Dawn
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Dawn - 14:30 Mar 07, 2026
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa finance department on Saturday directed all offices working under it to adopt conservation measures in view of the Middle East crisis and “anticipated disruptions” to the supply chain of petroleum products. While the government has assured the nation that petroleum reserves were sufficient and the situation remained under control, fuel prices were hiked by Rs55 on Friday, citing the rising global oil prices as shipping in the Strait of Hormuz remains paralysed. A notification issued by KP’s finance department on Saturday, a copy of which is available with Dawn, noted that a “critical situation is expected to arise at local level” due to the anticipated disruptions. “Given the possible implications, it has become necessary to adopt precautionary and conservative measures to ensure the smooth functioning of government operations in the province,” it added. According to the notification, all departments, formations and subordinate offices working under the finance department were directed ... -
Dawn - 14:24 Mar 07, 2026
Five senior PTI leaders currently incarcerated at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail said on Saturday that “internal divisions and external pressures” were threatening the country’s sovereignty, economy and democracy, and called for putting aside personal ambitions and political grudges for the sake of Pakistan. The PTI leaders — Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, and Omar Sarfraz Cheema — made the remarks in a statement issued through their counsel, which was also shared by the party on X. Earlier this week, the senior leaders had called on the government to revisit its approach toward the PTI and its founder, Imran Khan. In the fresh statement, the five leaders said that the evolving regional and national situation should be discussed among the leadership of the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) and within the PTI’s political committee for “formulating a way forward in a joint session of Parliament”. They said that currently, the last thing that P... -
Dawn - 13:25 Mar 07, 2026
Eight days into the war between the United States–Israel coalition and Iran, the conflict has settled more firmly into a pattern that began to emerge over the previous 48 hours; a high-intensity confrontation fought largely through missiles, drones and proxy forces and widening steadily across multiple theatres. At the same time, quiet diplomatic activity gathered momentum to contain the widening fallout for the region. The past 24 hours demonstrated that despite the scale of coalition air power deployed against Iran and its allies, Tehran’s asymmetric military capabilities remained largely intact and continued to shape the tempo of the war, along the area stretching from the Strait of Hormuz through Iraq to Lebanon, where attacks on American facilities, shipping lanes, and Israeli military positions have continued in a calibrated but persistent manner. One demonstration of this capability was seen in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed that one of its drones... -
Dawn - 13:22 Mar 07, 2026
The United States and Israel’s war with Iran could leave consumers and businesses worldwide facing weeks or months of higher fuel prices even if the week-old conflict ends quickly, as suppliers grapple with damaged facilities, disrupted logistics, and elevated risks to shipping. The outlook poses a wider global economic threat, as well as a political vulnerability for US President Donald Trump leading into the midterm elections, with voters sensitive to energy bills and unfavourable to foreign entanglements. “The market is shifting from pricing pure geopolitical risk to grappling with tangible operational disruption, as refinery shutdowns and export constraints begin to impair crude processing and regional supply flows,” JP Morgan analysts said in a research note on Friday. The conflict has already led to the suspension of around a fifth of global crude and natural gas supply, as ships avoid the vital Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman amid Tehran’s retaliatory attacks. Global oil prices have surged 24 pe... -
Dawn - 13:00 Mar 07, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed the finance and petroleum ministers to visit the provinces and prepare a strategy in coordination with the provincial governments for the conservation of petroleum products and their uninterrupted supply to the people. The directives come a day after the government announced a Rs55 per litre increase in petrol and high-speed diesel prices, mere hours after PM Shehbaz and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb assured the nation that petroleum reserves were sufficient and the situation remained under control. The fresh instructions by the premier came during a meeting chaired by him to review the country’s economic situation, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). During the meeting, a briefing was given on the current global situation and the economic impacts on the region. According to the PMO, the premier directed that a strategy emphasising austerity and savings be formulated in view of the current global economic pressure caused by th... -
