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  • Pakistan to tour England next year for 5-match ODI series
    Dawn - 09:48 Jul 23, 2026
    The Green Shirts are set to tour England in May 2027 for a five-match one-day international (ODI) series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday. In a press release, it said that the opening match is scheduled for May 15, 2027 in Southampton, with the series ending on May 26, 2027. The second ODI will be played in Manchester on May 19, while Leeds will host the third match on May 21. The fourth and fifth ODIs will be played in Chester-le-Street and Cardiff on May 23 and 26, respectively, the board said. Pakistan’s men team is currently touring the West Indies for a two-match Test series. Following the series, Pakistan will travel to England for a three-match Test series from August 19 to September 13, the PCB said. The PCB statement added that next year’s five-match ODI series with England will provide both sides an opportunity to prepare for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be held in October and November and hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Pakistan are currently rank...
    Tags: Pakistan England
  • Authorities told to step up monsoon preparedness as rain-related deaths in Punjab, KP reach 43
    Dawn - 08:57 Jul 23, 2026
    LAHORE/LOWER SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday directed all federal, provincial and local authorities to intensify coordinated preparedness, rescue and relief measures in view of the ongoing monsoon rains as the death toll from rain-related incidents rose to 43 in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to a press release issued by the President’s Secretariat, the president directed authorities to “intensify coordinated preparedness, rescue and relief measures as the country enters a critical phase of the monsoon season, with increasing rains raising the risk of flash floods, cloud bursts, glacial lake outburst floods, landslides, river flooding and urban flooding in vulnerable areas”. He also “expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives and damage to homes, infrastructure and property caused by the recent rains and related incidents”. The president directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), and provinci...
    Tags: Punjab
  • Pakistan 'disappointed' with EU report on GSP+ compliance issues, says it understates reforms
    Dawn - 08:24 Jul 23, 2026
    Pakistan on Thursday expressed “disappointment” with the European Union’s (EU) recent report that pointed out issues in Pakistan’s compliance with its commitments under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+). The report was issued last week as part of the European Commission’s global assessment of the GSP during the 2023-2025 period. It said Pakistan had “regressed in a number of areas while positive change was limited”. Responding to a query during a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi appreciated the report’s “acknowledgement of Pakistan’s legislative progress” and its continued compliance with 27 international conventions under the GSP+. “Nevertheless, I would be remiss if I do not express disappointment with the assessment, with the report’s overall narrative which does not present sufficiently balanced pictures of Pakistan’s performance,” Andrabi added. He said the EU report “understates the breadth of reforms undertaken since Pakistan joined GSP+ ...
    Tags: Pakistan
  • PM Shehbaz speaks to Saudi crown prince, condemns 'unacceptable' Houthi attack on vessels in Red Sea
    Dawn - 08:22 Jul 23, 2026
    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea in a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “Such actions are unacceptable, violate international law, threaten freedom of navigation and undermine regional peace and security,” PM Shehbaz said in a post on the social media platform X. Hostilities in the Middle East flared on Thursday as Yemen’s Houthis said that they attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in a military operation. A Saudi news agency confirmed one of the two vessels was ablaze after an assault while sailing in the Red Sea. In his post on X, PM Shehbaz said that he reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia during the call with the crown prince. The premier said he conveyed that he, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and the nation “stand firmly and resolutely with the Saudi leadership and the brotherly people of the kingdom at this critical time”. PM Shehbaz said ...
    Tags: Saudi Houthi Shehbaz
  • From symbolism to substance: a roadmap for Pakistan-Russia ties
    Dawn - 07:54 Jul 23, 2026
    The world is entering a period of rapid geopolitical realignment. The conflicts unfolding in the Middle East and along Russia’s borders with the West are not merely regional disputes; they are symptomatic of a deeper contest between two poles of global power — China and the United States — over the shape of the emerging world order. In this environment, smaller and middle powers risk being viewed simply as territory to be absorbed into one bloc or another. Russia and Iran are two states that deserve closer attention in this context. It would be a mistake to assume that their geopolitical weight can simply be written out of a new order defined by US-China rivalry. The outcome of that rivalry will, in fact, help shape the strategic and economic options available to other countries in the years ahead — Pakistan and Russia among them. Both nations share a concern for economic and technological sovereignty, and both have an interest in building new channels of cooperation. Before any deeper technological partnersh...
