Dawn
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Dawn - 03:13 Jul 28, 2026
AFTER two weeks of escalating violence, the US has halted its strikes on Iran, with Tehran also silencing it guns. But rather than any newfound belief in the benefits of peace, the Trump administration may have made the U-turn on account of the mounting practical costs of continuing the conflict. Moreover, efforts by regional states, including Pakistan, may have also helped convince both sides to give diplomacy another chance. Whatever the motivations for the belligerents to refrain from hostilities, the cessation of conflict in the Gulf is a welcome development, and it is hoped that the dialogue process can be brought back on track and a more permanent peace established in the region. America’s ambassador to the UN said that President Donald Trump wanted to give “talks some space”. While that may be so, there are also reports in the US media — denied by Mr Trump — that America was running low on munitions. Besides, some of America’s top generals have reportedly advised their bosses in the Pentagon and White ... -
Dawn - 03:09 Jul 28, 2026
KARACHI: While foreign investors appear satisfied with the State Bank of Pakistan’s decision to keep its policy rate at 11.5 per cent, local businessmen have criticised the cautious approach, which they believe will stifle economic activity and hinder access to finance. Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) Secretary General M Abdul Aleem views SBP’s decision as prudent and balanced, reflecting improved macroeconomic conditions while acknowledging that inflation and external risks remain elevated. The pause provides breathing space for businesses, especially as private sector credit is picking up and economic activity showed signs of recovery in June, including in automobiles, cement, fertiliser offtake and business sentiment, he said. However, inflation at 11.1pc in June remains above the 5-7pc target range, while risks from global commodity prices, Middle East tensions, food prices and possible fiscal slippages require caution, he added. OICCI supports status quo, FPCCI calls it contr... -
Dawn - 03:07 Jul 28, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha have moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking an early hearing of their applications for suspension of sentence in the controversial social media posts case after the court rejected the prosecution’s objections to the maintainability of their petitions. The applications, filed through Advocates Faisal Siddiqui and Zainab Janjua, requested the court to fix the suspension of sentence petitions for hearing during the week commencing July 27. The applicants stated that their petitions were initially fixed for hearing on July 24, when the prosecution raised objections, arguing that the applications were premature and therefore not maintainable. They submitted that the IHC has since dismissed the prosecution’s objections, removing the hurdle to hearing the suspension of sentence pleas on merits. They requested the court to schedule the hearing at the earliest in light of the recent order. Last week, Justice Muhammad Azam Khan held the petitions seeking sus... -
Dawn - 03:01 Jul 28, 2026
• Mostly include Gandhara relics; Senate body orders detailed report on smuggling racket • Officials say Unesco concerns over Taxila conservation addressed; new museum planned ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has repatriated 513 smuggled archaeological artefacts from the United States under bilateral cooperation, top officials revealed before a Senate panel on Monday. The Senate Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture, chaired by Senator Hidayatullah Khan, met in the Parliament House during which it was informed that the recovered objects, mainly belonging to the Gandhara civilisation, had been seized by US authorities after being smuggled through illegal channels over several decades. They said the artefacts are invaluable national treasures reflecting country’s rich civilisational heritage and are now in government custody. The committee was informed that plans are underway to establish a new museum for the preservation and display of the recovered artefacts. Land acquisition for the project is being... -
Dawn - 02:53 Jul 28, 2026
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday restrained authorities from deporting a petitioner named ‘Quaid-i-Azam’ and directed him to appear before the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra)’s verification board. A two-member PHC bench, comprising Justice Waqar Ahmed and Justice Inamullah Khan, was hearing a petition filed by resident Quaid-i-Azam against the blocking of his national identity card. Advocate Saifullah Mohib Kakakhel appeared on behalf of the petitioner, while Nadra’s legal representative Shahid Imran Gigiyani represented the authority. During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that his client was doing business in Dubai and Pakistan. He said the authorities had blocked his client’s national identity card. The counsel said his client was a Pakistani citizen who was running a business and paying taxes to the government. He said his client was being penalised by the blocking of his identity card, which was causing him immense hardship. Kakakhel said his... -