Dawn - 12:55 Mar 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: An additional sessions court on Saturday convicted a retired army officer in a high-profile money laundering case, sentencing him to 10 years in prison and imposing a fine of Rs25 million. Additional Sessions Judge (West) Nasruminallah Baloch found retired Col Khalilur Rehman, the vice chief executive of Bahria Town, guilty of laundering approximately Rs1.6 billion. The case was registered by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Anti-Money Laundering Circle last year. The court sentenced Rehman to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs25m. It was further ordered that, in the event of default on the fine, the convict would undergo an additional one month of simple imprisonment. Crucially, the court also ordered the forfeiture of property and assets obtained through money laundering. According to the detailed judgment, the court held Rehman accountable under Sections 3 (offence of money laundering) and 4 (punishment for money laundering) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010. The... -
Dawn - 11:59 Mar 07, 2026
RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Saturday sentenced 47 proclaimed offenders, including prominent PTI leaders Hammad Azhar, Omar Ayub and Zartaj Gul, to 10 years in prison in the May 9 GHQ attack case. District and Sessions Judge Amjad Ali Shah, who presided over ATC No. 1, penned a 16-page detailed judgment, which is available with Dawn. The convicts included Senator Shibli Faraz, Murad Saeed, Shahbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, as well as ex-MNAs Kanwal Shauzab, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Muhammad Ahmed Chattha and Sheikh Rashid Shafique. The court imposed a fine of Rs500,000 each and ordered the confiscation of their property in favour of the state. Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023, triggered widespread riots across Pakistan, during which government buildings and military installations — including the GHQ in Rawalpindi — were stormed and vandalised. Following the unrest, a crackdown was launched against the PTI, with dozens of terrorism cases lodged against its leaders and supporters. Several of... -
Dawn - 11:20 Mar 07, 2026
Pakistan Railways on Saturday increased the fares of economy class and air-conditioned class tickets by five per cent and 10pc respectively, following the hike in petrol and diesel prices. According to a statement by the Pakistan Railways spokesperson, the fares of cargo trains have also increased by 20pc The new prices will take effect from Monday, March 9. However, the fare increase will not apply to bookings made in advance, the spokesperson said. He further said that Pakistan Railways will bear the additional burden of operational expenses of passenger trains. The development comes after the government increased the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel by Rs55 per litre, the highest-ever such hike as Pakistan felt the first direct economic impact of the US-Israel war on Iran. The ex-depot price of high-speed diesel was fixed at Rs335.86 per litre for the coming week, up by about 20pc from Rs280.86 per litre. Likewise, the ex-depot price of petrol was revised to Rs321.17 per litre from Rs266.17 per litre... -
Dawn - 09:51 Mar 07, 2026
Military consultations between Islamabad and Riyadh following Iranian drone and missile strikes on Saudi territory highlight the delicate strategic balance Pakistan must maintain as the Iran conflict expands beyond its original theatre and begins to affect the security of Gulf states. The statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) after the meeting between the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, on its face, looks fairly routine and predictable, but when read closely, a careful calibration of language by Pakistan becomes obvious. The Pakistani statement acknowledged the gravity of the situation arising from Iranian drone and missile attacks on the Kingdom and noted that CDF Munir discussed with the Saudi defence minister the measures required to halt them within the framework of the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) between the two countries. This in itself was a signal of solidarity wi... -
Dawn - 09:42 Mar 07, 2026
Security forces killed 15 terrorists in the Harnai and Basima district of Balochistan during two separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs), said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday. “On 05 March 2025, fifteen terrorists belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna al Khwarij and Fitna al Hindustan, were killed in two separate operations in Balochistan,” said the military’s media wing. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, while Fitna al Hindustan is a term designated by the state for terrorist organisations in Balochistan. The statement said that an IBO was conducted in Harnai District on the reported “presence of Fitna al Khawarij members”. “During the conduct of [the] operation, [our] own troops effectively engaged the khawarij hideout and after an intense engagement, 12 Indian-sponsored khawarij were sent to hell,” the statement added. In a separate IBO, conducted in the province’s Basima district, military f... -
