Dawn
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Dawn - 04:42 Jun 13, 2026
QUETTA: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) announced on Wednesday its intention to continue a strike against recent incidents at the Civil Hospital, refusing negotiations with health authorities until their demands are met. YDA leader Dr Palwasha Raheem Kakar spoke at a press conference held at the protest camp, urging the government to allocate resources towards enhancing doctor safety and strengthening hospital security. Ms Kakar highlighted the case of Dr Mahnoor Nasir, who was a victim of a recent acid attack and a close friend of hers. This incident, she said, has instilled fear among female doctors and the broader medical community. She underscored the challenges faced by doctors amidst inadequate security measures at Civil Hospital. Criticising the health authorities for their inaction, Ms Kakar emphasised that instead of addressing these security concerns, the government opted to dismiss medical staff, which she termed retaliatory. Despite the strike, Ms Kakar assured that the protesting doctors wi... -
Dawn - 04:31 Jun 13, 2026
• Budget keeps lender’s targets intact on revenue, deficit, primary surplus • Divisible pool frozen for three years at Rs13.35tr; govt eyes Rs1.9tr fiscal space • Revenue target up 17.6pc after record Rs1.15tr shortfall; defence up 17.7pc to Rs3tr • Salaries, pensions to rise 7pc; minimum wage proposed at Rs40,700 • Super tax scrapped for Rs150m-Rs500m incomes • Social media earnings, traders face new tax measures • Incentives for small EVs; curbs on luxury ones • Petroleum now top non-tax earner at Rs2.034tr ISLAMABAD: Religiously following critical conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) — revenue target, fiscal deficit and primary surplus — to continue fiscal consolidation, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday announced a three-year freeze on provincial transfers as the government reallocated resources for security needs and relief measures for the salaried, corporate, real estate and export sectors to revive struggling economic activity. In his third budget — and the fifth of the majo... -
Dawn - 02:44 Jun 13, 2026
• Increase comes amid tensions with India, Afghan border concerns • Allocation crosses 2pc of GDP after 17.6pc hike • Military spending makes up nearly 16pc of federal outlay • Rs967.55bn earmarked for salaries, allowances • Military pensions budgeted separately at Rs822bn ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Friday proposed allocating Rs3 trillion for defence services in fiscal year 2026-27, marking a 17.65 per cent increase over the outgoing year’s original allocation of Rs2.55tr, as it sought to sustain military preparedness amid continuing tensions with India, a deteriorating security situation along the Afghan border and persistent militant violence at home. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, while tabling the budget in the National Assembly, said Pakistan’s armed forces had delivered a decisive response to India’s aggression, forcing the adversary to retreat and demonstrating the country’s military preparedness and professional competence. The finance minister attributed the country’s enhanced global ... -
Dawn - 02:31 Jun 13, 2026
MUZAFFARABAD: Activists and supporters of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), who had dispersed from sit-in sites on the outskirts of Rawalakot after midnight, regrouped at two locations on Friday afternoon, drawing thousands of participants despite official claims that the protest campaign had collapsed. Senior officials had claimed early on Friday that all three protest camps on the fringes of Rawalakot had been vacated after 12:30am amid expectations of a major operation by law enforcement agencies. The largest gathering, comprising participants from Mirpur division and southern parts of Poonch division, had been camped at Eidgah Ground, around 3.5 kilometres from Rawalakot city, where the administration has imposed restrictions on entry from outside areas for several days. Speaking to Dawn in the early hours of Friday, Poonch Divisional Commissioner Sardar Waheed Khan claimed that all protesters had dispersed, “unconditionally surrendering” before the state and “returning to their respec... -
Dawn - 00:22 Jun 13, 2026
QUETTA: The Balochistan cabinet has approved the dissolution of all local bodies institutions in the province on Feb 8 next year upon completion of their constitutional term, with fresh local government elections, including in Quetta where the administrative division has been split into two districts, to be held thereafter. Chief minister’s aide Shahid Rind while briefing the media after a cabinet meeting on Friday said proposed amendments to the Balochistan Right to Information Commission Act, 2021, were also approved during the huddle with the aim of improving transparency. He said the cabinet decided that before the next LG elections, all matters relating to the creation of new districts, delimitation of constituencies and court rulings would be placed before the Election Commission of Pakistan to establish a practical and legal framework for the polls. Another major decision taken by the cabinet was to authorise all sessions judges, additional sessions judges and first-class judicial magistrates across th... -
