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Dawn - 08:53 Apr 16, 2026
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday directed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to hold intra-party elections by October 15. According to a statement issued by the ECP, a three-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja gave MQM-P until October to hold intra-party elections. Barrister Farogh Naseem appeared on behalf of the party and sought a 90-day extension. He informed the commission that the party was compiling electoral lists and that the process was in its final stages. The ECP’s Director General Political Finance, Masood Sherwani, briefed the bench, stating that the party was “supposed to hold elections on January 16”. “The date was then extended to March 16, and now they have asked for time till December,” Sherwani said. In the previous hearing held on April 7, ECP had dismissed the MQM-P’s request seeking two months for party chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to appear in the case, after the commission summoned him. During the hearing, Sherw... -
Dawn - 08:37 Apr 16, 2026
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has commended Pakistan’s “continued progress on economic reforms” under the Fund’s programme and the resulting macroeconomic stability. She met with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on the sidelines of the IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings 2026 in Washington, where the finance czar had arrived on Monday. During his visit, Aurangzeb was expected to participate in over 50 high-level engagements from April 13 to 18. “Great to see Aurangzeb at the IMF Meetings!” Georgieva said on X early on Thursday. “Strong programme implementation has helped Pakistan maintain macroeconomic stability and build confidence,” the IMF official said. She emphasised that “sound policies and deeper structural reforms remain key to sustaining growth and raising welfare for all Pakistanis”. In its statement on the interaction, the finance ministry recalled Georgieva’s remarks, noting that she “appreciated Pakistan’s continued progress on economic reforms”. “The rema... -
Dawn - 05:55 Apr 16, 2026
BANNU: Three polio workers abducted by militants on Wednesday have been safely recovered through coordinated efforts by the police and local jirga elders, police said. Under the leadership of the Bannu district police officer (DPO), the police initiated immediate action following the incident. A comprehensive strategy was adopted by taking local jirga elders into confidence. Due to the successful mediation by the jirga and the professional competence of the police, the abducted workers were safely recovered. Bannu DPO Yasir Afridi, while confirming the development, told Dawn that “with a lot of efforts, they have been recovered”. The three polio workers were abducted by unidentified militants in the Jhandu Khel area on Wednesday during the ongoing anti-polio campaign, sparking serious concern in the area. Earlier this week, a police constable was martyred and four others were injured in an attack on a law enforcement party en route to provide security for polio teams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district. Th... -
Dawn - 21:10 Apr 15, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after he reached Jeddah on Wednesday alongside a high-level delegation on an official visit to the kingdom, the PM Office’s (PMO) said in a statement. The statement added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was also present at the meeting. Dar separately posted on X that the meeting was “marked by warmth, brotherhood, and a shared vision for a stronger Pakistan–Saudi Arabia partnership”. “The prime minister reaffirmed our deep-rooted ties, built on faith, trust, and mutual respect, and explored avenues to further enhance cooperation across all sectors,” he added. Dar further stated, “Saudi Arabia holds a special place in the hearts of Pakistanis, and we remain committed to strengthening this historic and fraternal relationship for generations to come.” Earlier, a post on the PMO’s X account said the premier was received by the Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region, Prince Saud bin Mushaal bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Ar... -
Dawn - 19:45 Apr 15, 2026
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir reached Tehran on Wednesday and held a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other officials, according to a post on the Iranian government’s X account. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) described the visit as part of “ongoing mediation efforts” for de-escalation between Iran and the US. ISPR said that CDF Munir had arrived in the Iranian capital alongside a formal delegation and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Later, Araghchi posted on X: “Delighted to welcome Field Marshal Munir to Iran. Expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s gracious hosting of the dialogue, emphasising that it reflects our deep and great bilateral relationship. Our commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region remains strong—and shared.” The development came hours after Iran said that exchanges with the United States via Pakistan had continued following negotiations in Islamabad over the weekend that yielded no result. “Since Sunday, w... -
