Dawn
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Dawn - 00:55 May 10, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday conceded before the parliament that the development spending had flattened despite over 47 per cent increase in revenue growth, 37pc cut in subsidies and 170pc higher cash surpluses provided by four provinces. In its mid-year budget review report to the parliament as required under section 34(1) of the Public Finance Management Act 2019, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said the above consolidation helped contain fiscal deficit at 1.9pc of GDP in July-December 2024 against 2.5pc last year and put primary surplus — the gap between total revenue and total expenditure minus debt servicing — at a comfortable 2.3pc of GDP against 1.4pc surplus last year. The report said the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) consumed Rs261bn in first six months of current year compared to Rs255bn a year ago. The four provinces provided Rs775bn cash surplus in the first half compared to Rs289bn last year. It said that due to sound macroeconomic management, effective inflation control measure... -
Dawn - 00:49 May 10, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Friday notified a reduction of Rs1.55 per unit in electricity tariffs across the country for a period of three months, from May to July 2025, under a quarterly adjustment mechanism. This cut comes in addition to a 29-paisa per unit fuel cost adjustment for ex-Wapda distribution companies (Discos) and a Rs3.64 per unit reduction for K-Electric consumers for the month of May. As a result, consumers of Discos will receive a total of Rs1.84 per unit cheaper electricity in May and then Rs1.55 per unit in June and July. Similarly, K-Electric consumers will enjoy about Rs5.19 per unit cheaper rates in May and then Rs1.55 per unit in June and July. The regulator said it allowed Rs1.55 per unit negative adjustment on account of the quarterly tariff adjustment for the January-March quarter of the current fiscal year. The notification said Nepra “has decided to allow negative quarterly adjustments of Rs52.6bn pertaining to the third quarter of the fi... -
Dawn - 23:32 May 09, 2025
Around two months before his latest derangement, India’s Narendra Modi paid tribute to his RSS inspiration, Veer Savarkar. As the founding father of Hindutva, Savarkar’s ideas have long informed Modi’s actions. And those ideas are pretty basic. “India should follow the German example to solve the Muslim problem,” Savarkar said in 1938, “…Germany has every right to resort to Nazism and Italy to fascism — and events have justified those -isms.” Given such events reduced Europe to the bloodlands of World War II, Modi now wishes the same for South Asia: Pakistan and India have been closest to war in half a century; fighter jets tango overhead; and a new generation wakes up to the sirens their grandparents once had to. At the brink of war, again But we’re here now, and it mostly has to do with Delhi’s own neuroses: the rabid base, the status anxiety, and an occupation that refuses to resolve itself. Modi’s annexation drive in Kashmir was demographic change 101; the “Muslim problem”, to quote Savarkar, would be res... -
Dawn - 20:30 May 09, 2025
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday approved the immediate disbursement of about $1 billion to Pakistan under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and allowed an additional arrangement for the $1.4bn Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). In a statement issued today, the IMF said its Executive Board completed the first review of Pakistan’s economic reform program supported by the EFF Arrangement. “This decision allows for an immediate disbursement of around $1bn (SDR 760 million), bringing total disbursements under the arrangement to about $2.1bn (SDR 1.52 billion). In addition, the IMF Executive Board approved the authorities’ request for an arrangement under the RSF, with access of about $1.4bn (SDR 1 billion),” it said. It noted that Pakistan’s policy efforts under the EFF had already delivered “significant progress” in stabilising the economy and rebuilding confidence, amidst a challenging global environment. “Fiscal performance has been strong, with a primary surplus of two per ... -
Dawn - 19:38 May 09, 2025
The Foreign Office on Friday said it was unfortunate that “India’s reckless conduct has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict” as military tensions between Pakistan and India escalate. The statement comes amid the ongoing escalation between Pakistan and India, which started after New Delhi launched attacks in several Pakistani cities. Islamabad promptly responded to the attacks. The escalation began following the April 22 attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam, killing 26 people. India, without investigation or evidence, implied “cross-border linkages” of the attackers. Pakistan has firmly rejected the claim and called for a neutral probe. While addressing his weekly press briefing in Islamabad today, FO Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said: “Indian actions are a flagrant violation of the UN charter, international law, and established norms governing interstate relations. “It is most unfortunate that India’s reckless conduct has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to... -
