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Dawn - 16:04 Jul 16, 2025
PTI founder Imran Khan has prohibited his party members from publicly discussing the party’s internal matters, according to his conversation with his family and lawyers at Adiala Jail shared on his official X account on Wednesday. On Sunday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur seemed to throw a wrench in the works of a nationwide protest, announced by Imran, which is expected to climax on August 5, marking two years of the former prime minister’s imprisonment. At a press conference on Sunday, where party leaders were expected to announce the plan for this protest, CM Gandapur caused confusion when he came up with a new 90-day timeline for what he called ‘a final push’, with PTI Punjab chief organiser Aliya Hamza Malik later expressing her reservations over this announcement. “Publicly airing internal matters or individual concerns before the media is entirely unacceptable,” Imran’s post read. “My instruction is firm: whether a senior officeholder or a junior member, no one is to express inter... -
Dawn - 15:30 Jul 16, 2025
At least 28 people were killed and 90 others injured in rain and storms across Punjab in the past 24 hours, provincial rescue service spokesperson Farooq Ahmed said on Wednesday. Monsoon rains fall across the region from June to September, offering respite from the summer heat and replenishing water supplies and agriculture. They are crucial to the livelihoods of millions of farmers and food security. However, they also trigger deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas. In the last 24 hours, roof collapses killed 12 people in Lahore, eight in Faisalabad, three in Sheikhupura, two in Okara, and one each in Pakpattan, Nankana Sahib and Sahiwal, according to the spokesperson. Those seriously injured in rain-related roof and wall collapses across Punjab were immediately transported to the hospital, the spokesperson added. PDMA issues Jhelum River flood warning The PDMA has issued a flood warning for the Jhelum River, reporting that “exceptio... -
Dawn - 15:28 Jul 16, 2025
Evidence so far shows that actor Humaira Asghar’s death was accidental or due to natural causes, according to a police investigative report released on Wednesday. Last week, police formed a special investigation team to probe the actor’s death, whose body was found in a Karachi apartment on July 8. According to the report by South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, “Evidence so far suggests no signs of foul play or suicide. “Circumstances indicate a possible accidental or natural cause of death while she was engaged in household chores.” The report added that the double-locked door and the presence of all keys inside support the conclusion of no third-party involvement. There was also no evidence of physical assault, struggle, or weapon marks as per the initial post-mortem report. The final confirmation of the cause of death awaited toxicology, chemical analysis and forensic findings, according to the report. “A foul smell was reported by neighbours in Decembe... -
Dawn - 15:25 Jul 16, 2025
Pakistan on Wednesday stressed that Iran’s envoy in Islamabad, Reza Amiri Moghadam, was “widely respected” after the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) added him to its Most Wanted list for his alleged role in the 2007 disappearance and suspected abduction of retired FBI agent Robert A. “Bob” Levinson. “As far as Pakistan is concerned, the ambassador of Iran is widely respected for his role in the promotion of Pakistan-Iran relations,” FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told Dawn.com in response to a request for comment on the matter. “He is entitled to all the privileges, immunities and respect due to [being an] ambassador, that too, from a friendly neighbouring country,” Shafqat highlighted. Levinson arrived on Iran’s Kish Island on March 8, 2007 and went missing the following day. Notably, a 2013 Associated Press (AP) investigation revealed that Levinson had been sent on a spy mission by Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analysts who had no authority to run such an operation. Levinson’s fami... -
Dawn - 13:14 Jul 16, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the performance of ministries will be evaluated every two months following the determination of key performance indicators, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. Chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad, the prime minister said the ministries demonstrating strong performance will be commended. “From this year, we will determine key performance indicators for the ministries to evaluate their performance every two months,” he said, emphasising that enhancing ministries’ performance was ultimately about delivery and service to the nation. Expressing satisfaction over the stock market touching record levels this week, the prime minister said that the development reflected the positive business sentiment and that collective efforts were being made for the economic growth of the country. PM Shehbaz also expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of lives in recent monsoon rains across the country. He especially regretted the incident in Swat, emphasising... -
