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Dawn - 11:54 Apr 22, 2026
Indonesia on Wednesday accused Israel of flying a “propaganda” banner over the ruins of a hospital that had been built in Gaza with Indonesian funding. The Indonesia Hospital, in the north of the Gaza Strip near the fortified border with Israel, was opened in late 2015 after Indonesia’s Medical Emergency Rescue Committee, a humanitarian NGO, raised approximately $7.3 million in donations for its construction, according to state news agency Antara. It has since been destroyed, and Jakarta on Wednesday objected to the raising of a banner over the ruins that alluded to Israel’s 12-day “Rising Lion” military operation against Iran last year. “The use of military symbols and propaganda over the ruins of a destroyed hospital, especially when linked to a specific military operation, is a highly provocative act and cannot be justified,” the foreign ministry said in a statement posted on X. “This act is an insult to a humanitarian facility built from the solidarity of the Indonesian people for the Palestinian people.”... -
Dawn - 11:17 Apr 22, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed that efforts for promoting electric vehicles (EVs) in the country be accelerated. He expressed these views while chairing a review meeting on promoting electric vehicles in the country, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. “In view of the prevailing regional situation and the requirements of the future, the promotion of EVs will not only reduce the fuel import bill, but it is also extremely important for protecting the environment and energy security,” the prime minister was quoted as saying. According to the statement, the prime minister directed that transparency be ensured in the subsidy provided on electric motorcycles for low-income individuals under the National Electric Vehicle Policy. It added that the meeting was also briefed on ongoing steps to promote EVs nationwide. The meeting was told that 72 certificates were issued for the manufacturing electric motorcycles and rickshaws, while four certificates were issued for the manufactu... -
Dawn - 11:12 Apr 22, 2026
A senior New Zealand minister has sparked outrage by deriding a planned free trade deal with India as a “butter chicken tsunami”. Wellington is poised to sign a free trade agreement with India in New Delhi next week. The New Zealand government has hailed it as a “once in a generation” deal that will give its businesses access to the world’s most populated country’s vast domestic market. But its ruling coalition partner, the right-wing populist NZ First party, has pulled support over fears it will open the country’s borders to thousands of Indian nationals. The split will mean the government will need the opposition Labour Party to vote in favour when legislation goes before parliament in the coming months. On Monday, the party’s deputy leader and Minister for Regional Development, Shane Jones, said his party would “never accept” the deal. “I don’t care how much criticism we get, I am just never going to agree with a butter chicken tsunami coming to New Zealand,” Jones told Reality Check Radio. The comments we... -
Dawn - 11:09 Apr 22, 2026
Last year, my plans to celebrate Eid in Iran were dismantled by the sudden escalation of regional aggression. What was meant to be a personal pilgrimage became a casualty of geopolitics. Yet, in a twist of fate this past September, I found myself touching down at Tehran’s IKA Airport, not for a holiday, but as an invitee to the “Nobel of the Muslim World” or the Mustafa (PBUH) Prize granted to top science and technology researchers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states. The September 6 to 10, 2025, award week is organised by the Mustafa (PBUH) Science and Technology Foundation, which stands as a testament to the enduring power of human inquiry. I had expected it to be a sombre affair. The mystics of Qom I was keen to visit the holy city of Qom before the events kicked off and so the organisers assigned me guides, two cheerful women, who led me through its striking salt ranges and mineral-dense rainbow rocks. Qom greets you with pristine air and radiance. It was a Friday so the city was mo... -
Dawn - 10:34 Apr 22, 2026
Nasa unveiled a new telescope on Wednesday to scan vast swathes of the universe for planets outside our solar system and probe the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. The Roman space telescope is expected to discover tens of thousands of planets, possibly offering clarity about how many could be out there. “Roman will give the Earth a new atlas of the universe,” Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman told a news conference at the Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland, where the telescope went on display. The 12-metre (39-feet) silvery contraption with massive solar panels will be transported to Florida ahead of a launch into space aboard a SpaceX rocket planned for September at the earliest. Roman, which took more than $4 billion and over a decade to build, is named after astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, nicknamed the “Mother of Hubble” for her role in developing the landmark space telescope. Thirty-six years after Hubble launched into space, revolutionising astronomical observations, Nasa hopes Roman will he... -
