Dawn
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Dawn - 11:13 Apr 23, 2026
Inside the gynaecology clinic of Karachi’s largest public hospital, the air felt several degrees hotter. It was only 9:30am on a Friday in late February, and the windowless waiting room was already packed with women jostling for a place to sit, calling nurses for help, and scuffling for an ultrasound. Asiya, 21, was pregnant with her third child. The baby was due in May, when the mercury often crosses 38 degrees Celsius, and humidity soars past 70 per cent, making the heat unbearable. As temperatures rose in the room, Asiya felt nauseated and dizzy. “The heat exhausts me,” she said. “My body feels like lead, I’m barely able to stomach food. I am afraid that my child might be born sick.” Asiya lives in Lyari, one of Karachi’s most densely populated neighbourhoods, with narrow alleys and little to no green space. Inside her home, ventilation is poor and cooling scant. Intense summer heat in her neighbourhood is compounded by power outages that last up to 12 hours a day, shutting down fans and other appliances t... -
Dawn - 10:11 Apr 23, 2026
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) made fresh commitments worth $3.672bn to Pakistan in 2025, up 22pc from $2.995bn the previous year, as it ventured into new areas such as the mineral sector. In its Annual Report 2025, released on Thursday, the Manila-based lending agency also reported new financial support commitments of $1.485bn to the public sector for the year, a one-third increase from $1.113bn in 2024. Most of these loan commitments were made on ordinary commercial terms. “In Pakistan, a policy-based guarantee is helping to mitigate credit risk for commercial bank lending to smaller enterprises and to mobilise commercial financing of $1bn,” the bank said, adding that under ADB’s approach to supporting critical minerals-to-manufacturing value chains, it approved an innovative financing package for a copper-gold mine in Pakistan to strengthen the global copper supply chain. The bank will also provide advisory support to Pakistan to prepare road maps for digital skills development, in addition to investing ... -
Dawn - 10:08 Apr 23, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The first global assessment examining all Unesco-designated World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves, and Global Geoparks reveals that every 1ºC of global warming avoided could halve the number of sites exposed to major disruption by the end of the century, it emerged on Thursday. In its assessment, titled “People and nature in Unesco-designated sites: Global and local contributions”, Unesco said that by failing to act now, pressures will intensify and natural systems in more than one in four sites could reach critical tipping points by 2050, potentially undermining both ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. Scaling up integrated management, restoration, inclusive governance, and targeted policies, alongside increased investment, was termed essential to sustain and expand these proven approaches and strengthen their resilience, Unesco said. The report further stated that securing the future of Unesco-designated sites requires investment commensurate with their global significance. Ma... -
Dawn - 09:36 Apr 23, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Wednesday opposed a proposed park project that the government plans to set up at the foothills of the Margalla Hills on 1,000 kanal. A press release issued by the Interior Ministry stated that a new park would be established at the foothills of the Margallas. According to the press release, the decision to develop the park was made in a meeting on CDA issues chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Reacting to the proposal, General Secretary PPP Human Rights Cell Malaika Raza issued a statement and strongly opposed the plan. “The proposed Margalla Park plan amounts to ecological terrorism, an assault on Islamabad’s geography, environment and social fabric with long-term repercussions,” she said. Pakistan is already facing a climate crisis. Islamabad, once celebrated as one of the most beautiful capitals in the world due to its greenery and hills, is under urgent threat as tree felling accelerates and natural beauty erodes, she added. “More than 29,000 trees ha... -
Dawn - 09:12 Apr 23, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed that transport in the country be gradually shifted to electric vehicles. The premier chaired a meeting on energy security, where he stressed that “energy security had become an important aspect of the country’s overall future planning,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Taking note of the global energy crisis in the wake of the Iran war, PM Shehbaz said that due to the government’s “timely steps, an energy crisis has been averted”. The prime minister told the meeting that to secure the country’s future energy needs, “work was underway to maintain strategic crude oil reserves”. As part of the energy security plan, the premier further stated that modes of transportation in the country should be gradually shifted to electric vehicles, “for energy conservation and sustainable development”. He instructed that electric buses and motorcycles should be purchased for government use. The premier also directed the expedited establishment of... -
