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Dawn - 13:14 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday withdrew the increase in toll taxes, freezing all adjustments for the current fiscal year, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Pakistan Railways not to increase fares for any class. The decision regarding toll taxes was taken in a high-level review meeting of the National Highway Authority (NHA), chaired by Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, to align national infrastructure goals with immediate public relief. “Acting on the special directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the minister used the session to officially rescind the 25 per cent quarterly increase in toll taxes, freezing all adjustments for the 2025-26 fiscal year,” it said. According to state-run APP, the minister directed the NHA to withdraw its notification issued on April 1 and halt the increase that was scheduled to take effect from April 5. A notification by the NHA to this effect was also shared by the communications ministry on the social media platform X. On March 24, APP had... -
Dawn - 12:20 Apr 03, 2026
China called on Friday for Palestinians’ rights to be protected after Israel approved a bill to allow the execution of Palestinians convicted on terror charges for deadly attacks. Under the new law, passed by Israel’s parliament on Monday, Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted by military courts of carrying out deadly attacks classified as “terrorism” will face the death penalty as a default sentence. “The legal rights of the Palestinian people should be respected and protected,” China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said when asked about the bill at a press briefing on Friday. “We also hope relevant parties will cease actions that escalate tensions and exacerbate conflict,” she said, without mentioning Israel by name. “China believes that any law should fulfil legal principles such as equality and justice and should not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion or nationality or political views,” Mao added. A host of countries have criticised the bill, which was supported by Israeli... -
Dawn - 12:04 Apr 03, 2026
The impact of the ongoing US-Iran war on ordinary Pakistani households and business is already being felt. With petrol at Rs458 per litre and diesel at over Rs520, citizens are going to be facing real challenges once more. For a country that only recently suffered inflation rates that peaked at 40 per cent, this conflict could not have come at a worse time. But the crisis can also be an opportunity for Pakistan, and given the bottom-up solar revolution the country has experienced over the last few years, the building blocks are already there for the country to be future ready. Before getting into how this can be done, one must acknowledge that the government’s decision to pass on the price increase was the right call. In a country with limited fiscal space, broad-based subsidies are a luxury Islamabad simply cannot afford. A prolonged subsidy program would hurt, not benefit, households and businesses because of the inflationary pressures that would have been created by an expanding fiscal deficit funded by cr... -
Dawn - 11:03 Apr 03, 2026
Dozens of countries sought ways to restart vital energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after US President Donald Trump vowed more aggressive attacks on Iran, sending oil prices higher again and deepening strain on consumers. After speculation proved untrue that Trump might discuss ending the war in a speech on Wednesday, the president persisted with threats on Thursday, saying in a social media post: “IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE”. He also posted video of the US bombing a newly constructed bridge on Thursday between Tehran and the major northwest suburb of Karaj. The B1 bridge was scheduled to open to traffic this year. According to Iran’s state media, eight people were killed and 95 others were wounded in the US attack. “Striking civilian structures, including unfinished bridges, will not compel Iranians to surrender,” Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a statement. In the speech on Wednesday night, Trump repeated his threats against Iran’s civilian po... -
Dawn - 10:25 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The country’s first National Forensic Agency formally began operation on Friday, the Ministry of Interior said. The agency was established under the “The National Forensic Agency Bill, 2024”, which was passed into law in 2024. In a statement on X, the ministry said that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the headquarters on Friday, expressing hope that “the institution will assist in national security matters and curtailing crime”. The minister, during his visit, said that the agency will provide support to law enforcement agencies across Pakistan, directing the NFA to establish offices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. He also directed that the services provided by the agency should be “widely publicised”. Director General NFA Hasnaat Rasool briefed the interior minister on the agency’s progress, informing that the “first phase” had been completed. He informed Naqvi that the agency was providing services “in the field of digital forensics, including deepfake fo... -
