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Dawn - 11:42 Nov 20, 2025
Amid rumours of two new city names being decided for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday that the decision will be made after December 15. PSL confirmed last week that two new franchise teams would be named from among Hyderabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad and Sialkot. The list was finalised after the valuation reports for the two new teams were received by PCB. “The PCB refutes news circulating in the media regarding the finalisation of the two city names for the new HBL PSL franchises. “The PCB would like to clarify that, as per the process, the successful bidders will have the right to choose a team name from any of the city/team names (…) in the manner set forth in the bid documents,” the board said in a statement today. “The PCB is pleased to note and welcomes the growing interest in acquisition of team franchise rights for two new teams for future editions of the HBL PSL.” The board noted that the public advertisement for te... -
Dawn - 10:43 Nov 20, 2025
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday took notice of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s “irresponsible” comments regarding the upcoming by-election for NA-18 in Haripur. Addressing a public gathering in Abbottabad’s Havelian yesterday, Afridi had issued a stern warning to those attempting to manipulate or change the result of the by-election scheduled for November 23 (Sunday). In a press release, the ECP said it had taken notice of the KP CM’s remarks, wherein he “threatened the district administration, police and staff deployed for the election, and incited the public present at the rally and the people in general”. “Not only has the provincial chief executive’s irresponsible behaviour made holding a peaceful by-election in NA-18 Haripur difficult, it has also put the lives of the district administration, police, staff posted on election duties, and the voters in danger.” The electoral watchdog has issued notices to CM Afridi and Shehrnaz Omar Ayub — PTI leader Omar Ayub’s wife... -
Dawn - 10:06 Nov 20, 2025
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Thursday that it had approved loans totalling $330 million to Pakistan for the country’s Second Power Transmission Strengthening Project. The ADB press release said the project was one of the government’s “top priority investments to expand the national transmission network and enable the evacuation of low-cost renewable and hydropower to major load centres”. The bank said a new 500 kilovolt transmission line of approximately 290 kilometres would be constructed under the project, in addition to upgrading “critical grid infrastructure” feeding Islamabad and Faisalabad. “These investments will address long-standing constraints in Pakistan’s north–south power corridor, enabling the transfer of up to 3,200 megawatts of clean energy from hydropower plants in the north of the country. This will help reduce reliance on imported fuels, improve energy security, and support Pakistan’s transition to a more affordable and sustainable energy mix,” the ADB said. ADB said that the in... -
Dawn - 08:55 Nov 20, 2025
A Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday withdrew arrest warrants previously issued for Aleema Khan, the sister of PTI founder and former premier Imran Khan, in the November 26 protest case. ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah withdrew the warrants after Aleema appeared before the court and submitted a compliance report. The court directed her to furnish fresh surety bonds worth Rs1 million each, following which the warrants were cancelled. The case pertains to a protest staged by the PTI in November last year and the court has issued arrest warrants for Aleema multiple times over her repeated absence. Aleema has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the charges are politically motivated. At a previous hearing, the judge had also directed the relevant authorities to block Aleema’s national identity card (CNIC) and passport, and freeze her bank accounts. During today’s hearing, Aleema moved an application seeking a reversal of the freeze on her bank accounts, including joint accounts associated with the Nati... -
Dawn - 07:36 Nov 20, 2025
Denmark has pointed to the “serious threat” posed by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Central and South Asia and says that the terror outfit has been receiving “logistical and substantial support from the de facto authorities”. In the capacity of the chair of the Security Council ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee, Denmark raised these concerns while briefing a UNSC meeting held in New York on Wednesday. The presence of TTP militants in Afghanistan has long been a point of contention between Islamabad and the Taliban administration. Since the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul in 2021, Pakistan has accused the group of sheltering thousands of TTP fighters, who have escalated attacks on Pakistani security forces, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Denmark’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Sandra Jensen Landi told the UNSC meeting that the TTP, “with its approximately 6,000 fighters, is another serious threat emanating from the region, receiving... -
