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Dawn - 11:58 Mar 18, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is expected to extend about $10 billion in financing to Pakistan over the next five years under its 2026-30 Country Partnership Strategy (CPS2026-30) launched on Wednesday. The CPS sets out “a roadmap to support the country’s transition to sustainable and inclusive growth through private sector-led development”, the Manila-based lending agency said. “The five-year strategy will focus on three pathways: enabling private sector development, advancing inclusion and empowerment, and enhancing resilience and sustainability”, it said, adding these priorities will be reinforced by crosscutting themes of good governance and institutional strengthening, gender equality and social inclusion, digital transformation, and regional cooperation and integration. “The new CPS is tailored to address Pakistan’s structural challenges and promote robust and lasting growth, which benefits the whole country, especially the poor and vulnerable,” said ADB Country Director for Pakistan Emma ... -
Dawn - 11:56 Mar 18, 2026
India is considering shelving three planned privatisation sales amid weak investor appetite, two government sources said, a slump that has already derailed its attempt to sell a stake in IDBI Bank and is a fresh blow to the government’s flagship divestment programme. The privatisation plan, delayed for years, is now facing fresh setbacks that include dwindling interest in state-run firms such as Shipping Corporation of India and HLL Lifecare, besides the collapse of the IDBI Bank stake sale last week after bids fell short of the government’s minimum price. India’s finance, shipping and health ministries and the companies did not respond to Reuters’ queries. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious privatisation plan was aimed at having the state exit most sectors while remaining only in sensitive ones such as telecom and banking. But the government could only sell Air India to Tata Sons, and indirect holdings in steel-maker Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd to Tata Steel, and Ferro Scrap Nigam to Konoike Trans... -
Dawn - 11:50 Mar 18, 2026
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark index KSE-100 continued its recovery on Wednesday, surging by over 4,200 points during intraday trade. The index gained 4,276.09 points, or 2.85 per cent, to stand at 154,292.25 points from the previous close of 150,016.16 points. The KSE-100 plunged to an intraday low of 150,284.25 points at around 9:30am, then reached its intraday high of 154,684.45 points at 1:30pm, before settling at 154,292.25. Topline Securities noted the bullish momentum reflected “recovery in overall market sentiment”. “The upward movement was largely supported by slightly lower international oil prices, alongside selective value hunting by investors,” it added. It noted that the rally was “primarily led by index-heavy stocks” — United Bank Limited (UBL), Oil & Gas Development Company (OGDC), Fauji Fertiliser Company Limited (FFC), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), and Meezan Bank Limited (MEBL) — which collectively added 1,816 points to the benchmark. “Trading activity remained firm,” Top... -
Dawn - 11:43 Mar 18, 2026
Here are key facts and figures about the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route virtually paralysed by the Middle East war. Around a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the waterway in peacetime. The war erupted on February 28 when the US and Israel began bombing Iran, prompting it to retaliate with strikes across the region and restrict access to the strait. 21 security incidents Since March 1, 2026, 21 commercial vessels, including 10 tankers, have been attacked or reported incidents in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Oman, according to the British naval maritime security agency UKMTO. Across all types of vessels, an additional four attacks claimed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have not been confirmed by international authorities. 8 sea workers killed Since the conflict began, at least eight seafarers or dock workers have died in incidents in the region, according to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). A further four remain mi... -
Dawn - 09:16 Mar 18, 2026
ISLAMABAD: After charging Rs1.63 per unit as positive fuel cost adjustment (FCA) this month, power companies have sought another Rs1.64 per unit for April bills as demand increased. The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) demanded the higher fuel cost on account of power consumed in February, even though more than 75 per cent of power generation came from domestic and cheaper sources. Electricity consumption was reported to be around 11.42pc higher than the same month of last year but about 15pc lower than January 2026. Once approved, the power companies would charge an additional amount of about Rs12.2bn to consumers of all the power companies, including ex-Wapda Distribution Companies (Discos) and K-Electric, in the billing month of April. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has called a public hearing on March 31 to examine the request for additional FCA charges for consumers. The CPPA also filed the petition for a higher FCA for February consumption. The power companies have claime... -
