Dawn
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Dawn - 18:37 Jun 04, 2026
WASHINGTON: Three senior Democratic leaders urged their colleagues in the US Senate on Thursday to support the move to prevent President Donald Trump from continuing the war against Iran without congressional approval. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a joint statement that the House of Representatives on Wednesday “successfully passed a War Powers Resolution” and that it is “now time for Senate Republicans to do the right thing.” They reminded Republican lawmakers that the Iran war has now lasted more than 90 days. The 90-day period is significant because a US law designed to limit a president’s ability to wage war requires the “president to seek authorisation from Congress if military operations continue beyond that timeframe”. The statement comes as the legislation moves into the Senate, where lawmakers are expected to decide whether to take up and pass a companion measure or adopt the House-passed version directly. The resolution is pa... -
Dawn - 17:41 Jun 04, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday affirmed that achieving export-led growth targets was the government’s top priority, directing the National Tariff Commission (NTC) to play an active role in facilitating investors, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. According to the PMO, Prime Minister Shehbaz chaired a review meeting on overall economic growth and the implementation of the National Tariff Policy 2025-30 on Thursday. Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasised that the “active and transparent performance of the NTC was essential for the promotion of industry, trade and investment in the country”, the PMO added. He directed the NTC to play an active role in facilitating investors and industrialists. According to the PMO, the prime minister said the NTC should be modernised by adopting international best practices and using modern technology, including information technology and artificial intelligence. The PMO further said that the meeting was briefed on the implementation of the National Tariff Policy 202... -
Dawn - 17:40 Jun 04, 2026
The race to replace the ageing International Space Station (ISS) is heating up after US company Vast announced a mission to fly an astronaut to its planned Haven-1 station next year. If the repeatedly delayed Haven-1 is launched into orbit as scheduled in early 2027, it will become history’s first commercial space station, beating out several competitors. It would also mark a post-ISS era for humanity’s presence in space, as the West seeks independence from Russian space operations due to the war in Ukraine. After a quarter of a century of continuous habitation, the ISS is scheduled to be deorbited in 2030. On Tuesday, Vast became the first aerospace company to announce a crewed mission to its future station. “This is an important milestone in a new era in crewed spaceflight that is less expensive — and less reliant on Russia,” Vast CEO Max Haot told AFP in an interview. ‘Attractive prices’ French astronaut Arnaud Prost “is joining us on the crew of the inaugural mission of what will be the world’s first oper... -
Dawn - 17:08 Jun 04, 2026
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Inquiry reports have identified hundreds of suspicious degrees and questionable financial transactions in a major scandal involving alleged fake degrees, financial irregularities and embezzlement of public funds at Gomal University, it emerged on Thursday. According to official documents and inquiry reports seen by Dawn, the investigation was initiated on the directives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Higher Education, Archives and Libraries Meena Khan Afridi as part of efforts to eliminate corruption and ensure transparency in higher education institutions across the province. The university administration constituted an inquiry committee on April 23, 2026, to examine affiliation accounts and financial records related to private affiliated colleges. The committee reportedly found evidence suggesting that some deposit slips appeared suspicious or forged, while in certain cases, university dues had been deposited into accounts other than the authorised university accounts. The inquiry repo... -
Dawn - 16:28 Jun 04, 2026
FO rejects reports of Dar sharing intelligence on Iran's nuclear programme during meeting with Rubio
The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday refuted reports that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar shared any intelligence regarding Iran’s nuclear programme during a meeting with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Dar met with Rubio on May 29 during a brief visit to Washington, where the two discussed bilateral cooperation as well as regional security issues. Rubio had praised Islamabad’s role “in advancing peace in the Middle East”. Responding to queries during a weekly press briefing on Thursday, FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Islamabad “categorically and unequivocally” rejected claims made in certain media reports that Dar shared any intelligence regarding Iran with Rubio. “Such claims are entirely baseless, speculative, and appear to be aimed at undermining ongoing diplomatic efforts and the broader process of dialogue and engagement,” he said. Emphasising that the discussion between Dar and Rubio “focused on regional peace, stability, and the importance of pursuing diplomatic s... -