Dawn - 06:15 Nov 20, 2025
In fresh comments on Pak-India May conflict, Trump says PM Shehbaz called to say he ‘saved millions’
In fresh comments on the military escalation between Pakistan and Indian in May, United States President Donald Trump has said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif phoned him to say that he had “saved millions”, adding that it took the threat of “350 per cent tariffs” to end the conflict. Tensions between India and Pakistan had flared earlier this year when a deadly terror attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir was blamed on Islamabad, which denied the accusations. The two sides traded a series of tit-for-tat blows that ended in the declaration of a ceasefire by Trump in May, who has since repeatedly talked about his role in ending the military escalation between the two countries. Addressing the US-Saudi Investment Forum on Wednesday, the US president said, “I’m good at settling disputes, and I’ve always been — I’ve done very well with that over the years. View this post on Instagram “India, Pakistan — they were going to go at it, nuclear weapons. I said that’s okay, you can go at it, but I’m putting a 350pc t... -
Dawn - 05:17 Nov 20, 2025
• Lender’s Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment proposes 15-point reform plan • Calls for tighter limits on govt’s financial powers • Demands first public annual report of SIFC, concessions granted • Points to opaque tax system, intrusive regulations, weak independent regulators ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its long-awaited Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment (GCDA), has highlighted persistent corruption challenges in Pakistan driven by systemic weaknesses across state institutions and demanded immediate initiation of a 15-point reform agenda to improve transparency, fairness and integrity. The report, publication of which is a precondition for the IMF executive board’s approval of a $1.2 billion disbursement next month, estimates that Pakistan could boost economic growth by about 5 to 6.5 per cent over five years if it implements a package of governance reforms beginning within the next three to six months. The GCDA seeks an end to special treatment for a few in... -
Dawn - 03:17 Nov 20, 2025
ISLAMABAD: A day after the 27th Amendment eroded its authority, over a dozen judges of the Supreme Court came together in the chief justice’s chambers to deliberate a future course of action. But amid judges’ grumbling, a proposal to resign en masse to protest the amendment was met with mere silence. The Nov 14 full court meeting, chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, coincided with the elevation of four top court judges to the Federal Constitutional Court, and was convened a day after the resignation of two judges — Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah. Prior to this, the CJP had also received letters from the two aforementioned judges, as well as Justice Salahuddin Panwhar, requesting a full court meeting for deliberation on the 27th Amendment to discharge their solemn duty to the Constitution. Fly-on-the-wall account of judges’ conclave on judiciary’s response to 27th Amendment reveals misgivings over parliamentary powers A source privy to proceedings said that the meeting was h... -
Dawn - 20:39 Nov 19, 2025
Pakistan dominated the men’s javelin throw final at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh as Arshad Nadeem expectedly defended his gold medal and Muhammad Yasir won silver. Arshad was in a league of his own headed into the seven-man event; his personal best of 92.97m — which won him gold and the games record at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Predictably, he had the lead from the start and was the only competitor to throw more than 80m — prompting hearty Arabic praise from the commentators — though he looked disappointed after most of his throws. The 28-year-old took home gold with a modest 83.05m throw on his second attempt, well below his 88.55m throw at the previous edition that won gold broke the games record. View this post on Instagram Meanwhile, Yasir shifted gears in the sixth and final throw to win silver in 76.04m after overtaking Nigeria’s Samuel Adams Kure, who bronze in 76.01m. The duo’s medals took Pakistan’s tally at the games to four; boxers Fa... -
Dawn - 18:44 Nov 19, 2025
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) scheme with European Union Council President Antonio Costa on Wednesday, ahead of an upcoming review this month. The status was granted by the EU in 2014, which led to a 108 per cent hike in Pakistani textile exports to the EU due to concessional tariffs. In October 2023, the European Parliament unanimously voted to extend the GSP+ status for another four years until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan, to enjoy duty-free or minimum duty on European exports. The upcoming GSP+ monitoring mission was delayed from June because of the Iran-Israel conflict and will scrutinise Pakistan’s record on 27 international conventions tied to the trade scheme, which grants duty-free access to most Pakistani exports. The Foreign Office (FO) said that FM Dar called on Costa for a meeting in Brussels, Belgium, in which they “exchanged views on various areas of mutual interest, including GSP+, trade and... -
