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Dawn - 17:24 Oct 02, 2025
At least nine people, including four law enforcement personnel, were injured in a blast near Peshawar’s Bani Mara area on Thursday, police said. Statements issued by Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Dr Mian Saeed’s office confirmed these details. He separately told Dawn.com that police were targeted in the incident. “Initial investigation shows that the device that caused the blast was planted on the route of a police mobile,” he added. The CCPO added that the condition of one of the injured was serious. Rescue services shifted the injured to a nearby medical facility after the attack. He said police were investigation whether the the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device or not. Following the blast, a large contingent of security forces reached the incident site and cordoned off the area. Separately, the city’s Senior Superintendent of Police Operation Masood Bangash told Dawn.com that law enforcers were investigating the incident and evidence from the site of the blast was being coll... -
Dawn - 17:11 Oct 02, 2025
Red-hot Mohammed Siraj returned figures of 4-40 as India dismissed the West Indies for 162 and then turned the screw with the bat on day one of the first Test on Thursday. The hosts were 121-2 at stumps with KL Rahul unbeaten on 53 in front of a sparse crowd at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. Rahul reached his 20th Test fifty and stood firm along with skipper Shubman Gill, on 18, at close of play. A depleted West Indies won the toss but the Indian attack struck regular blows to bowl out the visitors in 44.1 overs in the second session. Siraj drew first blood with the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul for a duck and extended his tally of Test wickets to 27 this year, having played a key role in India’s 2-2 draw in England. “The England series gave me a lot of confidence,” Siraj said. “It was a competitive cricket series in England against a strong side, so to perform there gives you added confidence.” On the comparatively inexperienced West Indies batting line-up, Siraj said: “I had to work ha... -
Dawn - 17:05 Oct 02, 2025
A letter signed by 130 activists, lawyers, and journalists was submitted to the Commonwealth Secretariat on Thursday, expressing concern over the release of a Commonwealth Observer Group’s (COG) report on the 2024 General Elections after a 19-month delay. The COG report, released earlier this week, cited “restrictions that curtailed fundamental political rights and hindered one party’s ability to contest fairly”. It also flagged the election-night suspension of cellular services, which undermined transparency and delayed results. The letter, which has been shared by some of the signatories on social media, expressed grave concern over the “extraordinary” delay in the report’s publication, noting that election reports are published routinely without any delay. “We are not aware that any other COG report has been published 10 months after transmittal of the final report to the Secretariat by the relevant observer group,” the letter read. The letter noted that in 2013, the general election report was published o... -
Dawn - 16:39 Oct 02, 2025
Civil society and advocacy groups gathered on Thursday outside the Karachi Press Club to protest against the detention of activists aboard the Gaza Sumud Flotilla (GSF), calling on the government to demand the release of the Pakistani delegation, led by former Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan. On Wednesday, the GSF, carrying aid to Gaza in its attempt to break Israel’s blockade, was intercepted by Israeli military forces. On board the GSF were over 400 activists from 40 countries, among them a five-member delegation from Pakistan. Thursday’s demonstration, organised by the Pakistan Palestine Forum (PFF) in collaboration with the Palestine Action Coalition (PAC) and the non-profit organisation Human Rights Council of Pakistan, aimed to mobilise the public against the state’s inaction. People of all ages gathered, chanting slogans for a free Palestine. The demonstrators demanded the immediate release of the detained Pakistanis and called on the government to take concrete action against Israel. “... -
Dawn - 16:35 Oct 02, 2025
Bangladesh kicked off their 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup campaign in style, cantering past Pakistan’s modest 129 with seven wickets and 18.5 overs to spare in Colombo on Thursday. Debuting opener Rubya Haider announced herself with an unbeaten half-century, steering the chase with the composure of a seasoned pro as Bangladesh barely broke sweat in pursuit of the below-par target. But it was their bowlers who set the tone. Lone seamer Marufa Akter struck with a double blow in her very first over — two wickets in successive balls — before a spin web tightened the screws on a hesitant Pakistan line-up. “We are thrilled to get a win under our belt in our first outing,” said Marufa. “There was a lot of support from my teammates. Special credit to our team analyst who fed me with some valuable input leading into the game. “We showed lot of energy on the field and we take lot of positives from this game.” With a rich spin arsenal at their disposal, Bangladesh never let Pakistan off the hook. Left-arm spinner Nahid... -
