Dawn
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Dawn - 08:01 Mar 29, 2026
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) on Sunday dismissed reports of price hikes in essential medicines across the country, stating that the rates have not “undergone any upward revision”. The statement comes as stakeholders in recent news reports alleged that an unprecedented increase in medicine prices had been observed since February 2024. Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum President Noor Muhammad Mehr, a day earlier, told Dawn that the price of the insulin delivery device HumaPen Ergo II had increased by 114 per cent The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA), however, claimed that the prices of essential medicines had remained unchanged despite a more than 20 per cent rise in fuel prices. In its statement, Drap said that it “strongly refutes the factually incorrect news reports circulating on various media channels regarding the recent increase in prices of medicines”. The regulatory body stated that medicine supply in Pakistan remained “unaffected” by the conflict in the Middle Eas... -
Dawn - 07:04 Mar 29, 2026
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the ground test of an upgraded rocket engine, state media reported on Sunday, marking another key step in its weapons programme. Defence experts believe North Korea is planning to use its solid-fuel rocket engines for launching intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The engines enable faster missile launches as they require little preparation before ignition. The latest test was “part of the national defence development plan in the period of the new five-year plan”, Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, without elaborating on the date or location of the test. It was the first officially confirmed high-thrust solid-fuel engine test since September last year, when state media said an engine generated a maximum thrust of 1,971 kilonewtons. KCNA reported the recent test had achieved a higher thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons. The development demonstrates North Korea’s “resolve to acquire missiles capable of hitting targets around the globe”, Hong Min,... -
Dawn - 06:21 Mar 29, 2026
Seafarers’ helplines say they are overwhelmed with messages from crews stuck in the Gulf by the Middle East war, desperately seeking repatriation, compensation and onboard supplies. “Writing to urgently inform you that our vessel is currently facing a critical situation regarding provisions and one crew health conditions,” read an email from one seafarer on March 24 to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)’s Seafarer Support team. “Immediate supply of food, drinking water, basic necessities is required to sustain the crew,” said the message to the team’s helpline. The ITF said it had received more than 1,000 emails and messages from seafarers stuck around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region since the war erupted with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Bomb strikes Some sought to clarify what their rights are while navigating a war zone, while others sent videos of bombings striking next to their ship and asked the federation for help to get off board, according to ITF documents s... -
Dawn - 04:55 Mar 29, 2026
PESHAWAR: A Pak-Afghan peace jirga will be held in Peshawar on March 31 to urge the leadership of both countries to immediately de-escalate tensions and work towards peace, former chief secretary Arbab Shehzad Khan said here on Saturday. Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club, Mr Khan, who is head of Aspire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which, along with Qaumi Islahi Tehreek, is organising the jirga, said the forum would be attended by national and political leaders, tribal elders, religious scholars, members of civil society, traders and media representatives from KP as well as Afghans residing in Pakistan. Qaumi Islahi Tehreek chief Haji Sohrab Ali Khan was also present at the presser. Mr Shehzad Khan stressed that war was not a solution to any problem and that ultimately issues were resolved through dialogue. He added that the forum would focus on promoting sustainable peace through mutual respect, confidence-building measures and serious negotiations. Former chief secretary says forum to urge leadersh... -
Dawn - 04:25 Mar 29, 2026
• 42-year-old rickshaw driver was sole breadwinner and father of three • Experts urge govt to relocate all dogs from streets to shelters with animal rights activists’ support • Absence of life-saving RIG at most hospitals termed unacceptable KARACHI: As the city lost another life to rabies on Saturday, raising the tally to seven this year, medical experts expressed their utter disappointment over the persistent government failure in addressing the public health crisis triggered by a massive increase in dog population across Karachi, while calling for humane dog culling as the last resort to provide immediate relief to hapless citizens. The latest victim, a 42-year-old rickshaw driver and resident of a Garden locality, was the sole breadwinner and father of three. Family sources said that the patient was “treated” at a major government tertiary care hospital in Saddar for serious dog bite injuries over a month ago. Two weeks back, they said, he developed fever, restlessness and pain at the wound site, forcing ... -
