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Dawn - 15:57 Oct 23, 2025
Border closures between Pakistan and Afghanistan have pushed up prices of essential goods in both nations, with tomatoes now costing five times more in Pakistan since fighting broke out between the two neighbours this month. Border crossings between the two countries have remained closed since October 11, following ground fighting and Pakistani airstrikes across their 2,600-km frontier that killed dozens on both sides in the worst fighting since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Kabul. All trade and transit have been blocked since the fighting erupted, Khan Jan Alokozay, the head of the Pak-Afghan Chamber of Commerce in Kabul, told Reuters on Thursday. “With each passing day, both sides are losing around $1 million,” he said. Fresh fruit, vegetables, minerals, medicine, wheat, rice, sugar, meat and dairy products make up most of the $2.3 billion annual trade volume between the two countries. Men sort tomatoes at a wholesale vegetable market in Peshawar on October 23. — Reuters The prices of tomatoes, used extens... -
Dawn - 15:01 Oct 23, 2025
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a suspension notice to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans, citing breach of contractual obligations, it emerged on Thursday. According to sources, the PCB has also sent a formal notice for termination of the franchise’s contract “after completing all necessary legal procedures”. The move marks a significant escalation in the simmering tensions between the board and the Multan franchise. Sources revealed that the action followed repeated public statements by franchise owner Ali Tareen, who allegedly criticised the PCB and PSL management. In April, Ali shared a podcast clip on X questioning the PCB’s pre-season build-up, writing: “How is PSL 10 bigger and better? Same games, same teams – what’s new? Fed up with hollow words. PCB had time to plan innovations, but we’re repeating last year. Our biggest brand deserves more. Explain the vision!” A few days later, he sought to clarify his stance amid backlash from other franchise owners, posting: “I l... -
Dawn - 14:57 Oct 23, 2025
The Sindh Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Thursday claimed to have arrested two suspects — linked to the outlawed Zainebiyoun Brigade — in connection with the killing of an Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) worker, as well as another sectarian killing in Karachi. The militant group Zainebiyoun Brigade was added to the list of proscribed organisations in June of last year. It has also been designated by the US State Department as a terrorist organisation since 2019. ASWJ, also an outlawed group, has seen a spate of attacks in recent times in Karachi. On October 20, an ASWJ worker was shot dead in the city’s Nangan Chowrangi area. Earlier this month, another worker was killed in a suspected targeted attack on main University Road. Speaking at a press conference today, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) CTD Azfar Mahesar said that the “counter-terror force of police and a federal intelligence agency jointly carried out an intelligence-based operation (IBO) and arrested two suspects linked with the Zaineb... -
Dawn - 14:22 Oct 23, 2025
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has requested that the Punjab government withdraw “restrictive measures” on the inter-provincial movement of wheat and wheat products, citing a “sharp escalation” in the prices of the essential commodity in the province. The development comes a day after the KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the Punjab’s “move” to restrict the transportation of wheat and flour to KP while chairing a meeting. The KP CM termed the move “a blatant violation of the Constitution and an attack on the rights of KP citizens,” and directed food authorities to write a letter to relevant bodies in Punjab. In the aftermath of floods, the Punjab government began tightening controls on the inter-provincial movement of wheat and flour through a permit regime to curb price hikes within the province — a move that has particularly been denounced by KP amid soaring prices and wheat shortage. In a letter addressed to secretary price control & commodities management department, Punjab, the KP food de... -
Dawn - 13:52 Oct 23, 2025
The Sindh government on Thursday became the second province, after Balochistan, to request the federal government to transfer armoured vehicles rejected by the provincial administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On Monday, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had blamed the “flawed policy” of the federal government for the resurgence of terrorism being witnessed in the province. He further claimed that the federal government was neither giving KP funds allocated under the country’s ongoing war against terrorism, nor “other constitutional rights”. He had also alleged that the bulletproof cars provided by Naqvi were “defective and old”, adding that they should be recalled. Balochistan CM Sarfraz Bugti had subsequently waded in, saying that like KP, his province was also affected by terrorism. “It is an appeal to the interior minister that if the KP government is refusing to take the bulletproof vehicles, they should be transferred to the Balochistan government so that terrorism can be countered effectively,” he said ... -