Dawn - 16:11 Oct 02, 2025
Pakistan and several other countries on Thursday condemned Israel’s “dastardly attack” on the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) after its forces intercepted the flotilla heading to break Israel’s siege of Gaza and deliver aid. Hours after Tel Aviv’s move drew global condemnation, the Israeli foreign ministry posted on X that all on board the flotilla were safe would be “deported to Europe”. The statement said: “The Hamas-Sumud provocation is over. None of the Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts has succeeded in its attempt to enter an active combat zone or breach the lawful naval blockade. “All the passengers are safe and in good health. They are making their way safely to Israel, from where they will be deported to Europe.” It added that one last vessel of “this provocation remains at a distance. If it approaches, its attempt to enter an active combat zone and breach the blockade will also be prevented”. Earlier, the flotilla said that Israeli forces began intercepting the flotilla’s latest bid to reach Gaza late last ... -
Dawn - 13:26 Oct 02, 2025
Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) Vice Chairman Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar on Thursday filed an appeal against the Supreme Court (SC) registrar’s decision to return his petition seeking a full court hearing of challenges against the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The 26th Amendment, passed on Oct 21, 2024, took away the SC’s suo motu powers and empowered a Special Parliamentary Committee to nominate the next chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) from among the three most senior SC judges instead of the senior-most one. The SC is currently seized with multiple petitions urging the constitution of a full court to hear the matter rather than the Constitutional Bench (CB) formed under the 26th Amendment. The CB is set to resume proceedings on the original appeals on October 7 (Tuesday). “I’ve filed an appeal against the registrar’s decision to return my petition, seeking justice once again. My petition argues that the majority decision of the Practice & Procedure Committee remains valid in law and cases related t... -
Dawn - 13:17 Oct 02, 2025
At least two people were killed on Thursday and three badly wounded outside a packed synagogue in Manchester in a car and stabbing attack, with the suspect believed to have been shot dead by UK police. As the Jewish community marked the holiday of Yom Kippur in the northwestern city, police were called to the incident, activating a national terrorism-response protocol. The attack struck days ahead of the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which sparked a fierce offensive in Gaza, inflaming passions in Britain. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer swiftly condemned the attack as “horrific”, and announced security was being boosted at UK synagogues. He left a European political summit in Denmark early to chair an emergency security meeting in London. King Charles III said he and Queen Camilla were “deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific attack in Manchester, especially on such a significant day for the Jewish community”. Greater Manchester Police declared a “major incid... -
Dawn - 13:11 Oct 02, 2025
Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri on Thursday moved the Supreme Court, challenging the Sindh High Court’s ruling on his degree and seeking to have the verdict declared “null and void”. In his petition, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, Justice Jahangiri contended that the SHC “dismissed my application to become a party to the case”, adding that passing a “one-sided order without hearing the affected party is contrary to law”. On September 16, the IHC had restrained Justice Jahangiri from exercising his judicial powers as a two-judge bench issued the interim order while hearing a writ petition filed under Article 199 of the Constitution. Justice Jahangiri then challenged the decision in the SC, pleading for the restraining order to be set aside. The judge further argued that the SHC “ignored the question of maintainability of the petition”. According to the petition, the IHC judge urged the apex court that his appeal “may graciously be granted and after granting leave t... -
Dawn - 12:37 Oct 02, 2025
High-level govt delegation holds talks with Joint Awami Action Committee amid unrest in Azad Kashmir
A high-level delegation of the government held negotiations with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Thursday in a bid to put an end to the ongoing unrest in the territory. “A high-level delegation from Pakistan has started formal dialogue with representatives of the Joint Action Committee of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Muzaffarabad today,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry posted on X as the talks commenced. A strike has paralysed AJK under a communications blackout after talks over elite privileges and reserved refugee seats collapsed between the JAAC, the AJK government, and federal ministers, sparking protests and violence. On Wednesday, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq and federal minister Chaudhry invited the JAAC for fresh dialogue. Earlier today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had expressed deep concern over the unrest in AJK and directed the negotiation committee to immediately proceed to AJK capital Muzaffarabad and find an immediate and l... -