Dawn - 02:50 Jul 28, 2026
• Sohail Afridi says ‘Imran Khan Rehayi Aman Movement’ is a peaceful, voluntary civic initiative, aimed at raising awareness about due process of law • Terms petition ‘speculative, politically motivated’ and liable to be dismissed • Constitutional court to hear plea tomorrow ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday categorically denied before the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) the existence of any armed structure or paramilitary setup, asserting that the “Imran Khan Rehayi Aman Movement” was a peaceful, unarmed and voluntary civic initiative aimed at raising awareness about due process of law. The KP chief minister made the assertion in a rejoinder filed in response to a petition moved by Malik Zaheer Ahmed, who challenged the legal status of the movement. The petitioner argued that the formation of the force to secure the release of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan violated the Constitution and posed a threat to public order. A three-judge FCC bench, headed by Chief Justice... -
Dawn - 02:46 Jul 28, 2026
• Food, fuel, medicine shortages worsen in cut-off areas; travellers advised to wait until roads are restored • 130 homes destroyed, 20 bridges washed away in 89 flood-related incidents reported this monsoon • CM declares Tormik ‘calamity-hit’ GILGIT: Scores of residents and tourists remain stranded across Gilgit-Baltistan without access to basic supplies as climate change-fuelled floods and landslides kept key roads closed for a sixth consecutive day on Monday. Rising waters in streams and rivers continue to hamper restoration efforts across the Skardu, Shigar, Ghanche, Kharmang and Astore districts. The prolonged blockade has left vulnerable populations in remote areas facing severe shortages of food, fuel and medical care, while tourists are trapped with dwindling resources. “Each passing day creates troubles for local residents,” Ali Hussain, a Skardu resident, told Dawn. He noted that the prices of available fuel and essential items have skyrocketed in cut-off areas. In Astore, which has been isolated ... -
Dawn - 02:32 Jul 28, 2026
• One seat still contested; unofficial results show PML-N on top in seven constituencies; PPP ahead in five • One killed, two injured in Nakyal violence • PPP alleges ‘rigging, ballot stuffing’ by ‘N’ candidates in Kotli • TTAP says electoral process failed to inspire ‘public confidence’ • PTI insists ‘minimal’ voter turnout reflects ‘discontent’ MIRPUR: Scuffles, violence and allegations of rigging marred the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections on Monday, as polling concluded in the 13 constituencies of Mirpur division with the PML-N seemingly in command, taking the lead on seven seats against the PPP’s five. According to unofficial and unverified results available at the time of going to press, the PML-N appeared to have swept all three seats in Bhimber district, claimed two out of four constituencies in Mirpur district and three out of six in Kotli district. At a late-night presser, Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal announced the official result for LA-1 (Mirpur-I). Th... -
Dawn - 02:16 Jul 28, 2026
• Breaches in Deg and Bherr nullahs erode bridge foundations • Trains bound for Karachi diverted via Sahiwal and Khanewal • Engineering teams waiting for water to recede before making repairs • Tarbela nears maximum capacity; PMD warns of continued flood risk in major rivers LAHORE: As the Ravi and Chenab rivers continue to flow at medium and low flood levels, respectively, breaches in Nullah Deg and Bherr have wreaked havoc across the catchment area, eroding soil beneath railway bridges and forcing the suspension of rail traffic on the Lahore-Faisalabad section via Shahdara and Sheikhupura. Flooding caused breaches at 25 locations along the route. “Following the massive floodwater that caused erosion, isolating the railway line at two bridges — including a major bridge near Qila Sattar Shah on the Lahore-Shahdara-Sheikhupura-Faisalabad section — we have been left with no option but to suspend all passenger and freight train operations,” Pakistan Railways Lahore Divisional Superintendent Inam-ullah K... -
Dawn - 18:36 Jul 27, 2026
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday restrained authorities from deporting a petitioner named ‘Quaid-e-Azam’ and directed him to appear before the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra)’s verification board. A two-member PHC bench, comprising Justice Waqar Ahmed and Justice Inamullah Khan, was hearing a petition filed by resident Quaid-e-Azam against the blocking of his national identity card. Advocate Saifullah Mohib Kakakhel appeared on behalf of the petitioner, while Nadra’s legal representative Shahid Imran Gigiyani represented the authority. During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that his client was doing business in Dubai and Pakistan. He said the authorities had blocked his client’s national identity card. The counsel said his client was a Pakistani citizen who was running a business and paying taxes to the government. He said his client was being penalised by the blocking of his identity card, which was causing him immense hardship. Kakakhel said his... -
