Dawn
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Dawn - 19:01 Apr 21, 2026
The Israeli military on Tuesday said two soldiers would receive 30 days of military detention and be removed from combat duty over the destruction of a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon. The decision comes after widespread condemnation of a photo shared online showing an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a statue of the crucifix. The sculpture was located in the Christian village of Debl in south Lebanon, near the border with Israel. Publishing the conclusions of an inquiry into the incident, the military said: “The soldier who damaged the Christian symbol and the soldier who photographed the act will be removed from combat duty and will receive 30 days of military detention”. It said six additional soldiers who “were present at the scene and did not act to stop the incident or report it” had been summoned for “clarification discussions”. Israel has conducted airstrikes across Lebanon and invaded the country’s south after Hezbollah entered the Middle East war on March 2. The fightin... -
Dawn - 18:43 Apr 21, 2026
Downing Street on Tuesday denied a claim from a former official that it had applied pressure on civil servants to approve the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK envoy to Washington and seemed to dismiss security concerns. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer remained mired in a scandal over his decision to appoint Mandelson as Britain’s envoy to the United States before sacking him last year over links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Olly Robbins, the most senior foreign ministry official until he was fired last week over the scandal, told MPs on Tuesday that Starmer’s office had a “dismissive attitude” towards the security vetting for its US envoy pick. There was a “very strong expectation … coming from Number 10 (Downing Street) that he (Mandelson) needed to be in post and in America as quickly as humanly possible”, Robbins told a watchdog parliamentary committee. “My office, the foreign secretary’s office, were under constant pressure, there was an atmosphere of constant chasing.” A Downing... -
Dawn - 17:45 Apr 21, 2026
Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hassan Waqar Cheema refuted on Tuesday a notification that claimed a local holiday had been announced in the garrison city for April 22 (Wednesday). “This notification circulating on social media is fake,” the DC said on X, sharing a photo of the order, which stated that he had declared a “local holiday in the territorial jurisdiction of Rawalpindi on April 22”. Dismissing it, the DC urged the public “to rely only on official sources for authentic information”. On Sunday, Islamabad DC Irfan Nawaz Memon also dismissed as fake a notification announcing that all public and private offices in the federal capital and Rawalpindi would remain closed from April 20 until further notice. The developments take place as authorities take several measures in anticipation of hosting US-Iran talks in Islamabad. In Rawalpindi, some roads have been closed, and many universities and schools have also been shut while others remain open. -
Dawn - 16:04 Apr 21, 2026
KARACHI: Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Samiullah Soomro said on Tuesday that four suspects who had been involved in leaking matric exams had been arrested. Speaking to Dawn, Soomro said that Karachi Additional Inspector General of Police (IGP) Azad Khan and Commissioner Syed Hasan Naqvi had tasked law enforcement agencies (LEAs) with reducing cheating during the ongoing matriculation exams. He said the agencies identified at least eight WhatsApp groups where conversations involved in leaking exams. He said that acting on a tip-off, the SIU conducted raids in different areas and arrested four suspects, including Mobin Khan, who was a final-year student of cybersecurity. During the investigation, Khan revealed that at least 13 WhatsApp groups were created for this purpose, with each group having 1,000 students, the official said. He added that the suspect charged between Rs800 to Rs1,200 per student and earned Rs250,000 in a short span of time. Khan used a United King... -
Dawn - 15:35 Apr 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will be working with the minimal staff at its principal seat in Islamabad on Wednesday, while no judicial work will be conducted at the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) in the capital for a second consecutive day. The developments come as extraordinary security measures have been put in place for the anticipated second round of US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, expected to be held this week. The measures also include restricted entry to the high-security Red Zone, where both the courts are located. The SC issued a notification on Tuesday, stating that the chief justice of Pakistan “shall function with minimal specified officers/ officials on April 22”. “However, the remaining officers/ officials shall work from home and shall remain in contact with their immediate supervising officers by keeping themselves connected through cell phone,” it added. The notification also said that “no adverse order shall be passed in case of non-appearance of any party or advocate in any case of Is... -