Dawn - 13:50 Oct 23, 2025
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar hailed the visit of his Polish counterpart to Pakistan on Thursday as “significant”, saying that during the delegation-level talks, the two sides had agreed to expand bilateral cooperation. “During the delegation-level talks, Minister Sikorski and I took stock of the Pakistan-Poland bilateral ties, which continue to develop on a very positive trajectory. We have over a billion-dollar bilateral trade and both sides agreed that there remains immense untapped potential to further expand trade and economic cooperation. “We agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, infrastructure, defence, counter-terrorism, science and technology and education,” Dar said during a joint press conference with Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who landed in Islamabad today on a two-day official visit. Dar also announced that the foreign ministries of the two countries had signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) that envisioned regular bilateral consultat... -
Dawn - 12:21 Oct 23, 2025
Nearly 700 foreigners, including Pakistanis, have fled Myanmar and crossed into Thailand, the Thai army said on Thursday, following a military operation against the Chinese-backed KK Park, a notorious cybercrime compound. Thailand has detained 677 people, including 618 men and 59 women, after they crossed the border into Tak province, it said in a statement. Myanmar’s military has taken control of KK Park and is inspecting the area, driving a large number of people into Thailand, the statement said. The people are now undergoing legal procedures and screening, and Thai authorities have also made additional detention facilities available in case existing spaces become insufficient, the army said. “All actions are in line with legal and humanitarian principles,” it said, adding that it was working closely with local security agencies to maintain order along the Thai-Myanmar border. The group consists primarily of individuals from India and China, with smaller numbers from Vietnam, Pakistan, Indonesia and severa... -
Dawn - 10:57 Oct 23, 2025
South Africa beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the second Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday to draw the series 1-1 with Simon Harmer taking a maiden five-wicket haul. The 36-year-old off-spinner finished with 6-50, taking his 1,000th first-class wicket in the process, on a deteriorating Rawalpindi stadium pitch. South Africa reached the 68-run target for the loss of captain Aiden Markram (42) and Tristan Stubbs (nought), both to spinner Noman Ali, who finished with 2-40. Ryan Rickelton, who scored 25 not out, hit Sajid Khan for a six to seal an emphatic win minutes before the lunch break for the World Test Championship holders. In another battle of spinners, Pakistan managed 333 in their first innings before the South African tail wagged to help them pile up 404 for a crucial 71-run lead. Spinners took 34 of the 40 wickets to fall in the first Test in Lahore, which Pakistan won by 93 runs. Thursday’s morning session saw Pakistan’s batters fold, adding just 44 runs after resuming the fourth day on 94-4. Harmer to... -
Dawn - 09:56 Oct 23, 2025
The Indian government has reduced the number of officials who can order content to be taken down from the internet, a move that follows a bitter legal battle with Elon Musk’s X that centered around a contentious policy. X, Musk’s social media platform, had been in opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2023 decision to police the internet by allowing thousands of officials to file takedown orders. In August, Reuters reported that police inspectors were issuing takedown orders on cartoons and satirical posts, sparking one of X’s most high-profile legal challenges against a government’s content-removal policy. X lost the lawsuit in Karnataka High Court in September, with a judge ruling that its challenge was without merit and X had to abide by local laws. But late on Wednesday, India’s IT ministry changed its policy by limiting the number of people who can issue such orders to top bureaucrats and police officials. Now only bureaucrats with the rank of joint secretary or higher and police officials who are... -
Dawn - 08:56 Oct 23, 2025
A maiden career century at Melbourne in 1972-73 got Sadiq Mohammad, Pakistan’s dashing left-handed opening batsman, noticed in Tasmania, where Latrobe Cricket Club brought him over to both coach and play for them. He was the youngest of five brothers — Wazir, Raees, Hanif, Mushtaq and Sadiq — four of whom played Test cricket for Pakistan. Playing cricket in Tasmania offered Sadiq a fat pay-check, and while the standard of cricket was still wanting (they were not yet part of the Sheffield Shield, Australia’s first-class circuit), this was a real chance for him to cement his status as a professional cricketer, at a time when playing for Pakistan still meant poor pay. In 1974-75, the West Indies were coming to tour Pakistan, in one of Clive Lloyd’s first captaincy assignments, and recent debuts for two West Indies cricketers — Andy Roberts and Viv Richards. They were also on the back of a competitive 5-match series in India, which they had won 3-2. A bureaucratic struggle Sadiq and Majid Khan had already establi... -
