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Dawn - 21:06 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to return $3.5 billion in debt to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before the end of this month, a senior Pakistani official said on Friday. The official described the move as a cost the country was willing to bear to uphold “national dignity,” even as it is set to significantly draw down foreign exchange reserves. The official disclosed that Abu Dhabi had sought the immediate return of the amount. “The amount will be returned as soon as possible,” the official said, adding that “national dignity could not be compromised for financial considerations”. These funds were part of external financing support extended by the UAE in 2019 to help stabilise Pakistan’s balance of payments. The official said the decision had ended the uncertainty surrounding the deposits placed through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, which had been rolled over multiple times since 2019. In recent months, the extensions had become as shorter as month long, reflecting Emirati unease over the continuati... -
Dawn - 19:46 Apr 03, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Friday that the government was reducing the petrol levy by Rs80 per litre, after which the commodity would be available to the end consumer for Rs378 per litre. He said the new price would take effect at 12am on Saturday. The premier said this in a televised address to the nation a day after the government announced an unprecedented increase of 43 per cent and 55pc in the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD), respectively. Petroleum levy rates were adjusted to limit the increase in diesel prices — which stand at RsRs520.35 — and its impact on transportation and freight costs. The levy on petrol was increased to Rs160 per litre from Rs105, while it was reduced to zero on diesel from Rs55, sources had told Dawn. Consequently, the petrol price had increased to Rs458 per litre. The premier said after the reduction in levy, the petrol price would now reduce to Rs378 per litre and would remain unchanged for at least one month. The new price would be effective acros... -
Dawn - 17:16 Apr 03, 2026
An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale jolted parts of the country on Friday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The PMD said that the quake struck at 9:13pm at a depth of 190km, with the Hindu Kush Region in Afghanistan as its epicentre. It said the shocks were felt in Islamabad, Chitral, Peshawar, Swat and Shangla. According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences, which uses the Moment Magnitude scale, an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 struck Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region at a depth of 177 km. According to DawnNewsTV, tremors were also felt in Rawalpindi, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and parts of Punjab. Meanwhile, the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) also said that tremors were also felt in Lahore, Mianwali, Jhang, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Pothohar region, Sargodha and other districts in the province. In a statement, it said that no loss of life or property was reported. The PDMA in KP also said that tremors were felt in multiple dist... -
Dawn - 17:04 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A 90-point agenda could not be taken up in the National Assembly (NA) on Friday amid a protest by the opposition over an unprecedented increase of 43 per cent and 55pc in the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD), respectively. The increase, which has led to the petrol price being set at Rs458.4 per litre and HSD price at Rs520.35 per litre, was announced late on Thursday night against the backdrop of a global fuel crunch resulting from the ongoing war in the Middle East. As the opposition protested the decision in the NA, Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah, who was presiding over the proceedings, had to adjourn the sitting without the House transacting any business. The NA was supposed to take up a 90-point agenda, including a question hour, a calling attention notice on the change in net metering policy for solar prosumers and several bills. But none of these matters was addressed, with the opposition beginning a noisy protest even before the question hour — the first item on the agenda. D... -
Dawn - 16:08 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Coordinated by the Centre, the provincial governments will now be taking the lead in administering subsidised fuel quotas to motorcyclists, farmers and transporters, involving a fiscal impact of around Rs65-70 billion per month. On Thursday night, while announcing an unprecedented hike in the prices of petroleum products, the federal government had also announced targeted relief measures for motorcyclists, small farmers and transporters. To ensure national uniformity, the provincial chief ministers and their teams were in elaborate discussions on the nitty-gritty with the Centre over the past week. Based on that, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced Rs70,000, Rs80,000 and Rs100,000 per month to food transport vehicles, large trucks and public service buses, respectively. In addition, support of Rs1,500 per acre was also announced for small farmers, given the central priority to minimise food inflation. The announcements were based on elaborate datasets from the provincial governments and t... -