  • Pakistan hits back at India's attempt to 'distort facts', says holding IWT in abeyance 'simply illegal'
    Dawn - 07:35 Jul 23, 2026
    Pakistan on Thursday rejected India’s attempt to “distort facts” about the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate, saying that New Delhi’s actions in the aftermath of the attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pulwama were “simply illegal”. At a UNSC debate on natural resource governance, Pakistan’s Permanent Representation to the UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmad had highlighted India’s unilateral decision to hold the treaty in abeyance, saying that “no state should be permitted to abuse shared water resources as an instrument of coercion or political pressure, much less when it breaches solemn treaty obligations”. Subsequently, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni had accused Pakistan of “state-sponsored cross-border terrorism”, saying that it had “eroded the basis for bilateral cooperation on the treaty”, according to Indian news agency ANI. He had also asserted New Delhi’s claim on occupied Kashmir. In response, Pakistan’s First Secretary Ansar Sha...
    Tags: Pakistan
  • Modi vows punishment for exam fraud in first comments on Indian student protests
    Dawn - 05:55 Jul 23, 2026
    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Thursday “stringent punishment” for those involved in exam fraud that has fuelled student anger, in his first direct comments tied to major protests challenging his government. The comments came after thousands of protesters, led by the social media-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, rallied in New Delhi on Wednesday, triggering fresh clashes with the police. “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth,” he said in a post on X, promising to set up fast-track courts to punish those involved in question paper leaks. “Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared,” he added. The protesters, mostly young students, have been demanding the resignation of the education minister over exam paper leaks since last month. Protests snowballed on Monday after police fired tear gas and baton-charged tens of thousands of demonstrators as they tried to march to parliament on the opening day of the monsoon session. As tensions esc...
  • Finance minister reviews Pakistan's macroeconomic performance in meeting with IMF officials
    Dawn - 05:45 Jul 23, 2026
    Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held meetings with the senior officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and reviewed Pakistan’s macroeconomic performance and progress under the Fund’s programme, the finance ministry said on Thursday. In a post on social media platform X, the finance ministry said that the minister held a series of meetings with the Fund’s senior management, including First Deputy Managing Director Dan Katz, Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department Jihad Azour and Mission Chief for Pakistan Iva Petrova. “During the meetings, the finance minister reviewed Pakistan’s macroeconomic performance and progress under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), and the broader IMF-supported reform programme,” the ministry stated. He highlighted the country’s “improved fiscal and external balances, achievement of revenue targets, stronger foreign exchange reserves, record remittances and an improved cu...
  • Houthis attack Saudi tankers in Red Sea as US strikes Iran for 12th consecutive day
    Dawn - 05:32 Jul 23, 2026
    Hostilities in the Middle East flared on Thursday as the Yemen’s Houthis said that they attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in a military operation, while the United States carried out strikes in Iran for a 12th consecutive night. A Saudi news agency confirmed one of the two vessels was ablaze after an assault while sailing in the Red Sea. The Saudi Arabian state news agency SPA, citing an official source at the General Transport Authority, said an attack caused a fire on the bow of the tanker Encelia but all crew members were safe. SPA did not say who had targeted the vessel. Authorities have secured the vessel and its crew and taken measures to protect the marine environment, describing the attack as a violation of international law, SPA reported, citing the source. In their statement, the Houthis said they attacked two tankers, the Encelia and Layla, saying the vessels had violated a naval blockade imposed by the group on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. The Houthis said they targeted the tankers with a num...
    Tags: Saudi Iran Houthis
  • President directs authorities to step up monsoon preparedness as rains batter country
    Dawn - 05:31 Jul 23, 2026
    President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday directed all federal, provincial and localauthorities to intensify coordinated preparedness, rescue and relief measures in view of the ongoing monsoon rains. According to a press release issued by the President’s Secretariat, the president directed authorities to “intensify coordinated preparedness, rescue and relief measures as the country enters a critical phase of the monsoon season, with increasing rains raising the risk of flash floods, cloud bursts, glacial lake outburst floods, landslides, river flooding and urban flooding in vulnerable areas”. He also “expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives and damage to homes, infrastructure and property caused by the recent rains and related incidents”. The president directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), and provincial and local authorities “to maintain close coordination and ensure timely dissemination of early warnings”. He also calle...
