Dawn
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Dawn - 03:24 Jun 05, 2026
SYDNEY: A Sydney man credited with saving dozens of lives during last year’s deadly mass shooting on Bondi Beach has been charged with assaulting his father, local media and police said on Thursday. Ahmed al Ahmed shot to fame in December when he wrested a gun from one of the attackers during Australia’s deadliest attack in decades. Local media including national broadcaster ABC said Ahmed, 44, had been charged after allegedly assaulting his father. Asked to confirm the reporting, New South Wales police said: “On Sunday 15 March 2026 police received a report of an alleged assault at a home in Bankstown on Monday 9 March 2026.” They added that a 44-year-old man had then been charged this week with assault and stalking. He will face court on June 29, police said. Australian police as a rule do not identify individuals charged with crimes to the media. Ahmed told the ABC that the alleged incident was “fake information… it’s not true at all”. “I don’t have any information at all,” he was quoted as saying. Ahmed w... -
Dawn - 02:20 Jun 05, 2026
KARACHI: The foreign exchange reserves of the State Bank are inching close to the target of $18 billion for current fiscal year (FY26), but a widening trade deficit threatens to erase the growth in reserves and remittances. Data issued by the central bank on Thursday showed that the forex reserves increased by $43 million to $17.2bn during the week ending on May 29. Financial experts see the improvement in reserves as a good sign, but at the same time they fear the widening trade imbalance would lead to a large current account deficit this fiscal year. They also pointed out that substantial payments to foreign creditors are due this month. SBP forex reserves are nearing their annual target, but large payments are also due this month June which means still a month is available to the SBP to catch the target of $18bn. The State Bank has been purchasing dollars from the inter-bank market to improve reserves and make external payments, while the exchange rate is being managed through a steady uptick in the rupee’... -
Dawn - 02:16 Jun 05, 2026
• Regulator allows Rs1.19 per unit FCA collection in June bills • Grants Rs1.99 per unit reduction for three months, until August ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday notified about 80 paisa per unit net reduction in national power rates for June and then Rs1.99 per unit for July and August, with a cumulative financial impact of about Rs56 billion. The unusual relief over the three months — June to August — has resulted owing to the combined effect of two concurrent tariff adjustments — one for the monthly fuel cost for April and another for quarterly tariff adjustments for the first quarter (January-March 2026). In its first determination relating to the monthly fuel cost adjustment for the consumption month of April, Nepra worked out and notified Rs1.19 per unit increase in fuel costs to be recovered from consumers in the current month’s (June) billing, with an additional fiscal gain to distribution companies (Discos) of Rs11bn. Nepra “has decided that positive ... -
Dawn - 20:29 Jun 04, 2026
Spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan starred in Pakistan’s four-wicket win in their decisive third and final one-day international against Australia in Lahore on Thursday. Shaheen grabbed 3-30 to bundle Australia out for 157 before Shadab added a fighting 29 not out to his two wickets, helping Pakistan to their winning target in 41.5 overs. That gave Pakistan a 2-1 series win — their third successive ODI series victory over Australia – after they won the first match by five wickets in Rawalpindi. Australia won the second by 41 runs, also in Lahore. Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann’s career best 3-38 — including Babar Azam’s wicket for 40 — had given the visitors some hope of an unlikely win. At 112-6, Pakistan were in a spot of bother but Shadab found an able partner in Abdul Samad as the duo added a match-winning 49 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket stand. Shadab’s second boundary sealed the win, while Samad’s 18 not out included one boundary. Shaheen praised a complete team effort. “All bowler... -
Dawn - 18:54 Jun 04, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday hailed the “true and special relationship” between Pakistan and the United States, which has spanned nearly eight decades and covers bilateral interests in security, counter-terrorism, energy and science, among other fields. Addressing an event marking the US’s 250th anniversary, PM Shehbaz noted that Islamabad and Washington had “worked closely at the most consequential moments of our history, whether it be the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s or the global war on terror from 2001–2021”. “Last year, following India’s unprovoked aggression after the Pahalgam incident, it was President [Donald] Trump’s timely and most decisive intervention that resulted in a ceasefire between Pakistan and India on May 10, last year,” he said, referring to a brief four-day war between the nuclear-armed neighbours. “We shall forever remain grateful to President Trump for restoring peace in South Asia and saving millions of people. In this context, he will always be remembered ... -
