Dawn
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Dawn - 15:25 Jun 26, 2025
The United States consulates in Karachi and Lahore on Thursday requested that all applicants for F, M or J nonimmigrant visas make their social media accounts public for vetting, after similar instructions were issued by the US Embassy in Delhi earlier this week. US President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday ordered the resumption of student visa appointments but significantly tightened its social media vetting in a bid to identify any applicants who may be hostile towards the country, according to an internal State Department cable reviewed by Reuters. US consular officers are now required to conduct a “comprehensive and thorough vetting” of all student and exchange visitor applicants to identify those who “bear hostile attitudes toward our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles”, said the cable, which was dated June 18 and sent to US missions on Wednesday. In Instagram posts uploaded today, the consulates said: “Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F,... -
Dawn - 14:46 Jun 26, 2025
The Finance Bill, 2025, was approved by parliament on Thursday, meaning that the Rs17.57 trillion budget for the coming fiscal year has been greenlit. The PPP on Wednesday voiced strong reservations over a set of politically unpopular provisions in the federal budget for the next fiscal year, urging the government to amend “contentious” clauses ahead of its expected approval in the National Assembly today (Thursday). Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s amendments to various legislation, including the Income Tax Ordnance, 2001, were all approved, while opposition amendments were rejected, according to a Dawn.com correspondent. The bill was read out in the assembly and approved clause by clause. The session has been adjourned until 11am tomorrow. Addressing the House, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his party would “happily support the budget,” since the government had accepted the party’s proposals. “We appreciate the government’s efforts as BISP’s (Benazir Income Support Programme) budget has been ... -
Dawn - 14:14 Jun 26, 2025
Cocaine production, seizures and use all hit record highs in 2023, the UN drug agency said on Thursday, with the illicit drug’s market the world’s fastest-growing. Illegal production jumped to 3,708 tons, nearly 34 per cent more than in 2022, and more than four times higher than 10 years earlier, when it was at a low, the Vienna-based UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its annual report. The current surge is mainly due to an increase in the size of the area under illicit coca bush cultivation in Colombia and updated yield data, it added. Global cocaine seizures, too, recorded a high of 2,275 tons, marking a 68pc rise in the four years to 2023. The number of cocaine users also grew to 25 million in 2023, up from 17 million ten years earlier. “Cocaine has become fashionable for the more affluent society,” UNODC chief researcher Angela Me said, noting a “vicious cycle” of increased use and production. While Colombia remains the key producer, cocaine traffickers are breaking into new markets across Asia... -
Dawn - 13:59 Jun 26, 2025
At least seven people were killed and 39 others were injured in multiple rain-related incidents as Punjab was battered by heavy monsoon showers on Thursday, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue 1122. Monsoon rains fall across the region from June to September, offering respite from the summer heat and are crucial to replenishing water supplies. They are also vital for agriculture, and therefore the livelihoods of millions of farmers and food security for South Asia’s nearly two billion people. Earlier today, the PDMA said that four people died and 19 were injured in rain-related incidents. According to the data, 13 incidents were reported across Punjab, with the majority of them in the Okara district. Two children are among the four deceased. The majority of incidents were roof collapses caused by rain. “Two citizens were killed by the collapse of dilapidated and decaying buildings in Okara and Bahawalnagar,” a PDMA handout read. “Two citizens drowned in Jhelum … 13 dila... -
Dawn - 13:30 Jun 26, 2025
The head of Gavi on Thursday said the organisation which vaccinates children in the world’s poorest countries, was “disappointed” after Washington announced it was pulling funding in an incendiary video questioning its safety standards. A Brussels summit held by the group to raise money on Wednesday was overshadowed by a video message sent by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who raised sweeping vaccine safety doubts without evidence and announced an end to Washington’s support. “We were disappointed to see the video,” Gavi CEO Sania Nishtar told AFP in a phone interview. “Of course, we disagree with many of the things that were narrated in the video. It’s unfortunate but we are hopeful of a positive relationship with the United States. We will continue to engage them.” The United States’s funding withdrawal comes as Gavi and the United Nations reported in April that outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, meningitis and yellow fever are on the rise globally amid misinformation and c... -
