07, 2026
Doctors Without Borders on Thursday accused Israel of having deliberately restricted food and aid in Gaza, creating a “manufactured malnutrition crisis” with particularly devastating impacts on infants and pregnant and breastfeeding women. The report also examined the harm done by the US- and Israeli-backed private organisation set up last year to largely replace UN distribution of aid in Gaza. The medical charity, known by its French acronym MSF, based its case on an analysis of the situation between late 2024 and early 2026 at four health facilities it supports in the Gaza Strip. That analysis showed significantly higher levels of prematurity and mortality among infants born to malnourished mothers, and spikes in miscarriages, it said. MSF linked these outcomes with Israel’s blockade of essential goods and attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities. “Insecurity, displacement, restrictions on aid, and limited access to food and medical care have had devastating consequences for maternal... -
Dawn - 06:25 May 07, 2026
Gunmen on motorbikes in India’s West Bengal ambushed and killed a political aide from the ruling Hindu-nationalist party days after it swept state elections, police said Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a resounding victory on Monday in the eastern state of more than 100 million people, taking 207 of the 294 assembly seats, for its first-ever state victory in West Bengal. Chandranath Rath, 41, a close aide of West Bengal’s BJP chief Suvendu Adhikari was shot dead late on Wednesday near his home in Kolkata. Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, now tipped to become the state chief minister, called it “cold-blooded murder”. Motorbikes blocked Rath’s vehicle, before the attackers opened fire in a barrage of around a dozen shots, hitting Rath multiple times in the heart. “The shooting happened at about 11 pm on Wednesday — the bikes that stopped Rath’s car have been seized,” West Bengal police chief Siddh Nath Gupta told AFP. “The bikes had fake reg... -
Dawn - 06:03 May 07, 2026
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has directed all deputy commissioners to take precautionary measures ahead of heatwave conditions that are slated to begin from May 8 (Friday). In the letter sent, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the PDMA said heatwave conditions were likely to develop over the province’s plain areas from May 8 to May 10. It said that daytime temperatures may rise to 43–47°C in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu, Karak, and Lakki Marwat. It also forecast daytime temperatures between 39–43°C in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Haripur, and Kohat. “Afterward, a shallow westerly wave is likely to affect most parts of the province on 10th (evening/ night) and likely to persist in the upper parts till May 13. This system is likely to bring relief from the prevailing hot conditions in the province,” it said. “It is therefore requested to kindly take all precautionary measures to avoid any loss of life, damages to crops and livestock,” the departmen... -
Dawn - 04:28 May 07, 2026
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday that the Australia men’s cricket team will tour the country for a three-match one-day international (ODI) series. In a press release, the cricket board said that the visitors would arrive in Islamabad on May 23 and take on the Green Shirts in the first ODI scheduled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 30. The second and third ODIs of the series will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on June 2 and 4, respectively, it said. “All three ODIs are scheduled to begin at 4:30pm local time, with the toss taking place at 4pm,” the press release said. It went on to say that the upcoming bilateral ODI series would be Australia’s first in Pakistan since 2022. It also highlighted that Australia last visited Pakistan earlier this year to participate in a three-match T20I series, which the hosts won 3-0 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. It further said that Australia also featured in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches in Pakistan, including a five-wicket win... -
Dawn - 03:18 May 07, 2026
• CDA mulls tourism development at key water source • Critics cite past controversies and ecological risks ISLAMABAD: City managers are planning to develop water sports and recreational facilities near Simly Dam, a move that may pose environmental challenges for residents. The dam, built in 1983, is located 30 kilometres east of Islamabad in the foothills of lush green mountains and is considered a main source of clean drinking water. The other dam in Islamabad, including Rawal Dam, which supplies water to Rawalpindi, is already heavily polluted, mainly due to uncontrolled contamination in its catchment area. Simly Dam, located in a less-visited area, remains a source of clean drinking water. However, the federal government and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) now plan to introduce recreational activities in the area. Recently, the CDA board approved a summary for hiring former chairman Kamran Lashari as a consultant (city curator) for the “preparation of a comprehensive citywide culture and tourism vi... -
Dawn - 02:06 May 07, 2026
KARACHI: Caregivers of children up to five years of age in Sindh will receive Rs3,000 every quarter for growth monitoring, nutrition counselling and school readiness, as the provincial government rolls out a Rs14 billion Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme. The decision was taken on Wednesday at the third board meeting of the Sindh Social Protection Authority (SSPA), chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. The board approved a package of initiatives to expand the province’s social safety net, strengthen maternal and child welfare, and provide seasonal income support to rural women. The ECD project, funded by KfW, a German state-owned investment and development bank, will target 885,000 children aged between one month and five years. Murad approves Rs14bn early childhood development initiative; quarterly payment of Rs3,000 each to benefit over 885,000 kids, meeting told According to a statement issued by the CM House, the meeting was attended, among others, by provincial ministers Dr Azra Fazal,... -
