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Dawn - 12:48 Oct 30, 2025
Another missing official of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Deputy Director Muhammad Usman — who was reportedly abducted from Islamabad earlier this month — has turned out to be in the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in connection with a case of misusing authority and extortion, it emerged on Thursday. Last week, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted the police one more week to trace Usman. The development came during the hearing of a petition filed by Rozina Usman for the recovery of her husband. She alleged that four armed individuals abducted her husband on October 14. However, according to an Oct 29 short order from Lahore Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo, Usman was in the FIA’s custody and remanded to three days in physical custody with directions to produce him before the district court on Saturday. According to the remand request from the FIA’s investigating officer, the NCCIA official was arrested on Wednesday in connection with a case of colluding with other ... -
Dawn - 12:09 Oct 30, 2025
Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday said that India remains committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan, amid Kabul’s heightened tensions with Pakistan. Pakistan-Afghanistan ties have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks amid border clashes and mutual accusations. Islamabad has long been warning Kabul against allowing the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan soil — a claim the Taliban deny. Following a ceasefire, talks in Turkiye began to establish a mechanism to monitor Taliban efforts to curb cross-border attacks, but have so far resulted in an impasse. At a press briefing, the spokesperson received questions asking why Pakistan was blaming Indian proxy Fitna al Khawarij for terrorist attacks on its soil and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s remarks about Kabul fighting a proxy war on behalf of Delhi. “In my last briefing, I had elaborated our point of view; our thoughts on this particular matter. Pakist... -
Dawn - 11:48 Oct 30, 2025
The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) on Thursday welcomed a marriage dissolution judgment authored by Supreme Court Justice Ayesha A. Malik, terming it a “progressive step“ to an “equitable and gender-sensitive” interpretation of family law, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. On October 25, in a 17-page ruling, Justice Malik set aside a Peshawar High Court (PHC) ruling over a divorce case, terming psychological abuse as cruelty, based on which a marriage can legally be dissolved, along with highlighting the “deeply patriarchal” approach of the court in such cases. NCSW chairperson, Ume Laila Azhar, in a statement, called the verdict “a progressive step towards a more equitable and gender-sensitive interpretation of family law.“ According to APP, she noted that the “court’s acknowledgement of emotional and psychological cruelty as equally serious as physical abuse marks a significant milestone in safeguarding women’s dignity and well-being within marital relationships.” “This rul... -
Dawn - 10:20 Oct 30, 2025
The inaugural Esports Olympics scheduled to be held in 2027 will no longer be hosted by Saudi Arabia, the International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday. The IOC and the Saudi National Olympic Committee “mutually agreed that they will end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games”, a statement said. The first Esports Games was originally slated to be held this year in Riyadh but were postponed in February. The Saudis were guaranteed the hosting of the Games for 12 years from 2025, when the agreement was first announced by the IOC in July last year. Then-IOC president Thomas Bach had been influential in the creation of the event but has since been replaced at the helm by Kirsty Coventry. Olympic Esports Series competitions, smaller virtual sports events run by the IOC, were held in 2021 and 2023. They were widely panned by gaming critics over the lack of traditional esports titles. “Recently, the two parties and the Esports World Cup Foundation sat down again and reviewed this initiative,” the IOC ... -
Dawn - 10:10 Oct 30, 2025
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday said talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan on cross-border terrorism could resume if Kabul signalled a shift in its attitude. Discussions between Pakistani and Afghan Taliban delegations had begun in Istanbul on Saturday, but Islamabad’s long-standing concern of terror attacks emanating from Afghanistan had been a bone of contention, resulting in a stalemate. “While the talks have not begun [again], our delegation is still in Istanbul,” Asif said in an exclusive interview with Geo News. He added that “discussions could still restart” if there was “some development that indicates a material change in Kabul’s attitude on the insistence of these two friendly countries (Turkiye and Qatar)”. “Our stance, that there will not be any attacks on us (Pakistan) from their land and they will not back such attacks, is a sticking point. If an understanding can be reached on that, [well and good], it will be a good thing,” Asif said. The minister noted, “There has been no breakthro... -
