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Dawn - 09:35 Oct 04, 2025
Light to moderate rain was likely in parts of Sindh and Balochistan on Saturday as cyclonic storm ‘Shakhti’ over the Arabian Sea had moved westward during the past 12 hours and further intensified into a “severe cyclonic storm”, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said. “It is likely to move west-southwestwards and reach northwest and adjoining central north Arabian Sea by Oct 5, then it will recurve and move east-northeastwards during subsequent 24 hours and weaken gradually,” a notification issued by the PMD said. It said that under the influence of the storm, wind/thunderstorm and light to moderate rain was likely today in Sindh’s Badin, Thatta, Sujawal and Jamshoro districts, and Balochistan’s Hub, Lasbela, Awaran and Kech districts, as well as at isolated places in Karachi Division. The notification stated that sea conditions were likely to remain “rough to very rough” with squally winds gusting 55 kilometres/hour near the Sindh coast. It also advised fishermen not to venture into the deep sea t... -
Dawn - 08:50 Oct 04, 2025
More rain is expected in the coming days across Punjab as surveys to assess the losses and damages from the recent floods are underway, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said on Saturday. Since June, monsoon rains across Pakistan have killed at least 1,037 people, swelling major rivers and devastating rural communities along their banks. In Punjab only, over 4.7 million people have been affected across 4,700 villages, according to the PDMA. Addressing a media briefing in Lahore today, DG Kathia said showers were expected to begin early tomorrow morning across Punjab, and continue till October 7 (Tuesday) in the northern parts. The PDMA chief said the north and northeastern regions from Rawalpindi to Lahore were likely to receive 30 to 35 millimetres of rainfall on average, while the province’s southern parts could see 5 to 10mm. He warned that the intensity of the showers would increase on October 6 and 7, with 50 to 70mm of rain anticipated in northern and nort... -
Dawn - 08:23 Oct 04, 2025
KARACHI: The Sindh government has introduced a new system of traffic penalties, including fines and a demerit points system, by amending the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965, to improve road safety across the province. Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said in a statement on Thursday that violations including overspeeding, driving without a license, signal violations, wrong-way driving, overloading, and reckless behaviour would now carry higher fines and demerit points. Under the revised penalty structure, overspeeding will result in fines of Rs5,000 for motorcycles, Rs15,000 for cars, and Rs20,000 for heavy vehicles, along with eight demerit points. Driving without a license will be penalised with a fine of up to Rs50,000 and six demerit points. Reckless driving will attract a fine of Rs25,000 and eight points. The new system also includes fines for one-wheeling, riding motorcycles without helmets, using tinted windows, driving in the wrong lane, and carrying passengers on vehicle roofs. “These measure... -
Dawn - 05:46 Oct 04, 2025
A coalition of unions, employers and religious groups filed a lawsuit on Friday seeking to block US President Donald Trump’s bid to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas for highly-skilled foreign workers. The lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco is the first to challenge a proclamation Trump issued two weeks ago announcing the fee as the Republican president moves to further restrict immigration to the United States. Plaintiffs include the United Auto Workers union, the American Association of University Professors, a nurse recruitment agency and several religious organisations. They argued that Trump’s power to restrict the entry of certain foreign nationals does not allow him to override the law that created the H-1B visa programme. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson in a statement said Trump’s administration engaged in lawful actions “discouraging companies from spamming the system and driving down American wages, while providing certainty to employers who need to bring the best talent f... -
Dawn - 04:16 Oct 04, 2025
KARACHI: The Sindh police have requested Interpol and the British police to share the detailed log of a tracker fitted in a high-end vehicle reported stolen from the United Kingdom and recently spotted in Karachi. The black Range Rover Sport was stolen on Nov 11, 2022 from Harrogate, UK, and in February this year, with the help of its tracker, it was located in Karachi on Korangi Road. Later, Interpol sent a letter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Islamabad, the Karachi police and the Anti-Vehicles Lifting Cell (AVLC), alerting them about the stolen vehicle. Talking to Dawn on Friday, Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon said that the Interpol’s letter was received two days ago at the office of AVLC SSP. “We have sent an email to the UK police and asked them to send us a detailed log of the tracker fitted in the vehicle,” he said. Interpol says the SUV was last tracked on Korangi Road in February The IGP said that the police also sought the source of the active location of the vehicle fro... -
