Dawn
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Dawn - 08:12 Apr 11, 2026
Since the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28, Pakistan’s top civilian leadership has leaned on backchannel and direct telephonic diplomacy, using a steady stream of phone calls to position Islamabad as a bridge between Washington and Tehran. From the first day of the conflict, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif began reaching out to Gulf leaders, condemning regional escalation and showing solidarity. In the weeks that followed, both the premier and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expanded that outreach, holding repeated conversations with counterparts in Tehran, Gulf capitals, and key regional players. Here is a timeline of the calls made by Pakistan’s leadership since the conflict began.
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Dawn - 05:01 Apr 11, 2026
RAWALPINDI: The district administration declared Saturday as a public holiday in Rawalpindi in view of the US-Iran dialogue in Islamabad. Earlier, the administration observed April 9 and 10 as public holidays and on Friday it extended it for another day. Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema told Dawn that the government had decided to declare public holiday in the district in relation to the security arrangements for the delegates in Islamabad. He said all emergency departments and institutions will remain operational. Hospitals and other services will also remain operational. Meanwhile, the district administration asked traders to close all bazaars and commercial outlets and petrol filing stations in some selected area like Murree Road, Airport Road and Peshawar Road to close their outlets on Friday and Saturday. Due to the security measures, the movement of residents will also be restricted to their localities. “The petrol filling stations on Murree Road, Airport Road and Peshawar Road have been close... -
Dawn - 04:58 Apr 11, 2026
Opposition and treasury members exchange punches during the City Council session on Friday.—PPI • Treasury and opposition councillors fight over seating dispute • Mayor Wahab claims JI ‘spoiled the atmosphere’ • Opposition leader blames PPP for ‘hooliganism’ • House passes 13 resolutions after JI’s walkout KARACHI: A violent brawl erupted at the City Council session on Friday as members of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and opposition Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) clashed in a chaotic showdown with members trading blows and kicks, and even hurling chairs on each other. The commotion started when some PPP members objected to the JI members for sitting on chairs placed ahead the seat of the Opposition Leader Advocate Saifuddin, insisting that the opposition members should not be allowed to sit in front of the opposition benches. While Mayor Murtaza Wahab helplessly watched the ruckus, the PPP and JI members scuffled leading to fighting among members turning the City Council hall in to a battlefield. They kicked... -
Dawn - 04:50 Apr 11, 2026
• Work to begin next month; 2,314 cameras to be installed across Karachi except district Central • CM reviews proposal to expand surveillance network to other Sindh cities KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved Phase-II of the Karachi Safe City Project, work on which is likely to begin next month. In the second phase, over 2,300 smart cameras and advanced monitoring infrastructure will be installed across Karachi. Presiding over a meeting of the Sindh Safe Cities Authority (SSCA) here at the CM House, the chief minister termed the project a major step towards strengthening urban security, surveillance and law enforcement capacity in the metropolis, saying ensuring public safety through modern technology remains a top priority of his government. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Inspector General of Police Javed Odho, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Iqbal Memon and others. The meeting was informed that the Phase-II of the p... -
Dawn - 04:42 Apr 11, 2026
WASHINGTON: As indirect diplomacy between the United States and Iran converges on Islamabad in the coming hours, the messaging from Washington has settled into a carefully managed tone of cautious optimism—tempered by clear acknowledgment that the process remains fragile. US President Donald Trump, speaking briefly before boarding Air Force One on Friday evening, projected guarded confidence in the American negotiating team while avoiding any suggestion that outcomes were pre-determined. “We’ll see how it turns out. So it’s JD and Steve and Jared. We have a good team, and they meet tomorrow. We’ll see how it all works out,” he said, referring to the delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and senior aides. At the same time, Trump framed the talks in explicitly strategic and transactional terms, suggesting that economic and geopolitical interests tied to regional chokepoints would ultimately shape outcomes. “The strait will open up. If we just left the strait, …(it) is going to open,” he said, adding that th... -
Dawn - 02:49 Apr 11, 2026