Dawn - 18:37 Jun 04, 2026
WASHINGTON: Three senior Democratic leaders urged their colleagues in the US Senate on Thursday to support the move to prevent President Donald Trump from continuing the war against Iran without congressional approval. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a joint statement that the House of Representatives on Wednesday “successfully passed a War Powers Resolution” and that it is “now time for Senate Republicans to do the right thing.” They reminded Republican lawmakers that the Iran war has now lasted more than 90 days. The 90-day period is significant because a US law designed to limit a president’s ability to wage war requires the “president to seek authorisation from Congress if military operations continue beyond that timeframe”. The statement comes as the legislation moves into the Senate, where lawmakers are expected to decide whether to take up and pass a companion measure or adopt the House-passed version directly. The resolution is pa... -
Dawn - 17:41 Jun 04, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday affirmed that achieving export-led growth targets was the government’s top priority, directing the National Tariff Commission (NTC) to play an active role in facilitating investors, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. According to the PMO, Prime Minister Shehbaz chaired a review meeting on overall economic growth and the implementation of the National Tariff Policy 2025-30 on Thursday. Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasised that the “active and transparent performance of the NTC was essential for the promotion of industry, trade and investment in the country”, the PMO added. He directed the NTC to play an active role in facilitating investors and industrialists. According to the PMO, the prime minister said the NTC should be modernised by adopting international best practices and using modern technology, including information technology and artificial intelligence. The PMO further said that the meeting was briefed on the implementation of the National Tariff Policy 202... -
Dawn - 17:40 Jun 04, 2026
The race to replace the ageing International Space Station (ISS) is heating up after US company Vast announced a mission to fly an astronaut to its planned Haven-1 station next year. If the repeatedly delayed Haven-1 is launched into orbit as scheduled in early 2027, it will become history’s first commercial space station, beating out several competitors. It would also mark a post-ISS era for humanity’s presence in space, as the West seeks independence from Russian space operations due to the war in Ukraine. After a quarter of a century of continuous habitation, the ISS is scheduled to be deorbited in 2030. On Tuesday, Vast became the first aerospace company to announce a crewed mission to its future station. “This is an important milestone in a new era in crewed spaceflight that is less expensive — and less reliant on Russia,” Vast CEO Max Haot told AFP in an interview. ‘Attractive prices’ French astronaut Arnaud Prost “is joining us on the crew of the inaugural mission of what will be the world’s first oper... -
Dawn - 17:08 Jun 04, 2026
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Inquiry reports have identified hundreds of suspicious degrees and questionable financial transactions in a major scandal involving alleged fake degrees, financial irregularities and embezzlement of public funds at Gomal University, it emerged on Thursday. According to official documents and inquiry reports seen by Dawn, the investigation was initiated on the directives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Higher Education, Archives and Libraries Meena Khan Afridi as part of efforts to eliminate corruption and ensure transparency in higher education institutions across the province. The university administration constituted an inquiry committee on April 23, 2026, to examine affiliation accounts and financial records related to private affiliated colleges. The committee reportedly found evidence suggesting that some deposit slips appeared suspicious or forged, while in certain cases, university dues had been deposited into accounts other than the authorised university accounts. The inquiry repo... -
Dawn - 16:28 Jun 04, 2026
FO rejects reports of Dar sharing intelligence on Iran's nuclear programme during meeting with Rubio
The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday refuted reports that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar shared any intelligence regarding Iran’s nuclear programme during a meeting with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Dar met with Rubio on May 29 during a brief visit to Washington, where the two discussed bilateral cooperation as well as regional security issues. Rubio had praised Islamabad’s role “in advancing peace in the Middle East”. Responding to queries during a weekly press briefing on Thursday, FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Islamabad “categorically and unequivocally” rejected claims made in certain media reports that Dar shared any intelligence regarding Iran with Rubio. “Such claims are entirely baseless, speculative, and appear to be aimed at undermining ongoing diplomatic efforts and the broader process of dialogue and engagement,” he said. Emphasising that the discussion between Dar and Rubio “focused on regional peace, stability, and the importance of pursuing diplomatic s... -