Dawn - 00:22 Jun 13, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has allocated Rs5,290.49 million to train 120,000 youth in IT and digital skills under the Prime Minister’s Youth Skills Development Programme. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, in his budget speech, highlighted the importance of the country’s youth population, describing it as Pakistan’s biggest asset. He said 67 per cent of the country’s population is below the age of 30. “Our youth possess a strong spirit for acquiring skills and utilising them for the development of the country,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has resolved that every Pakistani youth should have access to modern skills and training in various trades, enabling them to actively contribute to the country’s progress and development. However, despite these claims and the rising unemployment rate, the budget contains no specific allocation for employment generation or any dedicated jobs programme, apart from the Rs5,290.49m earmarked for training 120,000 youth under the existing PM’s pr... -
Dawn - 00:22 Jun 13, 2026
• Spill poses a serious threat to marine life and local fishing economy • Source of spill remains unconfirmed, though it may be linked to regional tanker incidents and sea conditions in the Strait of Hormuz GWADAR: Gwadar’s western coast has been covered with a thick layer of crude oil across a 20-kilometre stretch, posing a severe threat to marine life and the local fishing industry, officials said on Friday. “Thick crude oil has washed ashore, covering a vast area of the coastline and penetrating sensitive intertidal zones,” officials said. The situation has sparked widespread concern among environmentalists and the local community over its potential long-term impact on the marine ecosystem. (CLOCKWISE) Workers inspect patches of spilled oil washed ashore along the coast of Gwadar; a cleanup worker holds a thick clump of toxic residue while a sea turtle lies on a beach contaminated with crude oil.—Dawn Deputy Director of Environment Abdul Rahim Baloch, while confirming that crude oil had reached Balochistan... -
Dawn - 00:22 Jun 13, 2026
• Govt announces Rs1tr for PSDP, Rs2.2tr for provincial programmes, and Rs450bn for SOEs • Three key motorways, Main-Line 1 track, K-IV water scheme among mega-projects being financed • Major allocations for AJK, GB & tribal districts ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday announced a Rs3.675 trillion development budget for the next fiscal year, with hardly any new uplift projects. However, the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) contains a list of long-overdue mega-projects, which provinces had been insisting should be financed by the Centre. The second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC-II) is perhaps the only new initiative listed, for which Rs1 billion was allocated. The outlay comprises the PSDP at Rs1 trillion, the Provincial Annual Development Programmes (ADPs) at Rs2.224 trillion, and reported development spending by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) at Rs451 billion. In his budget speech, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said that more than 60pc of the Centre’s priorities were f... -
Dawn - 21:36 Jun 12, 2026
Co-hosts Canada grabbed a second-half equaliser to draw 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday in the first World Cup finals game ever played on Canadian soil. Cyle Larin got Canada’s goal after Jovo Lukic put Bosnia ahead with a header in the 21st minute in Toronto. The result gave Canada its first point in World Cup history. Canadian sides had a perfect record of futility at two previous tournament appearances in 1986 and 2022, with six losses. Lukic’s goal from a corner sent the small but enthusiastic Bosnian contingent at the Toronto Stadium into a frenzy. Canada had the majority of play in the first half but failed to generate any real chances. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s players celebrate the opening goal during the 2026 World Cup Group B football match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Toronto Stadium in Toronto, Canada on June 12, 2026. — AFP The stadium erupted in the 17th minute when forward Jonathan David had a clear shot on goal, but it was easily handled by Bosnian keeper Nikola Va... -
Dawn - 21:14 Jun 12, 2026
If ever voice mattered, it was now. The budget unveiled today shows the government heard everything that was being said about it and has moved to rectify, albeit the moves are small. Salaried people have been extended some relief, but mostly for upper slabs. The infamous “deemed income” on capital assets (immoveable property) has been scrapped. The other bug bear of the elites, the so-called “Super Tax” has been abolished for firms with income up to Rs500 million and for those earning above this threshold the rate has been reduced from 10 per cent to 8pc, excluding banks, E&P and fertiliser sector. Advance taxes on real estate transactions have been reduced from 2.75pc to 1.5pc, supposedly to encourage documentation of these transactions. The Capital Value Tax (CVT) on foreign movable and immovable assets of resident Pakistanis has also been abolished. These measures were lightning rods throughout the tenure of this government and the fact that they have moved on them shows they are responsive, even if much g...
