Dawn
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Dawn - 02:46 Aug 01, 2026
KARACHI: Although all eyes were on Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem to produce the goods, Pakistan’s first medal of the 2026 Commonwealth Games came in women’s boxing. Fatima Zahra, who had guaranteed herself a medal after qualifying for the semifinals of the 60kg event, picked up a bronze after losing to Canada’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh. Under the competition’s format, losing semi-finalists receive the bronze medal. Olympian Arshad Nadeem eliminated after first three rounds of javelin final Meanwhile, in the javelin final, while the world fixed its gaze on the India-Pakistan rivalry of Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem, Sri Lankan Rumesh Pathirage stole the show with a stellar 89.75-metre throw. Arshad’s best effort of 77.41m was well off the pace, putting him among the four eliminations out of 12 competitors, after the first three rounds. Chopra, meanwhile, managed a throw of 85.83m, putting him in second place. Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2026 -
Dawn - 02:25 Aug 01, 2026
• Limited private sector lending options may persist • Federal govt borrowing from banks rises to Rs5.9tr in FY26 • Private sector receives around Rs1.4tr KARACHI: The country’s banking sector is likely to remain dependent on government borrowing for profits in the current fiscal year as limited private-sector lending opportunities continue to make banks one of the most lucrative sectors for the equity market and investors, financial industry sources said. “The options are limited for lending to the private sector and the situation will remain the same this year as witnessed in FY26,” said a senior banker. Despite a sharp increase in revenue during the last three years, government borrowing also rose rapidly during the period, resulting in almost 50 per cent of revenue going towards interest payments. The Federal Board of Revenue achieved its revised target for FY26, but federal government borrowing from banks rose to Rs5.9 trillion compared to Rs5.4tr in FY25. Bankers said the borrowing trend was likely to c... -
Dawn - 02:23 Aug 01, 2026
• Tarbela, Mangla levels continue to rise amid monsoon rains • Medium-flood at Guddu and Sukkur barrages; Chenab may reach high-flood at Marala • PDMA says 45 killed in Punjab LAHORE: As the River Indus continues to flow at a medium flood level at Guddu and Sukkur barrages, water levels in the country’s major reservoirs — Tarbela and Mangla dams — have risen significantly over the past 15 days due to torrential rains in their catchment areas. According to reports issued by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), the water level at Tarbela dam increased from 1,504.31 feet on July 16 to 1,537 feet on July 31, a rise of 32.69 feet. The reservoir is now just 13 feet below its maximum conservation level of 1,550 feet. Also, the water level at Chashma Lake, which has a total capacity of 649 feet, rose to 648.50 feet on Friday from 646.80 feet on July 16. Similarly, the water level at Mangla dam rose from 1,173.20 to 1,195.55 feet over the same period, while its maximum conservation level is 1,242 feet. ... -
Dawn - 02:21 Aug 01, 2026
The government on Friday reduced the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) by 12 paisas and 66 paisas per litre, respectively. Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs336.03 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs392.38 per litre. The government continues to levy Rs110 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs96 per litre on diesel. The Petroleum Division’s notification said that the new prices would be applicable from August 1 to August 3. Meanwhile, in a bigger price shock, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) notified a record 32pc increase in the price of regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) for August, taking it to $25.83 per mmBtu for SNGPL and $25.09 per mmBtu for SSGCL. This will translate into a retail price of Rs7,204 per mmBtu. The price is based on five imported cargoes from the spot market, as no shipment could be secured from Qatar because of the US-Iran war. This is the single biggest jump in RLNG rates in its decade-long history. This comes on top of an about 15pc incre... -
Dawn - 02:14 Aug 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD / HYDERABAD / LAHORE: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s call for an overhaul of the country’s governance structure and the carving out of new administrative units has ignited an animated debate across the country, with the PPP referring the question to its top decision-making forum, the Sindh chief minister flatly rejecting it, Lahore’s lawyers terming it unconstitutional and Sindhi nationalist groups demanding the minister’s resignation. Addressing the Pakistan Economic Summit in Islamabad on Thursday, Mr Naqvi said the present system of governance had collapsed and was fundamentally incapable of resolving the country’s problems. He urged all political parties to sit together and settle every outstanding issue, including the creation of new units and provinces, warning that without structural change the same debates would be taking place a decade from now. He described more administrative units as the only way to bring facilities closer to citizens, said new leadership was needed, and argued that th... -