Dawn - 08:23 Apr 22, 2026
The Supreme Court (SC) said on Wednesday it has successfully integrated cutting-edge technology into its judicial processes, redefining how justice is delivered across the country. The move is a decisive step toward a more transparent, accessible, and citizen-centric justice system, according to a court handout. Harnessing digital innovation, the SC operationalised seamless multi-location hearings — bringing together benches, counsel and litigants from across Pakistan without geographical constraints. In a recent landmark hearing, the bench convened at the Principal Seat in Islamabad, while counsels joined simultaneously from Quetta, Hyderabad and Karachi, ensuring smooth proceedings and equal participation. Demonstrating institutional agility, the SC swiftly adapted to an emergent change in bench composition earlier this week. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi presided over the proceedings from Islamabad, while Justice Ayesha A. Malik joined the bench from Lahore, ensuring seamless continuity with... -
Dawn - 08:21 Apr 22, 2026
ISLAMABAD: In a major setback, Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) — the only oil refinery in the north of the country — has been forced to shut down until restoration of ongoing road closures taken under security measures ahead of the possible US-Iran talks. The refinery is the only such facility catering to the fuel requirements of almost all of central and northern Punjab, as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. In a mandatory regulatory filing to Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), ARL reported that its main crude distillation plant with 32,0000 barrels of daily refining capacity has been shut down. It said it could not send out refined products or receive crude oil coming from oil fields. “We wish to inform you that due to the expected arrival of foreign delegates in Islamabad, there has been an abrupt suspension of oil tank lorry movement to and from ARL. This situation has adversely impacted crude oil receipts as well as p... -
Dawn - 08:14 Apr 22, 2026
KARACHI: Pakistan women’s team head coach Adeel Rizki has called for regular camps and increased international fixtures as the only path to sustained progress, days after his side finished third in their maiden FIFA Series campaign in Ivory Coast. “The most important thing is continuity — regular camps and international matches,” Adeel said. “The players need consistent time together to build understanding, improve fitness levels and develop cohesion as a team. Without that continuity, progress becomes very difficult. If we can ensure that, you’ll see clear and measurable improvement.” His words echoed those of forwards Nadia Khan and Aqsa Mushtaq, who earlier pointed to the same fundamental obstacle: Pakistan women play too few games. Aqsa noted it had been “a whole year” since the team last played Indonesia before this tournament, while Nadia called for regular mini-camps for local players to bridge the gap with diaspora team-mates who have club training abroad. When asked what he had learned about the squa... -
Dawn - 07:55 Apr 22, 2026
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday said that even a year on, India has failed to provide evidence for its allegations against Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack. The April 22, 2025 attack in Pahalgam saw 26 people, mostly tourists, killed in what is being described as the deadliest armed attack in the disputed Himalayan region since the year 2000. “To this day, India has not presented any solid evidence or proof regarding the Pahalgam incident, nor has it offered satisfactory explanations,” Tarar said in a televised statement issued on the incident’s anniversary. He recalled India’s refusal to accept Pakistan’s offer for a neutral and transparent investigation into the Pahalgam attack, adding that it “raises serious questions and suggests that the incident may have been a false flag operation”. “The false flag operation in Pahalgam reflects a mindset that is hollow — driven by false pride, arrogance and greed,” he contended. “Let me make it very clear that this was the last false flag operation ... -
Dawn - 05:59 Apr 22, 2026
Australia’s internet watchdog raised fears on Wednesday that popular online gaming platforms such as Roblox and Minecraft were being used by “predatory adults” to target children. The nation’s eSafety Commission has sent legal notices to a host of the world’s most popular gaming platforms, demanding they explain how they are working to stamp out dangerous content. Australia is at the forefront of global efforts to protect children from online harm, enacting laws last year that ban teenagers under 16 from social media. eSafety boss Julie Inman Grant said research had shown the vast majority of Australian children played some sort of online game. “Predatory adults know this and target children through grooming or embedding terrorist and violent extremist narrative in gameplay,” she said. Online gaming platforms Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite and Steam will be required to show how they are identifying and eliminating online harms, Inman Grant said. “We’ve seen numerous media reports about grooming taking place on a... -
