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Dawn - 16:58 Oct 11, 2025
KP Assembly session summoned for Monday as Governor Kundi confirms receipt of Gandapur’s resignation
A session of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was summoned for October 13 to elect the next chief minister, as Governor Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed the receipt of Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation from the top provincial slot on Saturday. KPA Speaker Babar Saleem Swati posted the schedule for Monday’s session on his X account. It said the election for the next chief minister would be held on the date. On Wednesday, Gandapur said that he resigned from his role as the provincial chief executive, while the party’s general secretary, Salman Akram Raja, confirmed that party founder Imran Khan directed Sohail Afridi to assume the CM’s role. However, his resignation letter, which was shared with the media the previous night, had apparently gotten lost in red tape, with the Governor’s house denying having ever received it. “Today at 2:30 pm, the handwritten resignation advice of the CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was duly received and acknowledged by Governor House,” Kundi posted on X earlier today. “After thorough scrutiny and... -
Dawn - 16:24 Oct 11, 2025
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck close to Punjab’s Layyah on Saturday night, according to the Pakistan Meteoreological Department (PMD). The PMD said the quake occurred 50 kilometres east of Layyah at 7:54pm at a depth of 20km. Layyah Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Waseem Hayat told Dawn.com: “The earthquake was felt in the district but no emergency was reported.’’ Pakistan falls on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian — which create five seismic zones under the country. The intersection of multiple fault lines means that tectonic movements remain a frequent occurrence in the region. The development comes just days after jolts from an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 were felt in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chitral and Swat districts on Tuesday. A 5.0-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Quetta on Sunday evening. A 4.3-magnitude earthquake was recorded in KP last Saturday as well. -
Dawn - 16:02 Oct 11, 2025
Notorious gangster Khawaja Tareef Butt, alias Teefi Butt, was killed in an alleged gun battle with police in the early hours of Saturday in Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district. Police sources earlier stated that Teefi Butt had initially fled to Glasgow (UK) soon after the murder of Ameer Balaj Tipu. During the course of the investigation, police arrested Ameer Balaj’s close friend, Ahsan Shah, for giving information to Butt and his gangsters about the movement of his friend. More recently, Teefi Butt travelled to Dubai for renewal of his London visa after it expired, which ultimately led to his capture. The CCD had also formally requested the Lahore capital city police officer (CCPO) to transfer the investigation of the Ameer Balaj murder case to them. The case was originally registered at Chuhng Police Station. Ameer Balaj was killed during a marriage ceremony in February 2024. Teefi Butt and Aqeel Butt alias Gogi Butt were nominated in the case. Gogi Butt is currently out on bail and Teefi Butt was declared an... -
Dawn - 14:10 Oct 11, 2025
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a large military parade displaying its new intercontinental ballistic missile in front of visiting international dignitaries, state media KCNA said on Saturday. The parade, which began late on Friday, marked the 80th anniversary of the foundation of its ruling Workers’ Party and followed celebrations on Thursday. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev, as well as Vietnam’s Communist Party chief To Lam, were seen at Kim’s side at the parade, while other foreign dignitaries looked on. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches a military parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers Party, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released on October 11, by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency. —KCNA via Reuters In the military parade, nuclear-armed North Korea displayed its most advanced Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, described by KCNA as the country’s “strongest nuclear strategic wea... -
Dawn - 12:16 Oct 11, 2025
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday assailed the PTI-led KP government for “facilitating terrorists, sowing division, and undermining national security,” stressing that the sacrifices of Pakistanis in the fight against terrorism will not be in vain. The information minister’s remarks come a day after the spokesperson for the military’s media wing, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, without naming anyone, said the “state and its people will not and cannot be left to the whims of a single person deemed most responsible for bringing terrorism back to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” “In the past week alone, there have been several terrorist attacks which were bravely and courageously repelled by officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army,” Tarar said. Referring to PTI, he said during this time, there remains only one party, “Tehreek-i-Inteshaar” (movement of chaos) which has no concern for the sacrifices of our martyrs, no concern for the integrity of the country, and whose only interest is in “further d... -
