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Dawn - 08:07 Mar 10, 2026
WASHINGTON: During a heated debate on Afghanistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday, Pakistan lambasted India’s criticism of cross-border strikes, accusing Delhi of complicity in the terror threat at the western border. Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad exchanged strong words with his Indian and Afghan counterparts after the former accused Islamabad of “flagrant violations of international law” during the Pak-Afghan conflict. During the session, India’s Permanent Representative Parvathaneni Harish said his country “reiterates UNSG’s deep concern at civilian casualties caused by cross-border violence and strongly condemns airstrikes which are flagrant violations of international law, UN Charter and state sovereignty”. India also expressed “grave concern on ‘trade and transit terrorism’” and said “these vulnerabilities of Land-Locked Developing Countries should not be weaponised”. India a ‘spoiler’ in Afghanistan: Pak envoy Ambassador Ahmad, following the r... -
Dawn - 07:54 Mar 10, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, on Tuesday, in a phone call with his Bahraini counterpart, reiterated Pakistan’s call for de-escalation and dialogue for stability in the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region. Iran, Pakistan’s western neighbour, has been embroiled in a war with the United States and Israel since the latter’s February 28 strikes that assassinated its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation for the strikes, Iran resorted to targeting neighbouring countries, which house US bases, including Bahrain. According to a statement by the Foreign Office (FO), Dar spoke with Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani last night, and the two “exchanged views on the developments in the Middle East and the wider region, conveying grave concern over recent attacks, including in Bahrain”. FO added that during the call, Dar “reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Bahrain and its people”. He also underscored the need for “de‑escalation, dialogue,... -
Dawn - 06:43 Mar 10, 2026
WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday designated Afghanistan as a ‘State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention’, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio accusing the Taliban of using hostage-taking as leverage against Washington. Earlier, in February, Iran was also designated a ‘State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention’. The announcement came as Washington sharpened its criticism of Taliban policies at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), where US Ambassador Mike Waltz questioned continued international engagement and funding provided to Afghanistan. Rubio, in a statement issued on Monday evening, said: “Today, I am designating Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention.” He warned Americans against travel to Afghanistan, saying: “It is not safe for Americans to travel to Afghanistan because the Taliban continues to unjustly detain our fellow Americans and other foreign nationals.” He alleged that the Taliban “continue to use terrorist tactics, kidnapping individuals for ransom or to seek policy concessions... -
Dawn - 05:34 Mar 10, 2026
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday declined to say whether Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader has a “target on his back,” but made clear his dissatisfaction with Tehran’s choice, calling it “going to lead to more of the same.” Asked at a news briefing in Doral, Florida, whether Iran’s new leader was a target, Trump replied: “The new leader, you mean the son?… I was disappointed to see their choice,” before adding, “I don’t want to say whether he has (a target on his back).” Pressed again at the end of the session, he repeated that he would not comment on any targeting decision but reiterated his broader frustration, saying the Iranian people are “an amazing people but the system they have only leads to failure.” The remarks came a day after Iran’s Assembly of Experts formally appointed Mojtaba Khamenei — son of the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — to succeed his father following his death in a US-Israeli strike. The succession consolidates power within the clerical circles and sign... -
Dawn - 04:00 Mar 10, 2026
PM Shehbaz Sharif • PM defends ‘difficult decision’ on fuel prices, says global oil market ‘not in Pakistan’s hands’ • Public, private workplaces to shift half their staff to ‘work from home’; won’t apply to essential services such as banks, hospitals, agricultural or industrial sectors • All schools, colleges to stay closed for two weeks; higher education institutes to shift classes online • Special cabinet committee reviews fuel stocks, assesses national preparedness • Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan also announce measures; Sindh cabinet meets today ISLAMABAD / LAHORE / PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced unprecedented austerity measures to cope with the situation that emerged due to the US-Israel war on Iran, which has led to a global oil crisis affecting various countries, including Pakistan, as three provinces with the exception of Sindh have taken their own set of steps to deal with the situation. In his address to the nation on Monday night, the premier unveiled the government’... -