Dawn - 18:49 Apr 15, 2026
BAJAUR: Two children and a woman were killed while three others were injured when mortar shells fired from across the Afghan border hit a house in the Kitkot village of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Wednesday night, security sources said. The sources held the Afghan Taliban responsible for the firing, terming it an act of unprovoked aggression. They said the Afghan Taliban had been trying to get a formation of Fitna al Khawarij to infiltrate into Pakistan during the past few days. But the attempts were foiled due to timely action by the army, the sources said, adding that the Afghan Taliban then resorted to targeting the civilian population in Pakistan. Fitna al Khawarij is a term that the state has designated for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP). According to security sources, the gun position from where the mortar shells were fired had been destroyed in retaliatory action by the army. They said that all posts of the Afghan Taliban near Bajaur were being targeted in the retaliatory action, during... -
Dawn - 18:41 Apr 15, 2026
Pakistan is considering buying liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the spot market to offset supply disruptions caused by the Iran war, but would favour government-to-government deals to avoid having to pay steep premiums, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik has told Reuters. Qatar’s force majeure forced Pakistan to make costly spot purchases or find alternative fuels ahead of summer demand. Spot LNG cargoes have surged to $20 to $30 per mmBtu amid the Middle East conflict, Malik says, adding that purchases would depend on whether prices are acceptable to the power sector, including under existing government-to-government arrangements with Azerbaijan’s Socar. Pakistan has also been routing some crude supplies via Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, with Malik saying insurance costs on that route were lower than routes crossing or near Hormuz. Pakistan imports nearly all of its oil, much of it via the Strait of Hormuz, and remains exposed to supply shocks despite cutting its LNG re... -
Dawn - 17:43 Apr 15, 2026
President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday directed that all possible efforts be made to minimise loadshedding across the country, according to a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat. He issued the directive while chairing a meeting on water resource management at Aiwan-i-Sadr, the statement said, adding that the president also addressed the issue of energy shortfalls linked to the regional situation. President Zardari “stressed that any load management should be carried out strictly in a transparent and declared manner, in line with prior public announcements, so that citizens are fully informed and disruption is reduced”, the statement added. The president’s directive came a day after the government announced more than two hours of daily loadshedding during peak hours in a bid to prevent a sharp increase in electricity tariffs. The move is linked to the suspension of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports following the force majeure declared by Qatar due to attacks on its gas field amid the US-Israel w... -
Dawn - 17:25 Apr 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued on Wednesday the schedule for the delimitation of union councils in Punjab, taking a significant step towards holding long-delayed local government elections in the province. Delimitation is the legal prerequisite for holding local government polls. Once the final list of constituencies is published, the ECP will be in a position to announce the election schedule for Punjab’s local bodies. The ECP laid out a seven-step timeline to complete the delimitation exercise by August 10 in a notification issued under Article 222(b) of the Constitution and relevant sections of the Elections Act 2017, Punjab Local Government Act 2025, and Delimitation Rules 2026. According to the schedule, all administrative arrangements for the delimitation of union councils are to be completed by April 16. The preliminary list of constituencies is to be prepared from April 20 to May 21, and it will be published on May 25. Objections over delimitation can be filed from May 26 ... -
Dawn - 15:40 Apr 15, 2026
A teenager opened fire at a Turkish school on Wednesday, killing nine people and wounding 13, with students jumping from windows to escape the second school shooting in the country in as many days, officials said. Wednesday’s attack unfolded in the Kahramanmaras province in the south of the country, where such mass shootings are usually rare. “We regret to report nine deaths (…) and 13 wounded. Six of them are currently in intensive care, three of whom are in critical condition,” Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said in a statement, upping the previous toll of four dead and 20 wounded. “A student came to school with guns that we believe belonged to his father in his backpack. He entered two classrooms and opened fire randomly, causing injuries and deaths,” Kahramanmaras province governor Mukerrem Unluer told reporters earlier in the day. The attacker, an eighth-grade student, was the son of a former police officer, Unluer said, adding that the suspect was carrying five guns and seven magazines. He died during... -