Dawn - 18:35 May 09, 2025
In a momentous ruling, the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday allowed civilians accused in the May 9, 2023 riots — triggered by the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan — to be tried in military courts. “The legal fate of some 103 individuals facing military trials remained in limbo from December 2023 till Tuesday, a period of about a year and a half,” noted Dawn’s editorial today. The 5-2 verdict by the Constitutional Bench overturns an earlier ruling that had declared military trials of civilians null and void, and restores key sections of the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) that allow military jurisdiction over certain civilian offences. The bench not only overturned that decision but also restored three contentious provisions of the PAA that had previously been struck down. It also directed the government to introduce legislation within 45 days to ensure that civilians tried in military courts are granted the right to appeal their sentences in a high court. However, the decision was not unanimous — the two dis... -
Dawn - 15:08 May 09, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that the government’s priority in the upcoming budget was to provide relief to the common man, stating that all-out resources will be utilised to reduce the financial difficulties of the poor and the middle class. Chairing a meeting on the preparation of the federal budget 2025-26, the premier directed that the upcoming budget should be prepared with a focus on sustainable export-driven growth and considering the projects to promote industries and increase production “The budget should also focus extensively on the creation of jobs, agriculture, information technology, small and medium enterprises, and the housing sector,” he added. The prime minister said that the government and private sector must work together for development and prosperity. Calling the public-private partnerships and youth vocational training among the government’s priorities, the premier noted that positive results were emerging from the power sector reforms, as the reduction in electricity pr... -
Dawn - 14:04 May 09, 2025
Thousands of people rallied on Friday outside the residence of Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus, demanding that he ban the political party of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus, 84, has led an interim government since Hasina was overthrown by student-led mass protests in August 2024 and fled into exile as crowds stormed her palace. Friday’s rally came after the sudden departure of Abdul Hamid, a former leader of Hasina’s Awami League party, from Bangladesh early on Thursday. A crowd, mainly made up of young people, had started gathering outside Yunus’ residence on Thursday night. Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organiser of the newly formed National Citizen’s Party, said the demonstration would continue until their demands were met. “Sheikh Hasina robbed the people of Bangladesh of their democratic rights. She manipulated the system to prevent any real opposition from participating in the election,” Kamrul said. “We saw Abdul Hamid leave the country safely. The actions of... -
Dawn - 13:07 May 09, 2025
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced on Friday that Karachi would host the 35th National Games from December 6 to 13 after it was postponed from its initial dates in May. The games were set to be held from May 1-9 in Karachi but were postponed in April due to “unavoidable circumstances,” according to an official letter issued by the Sindh Olympic Association. Murad held a meeting today at CM House with a high-level delegation of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) to finalise preparations for the games. He welcomed the opportunity to host National Games, pledging full cooperation to ensure the games are organised in accordance with international standards. He directed all relevant departments to provide essential facilities to athletes, including training, medical care, transportation, and modern infrastructure. CM Murad announced the construction of a new swimming pool and acquisition of modern electronic timing and scoring systems. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the ... -
Dawn - 12:53 May 09, 2025
In war, truth is the first casualty. The Indian media, it would appear, isn’t happy to just kill the truth. Over the last few days, hysterical war-crazed news anchors, buoyed by trolls and pundits on social media, have made every effort to crush the truth, stomp on it, tear it up, chop it into fine pieces, set it on fire and throw away the ashes in the Indian Ocean. When Greek dramatic Aeschylus (525/524 bc — 456/455 bc) coined the phrase, he may have been referring to the propaganda spread by states through scrolls and word of mouth. That was a simpler time — states could get away with untruths and falsehoods, with the other side none the wiser. It takes a different kind of arrogance, however, to try to pull this off in the 21st century, when the information ecosystem is no longer inhibited by geographical limitations or even the imperative of a closed media landscape. Into the metaverse Over the last 24 hours, in particular, the kind of disinformation coming out of the Indian information ecosystem has been ... -