Dawn - 02:58 Mar 10, 2026
Members of the Lebanese Civil Defence extinguish a fire in a building after an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.—Reuters • Lebanese parliament postpones legislative elections for two years • Lebanese president says Hezbollah risks state collapse, suggests full truce, direct talks BEIRUT: The Israeli onslaught in Lebanon has displaced nearly 700,000 people, with reports of children among the casualties, as the conflict with the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah enters its second week, a UN agency said on Monday. “Mass displacement across Lebanon has forced nearly 700,000 people including around 200,000 children from their homes, adding to the tens of thousands already uprooted from previous escalations,” UNICEF Regional Director Edouard Beigbeder said. “Children are being killed and injured at a horrifying rate, families are fleeing their homes in fear, and thousands of children are now sleeping in cold and overcrowded shelters.” Lebanon, a country of 6 million, has turned its largest sport... -
Dawn - 02:45 Mar 10, 2026
• US president calls Mojtaba’s appointment ‘bad idea’; says war could be ‘over soon’ • Kremlin says Putin gave Trump proposals for a quick settlement of conflict • Israel launches more attacks on Tehran, Isfahan; Iran pledges bigger warheads in response • Bahrain oil facilities attacked; Nato defences shoot down missiles aimed at Turkiye • Two UAE servicemen killed; strike hits near Iraqi base, Baghdad airport TEHRAN / WASHINGTON: Monday was a rough day for global markets, which saw Brent crude oil prices jumping to a peak of $119.50 as Iran launched fresh strikes on energy installations in the Gulf, before coming back down to around $82 a barrel. For his part, US President Donald Trump predicted the war in the Middle East could be over soon, even as Tehran saw rallies in support of the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. Iranian state media showed large crowds in several cities rallying behind the new leader, waving Iranian flags and holding portraits of his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by... -
Dawn - 00:34 Mar 10, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a host of austerity measures to conserve fuel in view of the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. Austerity measures 50pc cut in fuel allowance for official vehicles, with the exemption of operational vehicles such as ambulances and public buses, for the next two months 60pc vehicles of official vehicles to be grounded in all federal and provincial government establishments for the next two months The federal cabinet and provincial cabinet members will forgo salaries and allowances for the next two months Salaries of members of federal and provincial legislatures to see a 25pc cut for two months BS-20 government officials, in federal and provincial government establishments, who earn Rs300,000 or more, may forgo two days’ salary; officials serving in health and education sectors are exempted 20pc reduction in non-employee related expenditure for the fourth quarter for all federal and provincial government establishments 50pc staff to work... -
Dawn - 21:18 Mar 09, 2026
US President Donald Trump indicated for the first time on Monday that US military operations in Iran could be coming to an end, saying the war was “very complete” and progressing ahead of schedule. The war had sent stock markets slumping and oil prices soaring again on Monday as Tehran, under new leader Mojtaba Khamenei, fired a new barrage of missiles at its Gulf neighbours and signalled that the strategic Strait of Hormuz would likely remain closed. But Wall Street vaulted into positive territory on Monday after Trump’s remarks, despite the lack of details on any solution to the conflict still raging in the Middle East. “I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force,” Trump told CBS News by phone, repeating battle damage assessments that he has given in previous days. Trump told the US broadcaster that the United States was “very far” ahead of his initially stated timeframe for the war of four or five weeks. On the first day in power for the 56... -
Dawn - 19:13 Mar 09, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Aurat March organisers, civil society members, and rights groups accused the authorities on Monday of manhandling and threatening women’s rights activists who had been detained the previous day in Islamabad. The assertions were made at a press conference after police released all 44 activists detained ahead of an International Women’s Day rally on Sunday. Police cited the imposition of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the district administration not issuing a no-objection certificate (NoC) to the Aurat March for the rally as reasons for the arrests. After the activists were released, they held a press conference at the National Press Club, demanding an investigation into the incident. Aurat March’s Dr Farzana Bari said the organisers of the rally were aware that Section 144 was imposed in the federal capital, but “civil society does not accept any law that is in violation of basic rights”. “You cannot take our right to protest. Similar protests were held across the globe, but we were ... -