Dawn - 03:04 Oct 04, 2025
• Employees to pay 10pc, govt 12pc • Pension liabilities rise to Rs1.055tr in 2024-25, driven by armed forces pensions ISLAMABAD: With some discretionary changes, the government announced on Friday that federal employees will contribute 10 per cent of their pensionable pay to qualify for a 12pc contribution from the public exchequer under the newly formalised contributory pension fund scheme. The total contribution rate will thus be 22pc, replacing the traditional pension system for new entrants. The Ministry of Finance (MoF) published the “Federal Government Defined Contribution (FGDC) Pension Fund Scheme Rules 2024” under the Public Finance Management Act 2019, which regulates the scheme according to the Voluntary Pension System Rules 2005 and Non-Banking Finance Companies and Notified Entities Regulations 2008. These rules supersede an earlier MoF order of August 2024, which had set the government’s contribution at 20pc. On Aug 20, 2024, the MoF initially announced the introduction of the contributory pens... -
Dawn - 02:49 Oct 04, 2025
• Foreign minister distances Islamabad from 20-point plan by White House; insists Pakistan’s policy on Palestine remains ‘unchanged’ • Says several states eyeing Saudi-style defence pacts; claims controversial ‘speechwriter’ was not part of ‘official UN team’ • Return of flotilla activists being negotiated through ‘European country’ in absence of ties with Tel Aviv ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday stressed that the United States was now “the only hope” after the United Nations, European Union and Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) had failed to secure peace in Gaza. Making a policy statement in the National Assembly, Mr Dar again distanced the government from US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza “peace plan”, saying it differed from a draft jointly prepared by eight Muslim countries and shared with Washington. He said the prime minister’s initial statement welcoming the plan was issued while in transit, while he was “unaware of the changes”. “Pakistan’s policy on Palestine is wha... -
Dawn - 02:32 Oct 04, 2025
• Flood challenges, missed revenue targets dominate policy-level talks with IMF • FBR, Punjab and Sindh govts under critical scrutiny for missing target, failing to meet cash surplus commitments • Power sector shows improved recovery, lower circular debt ISLAMABAD: Pakistan appears well-placed to secure over $1 billion as the third tranche of the Enhanced Fund Facility (EFF) despite some slippages, as the authorities enter policy-level talks with a visiting review mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday. Informed sources said technical-level discussions had been concluded, indicating that the two sides would need to agree on a couple of waivers during policy-level engagements before wrapping up the review with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb by the weekend (Oct 9-10). While the power sector has shown unusual performance in terms of improved recovery and a reduction in circular debt — through diversion of fiscal space allocated to subsidies and fresh replacement loans — federal revenues ... -
Dawn - 21:49 Oct 03, 2025
US President Donald Trump said early Saturday Israel must stop bombing Gaza immediately and that he believes Hamas is ready for peace after an earlier statement by the Palestinian resistance group. Hamas said it would agree to some of the terms in Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war, including releasing hostages, but avoided addressing more vexing issues like disarmament and said it would seek further negotiations. Soon after, Trump posted Hamas’ response to his Truth Social account. Trump had earlier not specified whether the terms would be subject to negotiation, as Hamas is seeking. Notably, the resistance group did not say if it would agree to disarm and demilitarise Gaza — something Israel and the US want but Hamas has rejected before. It also did not agree to an Israeli withdrawal in stages, as opposed to the immediate, full withdrawal the group demands. A senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that the group would not disarm before Israel’s occupation of the besieged enclave ends, comments that underscored... -
Dawn - 19:21 Oct 03, 2025
Communal tensions continue to simmer in India’s Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Maharashtra states as the ‘I love Muhammad’ row continues, reported Indian media on Friday. In UP’s Bareilly, Indian authorities deployed large contingents of security forces ahead of Friday prayers. Internet services have also been suspended till Saturday, 3 pm. Local administration claimed the move was due to recent communal tensions and in light of Dussehra and Durga Puja festivities over the weekend. Bareilly witnessed violent clashes last week, with over 2,000 protesters clashing with state police outside a mosque after Friday prayers. Local law enforcement arrested at least 81 people after the demonstration. The issue came to the forefront on September 9, when an FIR was filed against 24 individuals for allegedly putting up posters with ‘I love Muhammad’ during the Eid Miladun Nabi procession on September 4. Hindu groups and right-wing organisations in the region objected to the posters and called it a “deliberate provocation”. UP Ch... -