Dawn - 11:41 May 09, 2025
Remittances from overseas Pakistani workers clocked in at $3.2 billion for the month of April, up 13 per cent year-on-year, according to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data released on Friday. Topline Securities, a brokerage firm in Karachi, noted, “Worker remittances clocked in at US$3.2bn, up 13pc YoY in Apr-2025. “This takes 10MFY25 remittances to US$31bn, up 31pc YoY,” it added. According to the firm, inflows during April were mainly sourced from Saudi Arabia ($725m), UAE ($658m), UK ($535m), and US ($302m). Earlier, the government had set a target of $35bn in remittances for the current fiscal year (FY25), but financial experts believe the inflow would exceed the estimate. “The inflows could reach up to $36bn in FY25,” said a currency dealer in the banking market. A study published by the Asian Development Bank found that Pakistani migrants tend to remit more when economic conditions are improving back home and when there is a positive association between remittances and domestic economic activity. The stu... -
Dawn - 11:40 May 09, 2025
Pope Leo XIV on Friday celebrated his first Mass in Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel where he was elected less than 24 hours earlier and prayed that his historic papacy can help the Catholic Church be a beacon illuminating “the dark nights of this world”. Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost and the first US pope, looked serene as he said the Mass in the famous, frescoed chapel with the same cardinals who chose him to be the 267th pontiff and the successor to Pope Francis. Dressed in relatively simple white and gold vestments, Leo, who was born in Chicago but spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, said a few words in English before continuing his homily in fluent Italian. He painted the spiritual picture of the Church he would like to see under his papacy. “God has …. entrusted this treasure to me so that, with his help, I may be its faithful administrator for the sake of the entire mystical Body of the Church,” he said. “He has done so in order that she may be ever more fully a city set on a hill, an ark... -
Dawn - 11:34 May 09, 2025
Shares at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) recovered nearly 4,000 points on Friday after the index suffered its largest-ever plunge a day earlier, causing losses to the tune of Rs820 billion loss to equity investors following Indian drone attacks in major cities across the country. The benchmark KSE-100 index climbed 799.65, or 0.77 per cent, to stand at 104,326.46 from the previous close of 103,526.81 at 11:06am. At 4:31pm, the index recovered 3647.82, or 3.52pc, to stand at 107,174.63 from the last close. Mohammed Sohail, chief executive of Topline Securities, said that after falling sharply by 6pc yesterday, the stocks had recovered. “So far, there has been no news of any major escalation which helped restore confidence,” he said. Yousuf M. Farooq, director research at Chase Securities, noted, “Stocks on the PSX remained volatile today, opening higher as participants increasingly factored in that an all-out war with India is unlikely. “Some investors have begun accumulating stocks trading at highly attrac... -
Dawn - 11:32 May 09, 2025
THE October 2023 judgement had been widely hailed as ‘historic’. The one issued by five judges this Tuesday will one day prove equally significant, albeit for entirely different reasons. Earlier this week, while Pakistanis were still cheering for their air force after it successfully tackled the late-night marauders next door, the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench threw a wet blanket on the public mood with the announcement that it was restoring sections of the Pakistan Army Act that allow for civilians to be court-martialled. Ruling with a 5-2 majority, the bench overturned the unanimous decision issued in October 2023 by five senior justices of the Supreme Court — including three who are still serving, most notably the incumbent chief justice of Pakistan — who had ruled that there could be no justification under the Constitution for military trials of civilians. It may be recalled that the original judgement also ruled that all cases against civilians being tried under the Act should be transferred to ci... -
Dawn - 10:10 May 09, 2025
The conflict between India and Pakistan over occupied Kashmir offers a potentially rich intelligence harvest for China in its own rivalry with India as it gleans data from its fighter jets and other weapons used in action by Pakistan. Security analysts and diplomats say China’s military modernisation has reached a point where it has the ability to deeply scrutinise Indian actions in real-time from its border installations and Indian Ocean fleets as well as from space. “From an intelligence perspective, this is a rare target of opportunity right on China’s borders involving a key potential adversary,” said Singapore-based security analyst Alexander Neill. Two US officials said a Chinese-made J-10 Pakistani jet fighter shot down at least two Indian military planes — one of them a French-made Rafale fighter. India has not acknowledged the loss of any of its planes while Pakistan’s defence and foreign ministers have confirmed the use of J-10 aircraft but have not commented on which missiles or other weapons were ... -