Dawn - 04:19 Mar 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exports to major Western European markets are experiencing a consistent decline despite GSP+ status, sparking concerns over diminishing demand for Pakistani goods. The decline occurs as the European Union has signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with India on Jan 27, a major textile competitor of Pakistan, and amid initial concerns that Pakistan might be excluded from the GSP+ scheme, which offers duty-free access for certain products. Trade analysts warn that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East may further reduce export demand, as rising energy costs are likely to constrain consumer spending in Europe, which is already under pressure from the economic fallout of the Ukraine war. They caution that these strains could decrease purchasing power and further impact demand for imported goods, including those from Pakistan. Official data compiled by the State Bank of Pakistan showed that exports to European countries recorded a marginal year-on-year increase of 0.95 per cent to $6.122 billi... -
Dawn - 04:06 Mar 29, 2026
LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday offloaded two passengers at Multan International Airport over their alleged involvement in an illegal immigration attempt. According to an FIA spokesperson, the action was taken by immigration staff at Multan airport during routine screening of outbound passengers. Noor Islam and Sikandar Alam were scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. However, initial scrutiny raised suspicions, prompting officials to refer them to secondary screening for detailed profiling. During further examination, the officials found Moroccan visas affixed to their passports. Upon questioning, both admitted that their actual destination was Spain, rather than Saudi Arabia. The FIA officials said the development aligns with recent alerts issued by FIA headquarters regarding a growing trend in which travellers attempt to use Umrah visas as a cover to enter Europe illegally via Morocco. Following the findings, both passengers were offloaded from the flight and shif... -
Dawn - 04:02 Mar 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Port activities in Pakistan have increased following Iran’s retaliatory closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to illegal US-Israel attacks. Meanwhile, fuel supply to Pakistan via sea remains steady and regular. The details released by the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) showed that it recorded the highest vessel traffic. In March, 450,000 tonnes of petroleum fuel were handled across 17 ships, with arrivals from Oman, Fujairah, Singapore, Sohar, Yanbu, and Iraq. With the introduction of night navigation for LPG ships, modernised systems and dedicated terminals ensured smooth operations without congestion, while bunkering activities also increased. This includes 11 ships carrying 417,000 tonnes of petroleum products and six ships carrying 33,000 tonnes of LPG. As war wages in the Persian Gulf, the shipping lines rerouted to Pakistan. The transhipment operations too have increased, and the Qasim International Container Terminal, situated in Port Qasim, handled 3,485 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) ac... -
Dawn - 03:40 Mar 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank is expected to approve a loan of $250 million to Pakistan for resilience, early action, and disaster preparedness in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one of the country’s most flood-prone regions. The loan, provided by the International Development Association (IDA), aims to improve flood resilience in selected areas of the province. It is expected to be approved by the World Bank’s executive board in June this year. The province has sustained significant damage and losses from flooding over the years, with approximately $2.3 billion in cumulative damages from major flood events in 2010, 2022, and 2025 alone. More recently, the 2025 monsoon triggered localised riverine, glacial, and flash flooding, resulting in 509 fatalities. Building flood resilience is fundamental to KP’s long-term development, poverty reduction, and job creation. However, the scale of flood risk facing the province far exceeds what public finances can absorb through reactive recovery and reconstruction. Funding to be provided... -
Dawn - 03:24 Mar 29, 2026
GILGIT: While concerns had been raised about the potential adverse impact of the escalating war in the Middle East and the resulting rise in fuel prices on Gilgit-Baltistan’s tourism and hospitality industry, the situation on the ground suggests otherwise, with a surge in both foreign and domestic tourists. According to officials from the GB tourism department, applications from foreign adventure tourists for climbing and trekking permits have already surpassed last year’s figures. An official told Dawn that the tourism season typically begins in May, although both foreign and domestic visitors also arrive during the blossom season, which peaks towards the end of April. Despite tensions in the wake of the US-Israel war on Iran as well as the fuel price hike, the number of tourists in Skardu has significantly increased since Eidul Fitr. Applications from foreign adventure tourists for climbing and trekking permits has surpassed last year’s figures The official noted that a large number of both foreign and dome... -