Dawn - 12:24 Jul 16, 2025
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, where the pair discussed and reaffirmed mutual support in core sectors, including agriculture, mining, industry and security, Chinese media reported. Dar was on a three-day visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Tianjin on Tuesday. According to the Foreign Office (FO), Dar and Wang were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the event. The Foreign Office (FO) said in a post on X: “The two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on key areas of mutual interest, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and multilateral cooperation.” According to Chinese state-owned broadcaster CGTN, the top diplomats reaffirmed their mutual support on issues concerning each other’s core interests. “China is ready to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and push forward the building of a China-Pakistan community wit... -
Dawn - 11:09 Jul 16, 2025
The quiet energy revolution has spread from wealthy neighbourhoods to middle- and lower-income households as customers look to escape soaring electricity bills and prolonged power cuts. Down a cramped alley in Karachi, residents fighting the sweltering summer heat gather in Fareeda Saleem’s modest home for something they had never experienced before —uninterrupted power. “Solar makes life easier, but it’s a hard choice for people like us,” she says of the installation cost. Saleem was cut from the grid last year for refusing to pay her bills in protest over enduring 18-hour power cuts. A widow and mother of two disabled children, she sold her jewellery — a prized possession for women in Pakistan — and borrowed money from relatives to buy two solar panels, a solar inverter and a battery to store energy, for Rs180,000 ($630). As temperatures pass 40 degrees Celsius, children duck under Saleem’s door and gather around the breeze of her fan. Fareeda Saleem, a local resident, shows a newly installed inverter at he... -
Dawn - 10:40 Jul 16, 2025
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday announced a Rs100 million grant for the Asia Cup Wheelchair Cricket Tournament in major support for sports involving persons with disabilities. According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s House, aside from the Rs100m grant, Murad also announced an annual grant of Rs15 million for the Pakistan Wheelchair Cricket Council (PWCC), along with a dedicated customised coaster (minibus) for the national wheelchair cricket team. PWCC is the governing body of wheelchair cricket in Pakistan and a founding member of the International Council of Wheelchair Cricket (ICWC). It focuses on providing sporting and recreational activities for people with disabilities. The Pakistan Cricket Board has previously endorsed the achievements of the Asian champion Pakistan wheelchair cricket team, according to the organisation’s website. The announcement was made during a meeting with the two-time Asian Champion Pakistan Wheelchair Cricket Team at the CM House. The meeting was ... -
Dawn - 09:32 Jul 16, 2025
Two policemen were gunned down in a “terrorist” attack on Wednesday in Kulachi area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, police said. Speaking to Dawn.com, DI Khan Police Spokesperson, Yaqoob Khan, said, “The two police personnel were on their way to buy food when the terrorists opened fire on them.” The deceased have been identified as head constable Ghulam Muhammad and constable Shahzad, both of whom were ex-servicemen. Following the attack, police and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel tracked down the terrorists and killed one of them during an operation, while the other two, though injured, fled. “Weapons and ammunition have been recovered from the slain terrorist, while a search operation is underway for the terrorists at large,” according to the spokesperson. Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, paying tribute to the martyred personnel. He saluted the “sacrifices made by the brave sons” of KP in their fight against terrorism. Expressing sympathy for t... -
Dawn - 09:12 Jul 16, 2025
The US Congress may soon urge President Donald Trump’s administration to consider imposing sanctions on countries that suppress religious freedom and violate human rights, Republican Congressman Christopher H. Smith suggested during a congressional hearing on Pakistan on Tuesday. “One of the biggest disappointments — regardless of who is in the White House or at the State Department — is the absence of sanctions,” said Smith, who co-chairs the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC). Smith recalled that the only individual ever sanctioned under US religious freedom laws was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following the 2002 Gujarat riots. “We are going to call on the Irfa office to consider imposing [sanctions] — especially in light of the terrible acts committed against people of various faiths,” he said. The Irfa office, based at the State Department, enforces the International Religious Freedom Act, which authorises the US government to designate and penalise countries that engage in or tolerate se... -