Dawn - 14:28 Apr 03, 2026
United States President Donald Trump asked lawmakers on Friday to approve a massive $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, as the country faces rising costs from its war on Iran and mounting global security commitments. The proposal would lift Pentagon spending by more than 40 per cent in a single year — the sharpest increase since World War II — as Washington seeks to sustain military operations and rebuild depleted weapons stockpiles. The request highlights the growing financial pressure of a conflict now in its fifth week, and sets up a political battle in Congress over how to fund a dramatic expansion of military spending. US media — citing closed-door congressional briefings — have reported that the Iran war could be costing as much as $2 billion per day, underscoring the scale of the burden even before longer-term reconstruction and resupply costs are factored in. To offset part of the increase, the administration is proposing around $73bn in cuts to non-defence spending — roughly 10pc — targeting a ran... -
Dawn - 14:22 Apr 03, 2026
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Friday said that the prices of petroleum products had increased due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, adding that the government “has nothing to do with it”. His remarks come a day after an unprecedented increase of 43 per cent and 55pc in the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD), respectively, to cushion the impact of global oil price shocks amid the US-Israel war on Iran. The decision was heavily criticised by the government’s opponents. In a televised address, Sanaullah said that there was no example of such an increase in global petroleum prices in the past. “This rise is also hitting Pakistan, that’s why we increased petrol and diesel prices yesterday,” he said. He said that before announcing the hike in prices, the government undertook major austerity measures. “The government spent Rs129 billion and didn’t allow the burden to pass on to the public for the past three weeks,” he said. However, this could not go on forever, he sa... -
Dawn - 13:44 Apr 03, 2026
The Sindh and Punjab governments announced a host of relief measures on Friday, a day after the Centre announced an unprecedented increase of 43 per cent and 55pc in the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD), respectively, to cushion the impact of global oil price shocks amid the US-Israel war on Iran. The Sindh government also announced support for small-scale farmers and transporters. Meanwhile, the Punjab government said it was making public transport free, introducing a targeted monthly subsidy for transporters, a diesel subsidy for wheat-growing farmers and a subsidy for motorcyclists. At the same time, public transport in the federal capital was also made free for the next 30 days, starting from Saturday. Sindh announces fuel subsidy for motorcyclists In a press conference in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced the Sindh government will provide motorcyclists Rs2,000 as part of a fuel subsidy under a scheme unveiled by the federal government a day earlier. At the outset of the p... -
Dawn - 13:19 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, on Friday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking the urgent fixation of their appeals to set aside the conviction in the Toshakhana I case and to suspend the sentence in the £190 million corruption case, citing “inordinate delays” and “dilatory tactics” by the prosecution. On March 31, the IHC adjourned the hearing of the suspension of sentence applications filed by Imran and Bushra in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case after the defence counsel sought time to obtain fresh instructions from his clients. In a series of petitions filed under Section 561-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the couple has also requested that the court direct the jail authorities to facilitate unhindered meetings with their legal team for necessary consultations. The petitioners, in their appeal filed today, sought the early fixation of appeals of the couple against conviction for final adjudication. These appeals challenged the judgment de... -
Dawn - 13:14 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday withdrew the increase in toll taxes, freezing all adjustments for the current fiscal year, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Pakistan Railways not to increase fares for any class. The decision regarding toll taxes was taken in a high-level review meeting of the National Highway Authority (NHA), chaired by Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, to align national infrastructure goals with immediate public relief. “Acting on the special directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the minister used the session to officially rescind the 25 per cent quarterly increase in toll taxes, freezing all adjustments for the 2025-26 fiscal year,” it said. According to state-run APP, the minister directed the NHA to withdraw its notification issued on April 1 and halt the increase that was scheduled to take effect from April 5. A notification by the NHA to this effect was also shared by the communications ministry on the social media platform X. On March 24, APP had... -