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Dawn - 19:18 Jun 12, 2026
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday said that the government was committed to reducing the disproportionate tax burden on certain classes by widening the tax net. Speaking on the Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ following the unveiling of a Rs18.8 trillion budget for the next fiscal year, Aurangzeb said: “Exporters, manufacturers, the IT sector, construction and the salaried class — we tried to give them relief. Now the direction of travel is identified, and we will continue working to reduce the disproportionate tax burden by widening our tax net.” Responding to a question regarding practical measures to expand the tax net and ensure compliance, the finance minister said that the government needs to adopt a twofold strategy: tax deepening and broadening. “By deepening, I mean that we need to fix leakages, fight corruption and tax evasion through compliance and enforcement. I believe we will get huge upside through this,” he said. “The government also needs to structurally move fo... -
Dawn - 19:10 Jun 12, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday confirmed that a “final agreed-upon” text of the peace deal between Iran and the United States had been reached. A day prior, US President Donald Trump said the United States and Iran could sign a peace deal as soon as this weekend, which, if finalised, would be the most significant diplomatic breakthrough yet to end the months-old war. “We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “The strait will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon, very soon, maybe over the weekend in Europe,” he said. In a post on X, PM Shehbaz said Islamabad was working “closely” with both sides to finalise the next steps of the process. “Peace has never been this close as it is now.” The premier also cautioned against an “incessant misinformation campaign being waged by those who want to sabotage the peace deal”. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made similar comments, calling the potential deal the “Islamabad memorandum ... -
Dawn - 18:28 Jun 12, 2026
The government on Friday reduced the price of petrol by Rs4 per litre and diesel by Rs2 per litre with immediate effect. Following the decrease, the price of petrol stands at Rs373.78 per litre and high-speed diesel (HSD) at Rs378.78, down from Rs377.78 and Rs380.78 per litre, respectively. The Petroleum Division’s notification announcing the decrease said the new prices would be effective from June 13 (Saturday). This is the fifth consecutive weekly reduction in petrol prices, with a cumulative decrease of Rs41 per litre. Last week, the government announced a Rs4 reduction in the per litre price of petrol, while the price of HSD remained unchanged at Rs380.78. The government is currently charging about Rs100 per litre on HSD in the form of customs duty, petroleum levy and climate support levy, besides the inland freight equalisation margin. Meanwhile, the total tax on petrol stands at Rs125 per litre, including petroleum levy, customs duty and climate levy. The government is also charging about Rs21 per litr... -
Dawn - 18:06 Jun 12, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement regarding the formation of a government in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and expressed his gratitude. The PPP is all set to form a government in the region after it gained 11 out of 24 seats in the GB Legislative Assembly, according to the unofficial results (Form-47) of the June 7 elections. According to Radio Pakistan, the prime minister assured full support from the PML-N to the PPP on government formation. The prime minister said the PML-N has decided to sit on the opposition benches in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, but its elected members will vote in favour of the PPP to form the government. In a statement, Bilawal said that recognising the PPP’s majority in GB is the continuation of a democratic tradition and added that the party views the premier’s invitation to form the government as a “positive step”. “As a result of a consensus agreement, the positions of governor and deputy speaker of ... -
Dawn - 17:45 Jun 12, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PTI, the main opposition party in the National Assembly, on Friday rejected the federal budget for FY2026-27, terming it a “refined exercise in elite self-preservation”. In an NA session earlier today, the federal government unveiled a Rs18.8 trillion budget for the upcoming fiscal year. In a statement, PTI Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram said that even the Pakistan Economic Survey released on Thursday showed that the country had been facing a continued decline across sectors compared with the PTI’s tenure. While commenting on the budget, he stated that the government had projected a growth rate of 3.7 per cent as proof of economic resurgence. He noted that the previous administration, despite a global pandemic that paralysed economies worldwide, had recorded growth of nearly 6pc in its final year, while also strengthening the current account and remittances. “The present government, with characteristic modesty, treats its modest achievement as a historic breakthrough, while relying heavil... -
