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Dawn - 14:47 Jun 12, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday stressed the importance of the country having “strong” security, as he spoke about the budget-making process. He made the remarks during a federal cabinet meeting that approved the budget, which is now expected to be tabled in the parliament. “Today, we are presenting the third budget of our government,” the premier noted. “There were definitely a lot of challenges while preparing this budget. I believe that no nation can handle its matters, let alone make progress, if its security is not strong and invincible,” the prime minister stressed. He added, “We have to build water reservoirs and dams [as well as] work with speed on indigenous energy resources, which include solar panels, wind, and batteries.” The prime minister mentioned that “measures for tax relief and economic progress” will be proposed in the budget. Noting that the government had “lengthy discussions” with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the budget-making process, PM Shehbaz said he had a 30 ... -
Dawn - 14:37 Jun 12, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday lifted the austerity measures it had imposed on March 10, 2026, due to disruptions in petroleum supplies amid the ongoing Iran-US conflict. On March 10, the apex court announced that the country’s courts would observe four-day work weeks. It further stated that the monthly ceiling of Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL) allocated to judges and entitled officers should be reduced by 50 per cent. A notification issued with the approval of the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi stated that the notification, dated March 10, 2026, has been withdrawn. “Accordingly, all austerity measures adopted in the said notification shall cease to have effect from June 15, 2026,” it added. The government had announced unprecedented austerity measures on March 9 in the wake of the Middle East war to deal with the global energy crisis, which had arisen due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Following the government’s announcement, institutions including the Supreme Court, the... -
Dawn - 13:25 Jun 12, 2026
The federal budget for 2026–27 has brought the salaried class something it has rarely seen in recent years: a tax cut. In his budget speech, the finance minister has announced reduced income tax rates for salaried individuals earning between Rs2.2 million and Rs7 million a year, restructured the slabs from six to eight, and abolished the surcharge that currently applies to annual incomes above Rs10m. But what those changes mean for you depends entirely on where your salary falls. Most relief has been given to the middle and upper slabs. The rate on income between Rs2.2m and Rs3.2m a year has dropped from 23 per cent to 20pc (3pc), while the old top rate of 35pc, which previously applied to annual income above Rs4.1m, now applies only to income above Rs7m. There are new 25pc, 29pc and 32pc bands in between. Those earning up to roughly Rs183,000 a month, however, will see no change at all: the bottom three slabs, including the Rs600,000 tax-free threshold, have been kept unchanged. You can use Dawn’s income tax... -
Dawn - 13:00 Jun 12, 2026
Former senator Taj Muhammad Afridi passed away on Friday after his vehicle was involved in a fatal accident near Karnal Sher Khan Interchange on the M-1 motorway, police said in a statement. According to a statement by the Motorway Police, the former senator was travelling from Islamabad to Peshawar. It further said that upon receiving reports of the accident, the Motorway Police immediately reached the scene, adding that a technical fault in the vehicle reportedly caused the crash. “Afridi’s car met with an accident near Karnal Sher Khan Interchange on the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway. He passed away on the spot while his driver sustained minor injuries,” said Swabi Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Saqib Shah. The casualties were shifted to Mardan Medical Complex, added the rescue official. The deceased was a member of the Senate from March 2015 to March 2021. He was also the provincial caretaker minister for relief and rehabilitation. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi ex... -
Dawn - 11:50 Jun 12, 2026
KARACHI: A delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Friday and discussed the budget for FY2026-27 and development projects for Sindh were discussed, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). A statement issued by the PMO said that the delegation was led by Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, convener of the MQM and federal minister for education and professional training. It also included Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal and Members of the National Assembly Farooq Sattar, Amin ul Haq, and Javed Hanif. The meeting was also attended by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and the prime minister’s advisor on political affairs, Rana Sanaullah. “The meeting discussed the federal budget for the fiscal year 2026-2027. Views were also exchanged on the overall political situation of the country,” the statement said. The premi... -