Dawn - 18:33 Nov 19, 2025
At least 25 Palestinians were killed in four Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday in Gaza since a shaky ceasefire took effect in October, health authorities said. Medics said 10 people were killed in the Gaza City suburb of Zeitoun, two in the Shujaiya suburb to the east and the rest in two separate attacks in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli military claimed its forces struck Hamas targets across Gaza after members of the Palestinian group fired on its troops in violation of the nearly six-week-old ceasefire. No Israeli forces were injured. Multiple air strikes have pointed to the fragility of the ceasefire. Israel and Hamas have traded blame for what both call violations of the US-brokered truce, the first stage of President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for a post-war Gaza. All three attacks were far beyond an agreed-upon imaginary “yellow line” separating the areas under Israeli and Palestinian control, according to medics, witnesses and Palestinian media. The Zeitoun attack was on a building... -
Dawn - 17:49 Nov 19, 2025
European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis on Wednesday said that the country needed to “do more” in terms of fulfilling its commitments under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status ahead of a review. The status was granted by the EU in 2014, resulting in a 108 per cent increase in Pakistani textile exports to the EU due to concessional tariffs. In October 2023, the European Parliament unanimously voted to extend the GSP+ status for another four years until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan. The upcoming GSP+ monitoring mission will scrutinise Pakistan’s record on 27 international conventions tied to the trade scheme. Maintaining GSP+ status is critical for Pakistan to keep export costs low. What is GSP+ status? According to the EU, GSP+ status is a special incentive awarded to developing countries to “pursue sustainable development and good governance” in exchange for cutting import duties to zero on two-thirds of the tariff lines of its exports. Governmen... -
Dawn - 17:14 Nov 19, 2025
Lawmakers are set to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) at the United States Capitol on Wednesday on the second day of a visit to the US that has aimed to tout stronger-than-ever economic and security ties with Washington while brushing off scrutiny of his human rights record. President Donald Trump gave bin Salman a lavish welcome at the White House on Tuesday and defended him over the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents, which US intelligence agencies have concluded the crown prince approved. A handful of Republican members of Congress, including House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast attended a black-tie dinner at the White House for bin Salman on Tuesday, according to a White House official. MBS was considered an outcast by Washington in the aftermath of the Khashoggi killing, but his rehabilitation was rubber-stamped this week. In... -
Dawn - 17:04 Nov 19, 2025
Security forces killed four terrorists in separate engagements across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said in a statement on Wednesday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), multiple intelligence-based operations (IBO) were carried out between November 17 and 18, with the dead terrorists belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khawarij. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “On [the] reported presence of khwarij, an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the security forces in Bajaur district,” the statement read. “During the conduct of [the] operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and after an intense fire exchange, one kharji was sent to hell.” The ISPR said that two more terrorists were killed in IBOs conducted in the areas of Spinwam and Zakir Khel in North Waziristan, while another terrorist was killed in an IBO in Dera Ismail Khan District. “Weapons and ammunition were ... -
Dawn - 16:58 Nov 19, 2025
The PTI on Wednesday strongly condemned the Punjab government for unleashing “a reign of terror” on party founder Imran Khan’s sisters, party leaders, lawyers, and workers outside Adiala Jail, describing the act as utterly intolerable and completely unacceptable. The party announced that the opposition alliance would observe a countrywide ‘black day’ on Friday to demand the restoration of the Constitution, the rule of law and ‘real freedom’, as Imran repeatedly stated that the nation was left with no choice but to choose between freedom and death. Speaking at a press conference alongside Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi — as well as Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) Chairman Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and other party leaders, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja condemned the acts carried out on Tuesday night and issued a stern warning to the authorities. He stated that the PTI continued to urge those in power to abandon their “reckless arrogance” and act responsibly before it w... -
Dawn - 16:48 Nov 19, 2025
