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Dawn - 17:12 Sep 20, 2025
The country’s nuclear programme has received recognition from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in addition to Pakistan’s steady progress and close cooperation with the agency. In a post on X following his meeting with Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Chairman Raja Ali Raza Anwar on the sidelines of the 69th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi highlighted Pakistan’s achievements in expanding its civil nuclear energy capacity. He observed that Pakistan’s nuclear power programme was advancing “at a good pace”, particularly with the ongoing construction of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-5 (C-5). Grossi recalled witnessing the first concrete pouring at the site in February, which he described as a “major milestone in Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen energy security through clean and sustainable nuclear power”. The IAEA DG and PAEC chairman reviewed areas of cooperation under various agency initiatives. These included Atoms4Food, which applies nucle... -
Dawn - 16:22 Sep 20, 2025
Former minister Shireen Mazari said on Saturday that a “heavily armed raiding party” of the Islamabad police had surrounded her house at 1am and enquired about her daughter, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, and son-in-law, Hadi Ali Chattha. “At 1am this morning, a heavily armed raiding party of ICT police from Secretariat thana (police station) surrounded my home and asked for Imaan and Hadi. They were not there, and we informed them of the same. Cops said they had an FIR (first information report) against them and they should report to the thana. Eventually they left,” she posted on X. In a subsequent post, she referred to a protest at the Islamabad High Court yesterday, where Imaan — who is a lawyer and rights activist — and others had raised slogans in support of judicial independence. The lawyers had staged a protest on the premises of the IHC to oppose the suspension of Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri from judicial work. Islamabad Bar Council member Aleem Abbasi, ex-president of the Islamabad High Court Ba... -
Dawn - 15:47 Sep 20, 2025
A deal for the Chinese parent company of popular video-sharing app TikTok to sell its US operations would see the creation of a board dominated by Americans, the White House said on Saturday. “There will be seven seats on the board that controls the app in the United States, and six of those seats will be Americans,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News. She said a deal could be signed “in the coming days.” The United States has forcefully sought to take TikTok’s US operations out of the hands of Chinese parent company ByteDance for national security reasons. Under President Donald Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden, the US Congress passed a law to force ByteDance to sell its US operations or face a ban on the app. US policymakers, including in Trump’s first term, have warned that China could use TikTok to mine data from Americans or exert influence on what they see on social media. But Trump turned to the platform, which is hugely popular with young Americans, to garner support during his ul... -
Dawn - 15:04 Sep 20, 2025
Seven people, including five children, died when the roof of a room in a house collapsed in the Farooq Azam neighbourhood of Punjab’s Hafizabad district on Saturday, according to police. Hafizabad District Police Officer (DPO) Atif Nazir Kadhar said in a statement that a woman and her son were holding tuition classes in the affected house when the room’s roof collapsed. “As a result, the woman, her son and five children who were taking tuition classes died.” The statement said DPO Kadhar reached the site after receiving information about the incident and oversaw the rescue work. According to data shared by the Rescue 1122, one child also suffered a critical head injury in the incident. Last month, three members of a family died after the roof of their under-construction house caved-in in the Islampura locality of Nankana Sahib in Punjab. Earlier in July, two children had died and two other were injured when the roof of a house collapsed in Lahore’s Badami Bagh. The incident had taken place reportedly due to t... -
Dawn - 14:41 Sep 20, 2025
With millions displaced and close to a thousand people dead, the Pakistan floods that have been ongoing since June are worryingly reminiscent of the floods that devastated the country in 2022. As the country fights to keep its head above the rising floodwaters, many questions abound. Could the damage so far have been contained? How has climate change contributed? Has India’s release of floodwater — which it had warned about — exacerbated the loss and damage of its lower riparian neighbour? Have the floods been down to bad governance, or a lack of preparedness? To understand these matters, Dialogue Earth spoke to Muhammad Ehsan Leghari, an expert on water resource management and member for the Sindh province at the Pakistani water regulator, the Indus River System Authority. He discussed the factors that have contributed to the unprecedented floods in Pakistan, what has and hasn’t worked for flood control, and how the country can manage future floods effectively. This conversation has been edited for length an...