Dawn - 12:20 Apr 03, 2026
China called on Friday for Palestinians’ rights to be protected after Israel approved a bill to allow the execution of Palestinians convicted on terror charges for deadly attacks. Under the new law, passed by Israel’s parliament on Monday, Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted by military courts of carrying out deadly attacks classified as “terrorism” will face the death penalty as a default sentence. “The legal rights of the Palestinian people should be respected and protected,” China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said when asked about the bill at a press briefing on Friday. “We also hope relevant parties will cease actions that escalate tensions and exacerbate conflict,” she said, without mentioning Israel by name. “China believes that any law should fulfil legal principles such as equality and justice and should not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion or nationality or political views,” Mao added. A host of countries have criticised the bill, which was supported by Israeli... -
Dawn - 12:04 Apr 03, 2026
The impact of the ongoing US-Iran war on ordinary Pakistani households and business is already being felt. With petrol at Rs458 per litre and diesel at over Rs520, citizens are going to be facing real challenges once more. For a country that only recently suffered inflation rates that peaked at 40 per cent, this conflict could not have come at a worse time. But the crisis can also be an opportunity for Pakistan, and given the bottom-up solar revolution the country has experienced over the last few years, the building blocks are already there for the country to be future ready. Before getting into how this can be done, one must acknowledge that the government’s decision to pass on the price increase was the right call. In a country with limited fiscal space, broad-based subsidies are a luxury Islamabad simply cannot afford. A prolonged subsidy program would hurt, not benefit, households and businesses because of the inflationary pressures that would have been created by an expanding fiscal deficit funded by cr... -
Dawn - 11:03 Apr 03, 2026
Dozens of countries sought ways to restart vital energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after US President Donald Trump vowed more aggressive attacks on Iran, sending oil prices higher again and deepening strain on consumers. After speculation proved untrue that Trump might discuss ending the war in a speech on Wednesday, the president persisted with threats on Thursday, saying in a social media post: “IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE”. He also posted video of the US bombing a newly constructed bridge on Thursday between Tehran and the major northwest suburb of Karaj. The B1 bridge was scheduled to open to traffic this year. According to Iran’s state media, eight people were killed and 95 others were wounded in the US attack. “Striking civilian structures, including unfinished bridges, will not compel Iranians to surrender,” Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a statement. In the speech on Wednesday night, Trump repeated his threats against Iran’s civilian po... -
Dawn - 10:25 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The country’s first National Forensic Agency formally began operation on Friday, the Ministry of Interior said. The agency was established under the “The National Forensic Agency Bill, 2024”, which was passed into law in 2024. In a statement on X, the ministry said that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the headquarters on Friday, expressing hope that “the institution will assist in national security matters and curtailing crime”. The minister, during his visit, said that the agency will provide support to law enforcement agencies across Pakistan, directing the NFA to establish offices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. He also directed that the services provided by the agency should be “widely publicised”. Director General NFA Hasnaat Rasool briefed the interior minister on the agency’s progress, informing that the “first phase” had been completed. He informed Naqvi that the agency was providing services “in the field of digital forensics, including deepfake fo... -
Dawn - 08:10 Apr 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has “surrendered Rs472.1 million” to the treasury as part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s austerity measures, said a statement by the NA Secretariat on Friday. The statement said that austerity measures in the lower house were being carried out under the directives of NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. “In compliance with austerity directives and in support of prudent governance, the secretariat has effected a Rs21 million reduction in the salaries of Members of the National Assembly, which has been deposited into the Prime Minister’s Austerity Fund 2026 to further contribute to national financial resources,” added the statement. The development came after PM Shehbaz announced a host of austerity measures to conserve fuel in view of the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. As part of the contingency plan, the government introduced wide-ranging steps to reduce fuel consumption, including a four-day working week for government offices, a 50 per cent reduction in fue... -