European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis on Wednesday said that the country needed to “do more” in terms of fulfilling its commitments under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) ahead of a review. The status was granted by the EU in 2014, which led to a 108 per cent hike in Pakistani textile exports to the EU due to concessional tariffs. In October 2023, the European Parliament unanimously voted to extend the GSP+ status for another four years until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan, to enjoy duty-free or minimum duty on European exports. The upcoming GSP+ monitoring mission was delayed from June because of the Iran-Israel conflict and will scrutinise Pakistan’s record on 27 international conventions tied to the trade scheme, which grants duty-free access to most Pakistani exports. In an interview on DawnNewstv show ‘Doosra Rukh’ today, the EU ambassador was asked about whether Pakistan needed to do more to fulfil the requirements of the scheme, to which he sa... -
Dawn - 16:25 Nov 19, 2025
State-owned energy company Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL) is reclaiming land from the sea to create a launchpad to ramp up oil and gas exploration, US outlet Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. Citing PPL’s General Manager Exploration and Core Business Development, Arshad Palekar, Bloomberg reported that the artificial island will be created about 30 kilometres off the coast of Sindh, near Sujawal. He said this on the sidelines of an oil and gas conference in Islamabad. “Planned with a height of six feet, the platform will prevent high tides from interrupting round-the-clock exploration work,” he said. Pakistan’s drilling efforts are gaining fresh momentum after United States President Donald Trump indicated an interest in the country’s “massive oil reserves” in a social media post in July. Since then, Islamabad has awarded offshore exploration licenses to local companies PPL, Mari Energies Ltd and Prime International Oil and Gas Company. “The project, a first for Pakistan, builds on Abu Dhabi’s experience, where ... -
Dawn - 15:22 Nov 19, 2025
A fire ripped through more than 170 buildings and killed one person in a southern Japanese coastal city on Wednesday, with military and firefighting helicopters scrambling to extinguish the country’s largest urban blaze in almost half a century. Aerial footage from broadcasters showed houses reduced to rubble and thick plumes of smoke rising from the hilly Saganoseki district of Oita city, which overlooks a fishing harbour renowned for its premium Seki-brand mackerel. The flames had also spread to nearby forested slopes and an uninhabited island more than one kilometre off the coast, likely due to strong winds, local media reported. The blaze started on Tuesday evening and has burned 48,900 square metres — roughly the size of seven soccer fields — forcing 175 residents in the district, some 770 kilometres southwest of Tokyo, to flee to an emergency shelter, Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. The cause of the fire was under investigation, the agency added. One person has been found dead, local m... -
Dawn - 14:56 Nov 19, 2025
“In a world reshaped by rising climate pressures, urban growth, and inequality, safe sanitation remains a cornerstone of public health and human dignity,” says United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement on World Toilet Day on November 19. Established by the World Toilet Organisation in 2001, the day was made an official United Nations Observance in 2013. Every year, UN-Water — the UN’s coordination mechanism on water and sanitation — sets the theme for this day. In 2025, the theme is ‘Sanitation in a changing world’, which, according to the UN reminds us “that no matter what the future holds, we’ll always need the toilet”. A toilet stands outside the Llamocca family home at Villa Lourdes in Villa Maria del Triunfo on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, on October 7, 2015. — Reuters “The humble toilet is an icon of progress — preventing disease, protecting the environment, and preserving dignity and opportunity. Without safe sanitation, sustainable development falters. Contaminated water can spr... -
Dawn - 14:08 Nov 19, 2025
The Pakistan Navy (PN) seized over 2,000 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, commonly known as ice, in a drug bust worth $130 million in the Arabian Sea, according to a statement issued on Wednesday. The statement from the navy’s Directorate-General Public Relations (DG PR) said the PN Tabuk was conducting a regional maritime security patrol in support of the Saudi-led Combined Task Force 150 under the Combined Maritime Force (CMF), a naval partnership that includes the United States, when it intercepted a “suspicious dhow” operating in the Arabian Sea. “Subsequently, the ship successfully conducted a major counter-narcotics operation onboard stateless dhow, resulting in the seizure of over 2000kg of ice,” the statement said, adding that the capture was the third consecutive successful interdiction conducted in the last two months by PN ships. The navy said these successful operations demonstrated its “enduring resolve and unwavering commitment” against illicit trafficking at sea. “The scale of the operation, cou...
5467 items