Dawn - 16:47 Jun 12, 2026
Salient Features • GDP growth target set at 4pc; average inflation projected at 8.2pc • Income tax cut for those earning above Rs183,000 per month • Withholding tax on foreign debit/credit card transactions slashed from 5pc to 0.5pc • Taxes on sanitary pads, contraceptives completely withdrawn • Final Tax Regime for IT, freelance exporters extended for three years until FY30 • 7pc raise in salaries and pensions of govt employees; 10pc increase in minimum wage proposed • BISP budget raised 17pc to Rs838bn; coverage to expand to 12m families • Rs71bn allocated for PM’s Apna Ghar housing scheme with 5pc mortgage facility • National Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem Development Programme listed as a flagship $1bn initiative. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the FY2026-27 budget in the National Assembly (NA) on Friday, during a session that began two hours late and was marred by loud protests from the opposition. Aurangzeb prefaced the numbers with a note of thanks to leaders of the coalition parties ... -
Dawn - 16:21 Jun 12, 2026
As part of its budget proposals for the next fiscal year (FY26-27), the government has announced a range of measures to provide some measure of relief to the public, ranging from an expanded income support programme for the most vulnerable segment of the population, to lower taxes for individuals earning more than Rs183,000 a month. As part of its relief, subsidy and social safety plans, the government has announced a seven per cent increase in salaries for serving federal employees, a 7pc increase in pensions for retired employees, and a 10pc increase in the federal minimum wage. However, with inflation expected to average 8.2pc over the next fiscal year, the gains in real terms are expected to be minimal. The budget for the Benazir Income Support Programme has also been increased by 17pc to Rs838 billion, with programme to cover 12 million families. Another 9.2m children are to be provided educational scholarships under the government’s proposals. The PM Apna Ghar scheme, which has gained quite a lot intere... -
Dawn - 16:05 Jun 12, 2026
MUZAFFARABAD: The Poonch administration in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is hopeful that the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) protesters will disperse peacefully after a sizeable number of people gathered again after Friday prayers. The regional administration and the JAAC have been at odds over various issues, most notably the committee’s demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly that are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. However, an official of the district administration claimed that fewer than 2,000 people were present after dusk. He added that participants in the gathering remain uncertain as they cannot march towards Rawalakot, with all routes leading to the city blocked by law enforcement. “When their strength was around 15,000 to 16,000, even then they could not move towards Rawalakot. We have sent a message to JAAC leader Umar Nazir to call off the demonstration unconditionally,” said Poonch... -
Dawn - 15:50 Jun 12, 2026
The Pakistan Economic Survey arrives each June in two registers. The first is the press conference: growth is back, inflation has been beaten. The second is the statistical annex, which records, without adjectives, what actually happened—and this year it describes a stabilisation, real, hard-won, and worth defending. Except that it has so far fixed none of the things that made stabilisation necessary in the first place. We have been here before—in 2000, in 2016, in 2019; the difference this time should be what we do next. Four root problems run through the tables: a tax system that collects too little and distorts what it touches; an exchange rate we manage for comfort rather than competitiveness; an industrial policy that keeps backing the wrong horses; and a fiscal federalism model that has quietly broken. The Survey documents all four. The machine, in two paragraphs Take one object and keep it in view: a Faisalabad textile exporter’s invoice. The price on it is in dollars. Almost everything behind it is pa... -
Dawn - 15:36 Jun 12, 2026
Facebook-parent Meta said on Friday that users were having trouble accessing the social media company’s services. “We’re aware people are currently having trouble accessing our services. We’re working on it,” the company’s spokesperson Andy Stone said in a post on X. There were more than 62,000 reports of issues with Facebook and more than 8,000 reports of issues with Instagram as of 7:11 pm, according to Downdetector.com, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources. Since the numbers on Downdetector are based on user-submitted reports, the actual number of affected users may vary. Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the cause of the outage. Meta has about 3.19 billion daily active users across its family of apps, which also includes WhatsApp and Threads. Last December, the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) announced that Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and other Meta services would experience slow performance for 36 hours. The inform...
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