Dawn - 15:17 Apr 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Projecting Pakistan’s fiscal deficit at around 3.2 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and a slightly declining primary surplus from 2.5pc, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised phasing out fiscally draining fuel subsidies, addressing contingent liabilities and broadening the tax base for credible medium-term sustainability. In its twice-a-year Fiscal Monitor 2026, the IMF projected Pakistan’s revenue to have already peaked with a downward but stable outlook in the medium-term ending 2031. This would thus lower public debt, yet was significantly higher than required under the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation Act (FRDLA) 2005, the IMF indicated as it anticipated government expenditures to remain stubborn. The Fund projected Pakistan’s fiscal deficit at 3.2pc of GDP during the current fiscal year and next year — down from 5.4pc in FY2025 — and then declining to 3pc and 2.8pc for FY2028 and FY2029, respectively. It forecast the fiscal deficit rising again to 3.6pc in FY20... -
Dawn - 15:16 Apr 15, 2026
K-Electric’s (KE) stated in a disclosure to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday that Shaheryar Chishti had been appointed as the new chairman of the power utility’s board of directors. “We are pleased to notify you that following the election of directors during the extraordinary general meeting held on April 2, 2026, the board of directors, in its meeting held on April 15, 2026, has appointed Shaheryar Chishty as the chairman of the board,” the disclosure, seen by Dawn, read. It added, “You may please inform the TRE Certificate holders of the exchange accordingly.” According to Chishti’s profile on KE’s website, he has had a long career in investment banking and also served as a board member in various power distribution companies on a pro bono basis. Earlier in March, K-Electric had appointed Syed Taha as its new chief executive officer (CEO), replacing interim head Adeeb Ahmad. Ahmad was appointed as the interim CEO on February 13 after KE’s previous CEO, Moonis Alvi, stepped down, days after ge... -
Dawn - 14:48 Apr 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) on Wednesday called a meeting of its general body — scheduled for April 21 — after around 400 signed a resolution calling for an urgent hearing of sentence suspension pleas filed by human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, over their conviction in the controversial social media posts case. The IBA said the meeting was being called to discuss the sentencing and detention of Imaan and Hadi, and it would be held at the District Courts Complex in Islamabad. On January 24, Imaan and Hadi were handed a total of 17 years in jail on multiple charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) by a sessions court in Islamabad, sparking outrage among rights groups, opposition parties, and other segments of society. The lawyer duo was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment under Peca’s Section 10 (cyberterrorism), five years’ jail under Section 9 (glorification of an offence) and two years in prison under Section 26-A (false an... -
Dawn - 13:57 Apr 15, 2026
WHILE the world breathed a collective sigh of relief as the US-Iran ceasefire took hold on April 8, that sense of calm may prove fleeting. The ceasefire is not conflict resolution. It carries a warning that in the absence of a sound legal architecture underpinning the talks, it risks becoming nothing more than an intermission between escalations. The talks between the US and Iran must be anchored in international law as the central organising principle for a durable and lasting settlement. Looking back at the debris of past truces, one thing is certain: ceasefires that lack a legal framework collapse under the weight of mistrust and competing narratives. Conversely, those grounded in established legal principles possess the capacity to stabilise even the most entrenched rivalries. The starting point must be the United Nations Charter. Both Iran and the US have, at various points, justified their actions within the UN framework. The immediate task, therefore, is not to relitigate those claims in the abst... -
Dawn - 13:15 Apr 15, 2026
An international media association on Wednesday accused the Israeli military of discrediting a Lebanese journalist it killed last month by circulating an AI-generated image of him in Hezbollah fatigues. Three Lebanese journalists, including Ali Shoeib — a prominent correspondent for the Al-Manar channel — were killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon on March 28. The Israeli military claimed responsibility for Shoeib’s killing, saying he “operated within the Hezbollah terrorist organisation under the guise of a journalist”. It provided no evidence to support the allegation, but posted an image on X of Shoeib wearing a press vest, which is partially overlayed with a photoshopped version of the same picture in which he is wearing a Hezbollah uniform. It captioned the image: “Turns out the ‘press vest’ was just a cover for terror.” A day later, military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani posted another grainy image on X purporting to show Shoeib in fatigues standing by a tank, writing: “We post this unedi... -
