Dawn
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Dawn - 12:07 Jul 20, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) decided on Monday to recommend a constitutional amendment to the federal government to pave the way for the establishment of an “International Commercial Court of Pakistan”. The decision was taken at the 49th meeting of the LJCP, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, a statement issued by the Supreme Court said. “Recognising the pivotal role of a modern commercial justice system in promoting investment, economic growth and international trade, the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, under the chairmanship of the chief justice of Pakistan, today recommended the establishment of the International Commercial Court of Pakistan through a proposed constitutional amendment,” the statement read. The statement added, “The International Commercial Court of Pakistan has been proposed as an independent federal superior court through the insertion of a new Article 212-A in the Constitution.” It said that the proposed new court was envisaged... -
Dawn - 11:57 Jul 20, 2026
Larry the cat, the UK’s most famous feline, on Monday welcomed his seventh housemate at 10 Downing Street since he began patrolling the corridors of power more than 15 years ago. “Politicians come and go; cats are permanent,” Larry’s X account @Number10cat posted, as the country’s chief mouser waited for incoming leader Andy Burnham to replace Keir Starmer. In instructions to his new employers, he wrote: “Larry likes his breakfast at 9, brunch at 1030 and lunch at noon with plenty of snacks in between. The rest of the job is a doddle.” Here are some things to know about the troubled office’s only purr-manent resident. Humble roots Recruited to deal with a rodent problem, Larry arrived at the prime minister’s official residence on February 15, 2011, when David Cameron was leader. He was adopted from a London animal shelter when he was believed to be about four years old. Since then, the white and tabby cat, officially introduced on Downing Street’s website as the “Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office”, has reign... -
Dawn - 11:55 Jul 20, 2026
Britain’s King Charles III on Monday appointed Andy Burnham as prime minister after outgoing Keir Starmer officially tendered his resignation, the palace said. “Andrew Burnham MP accepted The King’s offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement, adding the king had asked him to form the next government. Burnham, 56, is delivering his first speech outside 10 Downing Street. Burnham became Britain’s sixth prime minister to move into Downing Street in 10 years, with an in-tray overflowing with challenges and little time to make his mark. The new leader takes over from the unpopular Starmer just two years after the outgoing prime minister led the Labour Party to power in a landslide election victory after 14 years of Conservative rule. In an interview with The Times published late on Sunday, Burnham set out his ambition for change, saying he wanted to draw a line under a decade of political turmoil. “What we’ve been doing hasn’t been working. That’s the way ... -
Dawn - 11:32 Jul 20, 2026
PESHAWAR: A vehicle carrying Afghan families returning to the neighbouring country was swept away in a flash flood triggered by rains in the Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district on Monday, Rescue 1122 said. Rescue workers have so far recovered the bodies of three people travelling in the car, the emergency service said, adding that the search for the others was under way. Rescue 1122 said in an initial statement that the vehicle was swept away near Sultan Khel Market, following which rescue teams were dispatched to the site and a search operation was launched. In subsequent statements, it said the bodies of a woman and a man were found by Rescue 1122 divers, who had the assistance of local residents, in the Jamrud town, while the body of a child was recovered from the Parang Sang area. The bodies were initially taken to Type D Hospital in Jamrud and later to the Afghan refugee camp in Landikotal, Rescue 1122 said. During their search, rescue personnel also found the body of a man who was... -
Dawn - 11:24 Jul 20, 2026
Indian police fired tear gas and baton-charged protesters in New Delhi on Monday as they tried to march on parliament to demand the resignation of the education minister over irregularities in major examinations. The protesters, mostly young students, ran for cover as police charged at them and fired tear gas shells near Jantar Mantar in the Indian capital. They are seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical glitches. Thousands of protesters started gathering from early Monday, defying a steady monsoon drizzle and police barricades, marking one of the biggest demonstrations in the capital in five years. “Our country deserves a government that is bothered about what the young people have to say and is willing to correct its mistakes,” said Sumit Kumar, 18. “The future belongs to us and not these politicians.” The protest comes after prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly taken to hospital on Saturday, bringing ... -
Dawn - 10:08 Jul 20, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday hailed the visit of Canada’s FM Anita Anand as an “important milestone” in bilateral ties, stressing that economic cooperation remained a “key priority”. He made the remarks during a joint press briefing with Anand, who arrived in Islamabad earlier in the day. “Her visit is an important milestone in Pakistan-Canada relations and reflects our shared commitment to further strengthening our bilateral ties,” Dar said. “Pakistan and Canada enjoy long-standing and multifaceted relations underpinned by historical linkages, people-to-people contacts and a vibrant Pakistani diaspora in Canada,” he highlighted. The deputy premier noted that economic cooperation remained a “key priority” in the bilateral relationship with Canada. He said the two sides discussed ways to further expand trade and investment ties, including greater facilitation of business-to-business (B2B) linkages and enhanced engagement in areas of mutual interest. Dar said Pakistan welcomed ... -
Dawn - 09:54 Jul 20, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that the modernisation of Pakistan Railways’ infrastructure will be instrumental in establishing the country as a regional trade and logistics hub. He made the remarks while presiding over a review meeting on the progress of the Pakistan Railways Transformation Plan. During the meeting, he directed the swift upgradation of Pakistan Railways to make it a more effective and revenue-generating mode of transport. He also remarked that the railway was the most cost-effective and efficient mode of transport for both passengers and freight. He added that a modern and efficient railway system would play a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan’s economy, promoting trade and enhancing regional connectivity. PM Shehbaz directed that all railway development projects be completed within the stipulated timelines while maintaining the highest quality standards. He instructed the relevant authorities to present proposals regarding the upgradation of the Rohri–Multan se... -