    Tags: President
  • Here come the dollars
    Dawn - 04:24 Jul 23, 2026
    HERE we go again. Having succeeded in stabilising the economy and failed at reforming it, the government is now preparing to transition to high growth the old fashioned way: through borrowed dollars procured as a geopolitical rent against services rendered. A couple of things have happened. Most recently, we have the announcement that Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met the US treasury secretary and ‘asked’ for a $10 billion swap line from the Exchange Stabilisation Fund, the same fund from where the Trump administration gave a $20bn swap line to Argentina in October last year. Argentina drew $2.5bn from the fund for a few weeks then zeroed it down by December, and has made no further drawings from it since. In April, President Donald Trump announced that they were in talks with the UAE for a similar facility, and that a number of other Asian countries had approached the US with requests for the same. That is when word first began to circulate that Pakistan may be among those Asian countries. Now that wor...
  • Iranian President Pezeshkian calls for strengthening Pak-Iran relations
    Dawn - 03:35 Jul 23, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday called for making full use of opportunities to strengthen Pakistan-Iran relations and stressed the need for promoting unity among Muslim countries. He made these remarks after receiving the credentials of Pakistan’s new ambassador to Iran, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, at a ceremony. Pezeshkian described Pakistan as a “brotherly country” and “a second home for all Iranians”, underscoring the importance Tehran attaches to its relationship with Islamabad. According to the Pakistan Embassy in Tehran, the Iranian president recalled Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the United States, saying Islamabad had demonstrated a genuine commitment to peace. He expressed confidence that bilateral relations would continue to grow stronger in the years ahead. Siddiqui conveyed good wishes of Pakistan’s leadership to Pezeshkian and the Iranian people, and highlighted the considerable potential for expanding cooperation across a wide range of sectors. ...
  • US announces civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, says it includes non-proliferation safeguards
    Dawn - 03:20 Jul 23, 2026
    The United States on Wednesday announced a landmark deal with Saudi Arabia that would establish a civilian nuclear programme in the Gulf country, with Washington insisting the agreement includes non-proliferation safeguards. The move comes as the United States under President Donald Trump fights a war with Iran that began in large part over concerns with Tehran’s nuclear programme — an issue that remains a key point of contention during now-stalled peace talks. Two agreements — one on “peaceful nuclear cooperation” and another on “bilateral safeguards” — were signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the US Energy Department said. The text of the deals was not immediately made public. “Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear non-proliferation,” the department said in a statement. A provision in the deal ...
    Tags: Saudi Arabia
  • FIA partners with Meta to expedite cybercrime investigation
    Dawn - 03:19 Jul 23, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has established a direct, official communication channel with Meta Asia Pacific (APAC) to accelerate investigations into organised cybercrime, online fraud, and hate speech. Under the agreement, Meta formally recognised the FIA’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) based at the National Command and Control Centre (NC3), allowing secure, lawful coordination for data requests concerning Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Previously, the federal agency had to route requests through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) or Interpol channels, a process that often took months. Officials say the new mechanism will cut response time to days. All lawful requests will now be processed exclusively through NC3. These include preservation requests, basic subscriber information, acc­ount registration details, login IP history, content removal requests, and emergency disclosure requests. As per the procedure, the Investigating Officer will compile the case with all requisite l...
    Tags: Meta
  • Rohtas Fort ‘restoration works’ on Unesco radar
    Dawn - 03:07 Jul 23, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: After expressing concerns on renovations at Taxila heritage sites, Unesco has raised objections to certain interventions at Rohtas Fort that have the potential to adversely affect the outstanding universal value of the World Heritage property. The concern was raised after Unesco’s team visited the premises on Tuesday, following information from a third party regarding ongoing restoration works at Rohtas Fort that allegedly violated international standards. Unesco’s Pakistan office had requested the Ministry of National Heritage and Cultural Division to assist the visit to Rohtas Fort to inspect the ongoing project by the Punjab Directorate General of Archaeology and Museums. According to sources in the Ministry of National Heritage, Unesco wanted to examine the ongoing work to collect information and report to the World Heritage Centre. The source said the restoration work was not in compliance with Unesco’s approved guidelines. “This is the second time Unesco has expressed concern with the governm...