Dawn - 16:26 Jun 04, 2026
Security forces killed four terrorists in two separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Thursday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the four terrorists killed during the operations belonged to Fitna Al Khawarij, referring to the term used by the state to designate members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “On [the] reported presence of khwarij, an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was conducted by security forces in Dera Ismail Khan district,” ISPR said in a statement. “During [the] conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged [the] khwarij location and after [an] intense exchange of fire, two khwarij … were sent to hell.” ISPR added that another IBO was conducted in the Mohmand district of the province. “In [the] ensuing skillful engagement, two more khwarij were effectively neutralised,” the statement added. It further said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the dead terrorists, who remained ac... -
Dawn - 16:11 Jun 04, 2026
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday urged Gilgit-Baltistan voters to give his party a “heavy” mandate by securing a majority in order to safeguard the region’s rights. Bilawal was addressing a rally in Ghizer, amid a series of rallies across GB as the PPP and other political parties have, over the past few days, ramped up efforts to garner support ahead of the polls. Referring to the nine seats the PPP had won in the last GB elections, Bilawal claimed other seats had been stolen. However, this time, “no one can steal seats from you, and this means that all three of Ghizer’s seats will be yours,” he added. Of other political parties in the running, he said the party wanted a “heavy majority in GB — not for me, but for you” so that together they could complete Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s and Benazir Bhutto’s “incomplete” mission in the region. The PPP chairman highlighted the achievements of those who came before him, including Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s subsidies that continued to benefit the region, and Bena... -
Dawn - 15:37 Jun 04, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PTI leaders on Thursday arrived at Adiala jail hoping to meet party founder Imran Khan but were once again denied permission to meet the former prime minister. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has allowed the incarcerated ex-premier to have twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesdays and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order, Imran has been restricted from meeting visitors for several months. A day earlier, the PTI sent a list of six leaders to Adiala jail authorities, requesting that they arrange a meeting with the incarcerated former premier. The list included Seemabia Tahir, Usman Jora, Asad Abbas, Malik Yasir Patwali, Malik Azeem and Rohail Anjum. Patwali, while speaking to Dawn, said that all the leaders arrived at the prison well before 2pm. “We informed the prison administration that we had been nominated for the meeting, as per the directions of the IHC, but we were told that a message was being sent for approval,” he said. “Officials also recorded our video foo... -
Dawn - 14:56 Jun 04, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed the launch of a pilot project for a proposed automated income tax collection system in Islamabad, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. In a statement, the PMO said that Prime Minister Shehbaz chaired a review meeting on ongoing reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), attended by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, and others. “The meeting reviewed the ongoing measures aimed at modernising the tax system and increasing tax collection in detail,” it said, adding that a comprehensive plan was presented to make inland revenue collection more “effective, transparent and faceless”. According to the PMO, the meeting was informed that the proposed new tax system would have the capability to identify under-declared income and assets through data relating to properties, vehicles and banks. “Modern technology and artificial intelligence would be used to make the tax system automated, transparent and effective,” i... -
Dawn - 13:16 Jun 04, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday dismissed a review petition filed by Zahir Jaffer and maintained its earlier verdict upholding his death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case. Noor, aged 27, was found murdered at Zahir’s Islamabad residence in July 2021, with the probe revealing she was tortured by him before being beheaded. Zahir was sentenced to death by a trial in February 2022 and his sentence has already been upheld by the SC once. Prior to that, the Islamabad High Court had also dismissed his plea challenging the trial court’s verdict. A three-member bench comprising Justices Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, Salahuddin Panhwar and Ishtiaq Ibrahim heard Zahir’s review plea on the SC verdict on Thursday. Advocate Khawaja Haris appeared as Zahir’s counsel, while Shah Khawar was present from the respondents’ side. Both presented their arguments, following which the bench announced its verdict. After today’s ruling, a presidential pardon under Article 45 of the Constitution could possibly provide... -