Dawn - 09:40 Oct 30, 2025
An Islamabad district and sessions court on Thursday indicted human rights activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case related to controversial social media posts. The National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) had registered a case against Mazari and Chattha, accusing the two of attempting to incite divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts and of creating the impression that the armed forces were engaged in terrorism within the country. Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka heard the case, in which Mazari and Chattha both denied guilt. The court summoned all prosecution witnesses for the next hearing and ordered Chattha to once again submit bail bonds, to which Mazari responded, “If you want to arrest us, reject my bail as well.” The judge replied, “My principle is that if I respect you, I will get respect.” Mazari’s advocate, Qaiser Imam, pointed out that the accused also had to appear in other cases, “som... -
Dawn - 08:19 Oct 30, 2025
A five-member Constitutional Bench (CB) of the Supreme Court on Thursday referred a plea against the detention of Baloch Yakjehti Committee chief Mahrang Baloch to the Practice and Procedure Committee, which forms benches and fixes cases under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023. The plea, filed by Mahrang’s sister Nadia Baloch through senior counsel Faisal Siddiqi in June, urges the SC to set aside an April 15 order of the Balochistan High Court (BHC) that rejected a petition against Mahrang’s detention under the Maintenance of Public Order— a law that empowers authorities to arrest and detain individuals suspected of posing a threat to public order initially for a period of 30 days. Mahrang is currently detained at the Hudda District Prison in Quetta on charges of attacking Quetta Civil Hospital and inciting people to violence. The plea filed by her sister was taken up by the CB today. The CB was headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan and comprised Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali... -
Dawn - 07:34 Oct 30, 2025
A promising 17-year-old Australian cricketer died on Thursday after being struck by a ball, with his family saying they were “utterly devastated”. Ben Austin was in the nets with a helmet on before a Twenty20 game in Melbourne on Tuesday when he was hit in the neck while facing a ball-throwing device. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition. “We are utterly devastated by the passing of our beautiful Ben, who died earlier on Thursday morning,” his father Jace Austin said in a statement. “This tragedy has taken Ben from us, but we find some comfort that he was doing something he did for so many summers — going down to the nets with mates to play cricket. “We would also like to support his teammate who was bowling in the nets. This accident has impacted two young men and our thoughts are with he and his family as well.” Austin was an emerging bowler and batter, considered by his Ferntree Gully Cricket Club as a “star cricketer, great leader and an awesome young man”. Deaths in cricket are rare. The most ... -
Dawn - 06:58 Oct 30, 2025
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that India is waging a “low-intensity” war against Pakistan from Afghanistan, adding that New Delhi is trying to “settle the score” after facing defeat in the four-day conflict with Islamabad in May. Asif expressed these views during an interview with Al Arabiya English that was released late on Wednesday. His remarks are a continuation of the censure he has been directing toward Kabul in connection with terror incidents in Pakistan, recent border hostilities and the subsequent failure of talks with its Taliban rulers. He was asked during his interview with Al Arabiya about the evidence he had to back his assertions that New Delhi was “pulling the strings” during talks with Taliban representatives in Doha and Turkiye. “When it comes to showing the evidence, or tabling the evidence, we will do that. We have the evidence,” Asif replied, highlighting that the Afghan foreign minister was visiting the Indian capital when border clashes began between Pakistan and Afghanistan... -
Dawn - 05:28 Oct 30, 2025
US President Donald Trump said he had struck a deal to reduce tariffs on China on Thursday in exchange for Beijing resuming US soybean purchases, keeping rare earths exports flowing and cracking down on the illicit trade of fentanyl. His remarks after the face-to-face talks with China’s leader Xi Jinping in the South Korean city of Busan, their first since 2019, marked the finale of Trump’s whirlwind Asia trip on which he also touted trade breakthroughs with South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asian nations. The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, lasted nearly two hours. Trump shook hands and escorted Xi to his car before the US president was given a red carpet send off at the airport. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump said the meeting with Xi yielded an extendable one-year deal on the supply of crucial rare earths. “All the rare earths has been settled, and that’s for the world,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that th... -
Dawn - 19:01 Oct 29, 2025