Dawn - 18:04 Mar 09, 2026
Two men were charged on Monday with “terrorist” offences for throwing a nail bomb near a weekend protest, after which the pair told police they were aligned with the militant Islamic State (IS) group, charging documents showed. The two men, both US citizens, are in custody after allegedly being involved in tossing the bomb packed with explosives. “This is being investigated as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, using another name for the Islamic State group. She said it was not thought to be linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran. No one was hurt during the incident. Two suspicious devices were thrown by a man identified by police as Emir Balat near the protest on Saturday, led by a far-right influencer to oppose public Muslim prayer. According to the charging document, the men “referred to ISIS in recorded post-arrest statements … More specifically, Balat wrote on a piece of paper that he pledge(d) allegience (sic) to the Islamic State.” The men were charged with five c... -
Dawn - 17:25 Mar 09, 2026
KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday cautioned that the pollution resulting from the recent US-Israeli attacks on Iran’s oil sites could worsen air quality in western parts of the country. “Due to [the] recent situation in Iran, the winds may carry pollutants and deteriorate air quality in the western parts of the country,” read a press release issued by the PMD. Iran, Pakistan’s western neighbour, has been embroiled in a war with the United States and Israel since the latter’s February 28 strikes that assassinated its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Major airstrikes on Tehran’s refineries and fuel depots on March 7 plunged the Iranian capital into a toxic gloom as black, oily rain fell on Sunday. In Tehran, the sun was blotted out by thick black smoke billowing from oil facilities that continued to smoulder. CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen described the scene at Tehran’s Shahran oil depot as “apocalyptic”, adding that “breathing the air feels quite toxic”. The Iranian Re... -
Dawn - 16:19 Mar 09, 2026
The governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan announced fuel-saving measures on Monday, including the closure of educational institutions and a reduction in fuel allowances for official vehicles. The decisions to implement these measures come amid the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. KP govt’s decisions The KP government decided to implement the measures for a period of two months, cutting the allowance for official vehicles by 25 per cent. According to an official handout, the provincial cabinet met and approved the “Fuel Conservation and Responsible Governance Initiative”. The statement quoted Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Shafi Jan as saying that the fuel conservation measures would be implemented for two months on the instructions of KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. He said it was decided that the provincial government would continue to monitor the situation to see if the measures could be extended. According to Jan, t... -
Dawn - 15:48 Mar 09, 2026
The Sindh government on Monday announced that public and private educational institutions across the province will remain closed on Wednesday (March 12) on account of Youm-i-Ali. The directive was issued in a notification by the Sindh School Education and Literacy Department, a copy of which is available with Dawn. The notification said, “… all public and private educational institutions under the administrative control of the School Education and Literacy Department, government of Sindh, shall remain closed on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, as a holiday on account of Youm-i-Ali.” Last week, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah sought the cooperation of prominent Shia scholars in ensuring “best possible” security arrangements for Youm-i-Ali, Youm Al Quds and Jumatul Wida against the backdrop of the prevailing regional situation. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held regarding administrative and security arrangements and the participants exchanged views on guiding the public in light of the situat... -
Dawn - 15:37 Mar 09, 2026
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the Team of the Tournament for this year’s T20 World Cup, with Pakistani opener Sahibzada Farhaan making the list despite the Green Shirts’ dismal campaign. Farhan became the only Pakistani player to be named in the 12-member team for his excellent performance during the tournament, sealing 383 runs – the highest a batter has scored in a single edition of the T20 World Cup. “Though Pakistan were patchy in the tournament, Sahibzada Farhan was consistently brilliant,” the ICC said. “The 29-year-old opener also became the first batter to score two hundreds in a single edition of a T20 World Cup. The highlight was a century he scored against Sri Lanka in the final Super Eight clash, setting up a five-run win,” it added. The right-handed Pakistani batter scored tons in the matches against Namibia and Sri Lanka. He had also scored two half-centuries against the USA and England. Meanwhile, his 176-run partnership with Fakhar Zaman against Sri Lanka was the ... -
Dawn - 14:51 Mar 09, 2026
