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Dawn - 16:41 Mar 26, 2026
Only biological female athletes, whose gender has been determined by a one-time gene-screening test, will now be eligible to take part in female category events at the Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday. The IOC unveiled its new policy, following an 18-month consultation phase, on the protection of the female category as part of its initiative to have a universal rule for competitors in female elite sports after years of fragmented regulation that led to major controversies. The new rules essentially stop transgender athletes from competing in female category events at the Olympics. They had previously been eligible to compete at the Olympics once cleared by their respective federations. All athletes wanting to qualify or take part in female category events from the LA2028 Olympics onwards will have to undergo an SRY gene test to determine their eligibility. “Based on scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the presence of the SRY gene is fixed throughout life and re... -
Dawn - 16:11 Mar 26, 2026
Oman’s envoy to Pakistan, Fahad Bin Sulaiman Bin Khalaf Alkharusi, assured Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik on Thursday that Islamabad’s request for preferential energy cargoes would be “considered favourably”, a statement issued by the Petroleum Division said. The statement detailed the meeting between the two dignitaries in Islamabad, stating that Ambassador Alkharusi “welcomed Pakistan’s push towards diversification and conveyed that Oman stands ready to support Pakistan in enhancing its energy security”. “In this regard, the federal minister expressed optimism that Oman would consider Pakistan’s request for preferential energy cargoes to meet its growing requirements. The ambassador responded positively and assured that the request would be considered favourably,” it added. The statement said that the two discussed the evolving energy situation in the region and avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. “The federal minister highlighted that Pakistan and Oman enjoy long-sta... -
Dawn - 15:55 Mar 26, 2026
A Nepal commission has recommended the prosecution of ex-prime minister KP Sharma Oli in connection with the deadly September 2025 uprising that toppled his government, according to a leaked report. At least 77 people were killed in the anti-corruption youth uprising on September 8 and 9, which began over a brief social media ban but tapped into longstanding fury over economic hardship. Four-time prime minister and Marxist leader Oli, 74, was defeated in the polls this month by the 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, whose Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won in a landslide after promising to oust an ageing elite, stem corruption and fix the economy. The commission’s recommendations, set out in a report leaked by Nepali media, came ahead of the swearing-in on Thursday of newly elected members of parliament. “It was decided to recommend to the government of Nepal that an investigation, inquiry, and prosecution be carried out against the then executive head, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli,” reads a ... -
Dawn - 15:17 Mar 26, 2026
With the US-Israel war on Iran in its fourth week, Pakistan has stepped onto the diplomatic stage amid high-stakes wrangling to end the hostilities. Pakistan has repeatedly emphasised that it wants an end to the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East. And with the situation fluctuating by the hour, Islamabad has emerged as a potential venue for talks between the two sides. Here’s what we know so far. Rumours abound Since the conflict began on Feb 28, Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership has been engaging with the leaders of regional and friendly countries and calling for a de-escalation of hostilities. Over the past week, several global publications, including Reuters and Axios, claimed that Islamabad had actively offered itself as a facilitator for engagement between the US and Iran. Some reports hinted that a meeting could be held if things proceeded smoothly, with Axios and The Guardian claiming that mediators were considering Islamabad as a potential venue for talks. Amid the speculation, the Forei... -
Dawn - 15:00 Mar 26, 2026
The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday said that the temporary pause in Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban had concluded and the operation would continue “until its objectives are achieved”. FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi made the remarks while answering questions during his weekly press briefing regarding whether the pause had been extended. Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched on the night of Feb 26 following cross-border firing by the Afghan Taliban. “Operation Gazab Lil-Haq is ongoing. It is a precise, targeted operation, military campaign directed against terrorist leadership and their support and command, infrastructure, logistics, logistic networks and facilitators and abettors of these terrorist acts within the Taliban regime and in the Taliban controlled area,” he said. Andrabi said that a temporary pause was observed in “deferrence to Eidul Fitr celebrations and in response to requests from our brotherly Islamic countries”. “The pause has concluded [on] midnight between, I think, March... -