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Dawn - 13:33 Sep 20, 2025
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav sidestepped the no-handshake issue ahead of the Asia Cup rematch against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, choosing to focus instead on the cricket. The Group A clash between the fierce rivals last Sunday ended on a bitter note when Indian players refused to shake hands with their opponents. It was the first meeting between the regional neighbours since a four-day conflict in May left more than 70 people dead. While the match itself passed without incident, there was no shaking of hands between the captains at the toss or among the players at the end. Then, at the post-match ceremony, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav seemingly ‘politicised’ the victory by bringing up the Pahalgam terrorist attack in India-occupied Kashmir, over which the two countries fought a four-day military conflict in May, saying the victory was “a perfect gift” for his country. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) called for match referee Andy Pycroft’s immediate removal for a code of conduct “violation” and consid... -
Dawn - 12:26 Sep 20, 2025
History has a strange way of rhyming. Sometimes it repeats as farce, sometimes as tragedy — and sometimes, in Pakistan, it comes back wearing the same last name. The last time a Justice Dogar was in the news, the country was under military rule. When Musharraf imposed an emergency in November 2007, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar took oath under a Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) and validated his actions. After the judiciary was restored, contempt proceedings were initiated against Justice Dogar for endorsing the dictator’s actions and violating an order of the court. In Abdul Hameed Dogar vs Federation (2011), Justice Dogar claimed that his actions were, “under confusion, misconception and misunderstanding” He pleaded that he was “really sorry”. Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, who had supported a military dictator, was ultimately required to place himself at the mercy of the post-restoration judiciary. Nearly a decade later, the judiciary faces another crisis. This time, with Justice Sarfraz Dogar at the centr... -
Dawn - 11:36 Sep 20, 2025
An Islamabad court indicted accused Umar Hayat in the murder case of 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf on Saturday. The accused pled not guilty to murdering Yousaf, who was shot dead at her house in June. During the hearing, Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka enquired whether Hayat had killed Sana. “I did not commit any such crime,” the accused replied. The judge then asked him whether he was falsely accused in the case. “Is this all a lie?” the judge remarked. He also pointed out that Hayat had also been accused of snatching Yousaf’s mobile phone. At that, the accused maintained that all allegations levelled against him were “based on falsehood”. The court then adjourned the hearing until September 25. Islamabad police had arrested Hayat on June 3, a day after Yousaf was killed at her house in Islamabad. Preceding his arrest, a first information report (FIR) of the murder was registered at Islamabad’s Sumbal police station against an unidentified man on the complaint o... -
Dawn - 10:47 Sep 20, 2025
A cyberattack on a provider of check-in and boarding systems has disrupted operations at several major European airports, including London’s Heathrow — the continent’s busiest — causing flight delays and cancellations on Saturday. Collins Aerospace, which provides systems for several airlines at airports globally, is experiencing a technical issue that may cause delays for departing passengers, Heathrow Airport said, having warned of delays. Brussels Airport and Berlin Airport were also affected by the attack, they said in separate statements. RTX, Collins Aerospace’s parent company, said it had become aware of a “cyber-related disruption” to its software at selected airports, without naming them. Electronic check-in affected “The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations,” RTX said in an e-mailed statement, adding that it was working to fix the issue as quickly as possible. The attack has rendered automated systems inoperable, allo... -
Dawn - 10:19 Sep 20, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would meet US counterpart Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly next week as Russia intensified attacks across his country. Russia carried out one of its largest aerial attacks overnight, firing 40 missiles and some 580 drones at Ukraine in a barrage that killed at least three people and wounded dozens, Zelensky said on Saturday. Zelensky said he would hold “a meeting with the President of the United States”, adding he would discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia during the talks with Trump. Ukraine has insisted on Western-backed security guarantees to prevent future Russian attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin has meanwhile warned that any Western troops in Ukraine would be unacceptable and legitimate targets. A US-led push for a quick end to the war has stalled and Russia effectively ruled out a meeting between Putin and Zelensky — something that Kyiv says is the only way towards peace. “We expect san... -