Pakistan Navy launches Operation Muhafizul Bahr to counter threats to shipping, maritime trade: ISPR
The military’s media affairs wing said on Monday that the Pakistan Navy had launched Operation Muhafizul Bahr to counter “multidimensional threats to national shipping and maritime trade”. A statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the decision came in light of the “evolving regional maritime security environment and potential disruptions to critical sea lanes”. The statement said that the initiative had been undertaken to ensure the uninterrupted flow of national energy supplies and the security of sea lines of communication. “Pakistan Navy escort operations are being conducted in close coordination with Pakistan National Shipping Corporation,” the statement said. “Pakistan Navy is fully cognisant of the prevailing maritime situation and is actively monitoring and controlling the movement of merchant vessels to ensure their safe and secure transit,” the statement said. It further said that with approximately 90 per cent of Pakistan’s trade conducted via sea, the operation aimed to... -
Dawn - 13:27 Mar 09, 2026
The 10th day of the war began with a development that may shape the trajectory of the conflict more than any exchange on the battlefield. Early on Monday, Iran’s Assembly of Experts selected Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader. The transition that happened without any disruption signalled both institutional continuity and a consolidation of authority at a time when Iran remains under sustained military pressure. Within Iran, the appointment was immediately endorsed by the revolutionary core and the political and military elite that publicly pledged allegiance, while state media framed the succession as a stabilising step that ensured the continuity of the political system despite the wartime environment, and there were no signs of unrest in cities, suggesting public acceptance as well. The acceptance of the new supreme leader extended beyond Iran’s borders as well, particularly among actors aligned with Tehran’s regional network of allies in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen who moved quickly... -
Dawn - 13:05 Mar 09, 2026
Sri Lanka and India are providing sanctuary to 434 sailors from three Iranian naval vessels targeted or threatened by the United States, a diplomatic conundrum as the US-Israel attack on Iran and the subsequent war spills into the Indian Ocean. The ships had taken part in a naval exercise organised by India off the coast of Visakhapatnam, when the US and Israel began bombing Iran. For Sri Lanka and India, wary of a US response, the dilemma of what to do with the ships and crew has sent legal officials scouring conventions and the laws of the sea. What happened? IRIS Dena, a frigate, was sunk with a torpedo fired by a US submarine on Wednesday, just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters. Between 130 and 180 sailors were on board, and at least 84 were killed. Sri Lanka rescued 32 survivors, many since discharged from hospital to be hosted at the Koggala air force base in the island’s south. IRIS Lavan, an amphibious landing ship, docked in India’s southern port of Kochi on Wednesday. It had 183 sailors aboard,... -
Dawn - 12:43 Mar 09, 2026
Qatari authorities have arrested more than 300 people for sharing images and what they described as “misleading information” during days of attacks by Iran, the interior ministry said on Monday. The arrests echo measures across the Gulf as Iran targets airports, military bases, energy installations and residential areas with daily drones and missiles. Those arrested “filmed and circulated video clips and published misleading information and rumours that could stir public opinion”, a statement said. The people of “various nationalities” were held by the Department for Combating Economic and Cyber Crimes at the ministry’s General Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The announcement follows a spate of arrests elsewhere in the region. In Bahrain, four people were arrested for “filming and broadcasting clips about the effects of Iranian attacks and spreading false news”, the interior ministry said on Friday. And in Kuwait, authorities on Saturday said three people had been arrested over a video showing them mo... -
Dawn - 11:39 Mar 09, 2026
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday maintained its key policy rate at 10.5 per cent. The announcement was posted on the central bank’s X account. A detailed statement by the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was issued later in the day. In its statement, the MPC said that while the incoming data was largely consistent with the macroeconomic projections shared after the January meeting, it was observed that the macroeconomic outlook had become “quite uncertain following the outbreak of the war in the Middle East”. It noted that the conflict had led to a sharp increase in global fuel prices as well as freight and insurance costs, while also affecting cross-border trade and travel. “Given the evolving nature of events, the MPC observed that the intensity and duration of the conflict will both be important determinants of the impact on the domestic economy,” the statement said. The MPC also acknowledged the “important role of the prudent monetary and fiscal policies in increasing the economy’s...
12682 items