Dawn - 09:11 Jul 16, 2025
Sweeping foreign aid cuts led by the United States will cause international health funding to plummet to the lowest level in 15 years, a study said on Wednesday, warning the world has entered a new “era of global health austerity”. Money that provides healthcare to some of the poorest and most in-need people across the world has been dramatically slashed this year, led by the administration of US President Donald Trump. The new study published in the prestigious Lancet journal also pointed to recent steep aid cuts announced by the UK, France and Germany. After reaching an all-time high of $80 billion in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the total amount of global health aid will sink to $39bn this year, the US-led team of researchers estimated. That would be the lowest level since 2009. Such a dramatic change will result in the world entering a new “era of global health austerity”, the authors of the study warned. Sub-Saharan African countries such as Somalia, the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo and Ma... -
Dawn - 08:54 Jul 16, 2025
Posts from multiple users on social media platforms since July 9 alleged that a newly announced ferry service set to be launched from Gwadar to Gulf countries costs between Rs25,000 to Rs30,000. However, the maritime ministry said the fares have yet to be decided and the matter is still under negotiation. On July 1, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs announced an ambitious plan to expand Gwadar Port’s operational capacity by introducing additional shipping lines and launching a ferry service connecting Pakistan with Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The move is expected to provide an affordable, direct maritime link for passengers and cargo, particularly benefiting expatriate communities and cross-border traders. On July 9, an online news portal, focused on developments about Kuwait and the Middle East, said in a post on Facebook that the fares of a ferry service between Gwadar and Gulf countries would be Rs25,000 to Rs35,000. The post was captioned: “Pakistan has announced the imminent launch of a direct l... -
Dawn - 08:40 Jul 16, 2025
ISLAMABAD: In a bid to preempt countrywide unrest, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday constituted a high-level committee to hold consultations with traders on budgetary measures aimed at documenting the economy. The multi-stakeholder committee will conduct a 30-day consultation process to develop a consensual and actionable proposal, which will be submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal cabinet. According to sources present at the meeting, officials from various ministries clarified that the new tax amendments are primarily intended to curb large-scale sales tax fraud. The committee will only consider trader concerns that are deemed genuine and substantiated, the officials added. Traders were firmly told that the government remains committed to documenting the economy and discouraging cash-based transactions. Several trade associations have already called for strike actions in protest against the new measures. Committee tasked with addressing concerns over tax reforms and docume... -
Dawn - 08:30 Jul 16, 2025
Law enforcement and representatives from online delivery services have agreed to intensify efforts to curb the growing use of online delivery networks for illegal drug distribution, a top Karachi police official said on Wednesday. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South, Syed Asad Raza, told Dawn.com that he held a meeting with the representatives of popular food delivery and ride-hailing services to address the misuse of rider services for drug delivery. “Delivery companies informed the police that certain individuals had been caught using counterfeit uniforms, helmets, and branded delivery bags to pose as legitimate riders while carrying out unlawful activities, such as delivering illicit drugs,” the DIG said. To counter this, he said, the stakeholders agreed to tighten security protocols, including rider screening, background verification, and stricter registration procedures. “Briefings for riders will also be conducted more regularly to ensure compliance with legal and safety standards,” DIG Raza said. The ... -
Dawn - 06:39 Jul 16, 2025
GENEVA: The UN warned on Tuesday that mass displacement in the West Bank had hit levels not seen since the start of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory nearly 60 years ago. The United Nations said an Israeli military operation launched in the north of the occupied territory in January had displaced tens of thousands of people, raising concerns about possible “ethnic cleansing”. The military operation “has been the longest since … the second Intifada”, in the early 2000s, said Juliette Touma, spokeswoman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. “It is impacting several refugee camps in the area, and it is causing the largest population displacement of the Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967,” she told reporters in Geneva via video from Jordan, referring to the six-day Arab-Israeli war that led to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. The UN rights office meanwhile warned that mass forced displacement by an occupation force could amount to “ethnic cleansing”. Since Israel’s military launche... -