Dawn - 13:02 Jun 26, 2025
German police said on Thursday they had shot dead an Afghan man after he used a knife to attack officers trying to arrest him, seriously wounding one of them. The incident happened in the southern city of Wangen when two officers attempted to detain the 27-year-old man at his home to take him to serve a prison sentence for assault. “In the course of the operation, the man suddenly pulled out a knife and attacked the officers without warning,” police and prosecutors said in a joint statement. “As a result of the attack, the police officers fired several shots.” The Afghan died at the scene despite efforts to resuscitate him, they said. One officer was seriously injured after being stabbed several times, but was not in a life-threatening condition. The authorities have launched an investigation into the use of a firearm by police. Several serious attacks in Germany carried out in recent times — some by migrants — including knife attacks and car-rammings, fuelling a heated debate on immigration. Chanceller Fried... -
Dawn - 12:13 Jun 26, 2025
Posts from multiple users on social media platforms X and Facebook since Monday shared videos allegedly showing Iranian armed forces thanking Pakistan for intelligence support against Israel. However, the viral clips are AI-generated. Israel launched wide-scale air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, military sites and private residences, killing top commanders, scientists and hundreds of others on June 13. Both countries traded wave after wave of devastating strikes and missile volleys since then. A ceasefire was achieved on June 24 after 12 days of fighting. On Monday, a pro-military account on Facebook shared a video of two soldiers allegedly recording a video in gratitude to Pakistan. “Our nuclear programme is safe. Thank you, Pakistan, for protecting it with your intelligence support,” they said. The post was captioned: “An Iranian soldier thanking Pakistan, saying: Thank you, thank you, thank you.” The post gained 1.4 million views and 12,000 reactions. The viral clip was also shared here, here, ... -
Dawn - 11:27 Jun 26, 2025
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to hold a news conference on Thursday to offer a fresh assessment of strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, following a stinging row over how much American bombardment set back Tehran’s nuclear programme. After waves of Israeli attacks on nuclear and military sites and retaliatory missile fire from Iran since June 13, the United States bombed three key Iranian atomic facilities at the weekend. The extent of the damage in Iran, where Israel said it had acted to stop an imminent nuclear threat, has become the subject of profound disagreement in the United States. An initial classified assessment, first reported by CNN, was said to have concluded that the strike did not destroy key components and that Iran’s nuclear programme was set back only months at most. Another key question raised by experts is whether Iran, preparing for the strike, moved out some 400 kilogramme of enriched uranium — which could now be hidden elsewhere in the vast country. The US administration has ... -
Dawn - 10:36 Jun 26, 2025
The Ministry of Interior on Thursday announced that it planned to take strict action against elements spreading religious hate on social media as part of a security plan ahead of the month of Muharram. The government has ramped up security efforts in the past few weeks as the first month of the Islamic calendar inches closer. KP and the Punjab government have planned to impose Section 144 across the province from Muharram 1 to 10, barring public gatherings, protests, or other actions that might disrupt peace. The central Ruet-e-Hilal committee is set to meet today for the sighting of the moon for Muharram. According to a statement from the ministry today, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired a meeting aimed at reviewing the security plan for the month. “It was decided that action will be taken against elements inciting religious hatred on social media in light of Muharram,” it said. “In this regard, PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) has been instructed to monitor hateful content on elec... -
Dawn - 09:48 Jun 26, 2025
Efforts are underway to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the Air India plane crash this month that killed 260 people, and identify contributing factors, India’s civil aviation ministry said on Thursday. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed moments after takeoff from India’s Ahmedabad city on June 12, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and the rest on ground in the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade. The black boxes of the plane — the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) — were recovered in the days that followed, one from the rooftop of a building at the crash site on June 13, and the other from the debris on June 16. They were transported to national capital Delhi on Tuesday, where a team led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau began extracting their data, the ministry said in a statement. “The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and […] the memory module was successfully accessed and its data do... -