Dawn - 12:23 Oct 02, 2025
Google search data from January to September 2025 revealed the slang terms dominating online curiosity, with TikTok, Instagram, gaming, streaming, and Gen Z and Alpha communities driving the trends. According to a statement from Unscramblerer.com, a word-finding website that helps users solve puzzles, crosswords, and explore word meanings, the methodology relied on analysing Google Trends data alongside the search engine optimisation tool Ahrefs, combining 150 search variations to identify the most searched slang terms of 2025. The site noted that slang spreads rapidly through memes and viral challenges, reflecting how technology accelerates language shifts and serves as “a fascinating and fun mirror of our culture.“ Here are the most searched for slang words: 1. 6-7 (141,000 searches) There is no literal meaning to six seven. Its absurdity is the point, making it a prime example of “brainrot” internet humour where the randomness itself becomes funny. It originates from the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla. ... -
Dawn - 11:23 Oct 02, 2025
President Asif Ali Zardari has stated that Pakistan stands with China during good times and bad. He made the remarks during an interview with Chinese state-owned broadcaster CGTN that was aired on Thursday. During the interview, the president, who visited China earlier this month, said that all his visits to the neighbouring country were “goodwill visits”. “My visits are always goodwill visits because China is the future and all of the East will work with China,” he said. Talking about China’s Global Governance Initiative, he said: “Global governance means that I cannot walk into any other country nor any other country [can] walk into me. They have to be respectful about my territory, I shall be respectful of their territory.” He said that he was bringing international goodwill and the Pakistani people’s goodwill, as well as the assurance that “we stand with China in good times and bad times”. “Not that I see China going through a bad time, but even then, we are there, in case [we are] needed,” he asserted. A... -
Dawn - 09:01 Oct 02, 2025
The Trump administration has announced plans to terminate dozens of clean energy projects and freeze billions of dollars for major projects in New York, intensifying a stand-off with Democrats over a United States government shutdown. US media outlets described the moves announced by the energy and transportation departments as part of the administration’s efforts to pressure Democrats in Congress to agree on a deal to end the shutdown. US President Donald Trump had raced to enact hard-right policies even before the shutdown began after midnight on Tuesday, threatening mass firings and to slash government departments, and blaming Democrats for Congress’ failure to resolve a funding stand-off. The Department of Energy announced on Thursday “the termination of 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects, resulting in a savings of approximately $7.56 billion for American taxpayers”. It said in a statement that those projects — overseen by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, the Office of Energy Efficienc... -
Dawn - 08:53 Oct 02, 2025
• ‘Coalition Against Drugs’ to monitor children’s behaviour, attendance, academic performance and social interactions • Those doing drugs should be treated as victims, not criminals, says Shehzad Roy KARACHI: The Campus Security and Substance Abuse Watch Force comprising 50 police personnel was established on Wednesday to curb the menace of drugs in educational institutions within the jurisdiction of the South Zone of Karachi police. A decision to this effect was taken in a consultative meeting of the ‘Coalition Against Drugs’ here. The coalition comprises heads of over 50 academic institutes in Clifton, DHA, Saddar, and other areas, as well as police officials. It was also decided in the meeting that random blood tests to check for drug abuse among students would be carried out with the consent of their parents. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, South DIG Syed Asad Raza said that the Campus Security and Substance Abuse Watch Force had been established with 50 personnel including women officers, who ... -
Dawn - 08:35 Oct 02, 2025
A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official has stated that there is “no assurance” that India and Pakistan players will shake hands when the two sides meet during the Women’s World Cup on Sunday, according to the BBC. The development comes days after tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad spilled over onto the cricketing field during the Sept 9-28 Men’s Asia Cup staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), when Indian cricketers refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts during all three clashes in the tournament. The tensions had culminated in India not accepting the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief. The tournament had seen the first cricket matches between the two sides since the military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May after India had launched air strikes in Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir. Pakistan had denied involvement, and the crisis eased following US in... -