Dawn - 05:56 Jul 16, 2025
LOWER DIR: The court of additional sessions judge in Samarbagh on Monday sentenced three men, including head of a seminary and his son, to life imprisonment in the rape and murder case of a seven-year-old girl in Jandol area. The convicted men include Maulana Ziaul Haq Haidari, his son Abu Bakar, and their bodyguard Sanaullah. The court handed down life terms, as well as additional sentences of 25 years, three years and two years, respectively, and imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on the convicts. The verdict comes more than a year after the tragic incident that sent shockwaves across the region. According to police and prosecution the girl had been living at an orphanage-cum-seminary in the Mandizo area of Jandol when she was reportedly assaulted and murdered. District prosecution office, led by DPP Rafiullah, pursued the case vigorously, while assistant public prosecutor Ubaidullah argued it in court. The FIR was registered at Munda police station on May 23, 2024, under sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), and 201... -
Dawn - 05:12 Jul 16, 2025
LAHORE: As many as nine people lost their lives and 92 others were injured in rain-related incidents in different areas of Punjab during the last 24 hours. According to Rescue1122, three minors died and 17 others were injured in separate incidents in Bahawalnagar, while two teenagers, including a girl, died and 12 injured in Okara in different rain-related incidents. Meanwhile, three persons died and eight others were injured in Lahore, three were injured in Pakpattan, and four in Sahiwal during the province-wide rains. According to the emergency service, in some other rain-related incidents, a man died and three others were injured in Bhakkar. It says two persons were injured in Faisalabad, while as many others in Muzaffargarh during the last 24 hours. It says four persons were injured in Toba Tek Singh, three in Kasur, two in Dera Ghazi Khan, and one each in Rajanpur, Sialkot and Mianwali in rain-related incidents. More rains forecast for the province Meanwhile, the weather in Lahore turned pleasant after m... -
Dawn - 05:02 Jul 16, 2025
ISLAMABAD: In a reference filed by the National Assembly Speaker, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday disqualified member of the National Assembly (MNA) Jamshed Dasti for holding a fake intermediate degree. The three-member bench was headed by Nisar Ahmad Durrani, with Shah Mohammad Jatoi and Justice (retd) Ikram Ullah Khan as members. However, PTI has criticised the election watchdog alleging that it did not de-seat the PML-N president for submitting a “fake” consent affidavit, claiming that PTI MNA Adil Khan Bazai had joined the PML-N. The party claimed that a genuinely elected public representative and a staunch supporter of Imran Khan had been disqualified unjustly. A three-member ECP bench declared Mr Dasti’s seat vacant after finding him guilty of submitting a fake degree. The bench ruled that the MNA had committed an offence punishable under the Election Act, recommending legal action against him. It is worth mentioning that Mr Dasti, elected from NA-175 during the current te... -
Dawn - 04:53 Jul 16, 2025
KARACHI: A man was killed over so-called honour in Sharifabad on Tuesday evening, police said. Central SSP Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi told Dawn that Ahmed Afzal, 30, was stabbed to death inside an apartment at Al-Karam Square, Block-4. The police have arrested the suspect, Farrukh, and recovered the knife used in the incident. The SSP said that as per an initial probe, the held suspect killed Afzal for having alleged illicit relations with his wife. The suspect’s wife was also taken into custody for interrogation. The body was shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2025 -
Dawn - 04:44 Jul 16, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday gave the federal government 30 days to constitute a commission to investigate misuse of blasphemy law. The order came during the hearing of a case seeking the formation of such a commission Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, while hearing the case, ordered that the commission should complete its work within four months. However, he allowed the commission to seek an extension from the court, if required. While concluding the hearing, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan said the court’s primary task was to determine whether there were sufficient grounds to form a commission. Satisfied with the arguments, he ordered the government to form the commission within 30 days and instructed that it must submit its findings within four months. Any request for an extension must be brought before the court. IHC judge concerned by ‘disappearance’ of woman believed to be a central figure in a number of related cases The judge also expressed concern over the disappearance of a woma...
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