Dawn - 12:57 Jun 04, 2026
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday ordered police to provide protection to a newlywed couple from Jacobabad whose relatives allegedly torched multiple houses in the groom’s village last month in retaliation for their marriage of choice. Hearing an application seeking protection for the couple — Hassan Buriro and Sidra Channa — Justice Saleem Jessar issued a written order stipulating that the couple be given protection, directing that the couple’s “life, honour and property” be ensured. The IO also recorded the woman’s statement within the court premises. During the hearing, the couple’s legal counsel informed the court that the two had married without any pressure and with consent on May 5. He added that the couple was receiving threats from their relatives who did not approve of the marriage. The counsel added that the relatives set fire to Jacobabad’s Siddique Arain village on May 13. The state counsel stated that the government was bound to ensure the safety of all citizens without discrimination and t... -
Dawn - 11:25 Jun 04, 2026
When Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang makes his second visit to South Korea in just seven months this week, it won’t be only to meet top memory chip and robotics executives, but to throw the first pitch at a baseball game and appear on a TV talk show. While a celebrity in his own right, the charm push by the Taiwan-born 63-year-old highlights South Korea’s critical position in the AI landscape. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix between them make about 70 per cent of the memory needed for AI chips like Nvidia’s. And the country’s strength in manufacturing and robotics sets it up to be a key player in physical AI, where AI is embedded in robots, cars and factories. “Nvidia’s dependence on South Korean suppliers is rising,” Jeff Kim, an analyst at Seoul-based KB Securities, wrote in a research note. Huang “needs a manufacturing site for physical AI”, Kim said. “South Korea is emerging as a perfect testbed.” Asia’s fourth-largest economy is also a major Nvidia customer, with the Silicon Valley-based company announcing in O... -
Dawn - 10:15 Jun 04, 2026
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that his country’s adversaries had turned to “hybrid warfare”, aimed at creating divisions among Iranians, after receiving a “decisive blow”. Mojtaba, who has not appeared publicly since being named as the supreme leader on March 8, made these remarks in his message on the death anniversary of Iran’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The message shared on his official X account and reported by the Iranian media. Mojtaba’s message stated, “The malicious enemy has been defeated in its confrontation with the armed forces. Since it has received a decisive blow both in military combat and in Iran’s public squares and streets, it’s experiencing a profound and significant humiliation. “The enemy has focused its schemes in hybrid warfare on two points: the resilience of the Iranian people and trying to create errors in the assessments of the country’s officials. The instrument it’s using for both is sowing the seeds of doubt, despair, fear, mistrus... -
Dawn - 09:51 Jun 04, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday ruled that directions to the high courts for expeditious decisions in pending matters by superior courts should be issued sparingly and couched in appropriate words. The judgement comes against the backdrop of a recent petition by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) before the Supreme Court challenging its May 12, 2026 direction to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for deciding in two weeks the sentence suspension pleas of human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha in the controversial social media posts case. The NCCIA had also requested the SC to recall and withdraw that order to help preserve the “sanctity and independence of the judiciary, maintaining equality among citizens and avoiding discrimination”. According to a three-page order by Justice Aamer Farooq, issued in deciding a dispute between the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) and Master Tiles and Ceramics Industries Ltd, it was held that h... -
Dawn - 09:24 Jun 04, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday congratulated Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe on their election as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2027–2028 term. “We wish them every success in discharging this important responsibility,” he said in a post on X. “As Pakistan continues its tenure on the UNSC through 2026, we remain committed to advancing peace, security, dialogue, and multilateral cooperation,” he added. Dar further stated, “We look forward to working closely with the incoming members in pursuit of our shared objectives and a more peaceful, secure, and equitable world.” Only 10 out of the 15 members of the council are elected, with no election for the five veto-wielding permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday elected Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe to the 15-member UN Security Council for ...
10391 items