Dawn - 11:49 Oct 11, 2025
Two terrorists were killed and two injured during an operation in the Hasan Khel tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Peshawar district, police said on Saturday. Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar Dr Mian Saeed told Dawn.com that three more terrorists had been intercepted and additional reinforcements dispatched for the operation. “Hasan Khel police, displaying courage, bravery and professionalism, have repelled the terrorist attack after a 2-hour fight,” he said in a statement. “The police used modern weapons like sniper guns during the encounter.” “There are fears that the terrorists may be killed during the exchange of fire, as the police thwarted their nefarious intentions through timely action,” the statement said, adding that heavy police force had been called in. Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities over the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. A day ago, two terrorists, including one reported to be the ... -
Dawn - 11:24 Oct 11, 2025
Six policemen, including trainees, were martyred and 13 others — 12 policemen and a civilian — were injured in a terrorist attack on the Police Training School in Dera Ismail Khan district, which security forces and law enforcement personnel successfully repelled, the military’s media wing said on Saturday. According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), on the night of October 10–11, assailants attempted to breach the perimeter of the Police Training School, but “their nefarious designs were swiftly foiled by the vigilant and resolute response of law enforcement personnel deployed on duty.” In their desperation, the attackers rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the gate of the complex, the statement added. “Displaying unwavering courage and professional excellence, police personnel engaged the intruders, eliminating three Khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij, the ISPR said, using the state-designated term for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “While corne... -
Dawn - 11:12 Oct 11, 2025
Pakistan captain Shan Masood believes taking 20 wickets, rather than piling up big scores, will be key to winning the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, as the hosts prepare spin-friendly conditions for the opener at the Gaddafi Stadium from Sunday. Speaking at the pre-series press conference at the venue on Saturday, Shan said Pakistan’s focus was on creating result-oriented pitches that suit their strengths. “We don’t want flat tracks where matches end in draws,” he remarked. “Sometimes you sacrifice runs to create situations where 20 wickets are possible.” The Pakistan skipper said the approach reflected lessons from the previous World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, where his side struggled to convert opportunities at home. “The idea is to use our home advantage wisely,” he added. The Gaddafi Stadium surface, hosting its first Test of the current WTC cycle from Sunday, is expected to offer assistance to spinners. Pakistan are likely to field up to three slow bowlers, with off-spinner Saji... -
Dawn - 11:11 Oct 11, 2025
The European Commission is scrutinising safeguards for minors on Snapchat, YouTube, the Apple App Store and Google Play under its Digital Services Act (DSA), it said on Friday. The Commission is asking the businesses to provide information on their age verification systems, as well as on how they prevent minors from accessing illegal products, including drugs and vapes, or harmful material, such as content promoting eating disorders. “Today, alongside national authorities in the member states, we are assessing whether the measures taken so far by the platforms are indeed protecting children,” EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said. Google, in response, said it had already put in place measures to ensure its platforms offered age-appropriate experiences and had “robust” controls for parents. “We keep expanding these efforts [and] continue to engage with the Commission on this critical area,” a Google spokesperson said. The DSA is an EU landmark law that requires online companies to do more to tackle illegal and ha... -
Dawn - 08:02 Oct 11, 2025
The Norwegian Nobel Institute will investigate whether leaks preceded Friday’s award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado because of suspicious betting. The odds of Machado winning the prize jumped from 3.75 per cent to nearly 73pc overnight Thursday to Friday on the predictive betting platform Polymarket. But no expert or media outlet had mentioned her being among the favourites for the prize, which was announced just a few hours later in Oslo. “You don’t normally see this in the betting market. It’s very suspicious,” Robert Naess, a data specialist, was quoted as saying by Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “I don’t think there have ever been any leaks in the entire history of the prize. I can’t imagine that’s the case,” Norwegian Nobel Committee Chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes told the NTB news agency. The institute will nevertheless investigate whether there could have been any leaks, its director, Kristian Berg Harpviken, said. “It’s too early to be categorical about the ex... -