Dawn - 02:36 Mar 29, 2026
• Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain hit by Iranian missiles, drones; strike wounds US troops at Saudi airbase • Drone strike disrupts shipping hub in Salalah • Explosions rock Tehran as Israeli attacks intensify; Iran halts steel production • IRGC warns of retaliation against regional economic infrastructure • Israel reports 5,689 wartime injuries; hospitals under pressure • Vance says US nearing exit but war to continue a ‘little longer’ TEHRAN: Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced their entry into the Middle East war on Saturday by launching a barrage of ballistic missiles towards Israel, while Gulf countries came under missile fire and Israeli forces struck Iran, as the war raged into its second month with Washington expressing hopes for progress in talks with Tehran. The intervention of Iran’s Yemeni allies in the US-Israel war on Iran will spark concern about disruptions to Red Sea shipping, with trade from the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz already choked off. With Hormuz all but impassable, many shipments to an... -
Dawn - 02:07 Mar 29, 2026
PESHAWAR Zalmi batter Michael Bracewell plays a shot during the Pakistan Super League match against Rawalpindiz at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.—AFP LAHORE: A combined display of hard hitting by batters steered Peshawar Zalmi to a well-deserved five-wicket victory against debutants Rawalpindiz in a high-scoring match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 11 here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Needing 21 for victory in the final two overs, Michael Bracewell (35 not out) and Aamer Jamal (13 not out off four balls) stood firm to complete the job with five balls to spare as the duo added 24 runs for the undefeated sixth-wicket partnership. Bracewell was named man-of-the-match for his vital knock. Chasing a gigantic 215, openers Mohammad Haris (47) and captain Babar Azam (39) along with Abdul Samad (33) and Kusal Mendis (31) had made invaluable contributions earlier as Zalmi completed the task — their highest-ever chase in PSL history — in their first game of the edition. In a flying start, Haris and Babar post... -
Dawn - 02:06 Mar 29, 2026
WASHINGTON: Demonstrators decrying President Donald Trump’s policies took to city streets across the United States on Saturday in the third edition of the “No Kings” rallies that organisers hoped will be the largest single-day non-violent protest in US history. The two previous No Kings events attracted millions of participants. Singers Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez headlined a rally at the state capitol in Minnesota, where upward of 100,000 people gathered in an area that became a flashpoint over Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration and the incursion of federal immigration agents into Democratic-led urban centres. Other major rallies took place in New York, Los Angeles and Washington, but two-thirds of the events were happening outside major city centres, a nearly 40 per cent jump for smaller communities from the movement’s first mobilisation last June. “The defining story of this mobilisation is not just how many people are protesting, but where they are protesting,” said Leah Greenberg, co-founder of... -
Dawn - 02:06 Mar 29, 2026
ATHENS: Twenty-two migrants hoping to reach Europe from North Africa have died off the coast of Greece after six days at sea in a rubber boat, survivors told the Greek coastguard on Saturday. The coastguard said 26 people, including a woman and a minor, were rescued by a European border agency vessel off the island of Crete. The coastguard later said that 21 Bangladeshis, four South Sudanese and a Chadian citizen had emerged from the ordeal alive. Survivors said the bodies of those who had died were thrown into the Mediterranean sea on the orders of one of the people smugglers aboard the ship. Two survivors were taken to hospital in Heraklion on Crete, the coastguard said. Based on survivor statements, the coastguard said the boat had left Tobruk, a port city in eastern Libya, on March 21, bound for Greece, the gateway for many migrants hoping for asylum in the European Union. “During the journey, the passengers lost their bearings and remained at sea for six days without food or water,” the coastgu... -
Dawn - 02:06 Mar 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has developed a national drought action plan in an attempt to transition from a reactive to a proactive risk-based approach for drought management, as climate change is making droughts frequent and severe, leading to water stress. Federal Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Aisha Humera Moriani, while speaking as a keynote speaker at a national consultative workshop on the National Drought Action Plan (NDAP) on Saturday, said drought was “no longer a distant or occasional risk” but an increasingly persistent threat driven by rising temperatures, water stress, and climate variability. “Pakistan is already among the countries facing high water risk and drought directly affects agriculture, water resources, food security, ecosystems and livelihoods,” she said, adding that past responses had largely focused on post-impact relief rather than preparedness. Ms Moriani highlighted the need for a coordinated institutional and policy framework to translate data into action. S... -