• Growing number of service members seeking information on how to apply for discharge • March alone saw over 80 new cases, nearly double annual norm • School bombing in Iran cited as key turning point by many callers WASHINGTON: The US-Israeli war against Iran has caused an unprecedented surge in US service members seeking information about conscientious objection, according to the Centre on Conscience and War, a nonprofit that advises troops on their rights. The group says calls to its 24-hour GI Rights Hotline have increased by 1,000 per cent in recent weeks, with many active-duty personnel asking how to apply for discharge as conscientious objectors — a rarely used and often complex process. In interviews with various US media outlets, including National Public Radio, the centre’s executive director, Iraq War veteran Mike Prysner, said the spike reflects a deep moral reckoning among troops in the wake of the conflict with Iran. “In a typical year, we see about 50 conscientious objector applications from ac... -
Dawn - 02:33 Apr 11, 2026
• Ceasefire talks loom as Lebanese death toll in war nears 1,900 • Air raid sirens wail across northern Israel amid fresh rocket barrage • UN warns of looming food crisis as conflict sends prices soaring BEIRUT: An Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh killed at least 13 State Security personnel on Friday, a source from the government agency said, as fierce cross-border fighting raged despite plans for ceasefire talks between the two countries. The state-run National News Agency (NNA) said “enemy warplanes launched a series of heavy strikes” on Nabatiyeh. One of the strikes hit the State Security office in the vicinity of the government complex. An AFP photographer at the site saw extensive damage and a fire still burning hours later. The attack comes as the Lebanese government prepares for negotiations with Israel next week to end a war that has killed nearly 1,900 people in Lebanon since it began in early March. Lebanon’s presidency said on Friday that a meeting would be held with Isra... -
Dawn - 02:24 Apr 11, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced a Rs135 per litre cut in diesel and Rs12 per litre in petrol prices for the week ending April 17 to pass on the impact of ease in global prices following a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The ex-depot price of high-speed diesel (HSD) has now been fixed at Rs385.54 per litre against Rs520.35, showing a 26 per cent or Rs135 per litre decrease. HSD is considered the most inflationary item given its use in freight transportation. On the other hand, petrol price has been cut by around 3pc to Rs366.58 per litre for the next week from Rs378.41, down by Rs11.83. The price of kerosene was also reduced by Rs17.33 to Rs450.15 per litre and that of light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs25.31 to Rs369.72 per litre. Informed sources said the reduction in the diesel price was not purely because of a fall in global rates, but chiefly because of the correction in the pricing formula that entailed undue benefit to local refineries as the spread between t... -
Dawn - 21:04 Apr 10, 2026
The delegation from Iran touched down in Islamabad late on Friday night ahead of talks with the United States, with US Vice President JD Vance and his delegation en route to Pakistan as well. The talks are taking place during a two-week halt in the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began with the former launching attacks on the latter on February 28. An appeal by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier this week led to a pause in the fighting, with negotiations scheduled for Saturday. According to the Foreign Office (FO), the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and comprising Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the defence council secretary, governor of Iran’s central bank and lawmakers, was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. “DPM/FM expressed the hope that parties would engage constructively, and reit... -
Dawn - 20:55 Apr 10, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Friday that the government was reducing the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs135 per litre and that of petrol by Rs12 per litre. He made the announcement in a televised address to the nation. PM Shehbaz said HSD would be available at Rs385 per litre and petrol at Rs366 per litre from 12am on Saturday. Moreover, he said targeted subsidy initiatives announced by the government following the fuel crisis resulting from the Middle East crisis would not be discontinued. Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar shared the notification for the new prices on X, according to which the price of kerosene has also been reduced by Rs17.33 per litre to Rs450.15 and that of light diesel oil by Rs25.31 per litre to Rs369.72. PM Shehbaz had begun his address by saying he was speaking to the nation at a “historic occasion”, when there was talk of peace instead of war in the Gulf. He said that parties that had been facing each other in a war had now agreed t... -