Dawn - 02:06 May 07, 2026
• Judgement says special courts not limited to ownership, possession matters • Rules they can hear inheritance, partition, contract, transaction disputes LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has declared that special courts established for overseas Pakistanis can hear a wide range of property-related disputes, going beyond narrow questions of ownership and possession. In a judgement authored by Justice Anwaar Hussain, the court decided multiple petitions related to the scope of jurisdiction under the Punjab Establishment of Special Courts (Overseas Pakistanis Property) Act, 2025. The matter reached the high court after special courts declined to hear several cases — including suits relating to specific performance, cancellation of transactions and inheritance claims — on the grounds that such disputes fell outside their limited mandate. These matters were subsequently referred back to civil courts, prompting affected litigants, including overseas Pakistanis, to challenge the interpretation before the LHC. In o... -
Dawn - 02:06 May 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The functioning of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) came under scrutiny on Wednesday when the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) questioned the notion that its records are immune to tampering. “Who says Nadra records cannot be tampered with?” wondered Justice Aamer Farooq while hearing a habeas corpus petition regarding the custody of a minor girl, Ayesha Tariq, who had converted from Christianity to Islam. Justice Farooq was heading a two-judge FCC bench that also comprised Justice K.K. Agha. During the hearing, senior counsel Muhammad Saqib Jillani, representing the girl’s parents, argued that Ayesha was underage, adding that a Nadra certificate to this effect had been placed on record. He also expressed concern that the girl might have married. Orders shifting of newly converted Muslim girl to Darul Aman in habeas corpus plea Additional Advocate General Punjab Waseem Mumtaz Malik, however, submitted that if the girl was under 18, she should be sent to her parents; otherwise, ... -
Dawn - 20:10 May 06, 2026
The second Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference kicked off in Islamabad on Wednesday, with business leaders and experts highlighting the impact on the country’s agricultural sector and vulnerable communities, and the need for determined implementation of legal and policy frameworks, as well as climate finance. Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Pakistan remains among the most climate-vulnerable nations, underscoring the critical need for coordinated, locally grounded, and globally informed responses. The two-day conference, organised by DawnMedia, brings together policymakers, experts, and stakeholders from across sectors to examine intersecting challenges and chart a path forward. Federal ministers, government officials, business leaders, and agriculture and water experts were among the various speakers who presented their perspectives on tackling the climate crisis. Key takeaways: Pakistan must be disciplined in management of energy transition: Dawn CEO Nazafreen Saigol ... -
Dawn - 19:07 May 06, 2026
Israel struck Beirut on Wednesday for the first time since agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah last month, with Israel claiming it targeted a commander of the group’s elite Radwan force in the city’s southern suburbs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the action in a joint statement. Israeli media reported that the commander was killed in the strike, but there was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli military or Hezbollah. The Lebanon ceasefire has underpinned a broader US-Iran truce, with a halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon being a key Iranian demand. As Iran and the US say they are drawing closer to a deal to halt their conflict, the strikes threaten the ceasefire that halted Israeli attacks on Beirut. Israeli troops have remained in areas south of the Litani River and strikes continued in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has responded by firing and launching armed drones towards Israeli soldiers. Israel earlier on Wednesday called for residents to eva... -
Dawn - 18:55 May 06, 2026
Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in multilateral events hosted by India but bilateral events remain off the table, India’s sports ministry has said. India also said the visa process for sportspersons and officials will be simplified, while office bearers of international sports governing bodies will be granted multi-entry visas. “With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons,” the ministry said in a memorandum. “It is also relevant to take into account India’s emergence as a credible venue to host international sports events.” “In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India,” the ministry added. The statement comes as India is set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030, while they have also bid for t... -
Dawn - 18:41 May 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja on Wednesday maintained that the formation of the Punjab Coordination and Monitoring Committee would not be discussed, as the party leadership planned to raise the issue in the upcoming party meeting. The composition of the aforementioned committee has been a subject of internal rift within the party, with leaders opposing the nomination of Amjad Khan Niazi as the convenor of the body, as he had parted ways with the party in the wake of May 9, 2023, protests. A senior PTI leader, on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that a number of party leaders believe that the newly formed body was nothing but an attempt to “occupy” the party in Punjab. His claim referred to the committee’s terms of reference, which include the task of coordinating organisational matters between Punjab’s four regions through engagement with their presidents and general secretaries. PTI’s Punjab chapter comprises four regions — Central, West, North and South — each led by its respective pre... -