Dawn - 14:47 Mar 26, 2026
Another Pakistani national died due to “falling debris” from missile interception in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said. The development takes the total number of Pakistani nationals killed in the UAE as a result of falling debris from missile interceptions amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran to four. In a post on X earlier in the day, the media office said that an incident “involving falling debris” from the interception of a ballistic missile resulted in “deaths of two unidentified individuals, three injuries, and damage to a number of cars”. It said that the incident occurred on Sweihan Street. In a later post, it confirmed that the incident resulted in the death of “two individuals of Pakistani and Indian nationality”. It added that the incident also resulted in “injuries ranging from serious to moderate sustained by three individuals of Emirati, Jordanian and Indian nationality”. “The public is advised to obtain information only from official sour... -
Dawn - 14:04 Mar 26, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has disqualified PTI’s Murad Saeed from his Senate seat following his conviction in a May 9 case, it emerged on Thursday. The ECP’s notification for Saeed’s disqualification mentioned his sentencing by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on March 7. Saeed was named among 47 proclaimed offenders sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in the May 9 case General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case by a Rawalpindi ATC. In a notification dated March 25 and available with Dawn, the ECP cited the court’s March 7 order, stating: “Murad Saeed, notified as returned candidate on a general seat of Senate from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province [..] has become disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and is hereby de-notified. Resultantly, his seat has become vacant.” Article 63(1h) of the Constitution stipulates that a person shall be disqualified from Parliament if they have been convicted for any offence involving moral turpitude or sentenced... -
Dawn - 13:32 Mar 26, 2026
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Thursday assailed the PTI, stating the party’s “attempts” at disrespecting the country’s dignity under the guise of political disagreement were “unacceptable”. The comments come a day after Kasim Khan, the son of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, raised his father’s case at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), saying that the former prime minister’s treatment by authorities violated international human rights conventions as well as commitments made under the GSP+ framework. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the minister held that “while it was every political party’s right to engage in criticism, the country’s dignity should not be put at stake”. He noted that an “unfortunate development” was seen in Geneva a day earlier, referring to Kasim’s speech at the UNHCR. “No political leader is bigger than Pakistan,” Tarar said, assailing the PTI for not putting “national interest first”. “The mockery of the country by the political opposition is unaccep... -
Dawn - 12:39 Mar 26, 2026
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark index KSE-100 plunged over 5,000 points on Thursday. The KSE-100 declined by 5,405.48 points or 3.41 per cent to close at 152,907.96 from the previous close of 158,313.44. The index rose to an intraday high of 157,591.23 points at around 10:05am, and then declined to an intraday low of 152,668.07 points at around 3:15pm, before settling at 152,907.96. According to Topline Securities, “the market experienced sustained selling pressure throughout the day”. It added that the index “predominantly” traded in “negative territory as investors remained cautious amid persistent volatility in international oil prices and ongoing global uncertainty”. Topline Securities noted that “key index-heavy stocks, including United Bank Limited, Fauji Fertiliser Company, Engro Holdings Limited, Lucky Cement Limited, and the Hub Power Company Limited, acted as major drags on the market”. It said that the companies “collectively” pulled the index down “by approximately 2,138 points durin... -
Dawn - 12:29 Mar 26, 2026
Anacondas, boa constrictors and a caiman were found behind a false wall in southern Italy, police said Thursday, amid warnings dangerous reptiles are being used by local crooks to intimidate their victims. Police in Bari carrying out a raid in an apartment block found “exotic and dangerous animals” in a secret basement room which had been transformed into a clandestine reptile house. The find included two green anacondas, each about five metres (16 feet) long and weighing around 60 kg and a spectacled caiman measuring over 1.5 meters long. “The spectacled caiman … is a wild predator with extremely powerful jaws and potentially aggressive behavior” and posed “a real threat to public safety”, according to a police statement. There was also an Asian water monitor, a lizard “of considerable size equipped with claws and a potentially dangerous bite”, it said. Police also seized a yellow anaconda, a Bolivian anaconda, four Burmese pythons, approximately three meters long each, and four boa constrictors. The reptile... -