Dawn - 08:46 Apr 23, 2026
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met US Chargé d’Affaires to Pakistan, Natalie Baker, in Islamabad, where the two discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to hold a second round of US-Iran talks, the interior ministry said. According to the interior ministry’s statement, during their “important meeting”, Naqvi and Baker exchanged detailed views on the latest regional situation and discussed diplomatic efforts regarding the possible second round of US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad. Naqvi commended US President Donald Trump’s initiative to extend the ceasefire, calling it a “welcome development” that made significant progress towards reducing tensions. “We also hope for positive progress from Iran’s side,” the interior minister was quoted as saying. The meeting emphasised the need for continuity in diplomatic channels for a lasting resolution to the conflict. According to the ministry, the minister told Baker that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir were making “a... -
Dawn - 08:43 Apr 23, 2026
Cursor, an AI code-generation startup co-founded by Pakistani-born Sualeh Asif, has secured a $60 billion acquisition deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, according to multiple reports on Thursday. Along with OpenAI and Anthropic, Cursor is one of several Silicon Valley startups that have drawn waves of developers by using artificial intelligence to automate coding, a business where AI companies have found early commercial traction, according to Reuters. SpaceX announced in a post on X that Cursor gave SpaceX the right to acquire the company later this year for $60 billion. If SpaceX doesn’t buy Cursor, it will pay $10 billion for their work together, the company said. “The combination of Cursor’s leading product and distribution to expert software engineers with SpaceX’s million H100 equivalent Colossus training supercomputer will allow us to build the world’s most useful models,” it added. Originally from Karachi, Asif attended Nixor College before attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and r... -
Dawn - 07:54 Apr 23, 2026
ISLAMABAD: After a gap of 28 months, state-run Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) on Thursday floated urgent tenders to import three LNG cargoes for delivery between April 27 and May 8 amid rising temperatures and a power shortfall. PLL has set April 24 (Friday) as the deadline for bids, which will be opened the same day, given the urgent need to meet power demand that fell short by more than 4,500MW at peak, resulting in six to seven hours of loadshedding. The tender was issued following Qatar’s reluctance to dispatch LNG cargoes stranded in the Gulf due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Three LNG cargoes meant for Pakistan had earlier returned from Hormuz for security reasons. All three tenders are for cargoes of 140,000 cubic metres each, to be delivered on a delivered ex-ship (DES) basis. Each cargo typically supplies around 100 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) to Pakistan. Last month, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) notified a massive 19–22 per cent increase in the price of regasified liquefi... -
Dawn - 07:33 Apr 23, 2026
Voting began on Thursday in two of India’s politically key opposition-held states, with tens of millions casting ballots in West Bengal and the southern Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling party in the national parliament, is hoping to make inroads in the opposition strongholds. In West Bengal, which has a population of over 100 million, polling opened in the first phase to elect members from 152 constituencies of the 294-seat legislative assembly. The second phase, covering the remaining 142 seats, will be held on April 29. “Nearly 36 million people are eligible to vote,” said Manoj Agarwal, the state’s chief electoral officer, adding that around 8,000 polling stations had been designated “supersensitive”. Modi’s BJP has waged an aggressive bid to dislodge West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the firebrand leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has been in power in the state since 2011. Banerjee’s party won 213 of the 294 seats in the ... -
Dawn - 05:41 Apr 23, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Road transport of petroleum crude and products to and from Attock Oil Refinery (ARL) was restored late last night with the support and intervention of Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and the General Headquarters (GHQ), the refinery’s management confirmed. A day earlier, the refinery was forced to shut down due to road closures. The refinery is the only such facility catering to the fuel requirements of almost all of central and northern Punjab, as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. ARL also provides Furnace Fuel Oil to independent power producers (IPPs) to help mitigate power shortages in the country. In a mandatory regulatory filing to Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on Wednesday, ARL reported that its main crude distillation plant with 32,0000 barrels of daily refining capacity has been shut down. It said it could not send out refined products or receive crude oil coming from oil fields. “We wish to... -