Dawn - 05:24 Oct 02, 2025
LONDON: Scientist and global activist Jane Goodall, who turned her childhood love of primates into a lifelong quest for protecting the environment, died on Wednesday at the age of 91, the institute she founded said. Goodall died of natural causes, the Jane Goodall Institute said in a social media post. “Dr Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionised science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” it said. View this post on Instagram The primatologist-turned-conservationist spun her love of wildlife into a life-long campaign that took her from a seaside English village to Africa and then across the globe in a quest to better understand chimpanzees, as well as the role that humans play in safeguarding their habitat and the planet’s health overall. Goodall was a pioneer in her field, both as a female scientist in the 1960s and for her work studying the behavior of primates. She created a path for a string of other women to follow suit, including the... -
Dawn - 04:24 Oct 02, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s total public debt rose by 13 per cent to Rs80.6 trillion by the end of FY25, driven mainly by a fiscal deficit of Rs7.1tr and slower-than-expected GDP growth, according to the Ministry of Finance (MoF). In its Annual Debt Review 2025, the MoF said the debt-to-GDP ratio increased to 70pc, up from 68pc a year earlier. This was attributed to a lower nominal GDP growth rate, resulting from reduced inflation, which limited economic expansion and pushed the ratio higher despite efforts at fiscal consolidation. The MoF noted that while interest expenses rose by 9pc year-on-year, this increase was significantly lower than the 43pc recorded in the previous fiscal year. Total domestic debt stood at Rs54.5tr, and external debt at Rs26tr — both reflecting a 13pc annual increase. The average time to maturity (ATM) for domestic debt improved from 2.8 years in FY24 to 3.8 years in FY25. External debt ATM remained above six years, consistent with the government’s Medium-Term Debt Strategy 2026–28. The e... -
Dawn - 03:58 Oct 02, 2025
ISLAMABAD: While security forces put militants on the back foot in September, the first three quarters of 2025 saw nearly as much violence as witnessed in all of 2024. If this trend continues, the current year may turn out to be one of the deadliest in decades. This is the crux of two reports, issued by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) and the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), about militant violence in the country over the past month. According to PICSS, militant violence dropped significantly in Sept 2025, with both the number of attacks and militant capacity showing sharp declines compared to the record levels seen in Aug. The PICSS Militancy Database recorded 69 militant attacks in Sept — a 52 per cent reduction from August’s 143. These attacks resulted in 135 deaths and 173 injuries, whilst militants abducted at least 27 people. The fatalities included 61 security personnel, 20 militants, and 54 civilians. Amongst the injured were 74 security personnel and 99 ci... -
Dawn - 02:48 Oct 02, 2025
• Plan announced by White House differs from terms agreed between Trump and heads of Muslim countries • Distrust remains over proposed International Stabilisation Force • Hamas seeks changes to ‘disarmament’ clause DESPITE their misgivings with the ‘pro-Israel’ draft of US President Donald Trump’s plan to bring peace to war-ravaged Gaza, countries from the eight-member Muslim bloc may yet push for it to be accepted. Officials from Qatar and Pakistan have already implied — albeit diplomatically — that the plan announced by the White House was quite different from the one they signed up to in New York. But some countries — especially those in Gaza’s immediate neighbourhood — also believe they have secured key concessions, such as Trump’s refusal to recognise Israeli annexation of the West Bank and a US commitment that Palestinians will be allowed to remain in Gaza. Israel has also agreed, under the plan, not to permanently occupy the Gaza Strip. “Gaza’s reconstruction represents a major economic opportunity fo... -
Dawn - 02:33 Oct 02, 2025
• Meeting to end acrimony decides to take up the matter with Punjab CM, her father Nawaz • Kaira calls BISP ‘transparent aid method’, asks CM not to peddle ‘narrow nationalism’ • Azma hits back, says PPP cannot ‘steady itself’ by targeting PML-N LAHORE: As PPP and PML-N bigwigs met in Islamabad to find a way out of the row sparked by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s recent outburst against the coalition partner, the former has asked the Punjab CM to “rethink her tone” while speaking about water rights and Sindh’s ruling party. During the meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazir, Senator Rana Sanaullah and PPP’s Navid Qamar and Ijaz Jakhrani at the NA speaker’s office, it was agreed that the matter would be taken up with PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and CM Maryam Nawaz. The war of words, which began over flood compensation, expanded to water rights on the Indus River, as the Punjab’s chief minister told the PPP leadership to keep its advice to itself. In response, the PPP la...
7421 items