Dawn - 15:19 Apr 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said on Tuesday that Pakistan had sufficient medicine stocks to meet demand for the next five to six months. “Despite ongoing international challenges, the health ministry and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), in close coordination with the pharmaceutical industry, have taken timely and effective measures to safeguard medicine supplies,” Kamal said, while chairing a meeting to review the availability of medicines and the national supply chain. The health minister said that proactive steps ensured the uninterrupted availability of medicines across Pakistan. “Pakistan currently holds sufficient medicine stocks to meet demand for the next five to six months,” he noted. Kamal reassured the public that, despite the prevailing global situation due to the conflict in the Middle East, there would be no shortage of medicines. “The health ministry and Drap are maintaining strict oversight to ensure continuous supply, while the government remains fully committed t... -
Dawn - 13:48 Apr 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday halted the by-election for the vacant Senate seat of PTI leader Murad Saeed and issued a stay order after a petition challenged the legality of the de-notification process, adjourning further proceedings. A three-member bench of the ECP heard the petition regarding the matter and issued notices to all concerned parties. During the hearing, the lawyer for petitioner MPA Jalal Khan appeared before the commission and stated that Saeed had been elected senator but did not take the oath of office. He argued, “Since Saeed did not take the oath, questions arise over how he was de-notified as a member,” adding that a person is considered a member of the house only after taking the oath. The petitioner’s counsel further requested the ECP to postpone the by-election and remove the existing ambiguity in the matter. After hearing the arguments, the ECP accepted the request and put the scheduled April 23 by-election on hold, issuing a stay order and adjournin... -
Dawn - 13:29 Apr 21, 2026
KARACHI: A young doctor died of multiple gunshot wounds in a suspected targeted attack near the city’s Mehran Hotel late on Monday night, police said on Tuesday. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that Dr Sarang Memon was travelling in a rickshaw along with his wife, also a doctor at a private hospital, on Stadium Road. According to Raza, they were on their way to an apartment near the Karachi Press Club when suspects travelling in a car intercepted them at Dr Dawood Pota Road near Mehran Hotel. They fired multiple shots and fled. The victim sustained four gunshot wounds and was taken to the nearby Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) at 11:30pm, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment 20 minutes later, said police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed. One bullet to the chest proved fatal, she added. The DIG said the Crime Scene Unit had been called to collect evidence from the spot, and that CCTV footage was being collected. He added that during the initial probe, it was trans... -
Dawn - 13:15 Apr 21, 2026
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX)’s benchmark index KSE-100 gained over 959.09 points on Tuesday amid mounting geopolitical uncertainty. KSE-100 gained 959.09 points or 0.56 per cent to close at 173,155.79 from the previous close of 172,196.70 points. The KSE-100 rose to an intraday high of 175,298.11 at around 10:27am, then declined to an intraday low of 172,837.79 points at 3:17pm, before settling at 173,155.79. Trading began on a positive note, with the index gaining as many as 3,100 points, before slipping slightly while remaining in the green. According to Topline Securities, the stock market witnessed a “highly volatile session” amid “mounting geopolitical uncertainty”. “Market participants remained fixated on the anticipated second round of negotiations between the US and Iran, expected to commence in Pakistan, while conflicting signals and rising tensions kept sentiment on edge,” Topline Securities said in its daily market review. However, it added that “despite the jittery backdrop, the benchmark ind... -
Dawn - 12:44 Apr 21, 2026
Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR is ready to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Pakistan as soon as it receives a request from Islamabad, the company told Reuters on Tuesday, as Islamabad seeks spot cargoes to ease a growing energy shortfall. SOCAR said a framework agreement signed in 2025 between SOCAR Trading and Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) allows the Pakistani buyer to purchase LNG cargoes directly under an accelerated procedure. “SOCAR is ready to provide LNG to Pakistan as soon as PLL submits a corresponding request,” the company said in response to Reuters questions. SOCAR did not say whether such a request had already been made, when a first delivery could take place, or whose LNG would be supplied under the agreement. Pakistan, which relies heavily on gas for its energy needs, remains vulnerable to declining domestic production and swings in global LNG prices amid the supply disruptions related to the US-Israeli war on Iran. Facing criticism over loadshedding even before t... -