Dawn - 07:50 Oct 23, 2025
The Foreign Office on Thursday condemned Tel Aviv’s attempt to “extend its so-called ‘sovereignty’” over parts of the Occupied West Bank a day after a bill applying Israeli law to the occupied West Bank won preliminary approval from the Knesset. Israeli lawmakers voted on Wednesday to advance two bills on annexing the occupied West Bank, barely a week after US President Donald Trump pushed through a deal aimed at ending Israel’s two-year military offensive in the Gaza Strip. In a statement released today, the FO said, “Pakistan strongly condemns Israel’s attempt to extend its so-called ‘sovereignty’ over parts of the occupied West Bank, including illegal Israeli settlements, through a draft law introduced in the legislature of the occupying power.” The FO said that these actions constituted a “flagrant violation” of international law, relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. “Such provocative and unlawful measures undermine ongoing efforts to ... -
Dawn - 07:44 Oct 23, 2025
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that regional connectivity was not optional, terming it essential for growth and shared progress. “Connectivity is not optional. It is essential for stability, growth and shared progress. Regional cooperation directly impacts the lives of millions of our people,” he said while addressing the Regional Transport Ministers’ Conference in Islamabad. Transport Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, among others, are participating in the two-day conference. Delegates from the Asian Development Bank, Economic Cooperation Organisation, International Road Transport Union, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific are also attending. In his remarks, Dar said that many countries in the region were already investing in forward-looking connectivity projects. “Central Asia is emerging as a true trans Eurasian land bridge,” he ... -
Dawn - 07:18 Oct 23, 2025
Former captain Babar Azam has made a return to Pakistan’s T20I squad as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday announced squads for the upcoming white-ball series. The National Selection Committee named a 15-member squad for the T20I series against South Africa to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from October 28 to November 1. The same squad will be playing the T20I tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe to be staged at the same venues from Nov 17-29. In the T20I squad, Babar, Abdul Samad and Naseem Shah have made a comeback to the side after missing out on previous events. Usman Tariq is the only uncapped player included in the T20I squad, according to the PCB press release. A 16-member squad has also been announced for the ODI series against South Africa and Sri Lanka. Pakistan and South Africa, who are currently playing the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, will also feature in a three-match ODI series to be held at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from Nov 4-8. The ODI series will... -
Dawn - 06:09 Oct 23, 2025
United States President Donald Trump slapped sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies on Wednesday, complaining that his talks with Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war “don’t go anywhere”. The European Union also unveiled a fresh wave of sanctions to pressure Russia to end its relentless, three-and-a-half-year invasion of its neighbor, which is allied with both Washington and Brussels. Trump has held off pulling the trigger on sanctions against Russia for months, but his patience snapped after plans for a fresh summit with Putin in Budapest collapsed. “Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere,” Trump said in response to a question from an AFP journalist in the Oval Office. But Trump added that he hoped the “tremendous sanctions” against Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil would be short-lived. “We hope that the war will be settled,” he said alongside Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday evening tha... -
Dawn - 02:51 Oct 23, 2025
• Two policemen martyred in Noshki • Security man loses life in landmine blast QUETTA: At least 11 militants were killed in separate operations in Chagai and Sibi districts over the past 24 hours, whereas two police constables were martyred in Noshki, and a security official lost his life to a landmine in Kachhi, officials said on Wednesday. Officials said security forces launched an intelligence-based operation in the mountainous area of Dalbandin in Chagai after reports of militants hiding there. Troops cordoned off the location and came under heavy fire. A fierce gun battle ensued and lasted about an hour, leaving six suspects dead. “The Fitna al-Hindustan terrorists were hiding in the area and were detected through aerial reconnaissance,” officials said, adding that arms and ammunition were recovered from the hideout. They said the operation had reduced threats to security forces and civilians in the vicinity. In a separate action, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted an operation in Sibi afte... -