Dawn - 09:28 Jun 26, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday approved a search and selection committee for recommending the appointment of members of the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) under the Digital Nation Pakistan Act. Enacted in January this year, the act aimed to transform Pakistan into a “digital nation” by enabling a digital society, digital economy, and digital governance. The bill was approved by the federal cabinet in June 2024. The bill said it was expedient to enable the people to become a digital nation by leveraging the transformative power of digital technologies, responsible use of data, innovative service delivery models and robust digital public infrastructure to accelerate sustainable economic development, improve citizen well-being, and modernise governance frameworks for efficient and effective public service delivery. According to a notification issued today by the ministry of IT and telecommunication, “the search committee will appoint a chairperson and two members of the PDA.” Federal Minister for IT... -
Dawn - 09:15 Jun 26, 2025
Pakistan has expressed concerns over the “worst forms of torture” the people of Palestine and Indian-occupied Kashmir are being subjected to by foreign occupation powers, the Foreign Office said in a statement on Thursday. There have been widespread reports of systematic torture and human rights violations by Indian occupation forces in held Jammu and Kashmir since the region was unilaterally annexed in 2019. Pakistan continues to provide political, moral, and diplomatic support to Kashmiris until they realise their inherent right to self-determination as per the UNSC resolutions. In Gaza, Israeli forces have killed 56,156 people and injured 132,239 in the enclave since launching a military onslaught in October 2023. A human rights monitor published a report detailing the “shocking” treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. “Pakistan remains gravely concerned at the widespread and systematic use of torture as an instrument of oppression in situations of foreign occupation” the FO statement said o... -
Dawn - 08:24 Jun 26, 2025
China hosted defence ministers from Iran and Russia for a meeting in its eastern seaside city of Qingdao on Thursday, against the backdrop of war in the Middle East and a summit of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries in Europe that agreed to boost military spending. Beijing has long sought to present the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a counterweight to Western-led power blocs and has pushed to strengthen collaboration between its member countries in politics, security, trade and science. The Qingdao meeting of the organisation’s top defence officials comes as a fledgling ceasefire between Israel and Iran holds after 12 days of fighting between the arch-foes. It is also being held the day after a summit of Nato leaders in The Hague, where members agreed to ramp up their defence spending to satisfy United States President Donald Trump. Beijing’s ties with Moscow are also in the spotlight. China has portrayed itself as a neutral party in Russia’s war with Ukraine, although ... -
Dawn - 06:48 Jun 26, 2025
KARACHI: Four suspected Indian agents were arrested in a raid carried out in the Quaidabad area, police said on Wednesday. The Special Investigation Unit of the Sindh police and an intelligence agency conducted the raid on a tip-off, SIU SSP Mohammed Shoaib Memon said, adding that they had links with the Indian intelligence agency — the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). He identified the suspects as Mohammed Khan alias Gullu, Yameen Malah, Akhter Thaheem and Ghulam Qadir alias Akash, and claimed that they were found involved in espionage activities. With their arrest, a plot to carry out terror attacks in the country was foiled, he said. SSP Memon said that two hand grenades, a Kalashnikov, a rifle, two pistols and mobile phones were seized from them. The mobile phones, believed to be containing sensitive digital material, have been sent for a forensic analysis, he said. “The suspects had made videos and captured pictures of the country’s sensitive installations, which they used to send to RAW using specialis... -
Dawn - 06:27 Jun 26, 2025
THE HAGUE: Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday likened President Donald Trump to a “daddy” intervening in a schoolyard brawl after the US leader repeatedly berated Middle East foes Israel and Iran this week including with a profanity. Talking to reporters alongside Rutte at a Nato alliance summit, Trump again berated Israel and Iran. “They’ve had a big fight, like two kids in a schoolyard. You know, they fight like hell, you can’t stop them. Let them fight for about 2-3 minutes, then it’s easy to stop them,” he said. In response, Rutte laughed and said: “And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language to get (them to) stop.” On Tuesday, after a ceasefire deal, Trump had raised eyebrows by saying Israel and Iran had been fighting “so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing”. With the 32-member Nato alliance endeavouring to placate Trump after complaints that it was over-reliant on US financial and military muscle, Rutte was asked if he might be over-flattering the US pr... -