Dawn - 12:13 Apr 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Around 3.3 million jobs may have been affected by the 2025 floods in Pakistan, according to an assessment conducted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The ILO — a specialised United Nations agency — announced on Tuesday that it had undertaken an employment and livelihoods loss assessment for 14 of the worst-affected districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the ILO, the assessment showed that the majority of employment losses and disruptions were borne by the nine flood-affected districts in Punjab. It further indicated that rural areas accounted for nearly 78 per cent of the total estimated employment losses, with agriculture emerging as the most affected sector, followed by services and industry. According to the statement, the assessment was in support of the review and validation by the Preliminary Assessment of 2025 Flood Damages, a collective exercise supported by the United Nations, Asian Development Bank, European Union, and the World Bank, with the United Natio... -
Dawn - 11:34 Apr 21, 2026
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday said the government was actively pursuing a diversified capital markets strategy, aimed at strengthening external buffers and ensuring sustainable financing. He made the remarks during a meeting with European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis, the finance ministry said in a post on the social media platform X. The minister underscored Pakistan’s steady return to macroeconomic stability and renewed engagement with international capital markets, highlighting “growing investor confidence and the government’s commitment to a structured and forward-looking economic reform agenda”. “He noted that Pakistan has recently re-entered international capital markets after a four-year hiatus through a privately placed Eurobond transaction, which witnessed strong investor interest and was successfully upsized,” the ministry said. It added that Aurangzeb emphasised that “this milestone reflects improving economic fundamentals and signals a positive trajectory f... -
Dawn - 11:20 Apr 21, 2026
The Pakistan Navy conducted a successful test of the indigenously developed ‘Taimoor’ air-launched cruise missile, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the “Pakistan Navy has conducted successful live weapon firing of Taimoor air-launched cruise missile — an indigenously developed Anti-Ship Weapon System — in a powerful demonstration of precision strike capability and operational readiness”. ISPR said that the cruise missile “executed its mission with exceptional precision, validating Pakistan Navy’s combat capability to detect, target and decisively neutralise enemy sea-based threats at extended ranges”. @dawn.today The Pakistan Navy conducted a successful test of the indigenously developed ‘Taimoor’ air-launched cruise missile, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the “Pakistan Navy has conducted successful live weapon firing of Taimoor air-launched cruise missile — an indigenously developed... -
Dawn - 11:19 Apr 21, 2026
As springtime temperatures rise in Gaza, a surge in rats, fleas and other pests has compounded the misery of hundreds of thousands of displaced people still living in tents after more than two years of war. With meagre shelter and almost no sanitation, Palestinians told AFP the vermin are invading their makeshift homes, biting children and contaminating food, in what aid agencies warned was a growing public health threat. “My children have been bitten. One of my sons was even bitten on the nose,” said Muhammad al-Raqab, a displaced Palestinian man living in a tent near the southern city of Khan Yunis. “I am unable to sleep through the night because I must constantly watch over the children,” the 32-year-old construction worker, originally from Bani Shueila, told AFP. With shelters erected directly on soft sand by the Mediterranean Sea, rodents can easily burrow under tent walls and wreak havoc inside, where people have established makeshift pantries and kitchens. “The rodents have eaten through my tent,” Raqa... -
Dawn - 11:06 Apr 21, 2026
Around 7,900 people died or disappeared on migration routes in 2025, taking the total dead and missing since 2014 beyond 80,000, the United Nations’ migration agency said on Tuesday. The UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said people were being forced into dangerous, irregular journeys when safe pathways were out of reach, and urged countries to find the political will to save more lives on migration routes. “The deaths or disappearance of nearly 7,900 people were documented on global migration routes worldwide in 2025,” the IOM said. The IOM’s Missing Migrants Project “has documented more than 80,000 deaths and disappearances during migration since 2014”, the agency said. “While these figures represent only the lowest boundary of the true number of affected people, they nonetheless underscore the need for urgent action to end migrant deaths and address the complex needs of families left behind,” said the IOM. The IOM said the 7,904 deaths and disappearances documented in 2025 “mark a continu... -
Dawn - 10:40 Apr 21, 2026