Dawn - 19:07 Oct 03, 2025
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) accepted the voluntary delisting request from tobacco giant Philip Morris from its index, according to a press release issued on Friday. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, Philip Morris is one of the leading tobacco companies operating in Pakistan, and its product portfolio includes cigarette brands such as Marlboro, Parliament, Morven by Chesterfield, Diplomat, K2 and Red and White. The PSX said that Philip Morris was voluntarily delisted under PSX Regulation 5.14 and Section 19(5) of the Securities Act, 2015. It added that the delisting would go into effect on Monday, October 6. “The shareholders of the company, who may desire to avail the opportunity of buy back of shares by the sponsors, are advised to approach Topline Securities,” the press release read. “The purchase agent and sponsor of the company have already submitted an undertaking to purchase the remaining shares held by the minority shareholders at a price of Rs1,300 per share, which is valid up to September... -
Dawn - 18:30 Oct 03, 2025
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Friday night announced that the final round of negotiations with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had begun and an agreement was slated to be signed soon, in a bid to end ongoing unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Talks between the JAAC, the AJK government and federal ministers over elite privileges and reserved seats for refugees broke down last week. Rival groups have since staged protests, trading blame for violence that marred what began as a largely peaceful movement in AJK. Fierce clashes between protesters and law enforcers have left at least 10 people dead and scores critically injured in the territory. A fresh round of talks between a high-level government delegation and a civil society alliance was held yesterday, followed by another one today. Chaudhry, who is in Muzaffarabad as part of the federal government’s delegation, took to X and stated that matters between the two sides had been settled. “[The] final agreement is expected to... -
Dawn - 16:36 Oct 03, 2025
The depression over northeast Arabian Sea has intensified into a cyclonic storm “Shakhti” and now lay centered at around 360km south of Karachi, according to a notification issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Friday. “It is likely to move west-northwestwards initially and likely to further intensify into severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hours. Thereafter it is likely to move west-southwestwards and reach over central north Arabian Sea,” it added. Under its influence, wind-thunderstorm and rain of light to moderate intensity is expected in Tharparker, Umerkot, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Tando Muhammad Khan, Hyderabad, Matiari, and Jamshoro districts, as well as at isolated places in Karachi division, as per PMD’s notification. Hot and dry weather is likely to prevail elsewhere in the province. The notification stated that sea conditions are likely to remain “rough to very rough” with “squally winds of 40 to 50 gusting 55 km/hour near Sindh coast”. It also advised fishermen not to venture... -
Dawn - 16:17 Oct 03, 2025
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Friday suspended the commercial flight operations of carrier Serene Air over failure to maintain a fleet of serviceable aircraft. According to a notification, which is available with Dawn.com, the CAA expressed “grave concern” over the carrier’s inability to comply with regulations mandating the maintenance of a “prescribed minimum fleet size”. “[Serene Air] presently has zero … serviceable aircraft available for operations, thereby rendering it incapable of sustaining the operational capacity required to conduct safe air operations in accordance with the applicable PCAA Rules and Regulations,” the notification read. “Therefore, the air operator certificate …. issued to Serene Air is hereby suspended with immediate effect … accordingly, you are directed to surrender the aforesaid certificates to the undersigned forthwith for the necessary endorsement.” Serene Air could not be reached by Dawn.com for comment. -
Dawn - 16:00 Oct 03, 2025
Supreme Court’s (SC) Justice Naeem Akhter Afghan on Friday issued a detailed dissenting note on the transfer of judges to the Islamabad High Court, stating that the transfer was carried out in “unnecessary haste” and not in the public interest. In June, a five-member SC bench ruled 3-2 in favour of the February transfers and said that there was nothing unconstitutional about them. Justices Afghan and Shakeel Ahmed dissented and issued a short note stating that the transfer violated articles 2A, 4 and 25 of the Constitution and “undermined the independence of judiciary, due process and principle of equality”. In a copy of today’s dissenting note, available with Dawn.com, Justice Afghan observed that the transfer process for Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Sindh High Court’s Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro was initiated on January 28 and completed on February 1 — just five days. Moreover, a letter of consent for the transfer of Balochistan High Court Justice Muhammad Asif was written ... -