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the Afghan Taliban regime was to blame for the breakdown of talks between Islamabad and Kabul as the two countries engaged in a lengthy round of dialogue to try and achieve a permanent ceasefire and cessation of terrorist attacks originating from Afghan soil. Pakistan witnessed a rapid deterioration in ties with Afghanistan, with both sides engaging in recent border skirmishes, counter-statements and allegations. The hostilities began earlier this month when an attack was launched on Pakistan from Afghanistan on the night of October 11. The attack had followed an allegation from the Taliban of airstrikes by Pakistan into Afghanistan — an accusation which Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied. For its part, Islamabad has long demanded that the Afghan Taliban stop terror groups from using its soil against Pakistan. Taliban, however, deny the allegation of allowing terrorists to operate from Afghan soil. Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to grapple wit... -
Dawn - 18:49 Oct 29, 2025
At least 13 people, including two police officials, were injured as two separate attacks were reported in Balochistan on Wednesday, according to local officials. A grenade attack on a police mobile was reported along the national highway in the province’s Dera Murad Jamali area, which injured 13 people, including 2 officers. According to police officials, unknown suspects attacked the vehicle while it was patrolling along the highway. Immediately after the attack, police and law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area and started an investigation into the incident, while security in the area was tightened. Civil Hospital Dera Murad Jamali Medical Superintendent Dr Naseer Ahmed Imrani confirmed that 13 people, including two policemen, were injured in the attack and transported to the facility. “A woman and two children are also among the injured, who are being provided medical assistance,” Imrani said. “The police have started investigating the incident.” Meanwhile, Nasirabad Senior Superintendent of Police... -
Dawn - 18:01 Oct 29, 2025
At least six Pakistan Army soldiers, including a captain, were martyred, while seven terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the general area of Dogar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday. According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was carried out on the reported presence of terrorists belonging to Fitna al Khawarij, a term designating members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “During the conduct of [the] operation, seven Indian sponsored khwarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops,” the statement read. However, Captain Noman Saleem (24, resident of Mianwali), Havaldar Amjad Ali (39, resident of Swabi), Naik Waqas Ahmad (36, resident of Rawalpindi), Sepoy Aijaz Ali (23, resident of Shikarpur), Sepoy Muhammad Waleed (23, resident of Jhelum) and Sepoy Muhammad Shahbaz (32, resident of Khairpur) were all martyred in the gun battle. Captain Noman was “a ... -
Dawn - 17:06 Oct 29, 2025
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Wednesday said that the party would stand with Pakistan if hostilities with Afghanistan resume. Pakistan and Afghanistan saw a worsening of ties in recent weeks, which saw border skirmishes, counter-statements and and allegations. The hostilities began earlier this month when an attack was launched on Pakistan from Afghanistan on the night of October 11. The attack had followed an allegation from the Afghan Taliban of airstrikes by Pakistan into Afghanistan — an accusation which Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied. Responding to a question on Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Gohar said that the PTI would stand with Pakistan in case hostilities with Afghanistan erupt once again, like they did during Islamabad’s brief war with India in May. “We will stand with Pakistan like we did during the war with India, Afghanistan will not be any different,” he said. “But I will say that Pakistan has to live with its neighbours and it’s in its best interest to live peaceful... -
Dawn - 16:19 Oct 29, 2025
Hurricane Melissa unleashed devastation in Jamaica as the strongest storm on record ever to hit the Caribbean island nation, and roared later on Wednesday into eastern Cuba, smashing the city of Santiago and flooding rural land. A Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 185 miles per hour when it barrelled into Jamaica, Melissa had been downgraded to a still dangerous Category 3 when it hit Cuba with sustained winds of 120mph, the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said. “Life-threatening storm surge, flash flooding and landslides, and damaging hurricane winds are ongoing this morning,” the centre said. The historic storm blasted western Jamaica, demolishing homes, knocking down swathes of trees and washing out roadways. Authorities did not yet release details of fatalities but said they expected loss of life. Eyewitness reports and videos on social media from Jamaica showed vehicles destroyed by flying debris, hotel doors blown off hinges and roofs scattered across neighborhoods. Video of the airport in Mon... -
Dawn - 15:16 Oct 29, 2025