Dawn - 18:14 Jul 27, 2026
The government on Friday decreased the price of petrol by Re1 and increased the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs3.77 per litre, respectively, passing on the impact of fluctuating global oil prices following renewed hostilities in the Persian Gulf. Following the changes, the price of petrol stands at Rs334.18 per litre, while that of HSD stands at Rs386.83 per litre. The government is charging a total of Rs110 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs96 on diesel. The Petroleum Division’s notification said the new prices would be applicable for July 28 (Tuesday). The diesel price has come down from a peak of Rs520.35 recorded on April 3. Its price had started rising from Rs281 per litre after the US-Iran war broke out on February 28. The petrol price had peaked at Rs458.41 on April 3 after beginning its upward trajectory from Rs266 in the first week of March. Earlier, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik announced that fuel prices would now be fixed on a daily basis due to fluctuations in internatio... -
Dawn - 17:57 Jul 27, 2026
Spain faces two crucial days to bring raging wildfires under control before weather conditions worsen, authorities said on Monday, as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on his citizens to “exercise extreme caution” ahead of a new heatwave. Wildfires that broke out in forests around the Spanish capital at the height of the summer holidays have forced some 60,000 people to flee their homes, often with just minutes’ notice, leaving pets and medicine behind. “You run to save what you can and then you turn to defend” against the fire, said Karim Benali, 39, a volunteer who spoke to AFP on a road near Navaluenga, west of Madrid. “There were some 48 homes here; they burned,” he added, surrounded by charred earth and trees blanketed with a persistent smell of smoke. This handout photo released on July 26 and taken on July 24, 2026 by Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit (UME) shows UME personnel fighting a wildfire near Navas del Rey, 55 kilometres southwest of Madrid, Spain. — AFP The fires devoured forests left tinde... -
Dawn - 17:55 Jul 27, 2026
LAHORE: The PTI on Monday alleged that the party’s Punjab chapter chief organiser Aaliya Hamza, who is incarcerated in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail, had been subjected to a physical attack by some female inmates. In March this year, Aaliya was arrested by the Punjab police and shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail. The police had claimed that she was absconding and organising gatherings of party legislators, ticket-holders and workers outside Adiala Jail. According to claims made by PTI leaders, a woman inmate, along with around 10 other inmates, attacked Aaliya and attempted to strangle her over a water-related dispute in the jail toilet. “There has been an attempt on Aaliya’s life,” they alleged. They stated that other jailed PTI members, Sanam Javed and Falak Javed, intervened and rescued Aaliya from the attackers. Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja stated that disturbing news of an “attempt on Aaliya’s life” had been received from Kot Lakhpat Jail. In a statement issued on X, Raja said that the Punjab ... -
Dawn - 17:18 Jul 27, 2026
Scuffles and rigging allegations marred the first phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections as polling concluded in the 13 constituencies of Mirpur division on Monday. Polling began at 8am and concluded at 6pm across all three districts — Bhimber, Mirpur, and Kotli — of the division after a one-hour extension. While minor skirmishes and scuffles between PPP and PML-N workers in Kotli district were reported earlier in the day, the electoral process took a violent turn in the afternoon in LA-9 Kotli-II (Nakyal). In a statement on X, the PPP claimed that party worker Mukhtar Younus “died during incidents of display of arms and public harassment by PML-N candidate Sardar Umair Naeem”. Mirpur Commissioner Raja Tahir Mumtaz confirmed that a man was killed and two others, including the deceased’s father, were injured in an incident. On the other hand, the PML-N claimed that Younus had been involved in its election campaign activities. PPP AJK Election Cell Incharge Sardar Abdul Shakoor demanded that all those ... -
Dawn - 16:34 Jul 27, 2026
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah will undertake an official visit to Pakistan from July 28 to 29. In a statement issued on Monday, the Foreign Office (FO) said, “At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the foreign minister of the State of Kuwait, will undertake an official visit to Pakistan from July 28 to 29, 2026.” During the visit, FM Al-Sabah would hold talks with FM Dar, it added. “The two sides will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest,” the FO said. According to the FO, Kuwait’s top diplomat was expected to pay a courtesy call on the leadership of Pakistan. The FO added that the visit reflected the shared resolve of Pakistan and Kuwait to further strengthen their enduring partnership and expand cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries. On July 18, FM Dar held a telephonic conversation with his Ku... -
