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Found 10418 news

  • Cop martyred in terrorist attack on police vehicle in Bannu
    Dawn - 14:54 Mar 28, 2026
    BANNU: A head constable was martyred when a police vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district came under attack on Saturday, with the ensuing fire exchange killing two terrorists, according to police. Militants attacked a police vehicle in the Sheikhan Mama Khel area, within the jurisdiction of Haved Police Station, resulting in the martyrdom of Head Constable Dilnawaz Khan and injuries to three other police personnel. According to police, militants opened sudden fire on the vehicle while the police party was on routine duty, to which the police responded with effective retaliatory action. The attackers set the police vehicle on fire after the assault. Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan confirmed that two terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire, while around four others were injured. Police also took two motorcycles of the attackers into custody, and a search operation is underway in the area. RPO Khan also visited the hospital and inquired after the injured personnel. In a separate incident...
    Tags: Bannu
  • Ukraine’s Zelensky agrees to air defence cooperation with UAE, Qatar on Gulf tour
    Dawn - 14:28 Mar 28, 2026
    Qatar and Ukraine signed a defence agreement on Saturday, which includes cooperation on countering threats from missiles and drones, the Gulf state’s government said, as Iran presses an aerial campaign against its neighbours. Earlier on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — during a previously unannounced flurry of visits to Gulf nations — said his country and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to cooperate on defence amid drones Iran launches in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes. Ukraine also signed an air defence agreement with Saudi Arabia during Zelensky’s visit to the kingdom, two senior officials told AFP on Friday. Kyiv has sought to leverage its expertise in downing Russian drones to help Gulf nations and has deployed anti-drone experts to all three countries Zelensky has visited during his diplomatic tour. “The agreement includes collaboration in technological fields, development of joint investments and the exchange of expertise in countering missiles and unmanned aerial system...
    Tags: Qatar Ukraine Zelensky Gulf
  • PM Shehbaz apprises Iranian president of diplomatic outreach efforts in over hour-long conversation
    Dawn - 13:44 Mar 28, 2026
    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif apprised Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian of Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach efforts to organise peace talks between Washington and Tehran, in a phone call on Saturday that lasted over an hour. Pakistan has taken centre-stage in a process to mediate between the US and Iran, being carried out in collaboration with Ankara and Cairo. A statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that the premier held a phone conversation with Pezeshkian earlier today. “During their detailed conversation, that lasted over one hour, the two leaders held extensive discussions regarding the ongoing hostilities in the region and peace efforts,” the statement said. The prime minister apprised the Iranian president of the diplomatic outreach efforts currently being undertaken by himself, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir to engage the US, Gulf and Islamic countries to “create a conducive ...
    Tags: Iranian
  • FIA director general says agency has compiled data of human smugglers, facilitators
    Dawn - 13:23 Mar 28, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Dr Usman Anwar said on Saturday the agency had compiled a comprehensive data of individuals involved in human smuggling. This was disclosed in a detailed briefing to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who visited the FIA headquarters. The FIA director general said a transparent and effective accountability system had been developed within the organisation. He said that in this regard, working groups and coordination committees were being established with other agencies. He said modern technology was being utilised to ensure effective action against immigration-related crimes, human smuggling and money laundering. Speaking on the occasion, Naqvi ordered a comprehensive crackdown against corruption in government institutions and directed that, in line with the prime minister’s vision, a zero-tolerance policy against corruption be strictly enforced across all public sector organisations. The interior minister said that the reform process in the FIA woul...
  • Islamabad authorities deny Edhi’s claim of sealing office in Aabpara
    Dawn - 12:16 Mar 28, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: The district administration on Saturday denied that it had sealed Edhi’s office in Aabpara “at any point” after the rescue service said its control room had been sealed. At the same time, in a statement, the Islamabad administration said the control room had been built on land owned by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). The administration asserted that while eviction notices had been served, no action had been taken yet to enforce them. The responses came after a statement was issued by Edhi’s Zonal office in Islamabad, which stated that its “Edhi Centre (ambulance control room) established in Aabpara for the past 40 years has been shut down by the administration”. As a result, Edhi said it was unable to continue its emergency services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, which would “remain suspended till the administration provides us with an alternative place”. In its statement, the Edhi service insisted that the district commissioner’s office did not give any reason for the closure, nor did it re...