Dawn - 04:35 Apr 22, 2026
• Officials say hundreds of students caught cheating • Board claims 95pc exam centres ‘completely secure’ • Videos of cheating, copying go viral • Political parties concerned over mismanagement KARACHI: As the ongoing matric examinations continue under the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK), multiple incidents of cheating, paper leaks and other irregularities have surfaced in the city, exposing the incompetence of the board which had been claiming a “zero tolerance” against such practices. Videos circulating on social media showed students using mobile phones during examinations at various centres. In Orangi Town, some private schools did not even send their candidates to officially designated centres and instead arranged unauthorised venues with fake permits to facilitate cheating. Footage on social media showed students using mobile phones openly in the presence of invigilators at various centres, with little to no apparent enforcement of examination rules. At several centres, candidates were also ... -
Dawn - 04:07 Apr 22, 2026
LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has booked seven persons, including directors of a biscuit company and a bank official, on charges of money laundering, fraud and tax evasion. According to the FIR, during the course of inquiry conducted by the FIA, CBC Lahore, it transpired that benami bank accounts were opened to evade taxes on sale transactions of billions of rupees and money laundering was also committed. “The benami accounts were opened on the CNICs of Abdullah Maqsood, Arsalan Ahmad and Maqsood Ahmad by banker Mazhar Ejaz and other bank officials. After opening the accounts, sale proceeds worth billions of rupees of M/s Innovative Biscuits Pvt. Ltd. (the company) Lahore, having proprietors Sheikh Munir Hussain and Amir Raza, CEO and directors of the company, were parked initially in a different bank and later on transferred to benami accounts from where cash amounts were withdrawn,” it says. During the probe, the genuine signatures of the account holders were found to be similar with their ... -
Dawn - 02:30 Apr 22, 2026
• Seeks proposals from global consortiums to act as underwriters, lead managers, book runners • Selection based on lowest yield, cost, coupon • Timing of future issuances tied to market conditions ISLAMABAD: A day after raising $750 million through a Eurobond at an interest rate of 6.975 per cent for three years, the government on Tuesday invited bids from international consortiums to act as underwriters, lead managers and book runners for future transactions in global capital markets over the next three years. The bidders would be selected on the basis of the lowest yield, lowest coupon and lowest overall cost, an official said, adding that this would enable the government to raise funds from the global capital markets as and when required and depending on the external financing needs. The three consortiums would be expected to launch Pakistan’s three types of capital market transactions. This would include renewing its Global Medium-Term Note (GMTN) Programme and Sukuk Trust Certificate Issuance (TCI) Progr... -
Dawn - 00:38 Apr 22, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) has returned to profitability after more than four years and plans to formally launch 5G services next month. PTCL and Ufone Chief Executive Hatem Bamatraf, while announcing the group’s financial results for the first quarter (January-March 2026), said revenues had increased by 58 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year. He said the company had faced multiple challenges in recent years, but performance had improved since January following the consolidation of Telenor Pakistan’s financial results into the PTCL Group, supporting growth across fixed broadband, enterprise, wholesale and mobile segments. During the quarter, consolidated operating profit surged by 564pc with the inclusion of Telenor Pakistan, while the group posted a net profit of Rs3.1bn, reversing a net loss of Rs4bn in Q1 2025. Plans to launch 5G next month Mr Bamatraf said the company was entering a new phase of sustainable growth. He added that once the merger be... -
Dawn - 22:05 Apr 21, 2026
Key developments: Trump has announced an extension in the ceasefire with Iran until Tehran submits a “unified proposal”; however, a naval blockade of Iranian ports will remain in place; JD Vance’s visit to Pakistan ’“not happening today”, says White House official PM Shehbaz thanks Trump for the decision, hopes both sides will be able to conclude “a comprehensive ‘Peace Deal’ during the second round of talks scheduled in Islamabad” No immediate official response by Iran on Trump’s announcement; decision by Tehran on participation in expected talks still awaited President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he was extending a ceasefire between the US and Iran until Tehran submitted a “unified proposal” and “discussions are concluded, one way or the other”. “Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran un... -
Dawn - 22:02 Apr 21, 2026