Dawn - 16:26 Jun 04, 2026
Security forces killed four terrorists in two separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Thursday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the four terrorists killed during the operations belonged to Fitna Al Khawarij, referring to the term used by the state to designate members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “On [the] reported presence of khwarij, an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was conducted by security forces in Dera Ismail Khan district,” ISPR said in a statement. “During [the] conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged [the] khwarij location and after [an] intense exchange of fire, two khwarij … were sent to hell.” ISPR added that another IBO was conducted in the Mohmand district of the province. “In [the] ensuing skillful engagement, two more khwarij were effectively neutralised,” the statement added. It further said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the dead terrorists, who remained ac... -
Dawn - 16:11 Jun 04, 2026
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday urged Gilgit-Baltistan voters to give his party a “heavy” mandate by securing a majority in order to safeguard the region’s rights. Bilawal was addressing a rally in Ghizer, amid a series of rallies across GB as the PPP and other political parties have, over the past few days, ramped up efforts to garner support ahead of the polls. Referring to the nine seats the PPP had won in the last GB elections, Bilawal claimed other seats had been stolen. However, this time, “no one can steal seats from you, and this means that all three of Ghizer’s seats will be yours,” he added. Of other political parties in the running, he said the party wanted a “heavy majority in GB — not for me, but for you” so that together they could complete Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s and Benazir Bhutto’s “incomplete” mission in the region. The PPP chairman highlighted the achievements of those who came before him, including Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s subsidies that continued to benefit the region, and Bena... -
Dawn - 15:37 Jun 04, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PTI leaders on Thursday arrived at Adiala jail hoping to meet party founder Imran Khan but were once again denied permission to meet the former prime minister. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has allowed the incarcerated ex-premier to have twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesdays and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order, Imran has been restricted from meeting visitors for several months. A day earlier, the PTI sent a list of six leaders to Adiala jail authorities, requesting that they arrange a meeting with the incarcerated former premier. The list included Seemabia Tahir, Usman Jora, Asad Abbas, Malik Yasir Patwali, Malik Azeem and Rohail Anjum. Patwali, while speaking to Dawn, said that all the leaders arrived at the prison well before 2pm. “We informed the prison administration that we had been nominated for the meeting, as per the directions of the IHC, but we were told that a message was being sent for approval,” he said. “Officials also recorded our video foo... -
Dawn - 14:56 Jun 04, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed the launch of a pilot project for a proposed automated income tax collection system in Islamabad, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. In a statement, the PMO said that Prime Minister Shehbaz chaired a review meeting on ongoing reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), attended by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, and others. “The meeting reviewed the ongoing measures aimed at modernising the tax system and increasing tax collection in detail,” it said, adding that a comprehensive plan was presented to make inland revenue collection more “effective, transparent and faceless”. According to the PMO, the meeting was informed that the proposed new tax system would have the capability to identify under-declared income and assets through data relating to properties, vehicles and banks. “Modern technology and artificial intelligence would be used to make the tax system automated, transparent and effective,” i... -
Dawn - 13:16 Jun 04, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday dismissed a review petition filed by Zahir Jaffer and maintained its earlier verdict upholding his death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case. Noor, aged 27, was found murdered at Zahir’s Islamabad residence in July 2021, with the probe revealing she was tortured by him before being beheaded. Zahir was sentenced to death by a trial in February 2022 and his sentence has already been upheld by the SC once. Prior to that, the Islamabad High Court had also dismissed his plea challenging the trial court’s verdict. A three-member bench comprising Justices Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, Salahuddin Panhwar and Ishtiaq Ibrahim heard Zahir’s review plea on the SC verdict on Thursday. Advocate Khawaja Haris appeared as Zahir’s counsel, while Shah Khawar was present from the respondents’ side. Both presented their arguments, following which the bench announced its verdict. After today’s ruling, a presidential pardon under Article 45 of the Constitution could possibly provide... -