Dawn - 19:14 Apr 10, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasised Pakistan’s strong commitment to expanding its cooperation with Saudi Arabia in all spheres, particularly in trade, investment, and economic development, during a meeting with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah al Jadaan, according to a statement issued by the PM’s Office (PMO). The statement said Jadaan, who was on a one-day visit to Islamabad, called on PM Shehbaz at the PM House on Friday evening. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir also attended the meeting, it added. “Welcoming the Saudi dignitary, the prime minister conveyed his respectful regards to … King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud. “The prime minister fondly recalled his recent warm and cordial telephone conversation with the crown prince. He expressed appreciation for the crown prince’s deep affection towards Pakistan as well as for the kingd... -
Dawn - 18:14 Apr 10, 2026
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court temporarily barred law enforcement agencies (LEAs) on Friday from repatriating an Afghan family whose asylum case for resettlement in a third country through the UN’s refugee agency is pending. A bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad and Justice Farah Jamshed sought replies from the respondents, including the federal interior ministry, on a petition filed by an ex-serviceman under the former Afghan government. He was ousted from Afghanistan along with his family members, including his wife and three children, in 2021. The petitioners maintained they would face persecution if sent back to Afghanistan. Advocate Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel represented the petitioners and contended that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had recommended to the government to allow them to temporarily stay in Pakistan as their case for resettlement in a third country was pending. He referred to a letter issued by the refugee agency on Jan 27, 2025 for the petitioner. Advocate Kak... -
Dawn - 17:11 Apr 10, 2026
A US jury has indicted 10 Indian nationals in connection with a conspiracy to carry out staged armed robberies at convenience stores for the purpose of allowing store clerks to falsely claim they were crime victims on immigration applications, according to a statement on the US Justice Department’s website. The defendants were previously charged by criminal complaint in March 2026, the statement said, adding that a federal grand jury in Boston charged the accused with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. It said all 10 defendants were previously charged by criminal complaint and released on conditions. Among them, Rameshbhai Patel and Ronakkumar Patel had been taken into immigration custody, the statement said. “The defendants are subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. This case stems from an investigation into Rambhai Patel, the organiser of the scheme, and getaway driver Balwinder Singh – both of whom were charged in December 2023 and later convicted in May 2025,” the state... -
Dawn - 16:42 Apr 10, 2026
Former foreign minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the world does not have a “plan B” if the US-Iran talks fail to yield the desired results and emphasised the need for the negotiations to lead to a peaceful resolution to the Middle East war. Bilawal shared these thoughts in an interview with Sky News, where he was asked ahead of the talks scheduled in Islamabad for Saturday, “don’t result in a formal treaty” during the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, “do you have a plan B to prevent a return to full-scale hostilities”. In his response, Bilawal said: “I think the international community doesn’t have a plan B. Our Plan A needs to be achieving a peaceful resolution to this conflict and a more permanent peace. I think the way this conflict has played out has proven that a war of this nature, a war of this scale, is not an option.” He continued: “It’s up to us, up to the disputing parties, up to all countries, to push all sides to agree to that peace so that we don’t get dra... -
Dawn - 15:31 Apr 10, 2026
The Pakistan Navy carried out an operation in the Arabian Sea and rescued 18 crew members, including foreign nationals, of a merchant vessel following a distress call, a statement issued by the PN said on Friday. The statement said: “In a swift humanitarian operation, Pakistan Navy successfully rescued and evacuated 18 crew members, including nationals of China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia, following a distress call from merchant vessel (MV) Gold Autumn, operating in North Arabian Sea at 200 nautical miles (approximately 370 km) off Pakistan’s coast.” It added that upon receiving the emergency alert, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) activated its Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and promptly initiated response protocols. “Accordingly, Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Hunain, patrolling in the assigned area, was immediately tasked to provide assistance to MV Gold Autumn,” it added. The statement said that PNS Hunain “actively undertook the search and rescue operation, demonstrating pro... -
Dawn - 13:50 Apr 10, 2026