Dawn - 01:37 Apr 23, 2026
Manchester City ended Arsenal’s six-month stay on the Premier League summit and condemned Burnley to relegation with a laboured 1-0 victory at Turf Moor on Wednesday. Erling Haaland’s clinical finish after five minutes could have paved the way for a boost to City’s goal difference but they lacked a cutting edge as Burnley dug deep. Haaland hit the post and had other chances as City tried to give themselves a safety margin but Pep Guardiola’s side had to make do with a surprisingly narrow victory. After reeling Arsenal in they now lead the table on goals scored with both sides on 70 points from 33 games and with an identical goal difference of plus 37. For Scott Parker’s Burnley the inevitable has now become a reality as they are stuck on 20 points, 13 points behind the safety zone with only four games remaining. “We played a really good game, unfortunately we missed a lot of chances. We defended better in the second half. Second half we had less problems,” Guardiola, whose side face Southampton in the F... -
Dawn - 19:02 Apr 22, 2026
KARACHI: Interpol has issued a red notice for a fugitive Lyari gangster, Wasiullah Lakho, who is reportedly hiding abroad and wanted by Karachi police, South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn on Wednesday. A red notice is a request to law enforcement agencies by Interpol to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. DIG Raza said the Interpol secretariat in Lyon, France had issued the notice against Lakho on the request of Pakistani authorities. According to the notice, seen by Dawn, Lakho had been involved in murders, extortion and assault on police in Karachi. It said Lakho was wanted for prosecution in more than 60 cases of “heinous nature”. Among them, Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest in a 2014 case registered at Karachi’s Kalri police station under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of their duty), 324 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance o... -
Dawn - 17:57 Apr 22, 2026
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Wednesday that the Islamic republic appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to end the Middle East war, without commenting on a ceasefire extension announced by the United States. He expressed these views while answering reporters’ questions, a statement by Iran’s foreign ministry said, adding that Baqaei was asked about Pakistan’s request to extend a ceasefire agreed between Tehran and Washington on April 8. Iranian foreign ministry’s statement said that while “expressing gratitude for Pakistan’s gracious efforts and mediation attempts to end the imposed war and establish peace in the region”, Baqaei stressed that Tehran “is taking the necessary measures to safeguard Iran’s national interests and security”. He added that Iranian armed forces stood “ready to comprehensively and decisively defend the nation’s integrity against any threat or hostility”. When asked about the possibility of a second round of talks with the US, the statement said, Baqaei replied: “Di... -
Dawn - 17:00 Apr 22, 2026
Islamabad’s Red Zone remained sealed to the general public on Wednesday, but other routes in the twin cities, sealed earlier for the security of foreign delegations visiting the capital, were opened to the public, easing some hardship faced by the residents. US Vice President JD Vance and his team had been expected to arrive on Wednesday morning, but the White House abruptly changed plans, with Iran’s negotiating delegation also delaying a decision on attending talks. Major roads have been closed in recent days to facilitate the arrival of foreign delegations and advance teams. Markets were quiet, government officials worked from home, children attended classes online and security forces enforced strict curbs on entering the vast Red Zone. The security in the Red Zone, where government buildings and offices are located, remained high. There was a heavy deployment of law enforcement personnel and the army was patrolling the area. Public entry to the Red Zone has remained sealed since Sunday, with access restri... -
Dawn - 16:58 Apr 22, 2026
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday investigated Mohammad Nawaz for the alleged use of recreational drugs. The development came after ESPNcricinfo reported that the player had tested positive for recreational drug use. “ESPNcricinfo has learned that the positive result comes from testing during the T20 World Cup earlier this year,” the report added. It further added that Nawaz’s deal to join Surrey for the T20 Blast — set to run from May 26 to July 18 — in England had fallen through as a result. The report added that Surrey and the International Cricket Council (ICC) declined to comment on the matter. A spokesperson for the PCB said that the ICC had asked for Nawaz’s medical history to further investigate the incident, which the cricket board had complied with. The PCB spokesperson said that until the ICC issued a final decision, Nawaz would continue to play for the Multan Sultans in the ongoing Pakistan Super League. In the past, two pacers — Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif — had faced two-... -