Dawn - 12:56 Apr 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday said that it was necessary to conduct the local government elections of cantonment boards by August 8. According to a statement, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja chaired a meeting for consultations over the upcoming local government elections of the cantonment boards. It added that the consultation with the federal government and legal requirements would be completed in a timely manner so that the ECP could ensure the announcement of the election schedule and conduct of elections. In his opening remarks, Raja highlighted the importance of establishing local governments and stated that local governments existed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan, while under Article 140(A) of the Constitution of Pakistan, conducting local government elections was the ECP’s responsibility, the statement said. “However, these elections are conducted under laws framed by the provincial governments,” Raja said in an apparent attempt to jus... -
Dawn - 12:39 Apr 15, 2026
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 index gained almost 2,900 points on Wednesday, sustaining its bullish momentum for a second consecutive day. The positive trend came amid hopes that peace talks between the United States and Iran will proceed to a second round, with US President Donald Trump saying they are more likely to be held in Islamabad. The KSE-100 index surged by 2,885.10 points, or 1.74 per cent, to close at 168,519.94 points, up from the previous close of 165,634.84. Opening on a positive note, the market reached an intraday high of 170,640.26 points at around 9:45am. It then fluctuated to drop to an intraday low of 168,182.98 points at 3:11pm, before regaining some ground to stand at 168,519.94. Topline Securities Ltd noted that the benchmark index surged to an “impressive intraday high of 5,005 points”. “However, mid-session volatility emerged, eroding a portion of the early gains and pulling the index down to an intraday low of 2,548 points — while notably remaining in positiv... -
Dawn - 12:07 Apr 15, 2026
In the jagged Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan, hundreds of men dug into the rocky bed of the Kunar River searching for a few grams of gold dust as an alternative source of income. At the foot of imposing peaks, some still covered in snow in April, they toiled near the border with Pakistan to find the valuable glinting specks in a country where wages are low. This photograph taken on April 13, 2026 shows Afghan men pouring water over a seive as they sift through mountainside stones in search of gold nuggets along the Kunar river in the Song area of Ghaziabad district, Kunar province. — AFP Below a village of mud-brick houses and small terraced wheat plots in Kharwalu, Kunar province, they dug into a dry section of the riverbed before sifting through their piles of rocks using river water. This photograph taken on April 13, 2026 shows an Afghan man pouring water over a seive as he sifts through mountainside stones in search of gold nuggets along the Kunar river in the Song area of Ghaziabad district, Kunar pr... -
Dawn - 11:54 Apr 15, 2026
KARACHI: The subcontinent might witness a subdued monsoon this summer as the warming El Niño weather phenomenon is expected to form later this year, according to a weather expert. “We are expecting El Niño in the coming summer and it is expected to become ‘super El Niño’ by the end of August to September,” Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) spokesperson Anjum Nazir Zaigham told Dawn. He noted that El Niño suppresses the summer monsoon in the subcontinent. “If super El Niño forms, then 2027 might be the warmest year in records,” Zaigham added. El Niño and its cooler sister La Niña are climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide. El Niño and La Niña events occur every two to seven years, on average, but they do not occur on a regular schedule, according to the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In a report published yesterday, The Guardian noted, “A strong El Niño would put 2027 in the running to break global heat records, and could produ... -
Dawn - 11:26 Apr 15, 2026
DERA MURAD JAMALI: A police constable was martyred on Wednesday after unknown armed men opened fire on a polio team in Dera Murad Jamali town of Balochistan’s Nasirabad district, police said. According to police officials, the polio team was on its way home on a lunch break when armed men on motorcycles opened fire on the police personnel accompanying them. As a result, Constable Farhan Bashir was martyred. “A constable was martyred after armed men opened fire on police personnel. However, the other members of the team remained unhurt in the firing,” Nasirabad Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Asad Nasar told Dawn. The assailants fired ten 9mm bullets at the constable, resulting in his death on the spot, the SSP said, adding that the assailants fled from the scene. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, Nasar said, adding that a search operation had been launched to find out the miscreants involved in the incident. Nasirabad Deputy Commissioner Zulfiqar Ali Karrar said the anti-polio ca...
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