Dawn - 12:57 Jun 04, 2026
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday ordered police to provide protection to a newlywed couple from Jacobabad whose relatives allegedly torched multiple houses in the groom’s village last month in retaliation for their marriage of choice. Hearing an application seeking protection for the couple — Hassan Buriro and Sidra Channa — Justice Saleem Jessar issued a written order stipulating that the couple be given protection, directing that the couple’s “life, honour and property” be ensured. The IO also recorded the woman’s statement within the court premises. During the hearing, the couple’s legal counsel informed the court that the two had married without any pressure and with consent on May 5. He added that the couple was receiving threats from their relatives who did not approve of the marriage. The counsel added that the relatives set fire to Jacobabad’s Siddique Arain village on May 13. The state counsel stated that the government was bound to ensure the safety of all citizens without discrimination and t... -
Dawn - 11:25 Jun 04, 2026
When Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang makes his second visit to South Korea in just seven months this week, it won’t be only to meet top memory chip and robotics executives, but to throw the first pitch at a baseball game and appear on a TV talk show. While a celebrity in his own right, the charm push by the Taiwan-born 63-year-old highlights South Korea’s critical position in the AI landscape. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix between them make about 70 per cent of the memory needed for AI chips like Nvidia’s. And the country’s strength in manufacturing and robotics sets it up to be a key player in physical AI, where AI is embedded in robots, cars and factories. “Nvidia’s dependence on South Korean suppliers is rising,” Jeff Kim, an analyst at Seoul-based KB Securities, wrote in a research note. Huang “needs a manufacturing site for physical AI”, Kim said. “South Korea is emerging as a perfect testbed.” Asia’s fourth-largest economy is also a major Nvidia customer, with the Silicon Valley-based company announcing in O... -
Dawn - 10:15 Jun 04, 2026
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that his country’s adversaries had turned to “hybrid warfare”, aimed at creating divisions among Iranians, after receiving a “decisive blow”. Mojtaba, who has not appeared publicly since being named as the supreme leader on March 8, made these remarks in his message on the death anniversary of Iran’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The message shared on his official X account and reported by the Iranian media. Mojtaba’s message stated, “The malicious enemy has been defeated in its confrontation with the armed forces. Since it has received a decisive blow both in military combat and in Iran’s public squares and streets, it’s experiencing a profound and significant humiliation. “The enemy has focused its schemes in hybrid warfare on two points: the resilience of the Iranian people and trying to create errors in the assessments of the country’s officials. The instrument it’s using for both is sowing the seeds of doubt, despair, fear, mistrus... -
Dawn - 09:51 Jun 04, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday ruled that directions to the high courts for expeditious decisions in pending matters by superior courts should be issued sparingly and couched in appropriate words. The judgement comes against the backdrop of a recent petition by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) before the Supreme Court challenging its May 12, 2026 direction to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for deciding in two weeks the sentence suspension pleas of human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha in the controversial social media posts case. The NCCIA had also requested the SC to recall and withdraw that order to help preserve the “sanctity and independence of the judiciary, maintaining equality among citizens and avoiding discrimination”. According to a three-page order by Justice Aamer Farooq, issued in deciding a dispute between the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) and Master Tiles and Ceramics Industries Ltd, it was held that h... -
Dawn - 09:24 Jun 04, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday congratulated Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe on their election as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2027–2028 term. “We wish them every success in discharging this important responsibility,” he said in a post on X. “As Pakistan continues its tenure on the UNSC through 2026, we remain committed to advancing peace, security, dialogue, and multilateral cooperation,” he added. Dar further stated, “We look forward to working closely with the incoming members in pursuit of our shared objectives and a more peaceful, secure, and equitable world.” Only 10 out of the 15 members of the council are elected, with no election for the five veto-wielding permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday elected Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe to the 15-member UN Security Council for ... -