Dawn - 09:28 May 09, 2025
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to suspend the remainder of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 “with immediate effect for one week”, according to a statement on Friday. An IPL match on Thursday was abandoned midway after fighting began in India’s border regions, but the cricket board attributed the disruption to a power failure at the stadium in the hill city of Dharamsala. “Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders,” said the statement from BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com. “The decision was taken by the IPL Governing Council after due consultation with all key stakeholders following the representations from most of the franchisees, who conveyed the concern and sentiments of their players, and also the views of the broadcaster, sponsors and fans; while ... -
Dawn - 09:15 May 09, 2025
A dogfight between Chinese-made Pakistani jets and French-made Indian Rafale fighters will be closely scrutinised by militaries seeking insights that could offer an edge in future conflicts. A Chinese-made Pakistani fighter plane shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two US officials told Reuters, marking a potential major milestone for Beijing’s advanced fighter jet. The aerial clash is a rare opportunity for militaries to study the performance of pilots, fighter jets and air-to-air missiles in active combat, and use that knowledge to prepare their own air forces for battle. Experts said the live use of advanced weapons would be analysed across the world, including in China and the United States which are both preparing for a potential conflict over Taiwan or in the wider Indo-Pacific region. One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters there was high confidence that Pakistan had used the Chinese-made J-10 aircraft to launch air-to-air missiles against Indian figh... -
Dawn - 06:57 May 09, 2025
AS tensions with India continued to escalate, Pakistani officials responded to a number of apparently false claims made by Indian officials and media. On Thursday night, Indian news channels were flooded with reports claiming that India’s air defence systems had shot down Pakistani jets during alleged attacks on multiple locations across Jammu in India-held Kashmir and Punjab in India. Although the claims were widely repeated, no evidence or footage was offered to substantiate them. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar dismissed the claims that India shot down Pakistani jets, including an F-16 and two JF-17 fighter jets. He termed the claim “absurd and false”. “Fake and concocted stories will get you nowhere. Such false claims only reflect your desperation. Denied and rejected,” the minister said in a post on X. Separately, speaking to Geo News, the information minister challenged the Indian government to provide proof of downing any PAF fighters or capturing a pilot. “I am 100 per cent denying it. With fulle... -
Dawn - 04:57 May 09, 2025
WASHINGTON: The US has called upon both Pakistan and India to hold “direct talks” to bring down tensions and said it will support any effort, including a neutral probe, to ensure the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack are brought to justice. In a press briefing on Thursday, Tammy Bruce, the State Department spokesperson, said the US was aware of Pakistan’s offer for a neutral investigation into the attack. “Pakistan wants an independent investigation … and [the US] want the perpetrators to be held accountable, and we are supportive of any efforts to that end,” she added. When asked if the two neighbours have offered any commitments, Ms Bruce said Secretary Rubio had been clear on two things: “that this should not escalate” and “communication was fundamentally key”. When the spokesperson was asked if the US shared India’s view that Pakistan was supporting terrorist groups, she refrained from affirming the accusation. She said the Pahalgam attack was “awful”, but the “back and forth and continuation” of attack... -
Dawn - 04:42 May 09, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The proper mechanism for determining the seniority of judges remained under discussion before the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday, as it heard an inter-se seniority dispute between judges of the Islamabad High Court. Heading the five-judge CB, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar questioned whether the authority to determine the seniority of superior court judges should lie with the President or the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). He also recalled how, under civil service procedures, when officers were transferred from the surplus pool to a different department, their seniority started from the bottom in the new department. He wondered whether there was any rule or convention for finalising the seniority of judges or whether it should be compared with civil service rules. The bench was hearing a joint petition filed by five IHC judges — Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan and Saman Rafat Imtiaz — pleading that three transferred ...
5680 items