Dawn - 00:35 Aug 01, 2026
• LPG rates for August increased to Rs254.32 per kg • Ogra says five spot cargoes had to be procured after no shipment secured from Qatar • Regulator finally reveals lower prescribed prices for gas utilities, finalised on June 23 • Rs50bn savings from lower gas rates to be used for circular debt adjustment ISLAMABAD: In a major price shock, Ogra on Friday notified a record 32pc increase in regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) prices for August, fixing the rate at $25.83 per mmBtu for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and $25.09 per mmBtu for Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), while denying consumers about Rs50bn in savings from lower natural gas rates. This translates into a retail price of around Rs7,204 per mmBtu. The revised price is based on five imported LNG cargoes procured from the spot market, as no shipment could be secured from Qatar due to the US war on Iran. This is the biggest-ever increase in RLNG prices in the commodity’s decade-long history. The latest increase comes on top... -
Dawn - 19:03 Jul 31, 2026
GILGIT: The search and rescue operation for foreign climbers missing after an avalanche at Broad Peak was suspended late Friday due to adverse weather conditions in the region. Three bodies of missing climbers — one each from the United States, Nepal and Oman — were airlifted from Broad Peak to Skardu by Pakistan Army helicopters. Drone footage also indicated the presence of more climbers during the search operation. Earlier reports had said that four bodies were recovered; however, the toll was later revised down to three. Seven climbers remain missing. According to a press release issued by the Commissioner Baltistan Division, the search and rescue operation was launched following a formal request from tour operators. A three-member civil rescue team, led by renowned mountaineer Sarbaz Khan, was airlifted to Broad Peak Base Camp by Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters. The team recovered the bodies of three climbers, identified as Oman’s Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, Nepal’s Pur Bahadur Gurung and Mallory... -
Dawn - 18:41 Jul 31, 2026
The government on Friday reduced the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) by 12 paisas and 66 paisas per litre, respectively. Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs336.03 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs392.38 per litre. The government continues to levy Rs110 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs96 per litre on diesel. The Petroleum Division’s notification said that the new prices would be applicable from August 1 to August 3. Meanwhile, in a bigger price shock, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) notified a record 32pc increase in the price of regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) for August, taking it to $25.83 per mmBtu for SNGPL and $25.09 per mmBtu for SSGCL. This will translate into a retail price of Rs7,204 per mmBtu. The price is based on five imported cargoes from the spot market, as no shipment could be secured from Qatar because of the US-Iran war. This is the single biggest jump in RLNG rates in its decade-long history. This comes on top of an about 15pc incre... -
Dawn - 18:01 Jul 31, 2026
Italy has suspended its Schengen agreement with Spain, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday, calling the measure “unavoidable”. “The temporary suspension of Schengen with Spain is a necessary choice to safeguard the security of our citizens and defend the European borders,” he wrote in a post on X. He noted that the influx of migrants in Ceuta, Spain, “reminds us that the management of the Union’s borders is a shared responsibility among our countries, one toward the other”. “We must work together to prevent uncontrolled migrant flows from entering EU territory, with all the consequent risks and the threat of terrorism, which must be countered without hesitation,” he added. US President Donald Trump led far-right attempts on Friday on both sides of the Atlantic to make political capital from Spain’s migration crisis, portraying the migrant surge in Ceuta as a warning for America if his opponents get into power. “It’s terrible. Remember that picture. That’s going to be us in three years if th... -
Dawn - 17:59 Jul 31, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that Pakistan welcomed developments under the Board of Peace towards implementing the disarmament process under the Gaza Peace Plan. Earlier today, US President Donald Trump said talks in Cairo between mediators and Hamas leaders on Thursday have led to a phased disarmament agreement in Gaza, but a Hamas official described the deal as a draft and US officials said Israel was sceptical the Palestinian group would surrender its weapons. “Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” Trump said in a social media post, adding that the disarmament would come in phases. In a social media post on X, PM Shehbaz said, “Pakistan welcomes developments under the Board of Peace towards the implementation of the disarmament process under the Gaza Peace Plan.” He emphasised that the mediating countries, including the United States of America, Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, deserved “special appreciatio... -