Dawn - 08:16 Mar 18, 2026
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday morning suspended its flights to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the next 48 hours in view of the “security situation” as the Middle East war persists. In a statement, the carrier’s spokesperson said that for the time being, PIA flights to the UAE will only be operated to Al Ain. The decision comes amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, which began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran and the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As its leadership continues to be targeted by the US and Israel, Iran has kept up retaliatory strikes targeting US assets and bases in Gulf countries, disrupting air travel as airlines periodically cancel flights. Indian airline Air Indigo has also suspended operations to Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain and Dammam until March 28. A day earlier, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority announced the “temporary and full closure” of the country’s airspace, ... -
Dawn - 07:33 Mar 18, 2026
WASHINGTON: A federal judge has ordered the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to recall more than 1,000 Voice of America (VOA) journalists and staff by March 23 and restore the broadcaster’s operations. In a sweeping decision announced on Tuesday, US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth found that actions taken under the agency’s previous leadership to shut down large parts of VOA and its sister networks violated federal law and the agency’s statutory mandate. The ruling directs USAGM to return VOA and affiliated networks to the air and reinstate employees who had been dismissed or placed on leave. The dispute stems from restructuring measures carried out in 2025 under Kari Lake, an American political figure and former television news anchor who later became a prominent supporter of US President Donald Trump. In early 2025, the Trump administration brought Lake into USAGM — the independent federal agency that oversees VOA and other US government-funded international broadcasters. She was named senior adviser to ... -
Dawn - 07:03 Mar 18, 2026
A woman on an evening walk in Macau was briefly hospitalised after a humanoid robot startled her and left her feeling unwell, police told AFP on Wednesday. Police said they had received a call for assistance for the woman, who “was startled when she suddenly noticed a robot behind her while using her mobile phone”. Video widely shared online showed a woman angrily confronting a robot as it waved its metallic arms at her, while a crowd of curious onlookers gathered around. “With so many other things to do, why bother me? Are you crazy?” the woman yelled at the unperturbed bot in Cantonese, as she gestured agitatedly towards it. The woman did not suffer injuries and there had been no physical contact with the robot, but she required hospital treatment, police said in a statement. “She has since been discharged and has not pressed charges regarding the incident,” which took place earlier this month, the statement said. Social media videos showed officers leading a forlorn robot away, though police stressed they ... -
Dawn - 04:28 Mar 18, 2026
LARKANA: Despite a decision taken in January to send a cluster of coins dug out from Mohenjo Daro to a lab in Karachi in order to establish their age, the purported artefacts are still lying at the site. Trust deficit is cited as the reason, as a couple of officials concerned without mincing words had expressed their apprehension that the object might be stolen or damaged in the process. The coins — believed to be belonging to the era of Kushan Ruler Vasudeva-I (c. 200-225 AD) — weigh 5.55kgs and were found stuffed in an earthen pot (jar). The object was discovered on Nov 16, 2023 during the repair and restoration work in the ‘Divinity Street’ of Mohenjo Daro’s stupa in its western SD-area. On January 19, the Director General of Archives and Antiquities, Abdul Fatah Shaikh, had told media personnel that the object would be sent to a Karachi lab for an analysis and to ascertain the age/period of the coins. Coins weighing 5.55kgs dug out from Mohenjo Daro were supposed to be sent to a Karachi lab in January to ... -
Dawn - 03:55 Mar 18, 2026
LAHORE: A sessions court on Tuesday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of TikTokers Rajab Butt and Nadeem Mubarak alias Naniwala in a case of promoting gambling apps on social media. Additional District and Sessions Judge Mansoor Ahmad Qureshi heard the bail petitions of the TikTokers, who appeared before the court on the expiry of their bail period. The judge summoned the complete investigation record of the case from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The judge extended the bail of both Tiktokers till March 26. In September 2025, the NCCIA had booked the content creators for allegedly promoting online gambling apps on their social media accounts. BAIL: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday granted bail to three men arrested on charges of producing and selling substandard milk and allegedly attacking officials of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA). The court allowed the bail petitions of Waseem Ashiq and Gulfam against surety bonds of Rs100,000 each. During the hearing, a counsel for the petiti... -