Dawn - 09:39 Sep 20, 2025
LONDON: US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had personally requested that London Mayor Sadiq Khan be excluded from the state banquet held by King Charles at Windsor Castle during his second state visit to the United Kingdom. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return flight to Washington, Trump branded Khan as “one of the worst mayors in the world”, accusing him of failing on crime and immigration. “I asked that he not be there. He wanted to be there, as I understand. I didn’t want him,” the president said. The mayor did not attend the banquet and was not expecting an invitation, according to British media. A source close to Sadiq Khan dismissed Mr Trump’s remarks, saying his “politics is one of fear and division”. He claimed London remains “a global success story” that attracts record numbers of Americans. Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2025 -
Dawn - 09:35 Sep 20, 2025
SWAT: Residents of Swat on Friday announced that there would be no place for terrorists in the valley, warning that if the provincial government and police failed to expel terrorists present in the border areas of Swat and Dir, they would confront the terrorists on their own. The announcement was made during a large public gathering held by the Swat Qaumi Jirga at Matta Chowk here under the slogan Swat Aman Pasoon (Swat Peace March). Speakers included MNA Dr Amjad Ali, Swat City Mayor Shahid Ali Khan and elders Rahmat Ali Khan, Sher Badar Khan, Bahadar Sher Afghan, Ayoub Asharey, Sher Shah Khan and Mukhtar Yousafzai, Provincial minister Fazal Hakim Khan Yousafzai, PTI MNA Dr Amjad Ali Khan, MPAs Ali Shah Khan, Sultan Rom Khan and Mohammad Naeem Khan, and chairman of the Kabal tehsil council Saeed Khan were also in attendance. Thousands of people from all walks of life showed up, filling the adjoining roads of Matta Chowk. Many participants climbed rooftops to listen to the speeches due to a lack of space. Sco... -
Dawn - 09:06 Sep 20, 2025
RAHIM YAR KHAN: In a joint operation of the police and the country’s premier intelligence agency, the 11 kidnapped passengers from the Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5) have been safely recovered from the notorious Indhar dacoit gang in the early hours of Friday. According to police spokesperson Zeeshan Randhawa, the police were continuously chasing the dacoits after they kidnapped several people from the motorway a few days ago. He said that after a tip-off, action was taken against the kidnappers and all of the hostages were safely recovered. As per details, on the night between Sept 4 and Sept 5, the Katcha area dacoits kidnapped 11 people from different vehicles on the Sukkur-Multan Motorway near Nawazabad in Sadiqabad tehsil. The bandits fired at vehicles on the motorway between 1 and 2am to force them to stop at the Azampur Rest Area and the Guddu Interchange. In the attack, crew of a passenger bus was reportedly injured and shifted to the emergency ward of the Sheikh Zayed Medical College Hospital (SZMCH) i... -
Dawn - 08:50 Sep 20, 2025
RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi police have arrested a man accused of performing black magic after digging up the grave of a seven-year-old girl in a graveyard in Dhamial. The accused was presented before a court, which granted four days’ physical remand on Friday for further investigation. The remand was approved on the police’s request after the court expressed satisfaction that more inquiry was required in the sensitive case. A police spokesman said a shroud was found near the grave of the girl in the last week of August. Following the discovery, Dhamial police launched an investigation and arrested the suspect accused of desecrating the grave. According to initial findings, the suspect dug up the grave for witchcraft purposes and then attempted to cover it again. Police immediately responded to the information and had the grave exhumed. No direct evidence of desecration of the body was initially observed. However, forensic reports are awaited for a conclusive determination. Samples were collected during the exhuma... -
Dawn - 06:46 Sep 20, 2025
WASHINGTON: The Trump administration is seeking congressional approval to sell Israel $6.4 billion in support equipment and weapons, including attack helicopters and troop carriers. The Wall Street Journal reported the potential helicopter and vehicle sales on Friday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The news of the proposed sale came days before world leaders were set to gather in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly next week, while the UN Security Council is also due to hold a high-level meeting on Gaza. The planned package includes a deal worth $3.8bn for 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and $1.9bn for 3,250 infantry assault vehicles for the Israeli army. Another $750 million worth of support parts for armoured personnel carriers and power supplies are also working its way through the sale process. The Republican president’s full-throated support for Israel’s military contrasts with growing wariness about Israel’s assault on Gaza among Democrats. O... -