Dawn - 09:09 Jun 12, 2026
KARACHI: Several individuals have been arrested for participating in a rally in support of MQM founder Altaf Hussain on Karachi’s Arif Jiyeja Street, it emerged on Friday. The first information report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Dawn, was registered on Thursday and under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). It nominated 11 people and said that police constable Deedar Ali, while on patrol duty, saw some people forming a group, chanting slogans in favour of Hussain and carrying flags with “jiye Altaf” and “48th foundation day APMSO” written on them. Hussain’s political career began during his student years at the University of Karachi (KU), when he and Azeem Ahmed Tariq founded the All-Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation (APMSO). As per the FIR, the constable said the slogans were causing “tensions and hostility” and inciting political parties in the area, indicating t... -
Dawn - 09:06 Jun 12, 2026
Few business leaders have been as deeply embedded in popular culture as Elon Musk, the ambitious entrepreneur who has become a central figure in internet culture and amassed a fortune that has made him the world’s first trillionaire. At a time when concerns about inequality are high and public attitudes toward the ultra-wealthy have soured, Musk has managed to retain a loyal following despite his stratospheric net worth and without the folksy persona that endeared other tycoons such as Warren Buffett to the masses. While admirers view Musk’s no-filter style as part of his appeal, critics have accused him of wielding oligarch-like power, raised concerns about governance at his companies and objected to his increasingly partisan political interventions. Still, SpaceX, the sprawling rocket, satellite and AI company that, together with electric-car maker Tesla, forms the centre of Musk’s empire, raised a record $75 billion in its initial public offering (IPO) on Thursday, highlighting investor enthusiasm for his ... -
Dawn - 08:22 Jun 12, 2026
• Economic Survey shows major targets missed as Aurangzeb claims resilience amid three major shocks • Says budget to offer incentives for agriculture, housing • Over Rs900bn to be diverted for Centre’s strategic needs • Centralised tax system, retailer model to be announced • Oil price impact to continue next year • Current account deficit falls to $252m; remittances may reach $41-42bn by year-end • Fiscal deficit falls to 0.7pc of GDP; debt-to-GDP ratio drops to 68.5pc • FBR recovers Rs94bn through digitisation, AI audits ISLAMABAD: The freeze on provincial development programmes, expected to generate more than Rs900 billion in additional resources for the Centre’s strategic needs, will continue for a specific period beyond one year, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Wednesday as he unveiled the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26, which showed missed targets across major economic sectors in the outgoing fiscal year. Reviewing the economic report card, the minister said the economy grew by 3.7 per cen... -
Dawn - 07:29 Jun 12, 2026
President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday gave his assent to the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) (Repeal) Bill, 2026, fulfilling all necessary legal requirements for the national carrier’s privatisation. The original bill, which now stands repealed, was passed in January 2016, and sought to convert the national flag carrier into a public limited company. Confirming the development in a statement, the presidency said that following the approval, “all the necessary legal formalities and requirements for the completion of the privatisation process of Pakistan International Airlines Company Limited (PIACL) have been fulfilled”. It added that the bill was passed by the Senate on June 10 and subsequently received approval from the National Assembly on June 11, before being sent to the president for his assent. A consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation Limited had won the auction for 75 per cent shares of PIA in December last year, making a winning bid of Rs135 billion. The documents pertaining ... -
Dawn - 06:55 Jun 12, 2026
The Pakistan Army team has clinched first position at an international military drill competition held in Britain, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday. “In a remarkable display of excellence, the Pakistan Army team, represented by the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), has clinched 1st Position at the prestigious International Pace Sticking Competition 2026 held at the Royal Military Academy (RMA) Sandhurst, United Kingdom,” the ISPR said in a statement. It added that the PMA team “made a clean sweep at the competition, securing all major honours, that is 1st Overall Team Trophy, Best Pace Sticker and Best Driver awards”. According to the ISPR, the nine-member contingent, led by Major Haider Gulzar, arrived in the UK on June 5. A total of 16 international teams from different armies participated in the fierce annual event. “The Pakistan Army team’s victory is reflective of the highest standards of professional training, excellence and dedication maintained by the Armed Forces of Pakistan,”... -
