Pakistan

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has reported a mixed trend in cement prices across the country during the week ending October 2, 2025.

United States-based scientists John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for “experiments that revealed quantum physics in action”, the award-giving body said on Tuesday. “This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics has provided opportunities for developing the next generation of quantum technology, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers, and quantum sensors,” the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement. The Nobel winners carried out experiments in the mid-1980s with an electronic circuit built of superconductors and demonstrated that quantum mechanical properties could be made concrete on a much larger, macroscopic scale. John Clarke, Michel H Devoret and John M. Martinis are announced this year’s Nobel Prize winners in Physics, by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences at a press conference in Stockhom, Sweden, Oct 7. — Reuters Discoveries underpin everyday technologies Quantum technology is already ubiquitous, with transistors in computer microchips an...

“By God, I fulfilled my duty as a journalist. I risked everything to report the truth, and now, I am finally at rest — something I haven’t known in the past eighteen months.” Final message of Gaza journalist Hossam Shabbat, 23, killed in March by an Israeli airstrike A journalist is never supposed to be the story. In Gaza, however, the killing of at least 223 media personnel by Israel — from October 7, 2023, to Oct 1 this year — turned them into headlines. Social media shared their names and faces, and mourned the last messages they wrote in anticipation of imminent death, while mainstream media documented the numbers and converted them into bite-sized news for the ease of readers. In the newsroom, their deaths seemed personal; these were members of our fraternity whom we had never met but relied on their lens and words. Wafa Aludaini was one of them; she wrote for this publication in 2022, titled ‘Killing the truth: Shireen Abu Akleh’s murder is a reminder that Israel will go to any length to silence its cri...

Prime Minister She­hbaz Sharif has received an honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy during his visit to Malaysia in recognition of his “outstanding leadership and contributions to nation-building”. The premier arrived in Malaysia on October 5 for a three-day official visit, during which he snapped up six accords and several trade and bilateral agreements. According to Malaysian state news agency Bernama, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) conferred the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Governance during a special ceremony held yesterday at its Kuala Lumpur campus. Dressed in a blue gown on the occasion, PM Shehbaz termed it a “great privilege and honour” to be part of the event and receive the degree from this “great institute of learning”. He appreciated Queen of Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, who is also the IIUM Constitutional Head, for gracing the event. The premier said: “For over four decades, I devoted my humble services to serve the cause of [and] ...

Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah has strongly condemned an explosion on the railway track near Kot Sultan on Tuesday.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that Chinese weapon systems deployed during Pakistan’s four-day military conflict with India in May performed “exceptionally well”. During the conflict, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar reportedly said the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) used Chinese J-10C jets in its response to India’s May 7 attack. A report by The Guardian had noted that Pakistan deploying J-10Cs would “mark the first time the Chinese planes — and the PL-15 missiles they were carrying — have been used in combat anywhere in the world”. In May, China had expressed ignorance about the use of its jets, saying it was “not familiar with the matter”. In July, however, the Chinese air chief commended the PAF’s “exemplary performance” in the May conflict. In an interview with Bloomberg, which was held last week and published yesterday, Lt Gen Chaudhry said: “Of course lately, recent Chinese platforms, they’ve demonstrated exceptionally well.” “We are open to all s...

Former Provincial Minister and Member of the Punjab Assembly Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan highlighted Pakistan’s growing global stature and the government’s strong commitment to youth empowerment while addressing a vibrant gathering of students and youth leaders in Lahore on Tuesday.

Behind-the-scenes efforts have intensified to ease growing political tensions between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), sources said on Tuesday.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid a surprise visit to the Executive Passport Office in Lahore on Tuesday to review service delivery and gather citizens’ feedback on the passport application process.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for Pakistan after completing his official visit to Malaysia, where he was accorded exceptional warmth and hospitality throughout his stay.

At least seven people were injured on Tuesday after a blast on a railway track derailed four bogies of the Jaf­far Express in Sindh’s Shikarpur district, according to officials. With a rise in terrorist attacks over the past few years, Balochistan has seen a series of incidents where militants blow up train tracks, targeting the province’s transport infrastructure. Speaking to Dawn.com, Shikarpur Deputy Commissioner Shakeel Abro said, “A blast had occurred on the train tracks at 8:15am. The incident occurred at a distance of 1km from the Sultan Kot railway station.” He said that the blast had caused the derailment of four bogies. Abro said that seven people had been injured, out of which four had been taken to the Combined Military Hospital, while the remaining three had been taken to the Civil Hospital in Shikarpur. He said that the Jaffar Express train was bound for Quetta via Jacobabad. Sukkur Deputy Divisional Superintendent Syed Moalim said that the blast occurred while the train was moving on the track....

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday confirmed that former Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, who was detained by Israeli forces during the Gaza-bound Sumud Flotilla mission, has been released from custody and is now safe at the Pakistan Embassy in Jordan.

Pakistan Army spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that India failed to shoot down any Pakistani aircraft during the Maarka-e-Haq battle, emphasizing that Pakistan’s defense capabilities are based on effective strategy and modern technology rather than an arms race.

An eight-member constitutional bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, headed by Justice Ameenuddin Khan, on Tuesday heard petitions challenging the 26th Constitutional Amendment and approved the request for live streaming of the proceedings.

The Islamabad District and Sessions Court on Monday extended the pre-arrest bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in multiple cases, including those related to the May 9 incidents.

The Peshawar police on Tuesday filed a case over the alleged abduction of PTI activist Sanam Javed near the Civil Officers’ mess in the provincial capital. The first information report (FIR), seen by Dawn.com, was filed by Javed’s friend Hira Babar at Peshawar’s Sharqi police station in the early hours of Tuesday. Babar claimed in the FIR that she and the PTI activist were heading back after having dinner together on Monday during the latter’s visit to the city when the “abduction” took place. “Around 10:40pm, we were blocked by a green Vigo while we were heading back after having a dinner outside. We tried to turn back but a white car appeared from behind to intercept us,” she told the police. “Five men got out and attempted to force Sanam into their car. At this point, we started shouting for help, but the people in the surroundings, which included officers and security personnel, did not intervene,” she said. “The car took her towards the Red Zone,” Babar claimed. The FIR was filed under Section 365 (kidna...

Pakistan has urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to “actively” pursue a just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with its resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, warning that lasting peace in South Asia will remain elusive without resolving this decades-old issue.

Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) over the alleged kidnapping of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) social media activist Sanam Javed, who was reportedly abducted by unidentified individuals on Tuesday.

QUETTA: In a daring attack, unknown assailants attacked a Qazi Court in the Kharan area of Balochistan, and kidnapped the judge after setting the building on fire. Senior police officials told Dawn a group of armed men stormed into the Qazi Court building in the Maskan Kalat area, about 30 kilometres from Kharan city, at around 11:30am, while the judge was hearing cases. They held Judge Muha­mmad Jan and other court staff hostage, ransacking records and damaging office furniture and other items on the premises. “Armed terrorists stor­med into the court and set the courtroom and other sections of the Qazi Court on fire,” Deputy Inspector General of Police for Rak­h­shan region, Abdul Ha­yee Aamir Baloch, told Dawn. The court building was gutted, and the attackers also destroyed the court’s records. While fleeing after torc­hing the courtroom and other offices, the assailants kidnapped the judge at gunpoint. “The terrorists kidnapped the Qazi Court judge and also made off with two vehicles, including the judge’...

LAHORE - The Punjab cabinet which met here under the chair of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, approved a relief and rehabilitation package for flood-hit families, as well as significant tax relief to facilitate their rehabilitation.