Dawn - 19:24 Mar 28, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said late on Saturday that the government of Iran had agreed to allow “20 more ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz”. In a post on X, he said two ships will cross the Strait daily. “This is a welcome and constructive gesture by Iran and deserves appreciation. It is a harbinger of peace and will help usher stability in the region,” he said. “This positive announcement marks a meaningful step toward peace and will strengthen our collective efforts in that direction,” he said. “Dialogue, diplomacy, and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward,” he said. He also tagged US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff in the post. The world has been facing a global fuel crunch in the aftermath of a US-Israeli war on Iran, which has been going on for nearly a month. The fuel crisis has resulted from the disruption of traffic in... -
Dawn - 19:01 Mar 28, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to host the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt from March 29-30 for “in-depth discussions” on a variety of issues, including efforts to reduce the ongoing tensions in the region amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. In a press release issued on Saturday, the Foreign Office said that at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia’s FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Turkiye’s FM Hakan Fidan, and Egypt’s FM Dr Badr Abdelatty will visit Islamabad from March 29 to March 30. “During the visit, the foreign ministers will hold in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region,” the FO said, adding that the visiting dignitaries will also call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “Pakistan highly values its relations with the brotherly countries of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt,” the FO statement underscored. “The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan’s cooperat... -
Dawn - 18:25 Mar 28, 2026
An international media association on Saturday condemned what it described as a “violent assault” by Israeli soldiers who detained a CNN crew in the occupied West Bank this week. A CNN team was reporting on the aftermath of an assault by Israeli settlers and the establishment of an illegal outpost near the Palestinian village of Tayasir on Thursday when Israeli soldiers detained it, the Foreign Press Association (FPA) said. “The soldiers aggressively targeted the crew and Palestinian civilians present, pointing their rifles at them,” the FPA said, even after the journalists identified themselves. “The soldiers repeatedly tried to infringe the CNN crew’s right to film, ordering the crew to stop filming and threatening to confiscate the camera. “Later, an IDF (Israeli Defence Force) soldier approached CNN’s photojournalist from behind, placed him in a chokehold, slammed him to the ground, and damaged his camera,” said the association, which represents hundreds of journalists in Israel and Palestinian territorie... -
Dawn - 17:09 Mar 28, 2026
An Israeli strike killed three journalists on Saturday in south Lebanon, with authorities denouncing the attack as a “war crime”. Lebanese television news channel Al Manar said its reporter Ali Shoaib and reporter Fatima Ftouni, from Lebanese pan-Arab broadcaster Al Mayadeen, were killed when their vehicle was hit. Lebanon’s information minister, Paul Morcis, later said Ftouni’s brother, Mohammed, a cameraman, had also been killed. Al Mayadeen said that the Israeli airstrike “directly struck a vehicle clearly marked as a press car in which she and fellow journalists were travelling”. It added that Shoaib and Ftouni’s brother were also in the vehicle. “According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent Jamal Ghourabi, Israel targeted Fatima’s vehicle with four precision missiles. After that, when ambulances arrived on the scene, paramedics were then targeted, leading to the martyrdom of one paramedic, reflecting an obvious attempt to assassinate press crews and even paramedics attempting to reach them,” the report said.... -
Dawn - 16:58 Mar 28, 2026
The Foreign Office (FO) on Saturday rejected the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ concern over the treatment of Pakistan’s Shia community, terming its remarks “cynical and diversionary” and an “exercise in deflection masquerading as concern”. The statement comes a day after the Indian Ministry of External Affairs commented on remarks it attributed to Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir, wherein — during an interaction with Shia clerics — he allegedly said agitators responding violently to events in Iran should go to Iran. It should be mentioned that CDF Munir had met with Shia clerics in Rawalpindi earlier this month. A participant, speaking on condition of anonymity, said CDF Munir had adopted a stern tone, describing Iran as being under pressure from major powers, and asserted that Pakistan’s territory was not being used against Tehran. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss matters of national security and the role of ulema in societal harmony, according to a statement issued ...
12682 items