    Tags: Edhi Aabpara Islamabad
  • Questions over Israel’s interceptor stockpiles as Mideast war drags on
    Dawn - 12:06 Mar 28, 2026
    The ability of Israel’s highly sophisticated air defences to keep intercepting Iranian attacks is coming under scrutiny as the Middle East war drags on into a second month. The military has dismissed reports that it is running low on the interceptors used to shoot down the steady stream of Iranian missiles and Hezbollah rockets fired at Israel. However, some analysts suggest that the war on Iran has significantly drained allied resources, with long-range interceptors among the most severely depleted. Israel has a multi-layered air defence array, with a variety of systems intercepting threats at different altitudes. The top tier consists of the anti-ballistic missile Arrow systems, with Arrow 2 operating both within the Earth’s atmosphere and in space and Arrow 3 intercepting above the Earth’s atmosphere. Below that sits David’s Sling, which was created to target medium-range threats, including drones, shorter-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Israel’s famed Iron Dome system is the third tier and w...
    Tags: Israel
  • Nepal’s former prime minister K P Sharma Oli arrested over deaths during Gen Z protests
    Dawn - 11:37 Mar 28, 2026
    Nepal’s former prime minister, K P Sharma Oli, was arrested on Saturday as police investigate whether he was negligent in failing to prevent dozens of deaths in a crackdown on Gen Z-led anti-corruption protests last September, officials said. Oli’s arrest, which his lawyer said was illegal and sparked protests by supporters who clashed with police, followed rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s swearing in as prime minister on Friday and a recommendation by a panel investigating violence during the protests that he should be prosecuted for negligence. His former home minister, Ramesh Lekhak, was also arrested. Seventy-six people were killed last September during a police crackdown on protesters demanding an end to corruption, more jobs and cleaner politics, leading to Oli’s resignation. After his arrest on Saturday, supporters staged protest rallies and clashed with police who tried to stop them burning tyres near the prime minister’s office. Police lobbed a teargas shell and used batons to break up the pr...
    Tags: Sharma Nepal
  • Punjab CTD arrests 36 suspected terrorists in a month, including 2 of TTP
    Dawn - 10:49 Mar 28, 2026
    LAHORE: The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday claimed to have arrested 36 suspected terrorists belonging to various banned organisations in province-wide operations over the past month. Those arrested included two dangerous suspected terrorists of Fitna-al-Khawarij from Faisalabad and Jhelum, recovering heavy explosives and weapons, according to a press release issued by the CTD. Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The press release said that in a month-long campaign, CTD Punjab arrested a total of 36 terrorists from various banned organisations and foiled a major terrorist plan during operations across Punjab. According to the spokesperson, CTD conducted 366 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in different districts, questioning 338 suspects and seizing weapons, explosives, and other prohibited materials. It said that the arrested suspects belong to the TTP and other banned groups, hailing from Lahore, Sahiwa...
    Tags: Punjab
  • Trump says ‘Cuba is next’, denies losing MAGA support
    Dawn - 09:11 Mar 28, 2026
    United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that “Cuba is next” in his latest threat against the Caribbean island, as he dismissed concerns that recent American military actions would cost him political support. Cuba’s communist government has faced mounting pressure from Trump, who imposed a de facto oil blockade in January and mused about “taking” the country. Speaking at the Saudi-backed FII Priority investment forum in Miami, Trump said his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement wanted “strength” and “victory”, citing the January raid where US forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. “I built this great military. I said, “You’ll never have to use it,” but sometimes you have to use it,” Trump said. “And Cuba is next, by the way. But pretend I didn’t say that.” Trump did not specify what he planned to do with Cuba, telling the media to “disregard that statement” before repeating “Cuba’s next” to laughter from the audience. In his Friday speech, the Republican president also made a teasing c...
    Tags: Cuba MAGA Trump
  • PMD forecasts drizzle, light rain in Karachi over weekend
    Dawn - 08:57 Mar 28, 2026
    The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast cloudy weather with chances of light rain in Karachi on Saturday evening and Sunday, as well as rain in other parts of Sindh on March 29 and 30, as a westerly wave continues to affect most areas of the country. The PMD had previously forecast chances of rain and thunderstorms in Karachi and across Sindh on Saturday, warning that windstorms or hailstorms and lightning could damage weak structures such as electric poles, billboards and solar panels during the forecast period. In its three-day weather outlook, the PMD said that the weather in the Karachi division was expected to be partly cloudy and windy, with chances of “isolated light rain/drizzle” later in the evening or night. Temperatures are expected to reach 31-33 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is 25°C. The humidity will drop from 76 per cent in the daytime to between 50 and 60pc in the evening. Sunday is expected to be largely similar in temperature and the PMD predicts another cl...