Dawn - 09:40 Mar 07, 2026
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that his country would never surrender to Israel and the United States, as Middle East war entered its second week. Iran’s enemies “must take their wish for the unconditional surrender of the Iranian people to their graves”, Pezeshkian said, in a speech broadcast on state TV. Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran on February 28, killing the Islamic republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggering a regional conflict. Iran has since responded with missile and drone strikes on Israel and US interests in regional countries, mainly in the Gulf. Pezeshkian is among three members of an interim leadership council that has been in charge of Iran since Khamenei’s killing. During the speech, Pezeshkian apologised to neighbouring countries for Iran’s attacks across the region, saying that they would not be targeted unless attacks originated from them. “I must apologise on my own behalf and on behalf of Iran to the neighbouring countr... -
Dawn - 09:29 Mar 07, 2026
GAWADAR: At least seven people, including a child, were killed and eight others were injured in a road accident at Manjhi on the Makran Coastal Highway in Balochistan, police said on Saturday. The accident occurred when two cars collided after a broken-down gas tanker was left standing on the road. One of the cars was traveling from Gwadar to Karachi, while the other was coming from Karachi to Gwadar, police said. Makran Coastal Highway Police SP Muhammad Aslam Bangalzai said the injured and the bodies were shifted to Ormara Hospital. Earlier this week, three people — including a husband and wife, and another woman — were killed, and two others were injured in a road accident in the province’s Bakhtairabad area. In another incident on February 10, a local journalist from Balochistan, Aziz Lasi, was killed when three vehicles collided on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway in Winder. Additionally, four people, including two brothers, were killed when a passenger bus coming from Karachi hit their car in the Dar... -
Dawn - 07:57 Mar 07, 2026
Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir met with Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud in Saudi Arabia on Saturday to discuss the ongoing Middle East conflict and Iran’s attacks on Saudi Arabia. A statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued on Saturday said that the CDF visited the Kingdom and met with the defence minister. The two “discussed the gravity of the security situation accruing from Iranian drone and missile attacks on the Kingdom”, as well as joint measures needed to halt them within the framework of the strategic mutual defence agreement signed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia last year. According to the statement, it was emphasised that unprovoked aggression undermined efforts for regional security and stability and foreclosed options for the peaceful settlement of disputes. “Both sides expressed hope and desire that brotherly country Iran would manifest prudence and sagacity to avoid any miscalculation and strengthen th... -
Dawn - 07:54 Mar 07, 2026
• Media investigation, officials suggest American forces ‘most likely’ responsible • At least 150 killed in Saturday strike • Washington to investigate the incident GENEVA: The United Nations rights chief demanded a swift and transparent probe Friday into the killing of at least 150 people in a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school, as a media investigation and US officials indicated the United States was likely responsible. The strike hit the Shajare Tayyebeh elementary school in the southern Iranian town of Minab on the first day of a war last Saturday, according to Iranian officials. UN rights chief Volker Turk condemned “this absolutely tragic incident” and said he hoped investigations would be “prompt, and that they will be done in full transparency”. “We also expect accountability to be served, because obviously mistakes were clearly made,” he told reporters in Geneva. Neither the US nor Israel has claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred near sites controlled by the Islamic Revolut... -
Dawn - 05:23 Mar 07, 2026
WASHINGTON: Virginia’s legislature has passed a new education law that bars public schools from teaching former President Donald Trump’s version of recent history, particularly regarding the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. Under the measure, approved by the Democratic-controlled Virginia General Assembly, schools cannot present the attack as a “peaceful protest” or claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen through widespread fraud. Instead, teachers are required to describe January 6 as a violent assault on democratic institutions aimed at overturning the election results. Similar efforts are underway in New York. Democratic Representative Chuck Lavine of Long Island has introduced a bill that would require all public school students in the state to learn about the insurrection and its consequences. Lavine said failing to teach an accurate account would be a “grave disservice” to students and to the nation. Trump and his allies have characterised the events of January 6 as patriotic and ... -