Israel has approved the establishment of 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli media reports and the watchdog Peace Now, which said the decision was taken “secretly” in early April. “The security cabinet secretly decided to establish 34 new settlements,” Peace Now said in a statement released late on Thursday. The 34 settlements come on top of 68 others already approved since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government came to power in 2022. The decision has not been officially published by any government body, and the defence ministry, in charge of settlements in the occupied West Bank, declined to respond to AFP’s questions. “We are not addressing this issue,” a spokesperson for the ministry told AFP. According to news channel i24News, 10 of the 34 settlements are already existing outposts, which are illegal under Israeli law, but will now be retroactively legalised under the decision. The remaining 24 are yet to be built. All settlements are illegal under internat... -
Dawn - 13:42 Apr 10, 2026
The first batch of Sikh pilgrims arrived in Pakistan from India via the Wagah border on Friday to celebrate the Baisakhi festival. Pakistan has issued visas to 2,800 Sikh pilgrims from India for the festival, which begins on Friday and will continue till April 19. The main ceremony of the festival is scheduled for April 14 at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal. The festival of Baisakhi is an ancient tradition of the Punjab region, a harvest festival which marks the beginning of a new year. It was once celebrated in Punjabi villages, on both sides of the border, with village fairs or melas. Baisakhi is especially important in Sikhism, as on this day in 1699, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs laid the foundation of the Panth Khalsa, the body of initiated Sikhs. Sikh pilgrims fulfil legal formalities as they arrive in Pakistan from India via Wagah border on April 10, 2026. — White Star/ Arif Ali A shuttle transports Sikh pilgrims as they arrive in Pakistan from India via Wagah border on April 10, 2026. — White Star/Ar... -
Dawn - 12:03 Apr 10, 2026
THE WEEKEND is just around the corner, and all eyes are on Islamabad. By the time the sun dips behind the lush green Margalla Hills, the federal capital’s skies will be buzzing with the landing of jets, bringing in delegations from Iran and the United States. After brokering a ceasefire, Pakistan is now set to host crucial talks between Iran and Washington on Saturday, April 11 — a dialogue that will very much decide the fate of the Middle East and the rest of the world. The teams that will likely arrive comprise political heavyweights, including US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Consequently, preparations in Islamabad are underway in full swing: a red alert has been issued, over 10,000 security personnel deployed, and all entry points closed. For Pakistan, this is a significant moment in its diplomatic history. Particularly with respect to the US, it has been a decade since a high-level American delegation, including the country’s vice president, visited Pakistan. Here, ... -
Dawn - 11:48 Apr 10, 2026
The US-Israel war with Iran has shifted conflict from battlefields to data centres, software engineers and civilian technologies — turning them into both enablers of military power and its most vulnerable targets. As the line between military and civilian infrastructures blurs, urgent questions emerge about the laws and ethics of war. Meanwhile, rapid technological development draws an ever larger number of civilians into the expanding footprint of the war machine. The joint US-Israel strikes in February 2026 on Iran demonstrates how artificial intelligence has transformed modern warfare. Digital warrior to the fore Relying on AI systems that can rapidly analyse vast quantities of diverse data, the US Central Command conducted an initial wave of 900 strikes within a remarkably narrow 12-hour window in a feat that would have been logistically impossible under traditional human-centric planning. This unprecedented speed of kinetic operations arises from integrating commercial AI systems, such as Claude AI, prod... -
Dawn - 11:26 Apr 10, 2026
China’s President Xi Jinping met Taiwan’s opposition party leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, telling the visiting delegation he had “full confidence” that Taiwanese and Chinese people would be united. Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman Cheng is the party’s first leader to visit China in a decade, but her trip has sparked debate in Taiwan with critics accusing her of being too pro-Beijing. China severed high-level contact with Taiwan in 2016 after Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidency and rejected Beijing’s claims that the self-ruled island is part of its territory. Xi told Cheng as the two met on Friday that “the general trend of compatriots on both sides of the Strait getting closer, edging nearer and becoming united will not change”. “This is an inevitable part of history. We have full confidence in this,” Xi said during the talks carried by Taiwanese media. He also said China was willing to strengthen dialogue with groups in Taiwan, including the KMT, on the “common pol...
12427 items