Dawn - 17:51 Jul 31, 2026
Italy has suspended its Schengen agreement with Spain, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday, calling the measure “unavoidable”. “The temporary suspension of Schengen with Spain is a necessary choice to safeguard the security of our citizens and defend the European borders,” he wrote in a post on X. He noted that the influx of migrants in Ceuta, Spain, “reminds us that the management of the Union’s borders is a shared responsibility among our countries, one toward the other”. “We must work together to prevent uncontrolled migrant flows from entering EU territory, with all the consequent risks and the threat of terrorism, which must be countered without hesitation,” he added. US President Donald Trump led far-right attempts on Friday on both sides of the Atlantic to make political capital from Spain’s migration crisis, portraying the migrant surge in Ceuta as a warning for America if his opponents get into power. “It’s terrible. Remember that picture. That’s going to be us in three years if th... -
Dawn - 17:41 Jul 31, 2026
The Sindh government’s School Education and Literacy Department on Friday announced that schools in the province would remain closed on Aug 4 (Tuesday) in observance of Chehlum of Imam Hussain (AS). A notification available with Dawn states that all public and private educational institutions under the department “shall remain closed on Aug 4, 2026 (Tuesday) on account of Chehlum (20th Safar 1448 AH)”. The notification has been sent to the principal secretaries of the Sindh governor and chief minister, as well as other senior officials. The Chehlum of Imam Hussain is observed on Safar 20, highlighting the sacrifices rendered by Imam Husain (AS) and his companions in Karbala. Earlier today, the department said private schools in Sindh have been allowed to decide their weekly teaching and working days according to their own schedules and convenience. A circular issued by the province’s Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions clarified a notification issued by the education department ... -
Dawn - 17:20 Jul 31, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday said it was ready to hold local government elections in Punjab and 23 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; however, repeated last-minute amendments by the federal and provincial governments had stalled the process. In Punjab, hearings on objections to the preliminary delimitation had concluded, the ECP said. “Delimitation authorities will communicate their decisions to the committee by Aug 7, 2026, and the final delimitation will be published on Aug 17, 2026.” The ECP said it would immediately consult the Punjab government to announce the election schedule. “The commission is fully ready to hold local government elections in Punjab,” it stated. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it said that delimitation had been completed in 23 districts, while it was underway in seven others. Under Section 219(3) of the Elections Act, the ECP met the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary and local government secretary on July 14, 2026, to discuss the election schedule for the 23 d... -
Dawn - 16:57 Jul 31, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) will deliberate on the matter of creating new administrative units, which, according to the party’s secretary general Nayyar Bokhari, should be created through the mechanism provided in the Constitution rather than by executive order. “The Constitution of Pakistan has clearly laid down the complete procedure. Without a two-thirds majority in the relevant provincial assembly, the National Assembly and the Senate, neither the creation of new provinces nor any alteration in provincial boundaries is possible,” he said while speaking to Dawn. “New provinces cannot be created through an executive order. They can only be created through a constitutional decision of Parliament,” he added. Bokhari’s statement comes a day after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi echoed demands by multiple political parties for more provinces or administrative units. Those advocating for more administrative units view them as a way to improve governance. The PPP, which is the ruling par... -
Dawn - 16:25 Jul 31, 2026
SHANGLA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Shangla district is mourning the deaths of 28 young coal miners, including 23 residents of Mian Kaly, who were killed in a gas explosion at a coal mine on the outskirts of Quetta on Thursday. The Shangla Coal Mine Workers Association said that following the deaths of 23 miners from Mian Kaly, almost every household in the village was mourning the loss of a family member. Abid Yaar, president of the Shangla Coal Mine Workers Association, said that Mian Kaly had become the epicentre of repeated coal mine tragedies. “A total of 28 deceased workers were from Shangla district — 23 from Mian Kaly (Pir Abad), two from Kana, and one each from Bada and Gata Bely Baba,” he said. He added that the victims, aged between 17 and 25, belonged to the same families and were cousins or close relatives. According to Yaar, several of the deceased were orphans whose fathers had also lost their lives in previous coal mine accidents. He alleged that the tragedy resulted from the mine administration’s n... -