Dawn - 16:57 May 06, 2026
PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Wednesday held protest rallies across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against the killing of prominent cleric and former MPA Maulana Muhammad Idrees, said a statement issued by the party’s media cell. On Tuesday, JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that the party would hold protests all over the country on Wednesday and Friday against the “martyrdom” of the cleric. “At the call of JUI-F, protest rallies were held in all districts across the province against the killing of Maulana Idrees. Participants demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible,” the statement said. “The participants said the frequent killings of religious scholars and government actions against seminaries indicate the implementation of an international agenda, and that JUI is being punished for standing with the Constitution, law, and the state,” it added. The statement also quoted JUI-F provincial spokesperson Abdul Jalil Jan as saying, “Protests were held today across district and tehsil head... -
Dawn - 15:44 May 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Sixth International Paigham-i-Islam Conference, held on Wednesday, awarded the titles of “Leader of Peace” and “Greatest Victorious General of the Century” to Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, in recognition of his role in promoting peace and strengthening stability across the Muslim Ummah. The conference, organised by the International Tazeem-i-Haramain Sharifain Council and Pakistan Ulema Council, strongly condemned the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. The conference also expressed concern over the strikes targeting Arab countries, terming them detrimental to regional stability. It called for national security, unity of the Muslim world, and enhanced interfaith harmony. The conference was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador ... -
Dawn - 15:28 May 06, 2026
The Sindh police on Wednesday suspended three police officials for alleged mistreatment of Aurat March activists, including Sheema Kermani. On Tuesday, the activists were detained after they gathered at Karachi Press Club (KPC) for a press conference to demand a no-objection certificate (NOC) for their upcoming annual march in Karachi. However, the police released all activists after briefly detaining them on the orders of Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar. “In connection with the arrest and alleged mistreatment of Sheema Kermani and women human rights activists, Karachi Additional Inspector General (AIG) Azad Khan has issued orders to suspend Saddar Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nasir Afridi, Women Station House Officer (SHO) Hina Mughal, and Artillery Maidan Police Station SHO Nadeem,” according to an official press release by Karachi Police spokesperson. “On the orders of the police chief, a transparent inquiry will be conducted and action will be taken against those responsible in accordance... -
Dawn - 15:21 May 06, 2026
Ted Turner, the flamboyant US entrepreneur who transformed television news with the creation of CNN in 1980, died at the age of 87, the network said on Wednesday. The moustached southerner, yachting enthusiast and philanthropist, whose empire also included sports clubs, had been suffering from the degenerative disease Lewy Body Dementia. Cable News Network upended established broadcasting with its dedication to around-the-clock breaking news and shot to global recognition with its coverage of the Gulf War in 1990-91. The 24-hour network was the first in the United States to run non-stop news and quickly built a worldwide footprint. Correspondents brought live coverage from major events ranging from the collapse of the Soviet Union to the Chinese crackdown on the Tiananmen Square protests. CNN’s decision to keep reporters in Baghdad amid US bombing on the Iraqi capital cemented the network’s reputation as an indispensable source of breaking news. “Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all t... -
Dawn - 15:14 May 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Electricity consumers across the country are expected to receive an unusual relief of Rs1.75 per unit over the next three months (June to August), due to Rs64 billion in savings mainly on account of lower capacity charges paid to power producers during the first quarter (January–March 2026) of the current year, it emerged on Wednesday. Under the annual tariff rebasing mechanism, the government revised tariff-setting to a calendar-year basis, with effect from January 1, 2026, from the historic practice of fiscal-year adjustments. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has called a public hearing on May 19 at the request of former Wapda distribution companies (Discos), which have sought a Rs63.94 billion refund to consumers under the quarterly tariff adjustment (QTA) mechanism. The refund is estimated to result in a negative QTA of about Rs1.75 per unit for three billing months. Consumers are currently paying about 42 paisa per unit in positive QTA on account of higher costs of Rs10... -
Dawn - 14:10 May 06, 2026
Australia’s Royal Military College (RMC) has declared Pakistan Army Cadet Sardar Arsam Abbas the “overall best foreign military cadet”, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday. “The Australian RMC, Duntroon has declared Pakistani army Cadet Sardar Arsam Abbas (PMA 152 Long Course) the ‘overall best foreign military cadet’ in the passing out parade held at RMC Duntroon, Canberra on May 5,” ISPR said in a statement. The statement said that the award was conferred upon the highest performing foreign military cadet across all facets of training. “This is a testament to the highest standards of professionalism, commitment and excellence demonstrated by the junior leadership of the Pakistan Army,” the military’s media wing said. It stated that the commissioning parade was reviewed by the Australian Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart and other officials. The event was witnessed by members of the diplomatic corps, including the Pakistani high commissioner in Canberra, families of gradu...
10418 items