Dawn - 07:28 Apr 03, 2026
BANNU: A suicide car bomb attack at the Domel Police Station in Bannu killed at least five civilians, while 13 others were injured, including one policeman. Among the deceased are a husband, wife, daughter, and son from the same family. The explosion occurred when an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into the rear side of the police station, triggering a massive blast followed by an exchange of gunfire. The intensity of the explosion was so powerful that it was heard miles away. According to initial reports, the blast completely destroyed the sentry post of the police station, while a large portion of the building was reduced to rubble. Citizens engage in relief activities on Friday morning after the suicide bombing. — Photo by author The explosion also caused severe damage to nearby residential areas, with multiple houses collapsing and several people trapped under the debris. According to Rescue 1122, the injured were immediately shifted to nearby hospitals, where some are reported to be in critical condition... -
Dawn - 06:50 Apr 03, 2026
The Met Office said on Friday that there is no chance of rain in Karachi today, following torrential rain in the city a day earlier caused by a strong westerly system. “There are no chances of rain today in Karachi,” said Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Spokesperson Nazir Zaighum. Rain-related fatalities rose to six overnight after one more person died from electrocution in the Gulistan-i-Jauhar area of the city, said rescue services. At least five people were killed on Thursday as heavy rain lashed the metropolis, while the city administration declared an emergency. According to police and rescue officials, the deaths occurred in separate incidents: four people died due to electrocution while a fifth was killed due to a wall collapse amid the heavy rainfall. Vehicles travel along a road in Karachi amid heavy rain on April 2. — White Star According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the minimum temperature in Karachi on Friday was recorded at 16 degrees Celsius, with the maximum tempera... -
Dawn - 05:43 Apr 03, 2026
Four Artemis astronauts were zooming towards the Moon on Friday after a major engine firing, a milestone that commits NASA to the first crewed lunar flyby in more than half a century. With enough thrust to accelerate a stationary car to highway driving speed in less than three seconds, the Orion capsule engine blasted the astronauts on their trajectory towards the Moon, which they will now loop as part of the 10-day Artemis 2 mission. In the moments that followed what the US space agency dubbed a “flawless” firing that lasted just under six minutes, astronaut Jeremy Hansen said that “humanity has once again shown what we are capable of.” The astronauts said they were “glued to the window” taking pictures, and later passed a floating microphone back and forth as they took questions from US television networks. They said the spacecraft was a little chilly and they were still making it a home, but the crew was all smiles. NASA’s Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System (SLS) r... -
Dawn - 04:51 Apr 03, 2026
WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has abruptly forced Army Chief of Staff General Randy George into immediate retirement amid the ongoing war with Iran, multiple US media outlets reported on Friday. The outlets described the move as one of the most consequential Pentagon leadership upheavals in decades. The decision also included the removal of General David Hodne, head of the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, and Major General William Green, chief of the Army Chaplain Corps, in actions first reported by The Washington Post and later confirmed by CBS News and other organisations. The ouster cuts short General George’s tenure roughly one and a half years into what is typically a four-year term and comes as US forces enter the fifth week of active operations against Iran. CBS News quoted US defence officials as saying that Hegseth wanted leadership more closely aligned with President Donald Trump’s and his own vision for the Army. George’s removal breaks with tradition and underscores grow... -
Dawn - 04:28 Apr 03, 2026
PESHAWAR: Senior police officials on Thursday claimed that suspects in the Dr Asif Malik gun attack case had been identified and would soon be arrested. “We have traced the persons who opened fire on urologist Dr Malik. They have been identified and we are closing in on them,” a senior police official told Dawn. He said that the motive behind the attack was still not known and the further details of the case would be made public after the suspects were arrested and interrogated. Urologist Dr Malik was reported to be in stable condition at a hospital after coming under fire close to his residence in the University Town area here on Tuesday night. After the attack, Dr Malik, a pioneer of kidney transplantation in the province, was shifted to the Peshawar General Hospital by his driver and remained under treatment in the intensive care unit. His condition is said to be stable. On Wednesday, senior police officials claimed that the “Dr Malik attack case has almost 80 per cent been concluded.” An official told Daw...
8986 items