Dawn - 03:15 Mar 18, 2026
ISLAMABAD/Lahore: Rejecting media reports that she is opposing meetings between Imran Khan and party leaders, Aleema Khan on Tuesday questioned how she could stop such meetings when she herself has been unable to meet her brother. “People across Pakistan are demanding the release of Imran Khan. The whole world is raising the same demand. Just wait and see — people will come out of their homes and secure his release. Moreover, as the global situation changes, I am hopeful he will be released,” Ms Khan said while talking to media persons outside Adiala jail. “We are waiting here to find out whether we will be allowed to meet Imran. I believe we will not be granted permission, as they want to hide his health condition and what has been done to him. We had requested the chief justice to allow his medical treatment at Shifa International Hospital. We do not insist on meetings if he is allowed proper medical treatment,” she added. She said the Chief Justice had forwarded the request for medical treatment to chief c... -
Dawn - 03:05 Mar 18, 2026
PARIS: The Large Hadron Collider has discovered a new particle, the 80th identified so far by the world’s most powerful particle smasher, Europe’s CERN physics laboratory announced on Tuesday. The new particle has been named “Xi-cc-plus”. The Large Hadron Collider is a 27-kilometre-long proton-smashing ring running about 100 metres below France and Switzerland. The latest discovery comes as CERN plans to build an even bigger particle smasher, the Future Circular Collider, to continue probing the mysteries of the universe. Scientists hope the particle, which is similar to a proton but four times heavier, will reveal more about the strange behaviour of quantum mechanics. All the matter around us, including the protons and neutrons that make up the nucleus of atoms, are made of baryons. These common particles are composed of three quarks, which are fundamental building blocks of matter. Quarks come in six “flavours”: up, down, charm, strange, top and bottom. Each has varying mass, electric charge and quantum pr... -
Dawn - 02:03 Mar 18, 2026
• Islamabad maintains ex-Nato base targeted, presence of ammo dump confirmed by footage, secondary explosions • Afghan officials claim large numbers of casualties at ‘rehab centre’ • Taliban spox confuses ‘Omid Camp’ with Omid Hospital • Beijing seeks to ensure safety of personnel, interests in region • UN calls for probe; EU urges restraint ISLAMABAD: Following “targeted” overnight airstrikes in Kabul and Nangarhar, Pakistan on Tuesday maintained that it had targeted ‘Camp Phoenix’ — a former US military base currently being used by Afghan Taliban forces — even as Afghanistan claimed a drug rehabilitation centre had been bombed instead. According to Information Minister Atta Tarar, an ammunition storage facility was among the targets hit in the Afghan capital. However, reports emanating from Kabul said that a drug treatment centre known as ‘Omid Camp’ was targeted, with Afghan officials claiming hundreds dead and injured as a result. The UN called for a swift and independent investigation, the EU urged both ... -
Dawn - 00:03 Mar 18, 2026
Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani and the commander of paramilitary force Basij, Gholamreza Soleimani, were assassinated in US-Israeli strikes on Tuesday. The confirmation of Larijani’s assassination came hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had been “eliminated last night”, along with the commander of Tehran’s Basij paramilitary force. “I have just been updated by the chief of staff that Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and the head of the Basij — Iran’s central repression apparatus — (Soleimani), were eliminated last night,” Katz said in a statement released by his ministry. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council later confirmed Larijani’s assassination, saying: “The pure souls of the martyrs embraced the purified soul of God’s righteous servant, martyr Dr Ali Larijani.” It added that Larijani’s son and his bodyguards had died with him. “After a lifetime of struggle for the advancement of Iran and of the Islamic Revolution, he ultimately attained ... -
Dawn - 23:16 Mar 17, 2026
Veteran Iranian politician Ali Larijani was one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic republic, an architect of its security policy, and a close adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei until the supreme leader’s assassination in an airstrike last month. Larijani, 67, was assassinated by a US-Israeli air attack as he was visiting his daughter in the eastern outskirts of a Tehran suburb, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said on Tuesday. The scion of a leading clerical family with brothers who rose to high positions after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Larijani was seen as canny and pragmatic but always fiercely determined to uphold Iran’s theocratic system of government. A Revolutionary Guard Corps commander during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, he became head of Iran’s national broadcaster before stints running the Supreme National Security Council either side of his membership of parliament, where he was speaker for 12 years. His role as the ultimate insider in Ali Khamenei’s Iran gave him responsibilit... -