Dawn - 02:31 Oct 23, 2025
ISLAMABAD: A key government minister on Wednesday offered to shift PTI founder Imran Khan to his Banigala residence if the party submits a written application to this effect. Subsequently, the PTI has responded that the offer can be considered if the government demonstrates its “seriousness” on the issue. In an appearance on Asma Shirazi’s talk-show on Hum News, Federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry suggested that Mr Khan could be shifted to Banigala, where PTI leaders and his family members can meet him on a daily basis. Later, talking to Dawn, Mr Chaudhry said that there were 8,000 prisoners in Adiala jail and they were also suffering because of the PTI founder and his political activities. “We are ready to shift him if they submit an application. There [at Banigala] PTI leaders can meet him and play Ludo and other games day and night,” the minister added. He said that Mr Khan cannot be released, but he can be shifted to his Banigala residence by declaring it a sub-jail. “The PTI s... -
Dawn - 02:17 Oct 23, 2025
• Emission standards critically outdated, committee told • Official says Pak-EPA lacks financial, technical resources to do its job • Senate panel urges Centre to strengthen initiatives for climate-vulnerable Gilgit-Baltistan • Calls for sharing of early-warning data for disaster prevention in northern areas ISLAMABAD / GILGIT: Critical inadequacies in Pakistan’s environmental oversight were highlighted on Wednesday, after a parliamentary committee heard that emission standards remain frozen at Euro-II levels, a benchmark long-abandoned by most nations. Following the revelation, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination voiced serious concerns and directed the Ministry of Climate Change to present a mechanism for air-quality monitoring, along with a comprehensive action plan. During the sitting, the committee received a joint briefing from the ministry and the Islamabad Capital Territory administration and was informed that country’s vehicle emission limits... -
Dawn - 20:10 Oct 22, 2025
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) said on Wednesday that it had booked PTI MNA Shandana Gulzar under the country’s cybercrime laws for spreading misinformation about Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s trip to Egypt to attend the signing of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. PM Shehbaz visited Egypt last week to participate in the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit and attend the signing ceremony of a peace agreement aimed at ending the Gaza conflict. Among his many engagements with world leaders, the premier had also met with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, where all three leaders expressed satisfaction over the recent ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Fact-checking platform iVerify Pakistan noted that posts from multiple users on social media platform X, particularly PTI supporters, since October 13, had shared a low quality and blurry image of the meeting with the Armenian premier , claiming it showed PM Shehbaz and Israeli PM Benjamin N... -
Dawn - 20:10 Oct 22, 2025
At least 72 riverine dacoits surrendered to the authorities, as part of the provincial government’s newly implemented ‘Sindh Surrender Policy’, a press release issued by the Sindh Home Ministry said on Wednesday. The policy, approved earlier this month, will allow dacoits to surrender arms in return for assurances of protection for their families, rehabilitation and livelihood support. For decades, dozens of dacoit gangs armed with sophisticated weaponry have operated with impunity in northern Sindh as well as southern Punjab. Kidnappings for ransom, extortion rackets that cripple local businesses, brutal killings and looting people on highways have become a daily reality. According to a press release from the home department, “Around 72 dacoits surrendered under the Sindh Surrender Policy, and laid down more than 200 small-scale and heavy ammunition.” The weapons include: 62 G3 rifles, 97 submachine guns, 48 double-barreled guns, two RPG 7s, an anti-tank recoilless rifle and a 12.7mm anti-aircraft gun. The d... -
Dawn - 18:43 Oct 22, 2025
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday held a meeting with lawmakers and political leaders from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and discussed the “overall political landscape” in the country with them, said a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). “PM Shehbaz discussed the current overall political landscape with KP lawmakers and leaders, as well as reviewed progress on ongoing development projects in the province,” said the statement. “The meeting focused on federal efforts to boost socio-economic development in KP and enhance coordination between the Centre and provincial stakeholders,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. The premier stressed the “need for sustained political engagement to ensure stability and growth in the province,” the report said. During the meeting, PM Shehbaz “emphasised that KP remains a key priority in the national agenda”. The prime minister also “directed relevant authorities to expedite key infrastructure and welfare projects”. The PTI-led KP ...
7421 items