Dawn - 16:21 Jul 31, 2026
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday termed good governance “quintessential” for Pakistan’s security and stability. He made the remarks while addressing a press conference on the country’s overall security situation, particularly the situation in Balochistan. The DG ISPR, during his presser, commented on Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s remarks about the need for new administrative units in Pakistan: “We have been saying this earlier also as a primary stakeholder in security that good governance is essential for the security and stability of Pakistan.” Without this, he stressed that none of Pakistan’s issues could be resolved. The military spokesperson said the National Action Plan (NAP), with its 14-point agenda and the consensus of all political parties, required good governance for its implementation, adding, “Good governance is quintessential for Pakistan.” “Now, how to achieve good governance? The politicians and political parties have... -
Dawn - 15:56 Jul 31, 2026
The massive and sudden influx of 60,000 migrants into Spain’s enclave of Ceuta, located in the north of Morocco, has triggered a crisis for Spain, and the European Union. How big an influx? The numbers of migrants suddenly flowing into Ceuta is outsized for the territory’s population of 80,000. Some 60,000 migrants have so far entered over the past two or three days, estimated the local regional president Juan Jesus Vivas. Around 200 migrants were arriving “every minute”, according to Ignacio Cembrero, a journalist specialised in migration in North Africa. Spain’s interior ministry counted 25,000 who have since left Ceuta to return to Morocco, Spain’s interior minister said later on Friday. The scale is far bigger than that in May 2021 when, over a few days, some 12,000 migrants flowed into Ceuta, according to the Ceuta and Melilla Observatory. Is Morocco facilitating? According to Cembrero, since Wednesday it appeared that Moroccan security forces “have been sitting on their hands”. “To reach the breakwater ... -
Dawn - 14:59 Jul 31, 2026
RAWALPINDI: More than 4,000 police personnel will be deployed to ensure foolproof security arrangements for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections, to be held on August 2 for the migrant seats of the Rawalpindi division, according to the regional police. Polls in AJK are currently being held in three phases over security concerns, with the first set of polls held in Mirpur division on Monday. These include polls for the 12 legislative assembly seats reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Kashmir. A spokesman for Rawalpindi Regional Police Officer (RPO) Babar Sarfraz Alpa said that a foolproof security plan had been devised to ensure the smooth conduct of the AJK Legislative Assembly elections, with the deployment of 4,029 police personnel. He said 175 polling stations had been set up for the elections in four constituencies of Rawalpindi Division: Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal and Murree. The polling stations had been categorised as ‘A’ (highly sensitive), ‘B’ (sensitive) and ‘C’ (normal). “P... -
Dawn - 13:28 Jul 31, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday accepted a chamber appeal moved by former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan and ordered early fixation of the case before an apex court bench as early as possible. Imran had filed a petition before the SC, requesting that he be shifted to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital and granted access to his family and personal physicians. Through the chamber appeal, Imran challenged the SC Registrar’s order that returned petitions seeking his transfer to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, as well as access to his personal physicians, family and counsel, and the provision of medical details to his family. The SC Registrar had returned the petition on the grounds that no signed power of attorney had been attached to the petition. On Friday, Advocate Uzair Karamat Bhandari appeared before the chamber of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi to plead the case. Consequently, the objections earlier raised by the Registrar’s Office were removed after bein... -
Dawn - 12:32 Jul 31, 2026
All private schools in Sindh have been allowed to decide their weekly teaching and working days according to their own schedules and convenience, the Sindh Education and Literacy Department said on Friday. A circular issued by the province’s Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions clarified a notification issued by the education department on July 29, which directed that classes would be held six days a week at schools and colleges across the province from August 1 until further notice. The new circular clarified that the directive would not apply to privately managed schools. “It is hereby clarified for all privately managed schools across the province of Sindh that they may manage their weekly working days according to their own schedules and operative convenience,” Additional Director (Registration) Rafia Javed said in the circular. A copy of the circular is available with Dawn. In its July 29 notification, seen by Dawn, the Education and Literacy Department said: “In supercessio...
12385 items