Dawn - 08:10 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has “surrendered Rs472.1 million” to the treasury as part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s austerity measures, said a statement by the NA Secretariat on Friday. The statement said that austerity measures in the lower house were being carried out under the directives of NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. “In compliance with austerity directives and in support of prudent governance, the secretariat has effected a Rs21 million reduction in the salaries of Members of the National Assembly, which has been deposited into the Prime Minister’s Austerity Fund 2026 to further contribute to national financial resources,” added the statement. The development came after PM Shehbaz announced a host of austerity measures to conserve fuel in view of the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. As part of the contingency plan, the government introduced wide-ranging steps to reduce fuel consumption, including a four-day working week for government offices, a 50 per cent reduction in fue... -
Dawn - 07:28 Apr 03, 2026
BANNU: A suicide car bomb attack at the Domel Police Station in Bannu killed at least five civilians, while 13 others were injured, including one policeman. Among the deceased are a husband, wife, daughter, and son from the same family. The explosion occurred when an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into the rear side of the police station, triggering a massive blast followed by an exchange of gunfire. The intensity of the explosion was so powerful that it was heard miles away. According to initial reports, the blast completely destroyed the sentry post of the police station, while a large portion of the building was reduced to rubble. Citizens engage in relief activities on Friday morning after the suicide bombing. — Photo by author The explosion also caused severe damage to nearby residential areas, with multiple houses collapsing and several people trapped under the debris. According to Rescue 1122, the injured were immediately shifted to nearby hospitals, where some are reported to be in critical condition... -
Dawn - 06:50 Apr 03, 2026
The Met Office said on Friday that there is no chance of rain in Karachi today, following torrential rain in the city a day earlier caused by a strong westerly system. “There are no chances of rain today in Karachi,” said Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Spokesperson Nazir Zaighum. Rain-related fatalities rose to six overnight after one more person died from electrocution in the Gulistan-i-Jauhar area of the city, said rescue services. At least five people were killed on Thursday as heavy rain lashed the metropolis, while the city administration declared an emergency. According to police and rescue officials, the deaths occurred in separate incidents: four people died due to electrocution while a fifth was killed due to a wall collapse amid the heavy rainfall. Vehicles travel along a road in Karachi amid heavy rain on April 2. — White Star According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the minimum temperature in Karachi on Friday was recorded at 16 degrees Celsius, with the maximum tempera... -
Dawn - 05:43 Apr 03, 2026
Four Artemis astronauts were zooming towards the Moon on Friday after a major engine firing, a milestone that commits NASA to the first crewed lunar flyby in more than half a century. With enough thrust to accelerate a stationary car to highway driving speed in less than three seconds, the Orion capsule engine blasted the astronauts on their trajectory towards the Moon, which they will now loop as part of the 10-day Artemis 2 mission. In the moments that followed what the US space agency dubbed a “flawless” firing that lasted just under six minutes, astronaut Jeremy Hansen said that “humanity has once again shown what we are capable of.” The astronauts said they were “glued to the window” taking pictures, and later passed a floating microphone back and forth as they took questions from US television networks. They said the spacecraft was a little chilly and they were still making it a home, but the crew was all smiles. NASA’s Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System (SLS) r... -
Dawn - 04:51 Apr 03, 2026
WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has abruptly forced Army Chief of Staff General Randy George into immediate retirement amid the ongoing war with Iran, multiple US media outlets reported on Friday. The outlets described the move as one of the most consequential Pentagon leadership upheavals in decades. The decision also included the removal of General David Hodne, head of the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, and Major General William Green, chief of the Army Chaplain Corps, in actions first reported by The Washington Post and later confirmed by CBS News and other organisations. The ouster cuts short General George’s tenure roughly one and a half years into what is typically a four-year term and comes as US forces enter the fifth week of active operations against Iran. CBS News quoted US defence officials as saying that Hegseth wanted leadership more closely aligned with President Donald Trump’s and his own vision for the Army. George’s removal breaks with tradition and underscores grow... -