Dawn - 12:28 Mar 26, 2026
President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting that stressed the importance of national consensus and institutional coordination in view of emerging regional challenges arising from the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. According to a handout by the President’s Secretariat, the meeting was held at the Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad. It was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. According to the handout, the broader regional situation also came under discussion, including its implications for Pakistan’s security, economic outlook and food security. The meeting emphasised the need for a coordinated national response, noting that policy decisions must prioritise stability while safeguarding the interests of the public. “The meeting underscored the importance of maintaining national consensus and strengthening institutional coordination in view of emerging regional challenges. It was agreed that economic management, ener... -
Dawn - 12:20 Mar 26, 2026
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast partly cloudy weather in Karachi, with chances of thunderstorms and rain on March 26 and 28. In its daily weather outlook issued on Thursday, the PMD said a westerly wave is continuously affecting most parts of the country. It has forecast partly cloudy weather in Karachi today, with a maximum temperature of 30–32°C and a minimum of 24°C. The humidity was expected to be around 45-55 per cent in the evening, with a west/southwesterly wind, said the weather service. On Friday, partly cloudy weather is expected in the city. The PMD has forecast highs of 31–33°C and lows of 22–24°C, with humidity levels of 80–90pc during the daytime, and a northwesterly wind becoming west/southwesterly. Saturday will be partly cloudy, with a chance of thunderstorms or rain, mercury rising to 30–32°C and lows of 22–24°C, humidity levels of 75–85pc during the day, and a west/southwesterly wind. Meanwhile, under the influence of a westerly wave, thunderstorms or rain of light... -
Dawn - 11:30 Mar 26, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday said that US-Iran “indirect talks” were taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan. “There has been unnecessary speculation in the media regarding peace talks to end ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” he said in a post on the social media platform X. “In reality, US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan. In this context, the United States has shared 15 points, being deliberated upon by Iran,” he said. “Brotherly countries of Turkiye and Egypt, among others, are also extending their support to this initiative,” he said. “Pakistan remains fully committed to promoting peace and continues to make every effort to ensure stability in the region and beyond,” he said, adding that dialogue and diplomacy were the only way forward. He also tagged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump’s Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff in the post. Shor... -
Dawn - 11:12 Mar 26, 2026
Multiple PML-N supporters and media outlets on social media platform X have been sharing two videos since March 25, showing Kasim Khan, son of PTI founder Imran Khan, allegedly demanding the suspension of Pakistan’s status for the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade scheme. However, he made no such demand. The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is false. Imran — imprisoned since 2023 for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts — is serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in the £190 million corruption case. Meanwhile, his party and family have alleged that he is being kept in solitary confinement — with a restriction on visitors being allowed to meet him in jail — and have repeatedly raised concerns over his medical treatment after it surfaced in January that he suffered an eye ailment. His sons have been campaigning for his release as well. According to the European Union, GSP+ status is a special incentive awarded to developing countries to “... -
Dawn - 10:41 Mar 26, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting de-escalation and regional stability while discussing the situation in the Middle East with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zedong on Thursday. On Monday, Pakistan took centre stage in a coordinated diplomatic push alongside Turkiye and Egypt for de-escalation, as the trio appeared instrumental in securing a five-day pause of US plans to strike Iranian energy and power infrastructure, officials said, describing the effort as going beyond routine crisis management. A press release by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that the Chinese ambassador called on the premier at the PM House today. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, and the foreign secretary were also present, it said. PM Shehbaz appreciated China’s “steadfast economic support” and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing CPEC 2.0, “with a focus on agriculture, industrial co... -