    Tags: Karachi
  • Indonesia begins enforcing social media ban for under-16s
    Dawn - 08:05 Mar 28, 2026
    Indonesia began enforcing a social media ban for children under the age of 16 on Saturday, after a minister warned digital platforms there was “no room for compromise.” The Southeast Asian nation announced the ban this month citing threats from online pornography, cyberbullying and internet addiction, as concerns grow globally over the impact of social media on children’s wellbeing. Communications minister Meutya Hafid said at a press conference late Friday that digital platforms X and Bigo Live have fully complied with the new rules and adjusted their minimum user age in line with the regulation. Other digital platforms operating in the country should “immediately align their products, features and services with applicable regulations,” Meutya said. “We reiterate that there is no room for compromise regarding compliance, and that every business entity operating in Indonesia is required to adhere to the laws in force within the country.” TikTok said in a statement late Friday that it was committed to complyin...
    Tags: Indonesia
  • Task force set up to reform FBR legal wings, address litigation gaps
    Dawn - 07:25 Mar 28, 2026
    The federal government has formed a task force to revamp the legal wings of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The purpose of the task force is to reform, revamp, and strengthen FBR’s revenue litigation framework at all levels, including initial adjudication by the tax department, commissioner/collector appeals, Appellate Tribunals Inland Revenue and Customs, high courts, Supreme Court, and the Federal Constitutional Court. The high-level task force was constituted by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and is aimed at examining and overhauling FBR’s legal wings. The task force was set up after the federal government’s recognition of growing concerns over persistent gaps in litigation management that have hindered effective representation and enforcement of tax and customs laws. The task force will be presided over by Shad Mohammad and includes senior legal and operational officials from FBR, the CEO of Pakistan Single Window, technical advisors, representatives of the Attorney General’s Office, and the eminen...
  • India approves $25bn defence buys, including Russian S-400 missile systems
    Dawn - 07:18 Mar 28, 2026
    India has approved defence purchases worth about $25 billion, the defence ministry said, including additional Russian-made S-400 long-range missile systems. The approvals were given by the Defence Acquisition Council, led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, according to a statement issued late on Friday. The ministry said it has cleared 55 proposals worth 6.73 trillion Indian rupees ($71bn) in the 2025-26 financial year so far. It has also signed capital procurement contracts worth 2.28tr Indian rupees ($25bn), the highest in a single fiscal year. For the air force, the approved items include new medium transport aircraft to replace old AN-32 and IL-76 planes, additional S-400 air defence systems, drones and upgrades to Su-30 fighter jet engines. Although India has expanded defence purchases from the United States, France and Israel in recent years, the new S-400 orders and Su-30 upgrades indicate that Russia remains an important defence supplier. The S-400 system will “counter enemy long-range air” threats, w...
    Tags: India
  • Whale filmed giving birth, with a little help from her friends
    Dawn - 06:56 Mar 28, 2026
    PARIS: Scientists have managed to film a spectacular event rarely witnessed by humans: a sperm whale giving birth while other females worked together to support the mother and her newborn. A team from Project CETI, an international effort seeking to understand how whales communicate, were in a boat near a pod of 11 whales off the coast of the Caribbean island of Dominica on July 8, 2023. Rounder, a 19-year-old female, was surrounded by family members and others as she was about to give birth to her second calf. Over nearly five and a half hours, the scientists documented the group’s behaviour, watching them from the boat, filming them with drones and recording the sounds underneath the waves. The data they collected, which was published in the journals Scientific Reports and Science on Thursday, represent an exceptional rarity in the history of science. Out of 93 species of cetaceans — a group that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises — only nine have ever been observed giving birth in the wild. Rarer stil...
  • IMF, Pakistan reach staff-level agreement unlocking $1.2bn tranche
    Dawn - 06:40 Mar 28, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Saturday announced that it had reached a staff level agreement (SLA) for disbursement of about $1.2 billion on successful conclusion on the third review under Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The Fund tacitly endorsed Islamabad’s fuel pricing policy in the wake of Middle East crisis. It said program implementation by Pakistan under the EFF remained broadly aligned with the authorities’ objectives to strengthen public finances, ensure inflation remains durably within the State Bank of Pakistan’s target range; advance reforms to improve the viability of the energy sector; and deepen structural reforms, while strengthening social protection and rebuilding health and education spending. The authorities’ climate reform agenda, backed by the RSF, is progressing, and the authorities remain committed to implementing comprehensive reforms and policies that enhance resilience and redu...