Dawn - 06:45 Jun 12, 2026
Bangladesh and India have agreed to deepen cooperation along their shared border with improved intelligence sharing and coordinated patrols, according to a joint statement released on Friday, amid strained relations over alleged undocumented migration. Dhaka has accused Indian authorities of attempting to force migrants across the border without due process, complicating efforts to stabilise ties following the 2024 ousting of Sheikh Hasina and India’s broader effort to identify and deport undocumented migrants. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) described the discussions as “cordial, positive and forward-looking”, according to the statement released at the end of a four-day meeting of top border officials in New Delhi. The regular talks also covered “illegal, inadvertent and forcible crossing at border areas,” an increasingly contentious issue in recent months. Bangladesh and India share a more than 4,000-kilometre border, one of the world’s longest. India’s ruling Bh... -
Dawn - 05:30 Jun 12, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The literacy rate for individuals aged 10 and above in Pakistan rose from 61 to 63 per cent, while spending on education faced a decline, according to Economic Survey 2025-26. It stated that male literacy was 73pc and female at 54pc, reflecting a gradual progress and narrowing gender gap. Urban areas continued to have higher literacy rates with a total of 74 per cent (81 per cent for males and 68 per cent for females), while rural areas had a lower rate of 55 per cent (67 per cent for males and 44 per cent for females). Rural female literacy showed the most significant improvement. Punjab recorded the highest literacy rate at 68 per cent, followed by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, both at 58 per cent. Balochistan had the lowest rate at 49 per cent. The urban–rural divide persisted with urban Punjab at 78 per cent and rural Sindh at 39 per cent. Overall, the data highlighted steady but uneven progress with rural female literacy playing a key role in the observed improvements, despite continuing regio... -
Dawn - 04:40 Jun 12, 2026
BANNU: Two police constables lost their lives in separate incidents of targeted killings in Bannu district, officials said on Friday. Police authorities termed both incidents acts of terrorism and have launched search operations to trace and arrest the perpetrators. On Friday morning, Police Constable Mishqat Amir was returning home after attending a gathering at the Hamza Tablighi Centre when he came under attack on Bannu-Miranshah Road near Azad Mandi. According to initial reports, unidentified armed assailants opened fire on him while he was on his way home. As a result of the attack, the constable sustained critical injuries and died on the spot. In a separate incident that took place on Thursday night in Saidgi Baka Khel, Police Constable Muhammad Roshan, who belonged to the Wazeer sub-division police, was shot by unidentified gunmen outside his residence. Police said that Roshan was serving at the North Waziristan Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) Camp in Baka Khel and had returned home after complet... -
Dawn - 04:29 Jun 12, 2026
A rickshaw driver drinks water as the feels-like temperature in Karachi soared past 54 degrees Celsius.—Online • Rapid warming spikes sharply up north; AJK, GB, KP record highest annual temperatures in 65 years • Extreme heat claims over 200,000 lives in Europe since 2022; El Nino threatens to compound weather extremes • Monsoon delayed in India ISLAMABAD: Pakistan recorded its second-warmest year in 65 years in 2025, intensifying extreme floods and creating a systemic risk to the nation’s economy, according to the Economic Survey 2025-26. Pakistan’s hottest year was 2024, the survey reported 2025 as the second-warmest year in 65 years, marking consecutive years of record high temperatures. The country experienced a national annual mean temperature of 23.9°C last year, 1.09°C warmer than the 22.8-degree average. Despite contributing less than 1pc to global emissions and 0.4 percent historically, Pakistan bears a disproportionately high burden of global climate change. “Climate change is no longer a distant or... -
Dawn - 04:28 Jun 12, 2026
ISLAMABAD: National poverty rate has surged by seven per cent, pushing approximately 27 million additional people into financial distress over the last six years and bringing the total number of the impoverished population of the country to 70m, according to the Economic Survey 2025-26. The survey figures show that poverty was 21.9pc in 2018-19 which increased to 28.9pc in 2024-25. Poverty remained significantly higher in rural areas. Rural poverty increased from 28.2pc to 36.2pc, while urban poverty increased from 11pc to 17.4pc over the same period. At the provincial level, poverty increased across all major provinces. In 2024-25, poverty was estimated at 23.3pc in Punjab, 32.6pc in Sindh, 35.3pc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 47pc in Balochistan. In 2018-19, the corresponding rates were 16.5pc, 24.5pc, 28.7pc, and 41.8pc, respectively. Balochistan continued to record the highest poverty incidence, while Punjab remained the lowest among the four provinces, the survey says. The surge in poverty is attributed to ... -