Dawn - 09:39 Mar 26, 2026
Work on legal reforms within the housing sector is in “full swing”, including developing an ecosystem for mortgage finance in the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was told on Thursday. On March 18, PM Shehbaz urged authorities to prioritise making housing finance accessible to ordinary citizens during a meeting, emphasising the provision of homes for low-income groups and promoting affordable housing projects. During the meeting, discussions were also held on draft reforms concerning housing mortgages. In a meeting called to review measures to promote the housing sector, the premier was briefed on the progress of implementation of the measures, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “On the directions of the prime minister, special measures are being taken for investment in the construction and housing sector by foreign investors and overseas Pakistanis,” the meeting was told. The measures aim to increase housing projects, promote economic activities and create employment opportunities in the ... -
Dawn - 08:46 Mar 26, 2026
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday he has given the military permission to board and detain Russian ships his government alleges are part of a network of vessels that enables Moscow to export oil despite Western sanctions. The decision comes as other European nations have stepped up efforts to disrupt Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of tankers used by Moscow to fund its four-year war against Ukraine. Starmer said he approved more aggressive action against the vessels because Russian President Vladimir Putin was likely “rubbing his hands” at the sharp rise in oil prices driven by the US-Israel war against Iran. “That’s why we’re going after his shadow fleet even harder, not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putin’s war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine,” Starmer said in a statement. Downing Street said British military and law enforcement officials have been preparing to board Russian vessels that do not surrender, are armed, or use high-tech pervas... -
Dawn - 08:44 Mar 26, 2026
Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was back up after facing a brief international outage on Thursday afternoon, according to internet monitors. Shortly after 12pm, NetBlocks reported that X was “experiencing international outages”, adding that the incident was “not related to country-level internet disruptions or filtering”. Downdetector, which monitors internet outages in real time, showed a sharp spike in problems reported by Pakistani users soon after 12pm. Half of those issues pertained to the X timeline, with most of the rest complaining about the app. By around 12:45pm, the user reports had declined significantly for Pakistan to two from a peak of 189. Problems reported by X users across Pakistan, as of around 1:15pm on March 26,, 2026. — screengrab via Downdetector Similarly, for the United States, complaints had fallen to below 200 compared to nearly 31,700 received a short while earlier. Problems reported by X users across US, as of around 1:15pm on March 26,, 2026. — screengrab via Downdetec... -
Dawn - 06:45 Mar 26, 2026
Israel launched strikes across Iran on Thursday, hours after US President Donald Trump said Tehran wanted a deal to end the nearly four-week war despite its top diplomat rejecting any talks with Washington. The conflict has mushroomed to draw in nations around the Middle East, sending energy markets into a tailspin and threatening to torpedo the global economy. Iran, under near-daily bombardment since a joint US-Israeli attack started the war on February 28, was hit early on Thursday by what the Israeli army said was “a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure”, including in the central city of Isfahan. In turn, an Iranian missile attack activated sirens across central Israel, including Tel Aviv and parts of Jerusalem, on Thursday morning, according to the Israeli military, the first launches it identified from Iran in more than 14 hours. Trump, whose daily statements have swung wildly from threatening to conciliatory, said talks to end the war were ongoing with Iran, but that officials in Tehran w... -
Dawn - 06:33 Mar 26, 2026
United States President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in May during his first visit to China in eight years, a closely watched trip postponed due to the ongoing Iran war. Trump’s effort to reschedule the trip reflected the Republican president’s eagerness to project confidence in a challenging Middle East war and simultaneously to manage a tense relationship between the world’s biggest economies. Initially slated to travel next week, Trump will now visit Beijing on May 14 and 15, he said in a Truth Social post on Wednesday. Trump added that he would host Xi for a reciprocal visit in Washington later this year. “Our Representatives are finalising preparations for these Historic Visits,” Trump said. “I look very much forward to spending time with President Xi in what will be, I am sure, a Monumental Event.” China’s embassy said it had no information to provide on the announcement of the visit. Beijing normally does not detail Xi’s schedule more than a few days in advance. The long-schedule...
8986 items