Dawn - 07:53 Oct 11, 2025
Dazed survivors of a pair of major earthquakes in the southern Philippines awoke on Saturday to scenes of devastation, after hundreds of aftershocks rocked the region overnight. Many coastal residents of Mindanao island had slept outdoors, fearful of being crushed to death by aftershocks of the 7.4 and 6.7 magnitude quakes that struck off the coast within hours of each other on Friday. Philippine authorities said at least eight people were killed. Office of Civil Defence Information Officer Ezzra James Fernandez said there were no reported missing. “As to the initial assessment yesterday, the (infrastructure) damage is minimal,” Fernandez said, adding that road-clearing operations are ongoing and most roads are already passable. In Manay, a Mindanao municipality of 40,000 residents, people were removing debris and sweeping up broken glass from homes and other buildings Saturday morning. “Our small house and our small store were destroyed,” resident Ven Lupogan told AFP. “We have nowhere to sleep. There’s no e... -
Dawn - 07:33 Oct 11, 2025
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has left for the United States to participate in the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. The visit comes after a IMF mission concluded talks with Pakistani authorities on reviews of two lending programmes totalling $8.4 billion without announcing a staff-level agreement (SLA). A day earlier, the finance minister had expressed optimism that the SLA with the IMF would be finalised next week during his visit to Washington. According to the Radio Pakistan report, the minister will participate in more than 65 events, forums, ceremonies, and meetings during his six-day visit to the US. “During his visit, the finance minister will represent Pakistan at the plenary meetings of the IMF and the WB,” the report added. It further said that Aurangzeb would meet with senior officials from the IMF, the WB, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency... -
Dawn - 07:31 Oct 11, 2025
The fear of smog has already started lingering upon us. We are once again bracing ourselves to choke in our own neglect. Are we doomed to suffer every year, through climate change, mismanagement, broken promises, or is it just bad luck? In truth, it seems less a matter of fate and more the outcome of willful ignorance — an ignorance far from blissful, especially given that under Article 9 of Pakistan’s Constitution, the right to life inherently includes the right to a clean and healthy environment. Numbers tell the story This contradiction defines our new normal. For the past several winters, Pakistan has ranked as the third most polluted country in the world. Nowhere is this crisis more visible than in Lahore, the country’s second-largest city, where nearly 14 million residents are forced to breathe poison. It’s the most polluted city in the world and in the last five years, its air has met the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) minimum safety standards on only seven days. The World Bank (WB) and the Air Qual... -
Dawn - 07:24 Oct 11, 2025
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that Qatar will be allowed to build an air force facility at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho that will house F-15 fighter jets and pilots. The announcement comes soon after President Donald Trump signed an executive order vowing to defend the Gulf Arab state against attacks, following Israeli air strikes targeting Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital Doha. “We’re signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho,” Hegseth said at the Pentagon, with Qatari Defence Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani at his side. “The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training” as well as “increase lethality, interoperability,” he said. “It’s just another example of our partnership. And I hope you know, your excellency, that you can count on us.” The Idaho base currently also hosts a fighter jet squadron from Singapore, according to its website. Hegseth a... -
Dawn - 03:50 Oct 11, 2025
DERA MURAD JAMALI: A 10-year-old boy was killed and his younger brother seriously injured on Friday when a bomb exploded in the bypass area of Jaffarabad district, police said. Police said unknown miscreants had planted an explosive device at the zero point of the Dera Allahyar bypass. The device detonated as the brothers were passing, killing 10-year-old Zakir Ali Domki. His brother, identified as Siraj Ahmed Domki, was seriously injured in the blast. Authorities rushed to the site and transported the body and the injured boy to a district hospital. “Both brothers were passing through the area when a blast took place, which smashed the windowpanes of many shops and buildings,” SHO Javed Ahmed of Dera Allahyar police said. SHO Ahmed said it was not known who the intended target of the attack was, adding that a further investigation was in progress. Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2025 -
Dawn - 03:33 Oct 11, 2025