Dawn - 21:43 Jun 11, 2026
Mexico ignited their World Cup party with a dominant 2-0 victory over nine-man South Africa on Thursday as the biggest ever edition of the global footballing showpiece kicked off at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca. Julian Quinones scored the opening goal of the tournament, and veteran striker Raul Jimenez added a second as the co-hosts’ bid for qualification from Group A got off to a smooth start. South Africa, meanwhile, never looked like they were spoiling the opening day fiesta, and finished with only nine men after Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off. The Mexican-colored red, green and white smoke from pre-game fireworks had barely dissipated before Quinones fired the hosts into the lead on nine minutes, drilling a low shot through the legs of South Africa’s goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams. Mexico’s Raul Jimenez scores a goal during the 2026 World Cup Group A football match between Mexico and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca stadium in Mexico City on June 11, 2026. — AFP A deafen... -
Dawn - 18:42 Jun 11, 2026
Hours before the World Cup kickoff, the boost to travel and tourism expected from this year’s biggest sporting event has yet to materialise. For years, the tournament was expected to deliver a windfall for America’s travel industry, now grappling with declining international visitors amid what rights groups describe as a climate of fear. The swarms of fans that hotels had counted on have yet to arrive, forcing many to cut rates. Flight bookings have slumped as ticket prices have skyrocketed. Expensive match tickets have further stymied demand, and industry analysts say excitement has been muted compared with past World Cups. The weak start suggests the traditional World Cup travel playbook — typically dependent on international fans willing to travel long distances and spend heavily to follow their teams — is faltering. Instead, the costs, visa hurdles and the logistics of attending matches across 16 host cities in three countries have proved a deterrent. US travellers, in a country where football is less pop... -
Dawn - 18:17 Jun 11, 2026
The Foreign Office on Thursday warned that any deliberate attempt to block water essential to Pakistan’s survival and development would have “far-reaching consequences”. “Any such act would be treated with utmost seriousness and could possibly amount to an act of war under Article 51 of the UN Charter,” said FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi during a weekly media briefing while responding to a question about recent remarks by Indian water minister. A day ago, Indian Minister of Water CR Patil told India’s ANI news agency that “not a single drop of water will go [to Pakistan] in the coming years”. Patil said that India was “actively working on it” after “directives” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taking note of the remarks, Andrabi said that “any attempt to block or substantially curtail water that is vital to the livelihood, agriculture and well being of over 25o million Pakistanis would be a deeply irresponsible act”. He added it would violate established international obligations “concerning transboundary r... -
Dawn - 18:10 Jun 11, 2026
The first Hangor-class submarine has arrived at Karachi Port, marking a significant milestone in the Pakistan Navy’s modernisation programme and underscoring the deepening strategic defence cooperation between Pakistan and China, a statement issued by the Pakistan Navy said on Thursday. The Hangor-class submarine is equipped with advanced combat systems, modern sensors, Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology and enhanced stealth features, which will significantly enhance the navy’s combat capability. PNS Hangor arrives at Karachi port. — Pakistan Navy PR On arrival, the submarine was accorded a traditional naval welcome attended by Pakistan Navy officers and personnel, as well as family members of the crew, the statement said. “Cadets of Pakistan Naval Academy presented a ceremonial salute to the incoming submarine and its crew, accompanied by a fly-past by PN Z9EC helicopters,” said the PN. Upon arrival at the Pakistan Navy Dockyard, a reception ceremony was held to mark the occasion. Commander Pakistan... -
Dawn - 17:38 Jun 11, 2026
As tensions persist in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday urged the now proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to let the people of the region decide whether the 12 refugee seats should be abolished. The regional administration and the JAAC remain 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. Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the defence minister called on the JAAC to raise the issue in the upcoming elections, scheduled for July 27, and “take the issue to the public”. He questioned why the group was intent on deciding the issue pre-emptively, suggesting that it might be an attempt to shape the assembly “as per their will”. Asif noted that Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan had paid a “heavy price” to migrate to the country, and that the JAAC had no right to...
10706 items