    Tags: Pakistan
  • US Congress panel demands full public hearing on Iran war as concerns mount
    Dawn - 06:31 Mar 28, 2026
    WASHINGTON: Democrats on the United States House Armed Services Committee have called for an immediate public hearing on President Donald Trump’s war against Iran, pressing the Pentagon to testify publicly as concerns mount over strategy, transparency, and the mounting human and economic costs of the conflict. In a letter led by Ranking Member Adam Smith and signed by every Democratic member of the committee, the lawmakers urged Chairman Mike Rogers to convene a separate hearing on the conflict, apart from routine budget and posture hearings, and to require the Department of War to explain its objectives, operational plans, and costs. The Democrats noted that the war has already resulted in the deaths of 13 US service members and 290 wounded, along with more than a thousand civilian deaths. They expressed concern about the lack of clarity on possible US ground operations, shifting strategic and operational objectives, and reports that the administration intends to request a $200 billion supplemental budget fo...
    Tags: Iran
  • Tiger Woods arrested, charged with DUI after Florida crash
    Dawn - 06:07 Mar 28, 2026
    Tiger Woods was arrested and charged with driving under the influence on Friday after a rollover crash near his Florida home, authorities said, as the 15-time major champion’s golf career veered into fresh turmoil. Woods, 50, escaped injury but was detained after his vehicle clipped a truck while attempting to overtake on a residential road on Jupiter Island, flipping onto its side before sliding to a stop. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Woods — who was arrested for driving under the influence in 2017 — showed signs of “impairment”, although he passed a breathalyser test. “When it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused, and so he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test in the crash,” Budensiek said. In line with Florida DUI laws, Woods was detained at the county jail for eight hours and was photographed departing the facility in a car late on Friday. A booking photo showed a red-eyed, stubbly-chinned Woods when he arrived at the jail a...
    Tags: Tiger Woods Florida
  • Pakistan eases trade rules with Iran
    Dawn - 03:25 Mar 28, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: As maritime trade becomes more uncertain due to the Gulf crisis, Pakistan has permitted exporters to continue shipping food and pharmaceutical products to Iran via land routes without using mandatory banking instruments. Simultaneously, the federal government has permitted the export of rice to Central Asian Republics and Azerbaijan via the land route through Iran. The decision was communicated to customs field formations through an official message issued by the commerce ministry. According to the decision, the government has permitted the export of 10 food items to Iran via land route without the need for financial instruments. These items include rice, seafood, potatoes, meat, onions, maize, citrus fruits, bananas, tomatoes, and frozen chicken. Two other non-food items are pharmaceutical products and tents. Exemptions will be granted to exporters for the export of these items to Iran for three months — from March 24 to June 21. The exemption also covers rice exports routed through Iran’s land co...
    Tags: Pakistan Iran
  • Provinces look to avoid fuel subsidy burden
    Dawn - 02:26 Mar 28, 2026
    • Punjab, Sindh favour passing global oil prices to consumers • National leadership dialogue planned on March 30-31 • Petrol, diesel consumption rises amid price freeze • Targeted subsidy proposed with 20-litre monthly cap for bikers • Contingency plans include rationing, lockdowns, reduced workdays • KP opposes lockdown, warns of impact on daily wage earners ISLAMABAD: Amid provincial reluctance to shoulder the fuel subsidy burden and growing calls to pass on rising international petroleum prices to consumers, a national leadership dialogue is being arranged early next week to develop an “all-inclusive” agenda on austerity and energy conservation. Background discussions with key stakeholders suggest the provinces expressed their inability on Friday to contribute about Rs200 billion sought by the Ministry of Finance to shield consumers across the country from further hikes in petroleum prices. Both Punjab and Sindh — the two largest provinces supposed to share more than Rs102bn and about Rs60bn, respectively ...
  • US can only confirm about a third of Iran’s missile arsenal destroyed, sources say
    Dawn - 21:49 Mar 27, 2026
    The United States can only determine with certainty that it has destroyed about a third of Iran’s vast missile arsenal as the US and Israeli war on the country ​nears its one-month mark, according to five people familiar with the US intelligence. The status of around another third is less clear but bombings likely damaged, destroyed or buried those missiles in underground tunnels and ‌bunkers, four of the sources said. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitive nature of the information. One of the sources said the intelligence was similar for Iran’s drone capability, saying there was some degree of certainty about a third having been destroyed. The assessment shows that while most of Iran’s missiles are either destroyed or inaccessible, Tehran still has a significant missile inventory and may be able to recover some buried or damaged missiles once fighting stops. The intelligence stands in contrast to President Donald Trump’s public remarks on Thursday that Iran ​had “very few rockets le...
    Tags: Iran

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