Dawn - 04:28 Apr 03, 2026
PESHAWAR: Senior police officials on Thursday claimed that suspects in the Dr Asif Malik gun attack case had been identified and would soon be arrested. “We have traced the persons who opened fire on urologist Dr Malik. They have been identified and we are closing in on them,” a senior police official told Dawn. He said that the motive behind the attack was still not known and the further details of the case would be made public after the suspects were arrested and interrogated. Urologist Dr Malik was reported to be in stable condition at a hospital after coming under fire close to his residence in the University Town area here on Tuesday night. After the attack, Dr Malik, a pioneer of kidney transplantation in the province, was shifted to the Peshawar General Hospital by his driver and remained under treatment in the intensive care unit. His condition is said to be stable. On Wednesday, senior police officials claimed that the “Dr Malik attack case has almost 80 per cent been concluded.” An official told Daw... -
Dawn - 04:07 Apr 03, 2026
KARACHI: The Gul Plaza Judicial Commission has concluded its proceedings and announced that the inquiry report will be handed over to the provincial government on April 7. In early February, the single-member commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal of the Sindh High Court, began its inquiry into the Jan 17 devastating fire in Gul Plaza Shopping Mall that claimed lives of 73 people. Commission’s Registrar Iqbal Hassan Khatti on Thursday sent a letter to the law secretary, informing him about the conclusion of the proceedings and submission of the inquiry report. According to the letter, the commission was constituted under Section 3 of the Sindh Tribunals of Inquiry Ordinance 1969 vide gazette notification, issued on Feb 10, to scrutinise the devastating inferno at Gul Plaza as per terms of reference stated in the notification while the period prescribed for completion of the inquiry was eight weeks. “It is hereby intimated that the commission has concluded the inquiry entrusted thereto and seeks to submit i... -
Dawn - 02:35 Apr 03, 2026
• Finance minister to hold key talks with Fund, World Bank officials through April 17 • Islamabad to seek safety nets, subsidy reforms, emergency financing options • Oil, gas volatility threatens Pakistan’s reserves, widens current account gap WASHINGTON: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is expected in Washington on April 11 for the 2026 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, a visit that has acquired added significance as developing economies grapple with the widening economic fallout of the ongoing war in Iran. Mr Aurangzeb is scheduled to remain in the United States through April 17. During his visit, he will hold a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with senior officials of international financial institutions and other stakeholders. The minister will also address Pakistani media on April 17 before departing for Islamabad. The Spring Meetings, set for April 13–18, will bring together finance ministers, central bank governors, policymakers and development expe... -
Dawn - 02:25 Apr 03, 2026
• Trump says more will follow after earlier threatening to bomb Iran back to ‘Stone Ages’, claims war nearly over • Tehran vows ‘crushing’ attacks on US after Trump threats • Iran launches missiles towards Israel; fire near Mashhad airport after projectile hits fuel tank • Dozens of countries discuss coalition to secure passage through Hormuz WASHINGTON / TEHRAN / BAGHDAD / PARIS: The US and Israel on Thursday stepped up attacks on Iran, targeting a century-old medical research centre in Tehran, a bridge near the capital and steel plants after President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran back to “the Stone Ages”. Hours later, Trump said the tallest bridge in Iran had been destroyed. He posted footage on social media of smoke rising from the B1 bridge in Karaj, around 35 kilometers southwest of Tehran and warned that there would be further destruction unless Iran comes to the table to end the five-week war. “The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again - Much more to follow! It is t... -
Dawn - 02:18 Apr 03, 2026
• Petrol raised by Rs137 to Rs458 per litre; diesel up by Rs184 to Rs520 • Petroleum levy raised on petrol, cut to zero on HSD • Kerosene price increased by Rs34 to Rs458 per litre • Rs100 per litre subsidy for bikers capped at 20 litres per month • Small farmers to receive Rs1,500 per acre support • Early market closures planned to save 1,200MW of electricity ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday announced an unprecedented increase of 43 per cent and 55pc in the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD), respectively, along with early market closures and targeted subsidies for bikers, farmers and transporters to cushion the impact of global oil price shocks amid the US-Israel war on Iran. Under the revised rates, the ex-depot price of petrol has been increased by Rs137.23 per litre (42.7pc) to Rs458.41 from Rs321.17, while HSD has been raised by Rs184.49 per litre (55pc) to Rs520.35 from Rs335.86, with immediate effect. The price of kerosene was also increased by Rs34.08 per litre to Rs457.80. Petroleum l... -
Dawn - 22:33 Apr 02, 2026