Dawn - 06:18 Sep 20, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom was informed on Thursday that the proposed merger between Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) and Telenor Pakistan is expected to be finalised within two weeks. Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu told the committee that the case had been under review for 18 months due to its complex nature. He added that untimely responses from PTCL management partly caused delays. Committee Chairperson Senator Palwasha Khan raised concerns about appointments to the boards of PTCL and its subsidiary Ufone, noting that while PTCL board details were available online, Ufone’s board composition was missing from its website. She said the names had also not been shared in previous meetings. Senator Kamran Murtaza questioned the perks and privileges enjoyed by board members, including reports of $5,000 allowances and foreign trips. “This is public information and should be disclosed,” Senator Khan remarked. Stolen data Meanwhile,... -
Dawn - 03:27 Sep 20, 2025
• Khawaja Asif first suggests nuclear capabilities may be extended to KSA; later retracts, says nuclear weapons ‘not on the radar’ • FO adopts cautious approach; cites ‘evolving doctrine’ but offers no specifics • Dar hints other states also interested in defence deals ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s conflicting statements about Pakistan’s new defence agreement with Saudi Arabia have intensified speculation about the pact’s nuclear dimension. During an appearance on a TV talk show on Thursday night, Mr Asif had suggested that Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities could be made available to Riyadh under the new framework. “What we have, and the capabilities we possess, will be made available to (Saudi Arabia) according to this agreement,” he said, stressing that Pakistan has always acted as a responsible nuclear state. The remarks were interpreted as the first explicit signal that Pakistan might extend its nuclear deterrence to the kingdom, particularly as Mr Asif was present at the signing ceremony in Ri... -
Dawn - 03:06 Sep 20, 2025
• GCC leaders vow tighter intel sharing under Unified Military Command • Plan missile early warning system; joint drills GULF Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have pledged sweeping steps to bolster collective defence, including plans to increase intelligence sharing, develop new missile warning systems, and hold joint defence drills, after Israel launched a deadly strike on Doha earlier this month. Following an emergency Arab-Islamic summit, where leaders expressed alarm about Israel’s attacks across the Middle East, GCC officials met in Doha to discuss military intelligence unification, UAE-based The National reported. The GCC — a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — has agreed to expand intelligence sharing through Unified Military Command. The six-member bloc said they would fast-track the creation of a regional early-warning system to counter ballistic missiles and share the “air situation” with all aff... -
Dawn - 02:47 Sep 20, 2025
• Envisions sworn affidavits disowning relatives linked to militancy • Non-compliant individuals to be treated as abettors, facilitators QUETTA: The Balochistan government has directed families to immediately report if any of their relatives go missing or join non-state or militant groups, warning that strict legal action will be taken against those who fail to comply. According to an official notification issued by the Home Department, families are required to provide such information within seven days and submit sworn declarations disowning relatives involved in militancy, or else face action under anti-terrorism laws. The notification stated that citizens, parents and guardians must inform the nearest police station and FC/army unit within one week if a family member goes missing or is found to have joined any non-state or militant group. It further directed that details of individuals already missing must also be submitted within seven days under Sections 118 and 202 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), read... -
Dawn - 02:28 Sep 20, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri has also challenged the Sept 16 restraining order that barred him from performing judicial functions after a division bench raised serious questions about the validity of his law degree from Karachi University. Filed by Justice Jahangiri in person, the appeal before the Supreme Court pleaded for the Sept 16 restraining order to be set aside and suspended during the pendency of the petition, and for the division bench to be directed to hold back from proceeding further. The two-judge IHC bench, headed by Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar alongside Justice Mohammad Azam Khan, had issued the interim order while hearing a writ petition filed by lawyer Mian Dawood under Article 199 of the Constitution. The petition sought a writ of quo warranto, questioning “by what authority” Justice Jahangiri held judicial office. In his appeal under Article 185(3), Justice Jahangiri cited the 2010 Iftikhar Chaudhry case, in which the SC had held that the Constitution did not ...
7421 items