Dawn - 20:36 Mar 17, 2026
The government on Tuesday said it will not hold the Pakistan Day parade and other ceremonial events on March 23 in light of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and the resulting austerity measures announced by the government. Pakistan Day — observed on March 23 every year — commemorates the passing of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stated that in the backdrop of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and the consequent austerity measures announced by the government, it was decided that the Pakistan Day parade and associated ceremonial events shall not be held on March 23. “The day shall, however, be commemorated with dignity and reverence through a simple flag‑hoisting ceremony at appropriate levels,” the statement said. “This measure is being taken to ensure that the resilience and unwavering commitment of the nation to the ideals of Pakistan Day remain aligned w... -
Dawn - 19:29 Mar 17, 2026
US President Donald Trump lashed out Tuesday at “foolish” Nato over Iran, saying the United States needs no help after allies rebuffed his calls to join efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said most US allies had rejected his push to escort ships through the crucial waterway, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying his country would “never” do so until the situation was calmer. “I think Nato is making a very foolish mistake,” Trump told reporters as he hosted Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in the Oval Office. “I’ve long said that I wonder whether or not Nato would ever be there for us. So this was a great test.” But Trump insisted that Washington was ready to go it alone against Iran, saying that even Nato allies had agreed that Tehran needed to be confronted over its nuclear programme. “We don’t need too much help. We don’t need any help,” Trump said. Minutes before the meeting, Trump made a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform saying US forces “no longer need” military help in the I... -
Dawn - 19:03 Mar 17, 2026
Pakistan on Tuesday dismissed claims made by the Afghan Taliban that its armed forces allegedly struck a hospital in Kabul, stating that the target was “Camp Phoenix”, which is several kilometres away from the hospital. The development comes amid the ongoing Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which was launched on the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. Earlier on Monday, the government said that Pakistani forces targeted the Afghan Taliban’s military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar overnight. A fact check posted by the information ministry on X said that Omid Hospital, which the Afghan Taliban claimed had been hit, was “actually multiple kilometres away from Camp Phoenix, the military terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site precisely targeted last night”. Sharing satellite imagery, the ministry said that the “actual hospital is a multi-storied structure as compared to the military/terrorist infrastructure actually targeted, whose image is also a... -
Dawn - 18:42 Mar 17, 2026
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced on Tuesday a three-day Eid holiday in the province. A press release issued by the KP government said: “It is notified for general information that March 19, 20 and 21 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) shall be public holidays on the occasion of Eidul Fitr across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” Meanwhile, the Sindh government also announced a two-day holiday for Eidul Fitr on March 20 and 21. “The government of Sindh hereby declares March 20 and 21, 2026 (Friday and Saturday) as public holidays on the occasion of Eidul Fitr 2026 (Shawal 1447 AH) throughout the province of Sindh for all government offices, autonomous bodies, semi-autonomous bodies, corporations and local councils under the administrative control of the Sindh government, except essential services,” a notification issued by the Sindh government said. Separately, the Sindh government also announced a public holiday on Pakistan Day, March 23. “It shall be observed by all workers in the province of Sindh,” the authoritie... -
Dawn - 17:16 Mar 17, 2026
A senior US counter-terrorism official resigned on Tuesday to protest the US-Israeli war against Iran and said the Islamic Republic posed no imminent threat to the United States. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Joseph Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, said in his resignation letter to President Donald Trump. Kent — a former member of the Green Beret special forces who served multiple combat tours — said “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.” Kent is the first senior US official to resign from the Trump administration to protest the war against Iran. “Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation,” Kent said in his letter to Trump. “Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influen...
12682 items