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik announced on Thursday that the price of petrol was being raised to Rs458.4 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) to Rs520.35 per litre. He made the announcement while addressing a press conference alongside Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. Breakup of the new petrol prices Soon after his announcement, the energy ministry also notified the new prices, with petrol’s price being raised by Rs137.24 per litre and diesel’s by Rs184.49 per litre. The government also increased kerosene prices by Rs34.08 per litre to Rs457.80 per litre. Malik said the new prices would be effective from Friday. The latest hike comes amid a global fuel crisis resulting from the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28. It was announced around a week after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had rejected a third recommendation for an increase of Rs95 per litre in the price of petrol and Rs203 per litre in that of HSD since the war began. Previously, the PM said he had rejected a... -
Dawn - 20:44 Apr 02, 2026
KARACHI: At least five people were killed on Thursday as heavy rain lashed the metropolis, while the city administration declared an emergency. According to police and rescue officials, the deaths occurred in separate incidents; four people died due to electrocution while a fifth was killed due to a crumbling building amid the heavy rainfall. Site Superhighway Industrial Area Police Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammed Nawaz told Dawn that Shahabuddin, 40, was trying to fix an electrical issue in Ahsanabad when he suffered an electric shock and died. He said the deceased was believed to be an employee of K-Electric. PIB Colony police SHO Rana Mohammed Ajmal said that a 35-yer-old man, Abdul Waleed, died when he touched an electric pole near Faizan Milad Masjid. Surjani Police SHO Sohail Khaskheli told Dawn that 7-year old Dua Batool Sarfraz was killed when she suffered an electric shock inside her home in Sector-7-A. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation said in a statement that a 23-year-old man,... -
Dawn - 19:41 Apr 02, 2026
The 34th day of the US-Israel war against Iran unfolded in the immediate aftermath of US President Donald Trump’s speech, which, rather than opening any pathway to de-escalation, appeared to have hardened positions across the conflict spectrum. The remarks triggered swift Iranian retaliation, and reinforced a trajectory of sustained attrition with an increasingly central focus on economic pressure and maritime control. In his speech, Trump declared that US and Israeli objectives were nearing completion, while committing to another two to three weeks of intensified strikes and warning that Iran could be pushed “back to the Stone Age” if it failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s formulation looked to be a combination of coercive diplomacy and continued military escalation, even as it left ambiguity over the precise end state being sought. The immediate Iranian response underscored the limited deterrent effect of the speech as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched one of its largest single-ni... -
Dawn - 18:19 Apr 02, 2026
US President Donald Trump has removed Attorney General Pam Bondi from her post, a White House official said on Thursday, following mounting frustration with her performance, including her handling of investigative files related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump had also reportedly grown frustrated that Bondi was not moving quickly enough to prosecute critics and adversaries whom he wanted to face criminal charges. In a social media post, Trump praised Bondi as a “Great American patriot and a loyal friend” and said she will move to a job in the private sector. Trump said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer, will lead the Justice Department in the interim. During her tenure as the top US law enforcement official, Bondi was a combative champion of Trump’s agenda and dismantled the Justice Department’s longstanding tradition of independence from the White House in its investigations. But it was repeated criticism over the Epstein files, including from Trump... -
Dawn - 17:52 Apr 02, 2026
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court on Thursday ruled that Afghan nationals residing in the region, even if subject to repatriation policies, could not be detained or deported without due process of law and directed the government to immediately establish a legal mechanism to regulate such cases. In a detailed judgment authored by Justice Syed Shahid Bahar, the court disposed of three identical constitutional petitions challenging the detention of Afghan nationals allegedly taken into police custody for repatriation. The petitioners had contended that despite possessing valid documents and residing lawfully in AJK for decades, they were taken into custody by police without lawful justification and faced imminent deportation. The government, in its reply, maintained that Afghan nationals were being taken into custody as a precautionary measure under a broader repatriation policy, though it conceded that no specific criminal charges had been levelled against them. The court observed that ...
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