Dawn - 09:03 Jun 04, 2026
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for an “exponential” expansion of the country’s atomic arsenal during a visit to a newly operational nuclear material production factory, state media agency KCNA said on Thursday. Kim said production capacity for weapons-grade nuclear material had reached more than double its previous level over the past five years and instructed officials to further increase output to meet long-term strategic goals. During the visit, he was briefed on new production processes incorporating more advanced technology and reviewed current output targets and future plans, KCNA reported. Photographs published by state media showed Kim walking between rows of cylinder-shaped equipment inside the facility, which some analysts said could indicate the location is at the country’s main nuclear complex in Yongbyon. Kim said the expansion was necessary given what he called worsening security threats and long-term confrontation with “the most ferocious enemies” and reaffirmed the country’s policy of ... -
Dawn - 08:42 Jun 04, 2026
Israel and Lebanon agreed on Wednesday to implement a ceasefire but said it would require a “complete cessation” of fire by Hezbollah, according to a joint statement after US-led talks in Washington. The two sides, which do not have formal diplomatic relations, also agreed to create “pilot zones” in which the Lebanese armed forces “will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors”. The development came despite continued cross-border attacks earlier in the day, with Hezbollah saying it targeted Israeli troops and Israeli strikes killing at least ten people in southern Lebanon. Just hours after the agreement was announced, air raid alarms sounded in northern Israel with a “suspicious aerial target” identified without causing any casualties. The joint statement said the ceasefire was “contingent on a complete cessation” of fire by Hezbollah as well as evacuation of the group’s operatives from southern Lebanon. The meetings in Washington were the fourth round of direct talks b... -
Dawn - 07:03 Jun 04, 2026
Information Minister Ataullah Tarar on Thursday assured the Christian community of the government’s commitment towards the protection of the rights of religious minorities, state broadcaster PTV reported. The information minister, along with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, met a delegation of the Christian community, during which they discussed the state of minority rights and the welfare and well-being of the Christian community. As per PTV, the delegation “commended the government’s continued commitment to protecting the rights of minority communities”, welcoming a recent legislation by the Punjab government — Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026. They also commended the government’s efforts to promote equal opportunities for religious minorities. During the meeting, the participants discussed resolution of issues faced by the Christian community, stressing the need for “effectively addressing the issues of the community through relevant law and policies”. According to the report, the meeting also reached an a... -
Dawn - 03:07 Jun 04, 2026
NEW DELHI: India is likely to order more than $2 billion worth of military drones from domestic firms this year in its biggest such purchase, an industry body working with the government said, as global and regional conflicts boost demand. The plans are in advanced stages with deliveries expected over 18 to 24 months, for a jump in value from recent government orders worth 30 billion rupees ($313 million) for tactical-class drones, said Smit Shah, president of the body. “In the next phase, tactical drone procurements in India may exceed 200 billion rupees, or more than $2 billion,” said Shah, whose Drone Federation India represents more than 550 companies and works closely with the government. Shah said the new orders may follow a fast-track procurement route designed to meet urgent operational needs, with deliveries probably needed within 24 months. The country has 600 firms making drones, with more than 100 focused on defence applications Drones in spotlight India’s push follows clashes with arch-rival Paki... -
Dawn - 02:59 Jun 04, 2026
QUETTA: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai has petitioned the Balochistan High Court against the registration of a case against him in Chaman over his recent controversial speech, and termed the issues facing the country ‘political in nature’. “The establishment of a true democratic society is essential for national progress,” said Achakzai, who is chairman of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), while speaking to the media and lawyers at the BHC on Wednesday. He said that interference in the electoral process had weakened democratic institutions in the country, while those advocating for constitutional supremacy and democratic principles were often subjected to criticism. Highlighting the need for a system based on genuine public representation, he said Pakistan required a truly elected parliament, where key national decisions, particularly related to internal and foreign policy, were made independently in the broader interest of the state and its people. “We...
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