Dawn - 14:50 Apr 22, 2026
KARACHI: The Sindh government has cancelled the construction contract for the long-delayed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project on University Road and will re-award it on an “emergency basis”, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon confirmed on Wednesday. The government cancelled the contract for the Mosamiyat–Numaish section of the project. The stalled construction on the Red Line resumed in November after the removal of several bottlenecks following the chief minister’s intervention, but there is still no clear timeline in sight for the project’s completion as thousands of University Road commuters continue to face daily hardships. Speaking to Dawn, Memon confirmed that the contract had been terminated due to delays in the project’s execution by the contractor. He said the contractor was issued several warnings to complete the work within the stipulated time, but failed to comply. The government, he added, tried its level best to accommodate the contractor by resolving issues related to rate escalation. M... -
Dawn - 14:36 Apr 22, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Amid public outcry over expensive power and excessive loadshedding, the government on Wednesday announced that it had unearthed expensive power purchases by distribution companies (Discos) outside the national grid at exorbitant rates in violation of the economic merit order. According to an official statement, the Discos were purchasing electricity from small power producers (SPPs) and captive power plants (CPPs) through bilateral contracts at higher rates than the national tariff, bypassing the national grid and the Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO). It added that the names of the Discos and the quantum of power purchasing were not disclosed to allow an independent inquiry to take its course. The statement said that Power Minister Awais Leghari took notice regarding the off-take of power from SPPs by Discos, exceeding the national merit order and ordered the initiation of an independent probe. “The matter was revealed during the stock-taking of Discos and ISMO,” it said. Per the state... -
Dawn - 14:07 Apr 22, 2026
ISLAMABAD: In an apparent push to modernise border control and cut wait time for travellers, Pakistan appears to be moving towards a “one-window” airport clearance system using e-gates and smart scanners, with a joint strategy by the Ministries of Defence and Interior coming under detailed discussion on Wednesday. The plan comes amid growing international passenger traffic and repeated complaints of congestion at major airports. In 2025, Pakistan handled 25.4 million domestic and international passengers, up 12 per cent year-on-year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data. On Wednesday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired a high-level meeting to address the dual challenge of facilitating outbound passengers while strengthening checks against human smuggling. The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha, Defence Secretary Lt Gen (Retd) Muhammad Ali, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) DG Dr Usman Anwar and other officials. ... -
Dawn - 13:27 Apr 22, 2026
Schools in India’s capital must ring regular bells to remind schoolchildren to drink water as the megacity gears up to face heatwave conditions, a new city order has said. Summer heat in the world’s most populous nation can be brutal — putting millions of people at risk, with nearly 11,000 people dying due to heat stroke between 2012 and 2021, according to government data. A heatwave in May 2024 in New Delhi saw temperatures match the capital’s previous record high: 49.2 degree Celsius clocked in 2022. That year was India’s hottest year since thorough records began in 1901, with sizzling temperatures following a global pattern of extreme weather driven by climate change. The temperature on Wednesday morning in New Delhi and the wider sprawling metropolitan region of 30 million residents was a relatively balmy 29.4 degree Celsius. But weather forecasters predict temperatures will hit 41-43 degree Celsius later on Wednesday, and rise to 42-44 degree Celsius later in the week. The India Meteorological Department... -
Dawn - 13:20 Apr 22, 2026
China has selected two Pakistani astronauts as candidates for its manned space programme, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday. Both will travel to China for training, and one will participate in a flight mission as a payload specialist and become the first foreign astronaut in China’s space station, CCTV said. Meanwhile, China Daily reported on Wednesday that the astronauts were identified as Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud. The report said the two had passed multiple rounds of selection procedures and will soon come to China to take part in spaceflight training. It quoted the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) as saying that the selection and training of Pakistani astronauts was a “landmark event in the history of China’s space industry”. Separately, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said the astronauts were set to depart for China to “begin advanced astronaut training at the Astronaut Centre...
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