• Public-Private Partnership Policy Board approves transaction advisory services to outsource radiology and diagnostic lab services at two major public sector hospitals in Sindh • Okays elevated freight corridor to improve port connectivity • Accepts proposal of private firm to bring and operate 500 e-buses in Karachi and Hyderabad KARACHI: In what appears to be a decision that may adversely impact thousands of patients belonging to the lower strata of life, the Sindh government is planning to outsource radiology and diagnostic lab services at two major hospitals in the province, including the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and approved funds to hire “transaction advisers” for the purpose. A decision to this effect was taken at the 48th meeting of the Public-Private Partnership Policy (PPP) Board, chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, at the CM House on Friday. According to a press release, the policy board approved “funding to hire transaction advisors for the feasibility study and transaction a... -
Dawn - 03:29 Oct 11, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has acquitted a 74-year-old Christian man, who was diagnosed with a mental illness, of blasphemy charges after overturning the June 30, 2014 Lahore High Court’s (LHC) order confirming his death sentence. Authored by Justice Athar Minallah, a three-judge Supreme Court bench, while extending the benefit of doubt, ordered the acquittal of all charges against petitioner Anwar Keneth after accepting his jail plea but with a direction to release him if not required in any other case. In a nine-page judgement, the bench consisting of Justices Athar Minallah, Irfan Saadat Khan and Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan also expressed the expectation that the Pakistan Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) executive director, where the petitioner was being treated, will ensure continuation of his medical treatment. The blasphemy case against Mr Keneth was registered on Sept 25, 2001, by the Gawalmandi police for alleged offences under Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code. Bench says elderly suspect diagno... -
Dawn - 03:25 Oct 11, 2025
PESHAWAR: The political situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained in limbo on Friday after Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur departed the provincial capital for his hometown, with the fate of a resignation he tendered 48 hours earlier still unconfirmed. Mr Gandapur left for Dera Ismail Khan after saying farewell to his staff at the chief minister’s house, despite his resignation not yet being formally accepted by the province’s governor. In his first media interaction after resigning, Mr Gandapur had pressed for the swift acceptance of his resignation on Thursday night. He said any delay in the process would be detrimental to the province. However, the resignation cannot be processed until the governor reviews it. An official on Governor Faisal Karim Kundi’s staff told Dawn the governor was in Islamabad and not expected to return to Peshawar until Saturday (today). Withdrawal is pending as governor is out of town “The resignation letter may have arrived in mail but I could not say anything in this rega... -
Dawn - 02:45 Oct 11, 2025
LAHORE: Six security guards were injured when an attacker opened fire outside an Ahmadi community’s worship place in Chenab Nagar, Chiniot district, on Friday. Shortly after the shooting, two policemen deployed on the opposite side of the road retaliated and killed him. CCTV footage showed a suspect carrying a pistol approached the worship place, Baitul Mehdi, in Rabwah and opened fire on the security guards, who were volunteers from the community. Six guards were injured, but they managed to close the main gate of the worship place. The injured guards were shifted to a nearby hospital where four were reported to be stable while two remained critical. Police shifted the body of the attacker to the morgue. Attack condemned Ahmadi community spokesperson Aamir Mahmood condemned the attack, saying that continuous hate speeches were being made against the community. He urged the state to take notice of such hateful rhetoric and take strict action against those responsible. He demanded effective measures ... -
Dawn - 02:37 Oct 11, 2025
• Law enforcers use tear gas, barricades to contain procession • Dozens of personnel hurt; TLP alleges casualties from police firing • Trenches dug up to block marchers on G.T. Road; Chenab, Jhelum bridges sealed • Talal warns against violence or ‘mob blackmail’ • ATC grants 12-day remand for 110 TLP activists LAHORE: The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) began marching towards Islamabad after Friday prayers, with a large number of supporters reaching Shahdara and staging a sit-in after clashes with police, partially paralysing the provincial capital. The law enforcers repeatedly tried to contain the procession near the group’s headquarters by erecting barricades and containers and using tear gas and other crowd-control measures. In the Gujrat district, local authorities on Friday night dug up trenches at least three locations along the G.T. Road to block the march headed towards Islamabad. However, the TLP, led by its chief Saad Rizvi, not only managed to take out the main procession in Lahore as part of its ...
7421 items