• US team heading to Islamabad today; Iran also ‘considering’ sending negotiators • Trump extends ceasefire by a day, says further extension ‘highly unlikely’ • Pezeshkian criticises ‘bitter, contradictory’ messages from US; Iran speaker says engaged in talks but also ready for ‘necessary measures’ • PM Shehbaz, European Council president stress continuation of dialogue; Dar speaks to Iranian, Australian counterparts • Xi tells Saudi crown prince ‘normal traffic’ thru Hormuz must be maintained • Moscow hopes talks will continue; Macron denounces Hormuz blockade • Unprecedented security deployment in Islamabad ahead of expected talks ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: With the ceasefire between Iran and the US set to expire tomorrow (Wednesday), a US delegation is expected to head to Islamabad today (Tuesday), while Tehran also appeared open to sending its team for the second round of peace talks. CNN reported that Vice President JD Vance and other top US officials were expected to depart for Islamabad on Tuesday, while ... -
Dawn - 09:50 Apr 21, 2026
Japan on Tuesday unveiled its biggest overhaul of defence export rules in decades, scrapping restrictions on overseas arms sales and opening the way for exports of warships, missiles and other weapons. The move aimed at strengthening Japan’s defence industrial base marks another step away from the pacifist restraints that have shaped its postwar security policy. It has been made in tandem with efforts to deepen ties with other nations in Asia to counter China’s growing regional influence. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are also straining US weapons production, expanding opportunities for Japan. At the same time, US allies in Europe and Asia are looking to diversify suppliers as Washington’s long-held security commitments look less certain under President Donald Trump. “No single country can now protect its own peace and security alone, and partner countries that support each other in terms of defence equipment are necessary,” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a post on X. While countries suc... -
Dawn - 08:23 Apr 21, 2026
The Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) on Tuesday extended its airspace ban for Indian aircraft for another month until May 24, marking a year of flight restrictions on India’s airlines. “Pakistani airspace will remain closed to Indian-registered aircraft, or Indian airlines/operators (including military flights),” a PAA Notice to Airmen (Notam) said. “This ban will now be effective till May 24, 2026 at 4:59am.” Pakistan’s airspace is divided into two flight information regions (FIRs) — Karachi and Lahore, according to a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) document from 2022. The Notam applies to both the Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) FIRs. The Notam issued by Pakistan for barring Indian flights in its airspace till May 24, 2026. — PAA website The previous extension was set to expire on April 24. India and Pakistan have closed their airspaces to each other’s airlines since late April 2025, when tensions between them escalated in the wake of a deadly attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. On April... -
Dawn - 06:02 Apr 21, 2026
KARACHI: State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiani has said that proposals for relief to the salaried class and measures to broaden the tax base by bringing retail and wholesale sectors into the tax net would be considered in the upcoming budget formulation process. He said the government values constructive input from chambers of commerce and industry stakeholders during ongoing budget consultations. While reviewing proposals submitted by the Overseas Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) during a meeting on April 19, the minister acknowledged the importance of maintaining an investment-friendly fiscal environment. He assured foreign investors that the government recognises the need to streamline the tax structure to support economic growth. OICCI emphasised the need for a more equitable tax framework in which all segments of the economy — including agriculture, retail and wholesale trade, real estate, and services — contribute proportionately to national revenues. The chamber recommended reducing the ... -
Dawn - 05:56 Apr 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The year 2025 saw 358 natural hazard-related disasters, resulting in over 16,000 fatalities, affecting 110.2 million people and causing $169.68 billion in economic losses, according to Emergency Events Database maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (Cred) at one of the oldest universities in Europe. The Cred at the University of Louvain in Belgium provides data on significant disasters to support research, humanitarian action, evidence-based decision-making in disaster preparedness and response, and disaster risk reduction. The database also helps assess community vulnerability and inform policy priorities. Asia accounted for a disproportionately large share of disaster-related deaths, due largely to major earthquakes in Myanmar and Afghanistan. The year was also marked by a record-breaking drought in Syria, which left 80 per cent of the population in need of assistance; and by the Palisades and Eaton Fires, which ranked among the costliest wildfires ever recorded, ...
12682 items