Dawn - 15:53 Oct 03, 2025
British police said on Friday they accidentally shot a victim who died in the attack on a synagogue in Manchester, as well as one of the survivors, as they attempted to stop an attacker who appeared to be wearing an explosive belt. In Thursday’s attack, Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed after a British man of Syrian descent drove a car into pedestrians and then began stabbing people outside Manchester’s Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The attacker, shot dead by officers at the scene, was not carrying a firearm, said Greater Manchester Police chief constable Steve Watson, though one of those killed suffered a gunshot wound. “It follows, therefore, this injury may have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end,” Watson said in a statement. The attack comes as Israel has drawn widespread criticism over its ongoing genocid... -
Dawn - 15:31 Oct 03, 2025
Members of the PPP and media representatives briefly boycotted the National Assembly session on Friday over separate matters. The PPP, which is a coalition partner of the ruling PML-N in the Centre, has been incensed after Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s remarks amid an ongoing rift between the two parties over flood relief. Meanwhile, journalists have been protesting a raid by Islamabad police at the National Press Club (NPC) yesterday, during which media persons were assaulted. A while after the NA session began today, PPP’s Naveed Qamar said, “I want to say this on record that in the last session, we had raised some issues. We had also protested and walked out. After that, the government sent a team that engaged in dialogue with us.” He, however, maintained that nothing changed despite the talks. “There has been no difference on the ground […] We cannot be a part of this House until this matter is resolved.” “So, we are walking out today,” he announced. Later, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar began his speech by e... -
Dawn - 15:18 Oct 03, 2025
The Pakistan High Commission in London announced on Friday that national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will resume flight operations to the UK this month. No exact date was given in the announcement, which was posted on X. “High Commissioner [Dr Muhammad Faisal] is grateful to the Civil Aviation Authority UK for issuing the Foreign Aircraft Operating Permit (FOP) today, the final document enabling commercial flights between the UK and Pakistan,” the post read. “PIA has already received the Third Country Operator (TCO) approval for flight operations in the United Kingdom, and in the first phase, flight operations to Manchester will be resumed, after which Birmingham and London will be included.” In July, the UK removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, allowing Pakistani airlines to apply to operate flights in Britain. The development came after the UK Department for Transport concluded an aviation security inspection at Islamabad International Airport on Thursday, declaring Pakistan’s secu... -
Dawn - 15:17 Oct 03, 2025
Former National Assembly speaker and senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif apologise to the nation “for hurting public sentiments on the issue of Palestine”. Addressing the lower house on Friday, the PTI leader said “no decision would be acceptable until the will of the Palestinian people was made part of the process”. Earlier today, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that the 20-point Gaza peace plan released by US President Donald Trump was “not ours” but insisted that there was no room for politicking on the matter. Eight Muslim and Arab countries — Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt — held a meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly session, where the US president discussed his plan for ending the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. On Sept 29, US President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met and, in a press conference after the meeting, announ... -
Dawn - 14:48 Oct 03, 2025
Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudry on Friday apologised for the attack on journalists in Islamabad a day prior, assuring the media that steps will be taken to ensure such an incident does not reoccur. On Thursday, a raid was carried out by Islamabad police at the National Press Club (NPC), where several journalists were allegedly assaulted. Visuals aired on DawnNewsTV showed policemen armed with batons attacking journalists on the press club premises. Moreover, visuals shared on social media also showed police dragging journalists out of what appeared to be the cafeteria. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had ordered an inquiry into the incident. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad today, Tallal said that he apologises for the incident on behalf of the government and that the information minister was on board regarding the matter. Condemning the incident, he reassured the media that steps will be taken so no one dares to “disrespect the press club” again. “I went to the press club immediately ...
10783 items