Dawn - 03:41 Mar 07, 2026
• Prices of petrol and diesel increased by Rs55 per litre • Levy on petrol raised, diesel lowered by Rs20 each • ‘Highest-ever hike’ announced mere hours after govt assured adequate fuel stocks • Move comes as crude prices drift closer to psychological barrier of $100 per barrel on international market • Proposed fuel conservation plan, including ‘work from home’ and online learning, deferred • PM asks provincial govts to crack down on hoarding of petroleum products ISLAMABAD: Pakistan felt the first direct economic impacts of the US-Israel war on Iran in a big way on Friday, as the government announced a Rs55 per litre increase in petrol and high-speed diesel prices, mere hours after PM Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb assured the nation that petroleum reserves were sufficient and the situation remained under control. Earlier on Friday, the government shelved a proposed national action plan that envisaged work from home and distance learning measures in response to a potential fuel cris... -
Dawn - 02:47 Mar 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: In a significant step to protect witnesses from abusive cross-examination practices and physical hardship, the Supreme Court on Friday directed trial court judges to act as vigilant supervisors rather than silent spectators, ensuring that court proceedings are not used to scandalise, insult or annoy witnesses. “The courtroom must remain a place where justice is administered not only with authority but with humanity,” observed Justice Salahuddin Panwhar in a judgement he authored, adding that presiding judges should not allow irrelevant, indecent or insulting questions to be put to persons standing in the witness box. Justice Panwhar was a member of a three-judge SC bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, which heard an appeal filed by Maham Fatima against the Lahore High Court’s June 25, 2025 decision rejecting her plea to consolidate trials arising from two FIRs registered at the Faisalabad women police station and the FIA cyber crime wing. The complainant, Khadija Ghafoor, a medica... -
Dawn - 02:43 Mar 07, 2026
• ‘Cooperation’ with UK authorities has kept Islamabad off visa ban list so far • Rejection rate of asylum claims by Pakistanis at 70pc, but very few deportations • Shadow home secy pushes for tougher measures LONDON: As the UK bans visas to a handful of countries that have high asylum cases, Pakistan has come under renewed scrutiny after questions were raised about the low number of deportations. The development comes days after the UK put an ‘emergency brake’ on visas for the first time on nationals from four countries following a surge in asylum claims from legal routes. In a move described as “unprecedented” by the government, the Home Office will end sponsored study visas for all nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan and also end skilled worker visas for Afghan nationals. Earlier this week, a journalist asked UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood why Pakistan had not yet been targeted by proposed visa restrictions, noting that the country accounted for the largest share of people who ente... -
Dawn - 02:42 Mar 07, 2026
KARACHI: Industrialists and businessmen criticised the government’s decision to suspend gas supply to industries for two days a week, along with curtailment to fertiliser plants, claiming it would further strain Pakistan’s fragile economy, especially with a recent power tariff increase. Pakistan is already confronting major economic difficulties due to the steadily increasing cost of doing business, especially the exorbitant prices of gas and electricity, which have significantly diminished the competitiveness of local industries. Businessmen Group (BMG) Chairman Zubair Motiwala and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Muhammad Rehan Hanif emphasised that at a time when the country desperately needs to enhance exports and stabilise its external accounts, suspending gas supply would severely disrupt industrial operations, reduce production capacity, and ultimately cause delays or cancellations of export shipments. Referring to the government’s decision to establish a high-level Action Comm... -
Dawn - 02:29 Mar 07, 2026
THOUSANDS of Iranians rally after Friday prayers in Tehran, even as US-Israeli bombing continues unabated.—Reuters • Dar phones Araghchi; Pezeshkian says some nations have begun mediation efforts • Markets tumble as Trump demands ‘unconditional surrender’, says ‘waste of time’ to send ground troops • White House says operations could take ‘four to six weeks’; claims intel agencies ‘looking at potential leaders’ • Gulf states, Azerbaijan reel from drone attacks, missile strikes • US media claims Russia supplying intelligence to Iran’s forces • Iran thanks Saudis for not letting airspace be used for offensive actions TEHRAN / WASHINGTON: Even as the US and Israel unleashed cataclysmic bombing raids across the country, thousands of Iranians defiantly took to the streets of Tehran after Friday prayers, rallying in memory of their assassinated supreme leader and railing against the invasion of their country. Footage aired by Iranian media showed crowds of men and women dressed in black, some carrying Iranian flags...
12436 items