    Tags: UNESCO Rohtas Fort
  • Democratic disconnect
    Dawn - 03:01 Jul 23, 2026
    THROUGHOUT our history, we have played around with varying notions of democracy, dictatorship, autocracy, and despotism, mixing and matching these formulas with presidential and parliamentary systems to create a much sought-after hybrid model. These models have wreaked chronic instability, often changing with a greater frequency than people tend to change their cars, houses and, in some cases, jobs. Ironically, amid these constant changes, instability has remained the only real constant underpinning Pakistan governance landscape. Behind these changes have been arguments regarding the inefficiencies of the existing model, the failure of alternatives, or changed socioeconomic circumstances. Whatever the reason, objective, or deficiency identified, one truth has remained: the tendency to sway from one extreme to another because of a consistent state of impatience. What this means is that no matter what model we apply — and then declare a failure — the underlying motivation for doing this again and again is our p...
  • Pakistan opposes externally imposed solutions for Syria
    Dawn - 02:44 Jul 23, 2026
    WASHINGTON: Pak­ist­an has called for a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned transitional justice process in the Arab nation, stressing that respect for national sovereignty was essential for bringing lasting peace and stability to Syria. Speaking at an Arria-Formula Meeting in the UN on Transitional Just­ice and Missing Persons in Syria on Tuesday evening, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Ambas­sador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said efforts to address the consequences of years of conflict must remain under Syrian ownership, with international support serving only a complementary role. “National ownership, reconciliation and inclusive institutions are essential for achieving lasting peace and stability in Syria,” he said. The Pakistani envoy welcomed steps taken by the Syrian government, including the establishment of the National Commission for Trans­itional Justice and the National Commission for Missing Persons, as well as the preparation of a draft law on transitional justice. “Effective cooperation between Syrian nati...
    Tags: Pakistan Syria
  • De-escalation efforts
    Dawn - 02:44 Jul 23, 2026
    WHILE the exchange of fire across the Gulf — and the wider Middle East — continues between the US and Iran, efforts are also underway to de-escalate matters and revive the ceasefire. An important development in this regard was the series of meetings between Iranian Interior Minister Eskander Momeni and Pakistan’s top civil and military officials on Tuesday. As expected, the regional situation was amongst the main agenda items, and Mr Momeni indicated that talks will continue. That Tehran sent a senior official to Pakistan shows that despite the hostilities, it is still interested in an off-ramp. Meanwhile, speaking in Manila yesterday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio used a tough tone for Iran, but did not rule out the possibility of a diplomatic settlement to the conflict. Revival of the peace process is an incredibly difficult undertaking. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his country is in a “full-scale war” with the US, and the growing escalation over the last two weeks shows that the conflic...
  • Samsung invited to make Pakistan its export hub
    Dawn - 02:18 Jul 23, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has invited Samsung to set up the country as a regional hub for manufacturing, refurbishing, and exporting mobile phones. The invitation was extended during a meeting between Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and a delegation led by Samsung Pakistan’s Country Head at the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday. An official announcement said the minister assured the company of the government’s full support in facilitating investment aimed at boosting exports, increasing value addition, and expanding industrial production. The minister encouraged Samsung to look beyond Pakistan’s domestic market and export Pakistan-manufactured smartphones to emerging markets, particularly to Africa and other regions. He said Pakistan should leverage its growing manufacturing base to become part of global supply chains rather than serving only local demand. Mr Kamal also appreciated Samsung’s proposal to establish certified mobile phone refurbishment facilities in Pakistan. He said a regulated refurbishment ecosyst...
    Tags: Pakistan Samsung
  • Curfew imposed in Mastung’s Khud Kocha after bus attack, bridge blast
    Dawn - 19:29 Jul 22, 2026
    Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in the Khud Kocha sub-tehsil of Mastung district on Wednesday after three people were killed and five others injured in a gun attack on a Karachi-bound passenger bus, while a bridge on the National Highway was damaged in an explosion in the area. Citing the deteriorating security situation, the Balochistan Home Department imposed an indefinite curfew in the sub-tehsil from 9pm on Wednesday. Babar Yousafzai, spokesperson for the Home Department, said the curfew would remain in force until further orders to maintain peace and public safety. Residents were not allowed to leave their homes, and all unnecessary movement was prohibited. “Strict legal action will be taken against anyone found violating the curfew orders,” Yousafzai said, urging citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and cooperate with authorities until normal conditions were restored. The gun and bomb attacks were reported at a time when security forces killed 10 terrorists and arrested two female suicide bombe...
    Tags: Mastung Khud Kocha

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