The vehicle of DIG Traffic Pir Mohammad Shah was issued an e-challan on Wednesday for violating traffic rules. In June, the Sindh government decided that e-challans for traffic violations would be delivered to vehicle owners’ registered home addresses. Vehicles with unpaid fines would not be allowed to be sold or transferred. The decision came amid the port city witnessing a surge in traffic accidents, particularly involving dumpers and water tankers, that killed nearly 500 people and injured 4,879 in 2024, according to hospital data. The e-ticket was issued to the DIG’s vehicle at the Lyari Interchange as the driver was not wearing a seatbelt. “My driver was issued the e-challan for not wearing a seatbelt,” said the senior police official while speaking to Dawn.com. He added that his driver was fined a sum of Rs10,000. According to a press release by the Sindh police dated October 28, 1,535 challans have been issued for not wearing a seat belt, 507 challans for riding a motorcycle without a helmet, 419 for o... -
Dawn - 15:12 Oct 29, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia had successfully tested the Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo that military analysts say is capable of devastating coastal regions by triggering vast radioactive ocean swells. As United States President Donald Trump has toughened both his rhetoric and his stance on Russia, Putin has publicly flexed his nuclear muscles with the test of a new Burevestnik cruise missile on October 21 and nuclear launch drills on October 22. There are few confirmed details about the Poseidon, named after the ancient Greek god of the sea, but it is essentially a nuclear-capable cross between a torpedo and a drone. Putin, over tea and cakes at a hospital in Moscow with Russian soldiers wounded in the Ukraine war, said the test had taken place on Tuesday. “For the first time, we managed not only to launch it with a launch engine from a carrier submarine, but also to launch the nuclear power unit on which this device passed a certain amount of time,” Putin said. “The... -
Dawn - 15:05 Oct 29, 2025
Authorities have started preparations to transfer Rano, a bear currently residing in Karachi Zoo, to Gilgit-Baltistan on the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) directives. Earlier this month, SHC ordered the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to relocate the animal from Karachi Zoological Gardens to the Bear Sanctuary managed by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board within two days, marking an end to the years-long plight of the brown bear. Today, Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah chaired a high-level meeting at the Sindh Secretariat to review the arrangements for Rano’s relocation, a statement by the secretary’s spokesperson Farhat Imtiaz Janwari said. The meeting was attended by the Secretary Forest and Wildlife, Municipal Commissioner KMC, Conservator Sindh Wildlife Department, representatives from the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, and other wildlife experts. The participants briefed the chief secretary on the progress made so far regarding the bear’s transfer, the statement added. The Sindh Wildlif... -
Dawn - 15:04 Oct 29, 2025
Posts from pro-Afghan and Indian users on social media platform X on Wednesday were sharing a video claiming it showed Russian President Vladimir Putin warning Pakistan’s army and offering support to Afghanistan amid the current tensions between the two countries. However, the video is dubbed over and has nothing to do with Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan is witnessing a deterioration in ties with Afghanistan, with recent border skirmishes, counter-statements and allegations. The hostilities began earlier this month when an attack was launched on Pakistan from Afghanistan on the night of Oct 11. The attack had followed an allegation from the Taliban of airstrikes by Pakistan into Afghanistan — an accusation which Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied. For its part, Islamabad has long demanded that the Taliban stop terror groups from using its soil against Pakistan. Taliban, however, deny the allegation of allowing terrorists to operate from Afghan soil. Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to grapple with th... -
Dawn - 14:19 Oct 29, 2025
Pakistan and the United States have recently seen an upswing in bilateral relations, particularly after US President Donald Trump mediated a ceasefire between Islamabad and New Delhi following a four-day military escalation in May. Since then, Trump has frequently highlighted his role in averting what he described as a potential nuclear confrontation between the two neighbours. On June 19, President Trump extended an unprecedented invitation to Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for a historic luncheon at the White House. The US president has since lauded Munir on several occasions, even referring to him as “my favourite field marshal.” Field Marshal Munir became the first serving Chief of Army Staff to have a face-to-face meeting with a sitting US president after joining the US President. The occasion also marked the first time a serving Pakistani army chief had been formally received at this level, without holding political office or governing under martial law. Previous military rulers — such...
5467 items