Pakistan condemned in “strongest terms” on Tuesday the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound and the raising of Israel’s flag in its courtyard, terming the acts “reprehensible”. The condemnation issued by the Foreign Office said “these reprehensible acts constitute a blatant violation of international law, as well as of the sanctity and inviolability of the holy site. Such provocative steps also risk further escalating tensions in the region”. It stated that the acts of storming and the “raising of the occupying power’s flag” were carried out “by illegal Israeli settlers”. The settlers forced their way into the site through the mosque’s Mughrabi Gate, under heavy police protection, according to an Anadolu reporter. Videos circulating on social media showed occupiers performing Talmudic rituals and prayers aloud, including what is referred to as “epic prostration”, particularly in the eastern area of the compound. Photos shared online also showed two occupiers raising the Israeli flag inside the compound, wi... -
Dawn - 20:01 Apr 21, 2026
PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday vowed that, if elected, the party would focus on development in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). The remarks come ahead of the GB Assembly elections scheduled for June 7, with other parties also ramping up their preparations. Nawaz made the comments in a televised address to the PML-N’s parliamentary board for GB, where he highlighted past projects launched by the party in the region. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his younger brother, had the “same passion” for developing GB as him, noting that the region had massive potential. The former premier highlighted road projects “worth $60-$65 billion”, adding that “24-hour journeys were reduced to 10 hours”. He recalled facing criticism for having a tunnel constructed in Chitral as it was sparsely populated. Referring to the initiatives undertaken by PM Shehbaz during his time as the Punjab chief minister, and now by his daughter Maryam, Nawaz told the party members: “You should copy it, and all these things should be launched... -
Dawn - 19:01 Apr 21, 2026
The Israeli military on Tuesday said two soldiers would receive 30 days of military detention and be removed from combat duty over the destruction of a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon. The decision comes after widespread condemnation of a photo shared online showing an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a statue of the crucifix. The sculpture was located in the Christian village of Debl in south Lebanon, near the border with Israel. Publishing the conclusions of an inquiry into the incident, the military said: “The soldier who damaged the Christian symbol and the soldier who photographed the act will be removed from combat duty and will receive 30 days of military detention”. It said six additional soldiers who “were present at the scene and did not act to stop the incident or report it” had been summoned for “clarification discussions”. Israel has conducted airstrikes across Lebanon and invaded the country’s south after Hezbollah entered the Middle East war on March 2. The fightin... -
Dawn - 18:43 Apr 21, 2026
Downing Street on Tuesday denied a claim from a former official that it had applied pressure on civil servants to approve the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK envoy to Washington and seemed to dismiss security concerns. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer remained mired in a scandal over his decision to appoint Mandelson as Britain’s envoy to the United States before sacking him last year over links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Olly Robbins, the most senior foreign ministry official until he was fired last week over the scandal, told MPs on Tuesday that Starmer’s office had a “dismissive attitude” towards the security vetting for its US envoy pick. There was a “very strong expectation … coming from Number 10 (Downing Street) that he (Mandelson) needed to be in post and in America as quickly as humanly possible”, Robbins told a watchdog parliamentary committee. “My office, the foreign secretary’s office, were under constant pressure, there was an atmosphere of constant chasing.” A Downing... -
Dawn - 17:45 Apr 21, 2026
Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hassan Waqar Cheema refuted on Tuesday a notification that claimed a local holiday had been announced in the garrison city for April 22 (Wednesday). “This notification circulating on social media is fake,” the DC said on X, sharing a photo of the order, which stated that he had declared a “local holiday in the territorial jurisdiction of Rawalpindi on April 22”. Dismissing it, the DC urged the public “to rely only on official sources for authentic information”. On Sunday, Islamabad DC Irfan Nawaz Memon also dismissed as fake a notification announcing that all public and private offices in the federal capital and Rawalpindi would remain closed from April 20 until further notice. The developments take place as authorities take several measures in anticipation of hosting US-Iran talks in Islamabad. In Rawalpindi, some roads have been closed, and many universities and schools have also been shut while others remain open.
10418 items