Dawn - 05:11 Jun 26, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Energy Ali Pervaiz Malik on Wednesday urged American investors and companies to explore Pakistan’s vast mineral wealth through public-private partnerships and joint ventures. Speaking at a webinar titled “Opportunities in Pakistan’s Mining Sector – Unlocking Mineral Potential”, the minister highlighted the country’s rich endowment of mineral resources, including gold, copper, coal, rare earth elements and other critical minerals vital for the global energy transition. The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Energy and the US Embassy in Pakistan to promote investment opportunities in the country’s minerals and mining sector. Mr Malik assured that both the Government of Pakistan and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) are fully committed to facilitating international companies seeking to partner in unlocking Pakistan’s mineral reserves. He emphasised Pakistan’s growing role in the global shift towards clean energy, citing the nation’s abundant reserves o... -
Dawn - 05:02 Jun 26, 2025
KURRAM: At least four people were killed in two landmine explosions in the border area of Pewar Sharamkhel in Kurram district on Wednesday. According to Kurram District Police Officer Habibullah, the blasts also resulted in injuries to four others. Parachinar Hospital’s Medical Superintendent Mir Hassan Jan told Dawn that the deceased were identified as Nawab Ali, Aamir Hussain, Hidayat Hussain, and Manzar Ali. All four died on the spot. The injured — identified as Muhammad, Qunein, Shafaat Hussain and Hassan Ghulam — were initially taken to Parachinar Hospital for first-aid, and later referred to Peshawar for further treatment. DPO Habibullah said police teams had been dispatched to the area and that an investigation is underway. Two of the injured, Qunein and Hassan Ghulam, told Dawn that the landmines exploded as they neared a mountain area. They said they were seriously wounded in the blasts, which also killed four of their companions and two horses on the spot. Tribal elders strongly condemned th... -
Dawn - 04:56 Jun 26, 2025
• NA set to pass federal budget today with amendments • Omar Ayub labels budget ‘dead on arrival’, slams inflation claims • Rs4.8tr in grants approved for four ministries • Finance minister claims macroeconomic stability restored ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) came under fire in the National Assembly on Wednesday over allegations of collusion with smugglers and tax evaders, as the House paved the way for the federal budget’s passage today (Thursday). The budget, presented on June 10, is now set to pass with previously agreed-upon amendments. On Wednesday, the National Assembly completed the process of approving demands for grants to cover the expenses of various ministries and divisions. It approved 31 demands for grants totalling Rs4.814 trillion for four ministries and divisions —Finance and Revenue, Human Rights, Interior, and National Food Security — while rejecting all 430 cut motions submitted by the opposition. Leader of the Opposition Omar Ayub Khan, speaking during the debate on... -
Dawn - 04:47 Jun 26, 2025
A flash flood in the Burundubar stream near Attabad Lake blocks access to the Luxus resort.—Photo by the writer GILGIT: NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) on Wednesday issued a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (Glof) alert for northern areas, including Gilgit-Baltistan, citing a dangerous combination of persistent high temperatures, intensified monsoon currents and a prevailing westerly wave. The alert comes as current heatwaves intensify glacier melting across the region, leading to increased water levels and flash floods creating disasters in downstream areas. A flash flood triggered on Wednesday by a melting glacier occurred in the Burundubar stream, which flows into the famous tourist point Attabad Lake, according to Rescue 1122. The floodwater blocked access to the Luxus hotel, entering its premises where “a large number of national and foreign tourists were present”. 160 evacuated by boat after flash flooding near Attabad Lake More than 160 tourists and hotel staff were evacuated by boat. ... -
Dawn - 03:14 Jun 26, 2025
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday once again credited Field Marshal Asim Munir for helping prevent a nuclear conflict with India, adding that he persuaded both sides to back down by linking peace to trade. Explaining how he helped defuse tensions across the globe — from Ukraine to Serbia — Trump said “the most important” of these conflicts was last month’s war scare between India and Pakistan. “And that was not whether or not they may someday have nukes, like we are talking about the Middle East, like we are talking about with Israel and Iran. This is — they have nuclear weapons,” President Trump said at his news conference in The Hague, at the conclusion of a Nato summit. Referring to recent tensions between the two South Asian neighbours, Trump said, “I ended that with a series of phone calls on trade. I said, ‘Look, if you are going to be fighting each other…’ It was getting very bad — you know how bad that last attack was. It was very bad. If you are really going to go fighting with ...
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