Dawn - 16:06 Jul 27, 2026
General Aamer Raza met with Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Monday, according to the military’s media wing. “The field marshal congratulated the general officer on assumption of command,” a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. General Raza was promoted to the rank of a four-star general and appointed to the position of Commander of the National Strategic Command (CNSC), according to an announcement by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday. According to the PMO, the premier congratulated the newly promoted general and wished him the best for “undertaking this important responsibility”. The ISPR added in its statement that General Raza was presented with a guard of honour upon his arrival at GHQ on his appointment as CNSC. It added that the general laid a floral wreath at Yadgar-i-Shuhada and offered prayers for the martyrs. General Raza has previously been awarded the Hilal-i-Imti... -
Dawn - 15:53 Jul 27, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Petroleum Minister Ali Pervez Malik on Monday hinted at a decline in petrol and diesel prices following the clearance of Pakistan’s oil cargoes stuck at the Bab-al-Mandeb chokepoint due to Houthi attacks. “Today’s good news is that our ships stuck at Bab-al-Mandeb have come out safely,” the minister said, adding that crude oil, diesel and petrol prices were easing in the global market. The minister, who spoke to journalists after talks with the Oil Tankers Contractors Association (OTCA), said the government had put in place a transparent pricing formula that would hopefully lead to an improvement in prices. He said the formula, based on the weekly average of the international market, was being operated by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), and that if not today, prices would start declining from tomorrow, depending on the weekly average. Responding to a question about whether the government could return to weekly or fortnightly pricing after the current crisis was over, the minister said,... -
Dawn - 15:19 Jul 27, 2026
Oil prices hovered around a one-week low on Monday after the US and Iran paused strikes over the weekend following two weeks of attacks, raising hopes of a diplomatic solution that would de-escalate the conflict and allow shipping to resume in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures fell $5.85, or around 6 per cent, to $90.93 a barrel by 1:09pm GMT (6:09pm PKT). They fell as low as 9.5pc earlier in the session to $87.55 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $84.33 a barrel, down $4.98, or around 5.6pc and going as low as 8pc earlier in the day to $82.12 a barrel. Both contracts were trading at their lowest levels since July 20 earlier in the session. Brent had reached $100 per barrel as the conflict, which reduced oil shipments via the Strait of Hormuz, spilled over to the Red Sea, hindering exports from the world’s top exporter, Saudi Arabia, via the Bab el-Mandeb strait to Asia. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, told Fox News on Sunday and other US media that President Donal... -
Dawn - 15:12 Jul 27, 2026
Visiting US congressmen acknowledged Pakistan’s “critical role” in regional stability during a meeting with Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir in Rawalpindi, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Monday. According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the CDF met the two members of the US House of Representatives, Ryan Keith Zinke (Montana) and Michael James (Washington), at General Headquarters (GHQ). “Discussions focused on matters of mutual interest, regional security, bilateral defence cooperation and avenues for enhancing economic collaboration and prosperity,” the ISPR statement said. It further noted that the visiting dignitaries acknowledged Pakistan’s “critical role” in regional stability, as well as its economic resilience. CDF Munir highlighted Pakistan’s “vast economic potential” and emphasised that sustainable regional stability was deeply anchored in economic growth, trade expansion and connectivity. According to the stat... -
Dawn - 15:08 Jul 27, 2026
ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday granted the police another seven-day physical remand of suspect Saad Abbasi, who was arrested for allegedly murdering Pakistan Air Force Group Captain Asim Tariq. On July 5, the PAF group captain was martyred in Islamabad in a bid to save a woman as the suspect was trying to take her away “forcefully”. As Tariq intervened, Abbasi opened fire, which struck the officer. The Islamabad police had arrested the suspect within nine hours after the incident. ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain heard the case on Monday. Abbasi was produced before the court after the completion of his initial seven-day physical remand. During the hearing, Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kayani appeared before the court and sought a further 15-day physical remand of the suspect. The prosecutor informed the court that the pistol allegedly used in the murder had been recovered, adding that the perpetrator had allegedly hidden the weapon after the incident. The prosecution further sub...
12392 items