Dawn - 09:16 Jul 20, 2026
LAHORE: A judicial magistrate on Monday sent three suspects on 14-day judicial remand in a case pertaining to the kidnapping and rape of two foreign women. Defence C police produced the three suspects before the court on the expiry of their physical remand. The police asked the court to remand the suspects in judicial custody. The magistrate accepted the request and sent the suspects to the judicial lockup, directing police to submit their investigation report at the next hearing. A duty magistrate on Sunday had allowed the police five-day physical remand of a suspect identified as “Boss” by the complainant in the first information report (FIR). Separately, a Lahore High Court judge on Monday disposed of a habeas corpus petition filed by the mother of the aforementioned suspect seeking recovery of her son from police custody. A law officer told the court that the petitioner’s son was on physical remand, after which the LHC disposed of the petition. Four other suspects, including a relative of a senior politic... -
Dawn - 05:59 Jul 20, 2026
Every year, as the sugarcane crushing season approaches, Pakistan finds itself trapped in the same debate. Farmers demand higher cane prices to offset rising production costs. Sugar mills argue that increased procurement prices make sugar commercially unviable. Governments intervene to broker settlements, while consumers brace for higher retail prices. By the end of the season, all of them have negotiated a price. Yet almost no one asks the most important question: why does Pakistan continue to treat sugarcane as a pricing problem rather than a productivity challenge? This difference matters because prices merely redistribute value within the supply chain; productivity creates new value for everyone. A grower harvesting more cane from the same land earns higher income without depending entirely on a single factor of price increases. Millers process more efficiently, consumers benefit from a more stable supply, and the economy becomes more competitive. Unfortunately, public policy has rarely been designed arou... -
Dawn - 05:51 Jul 20, 2026
Confronted by escalating tensions in the Middle East and repeated disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistan has begun taking concrete steps to establish its first-ever Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR). The country currently operates largely on a fragile, just-in-time commercial inventory model, with petroleum stocks providing only limited protection against prolonged supply disruptions. Under the proposed strategy, the government plans to establish a 45-day emergency oil buffer in the first phase, with a longer- term objective of expanding reserve capacity to 90 days. These stocks could be requisitioned by the state during a national supply emergency. As a longer- term strategic initiative, Islamabad is promoting the development of a Pakistan Maritime Energy City at Gwadar Port. Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, are being invited to establish and maintain strategic crude-oil reserves there. Such an arrangement could allow Gulf producers to store oil outside the immediat... -
Dawn - 05:44 Jul 20, 2026
Brent oil prices rose two per cent to more than $90 per barrel on Monday, as escalating US-Iran hostilities in the Middle East restricted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures LCOc1 climbed $2.09, or 2.37pc, to $90.19 by 0241 GMT, touching the highest since June 11, extending gains after rising 15.9pc last week, its biggest weekly gain since April. US West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was at $84.20 a barrel, up $1.71, or 2.07pc, the loftiest since June 12. Front-month prices gained 15.5pc last week, the largest weekly ascent since early March. The Middle East conflict escalated over the weekend with the US conducting a ninth straight night of attacks against Iran, while US allies Kuwait and Bahrain reported more Iranian strikes. “ICE Brent broke above $90 per barrel this morning with no let-up in the escalation in the Gulf,” said ING analysts in a note on Monday. “The US and Iran continue to exchange strikes, which are proving to be deadly for both sides. If this escalation goes unc... -
Dawn - 05:22 Jul 20, 2026
US forces hit Iran for a ninth consecutive day on Monday as concerns grew over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said two oil tankers had exploded and been immobilised, adding that the waterway would remain unsafe as long as US “aggression” in the region continued. In a statement, US Central Command said it targeted “Iranian military command centres, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks to further diminish Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz”. The strikes are part of an escalating cycle of attacks between the US and Iran after an interim ceasefire agreement signed a month ago unravelled, deepening a struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz that has disrupted energy supplies and stoked fears of global inflation. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing its own reporters, said US missiles struck several Iranian cities early on Monday.... -
Dawn - 03:39 Jul 20, 2026
KARACHI: Despite being registered by Pakistan’s drug regulator, around 40 new life-saving medicines remain unavailable to patients because the federal government has yet to approve their prices, forcing thousands of people suffering from cancer, diabetes, haemophilia, Parkinson’s disease and other serious illnesses to rely on expensive smuggled or unregistered medicines, officials and market sources said on Sunday. The delayed price notifications, they said, have stalled the legal marketing of several critical medicines, including advanced cancer therapies such as Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) and Nivolumab, as well as Humador insulin for diabetes, Adalimumab for autoimmune diseases, recombinant Factor VIII for hemophilia A, Carbidopa-Levodopa for Parkinson’s disease, Dabigatran and Heparin for blood clot prevention, Methyldopa for hypertension during pregnancy, Meropenem and Fosfomycin for severe bacterial infections, Ketamine for anaesthesia and emergency care, as well as several vaccines, intensive care medicin... -
Dawn - 03:22 Jul 20, 2026
KARACHI: The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressing concern over the city’s worsening water crisis and urging the federal government to ensure the early completion of the K-IV water supply project. In the letter, JI-Karachi chief Monem Zafar referred to a report presented before a National Assembly committee, which indicated that the first phase of the K-IV project — expected to supply 260 million gallons of water per day to Karachi — is now scheduled for completion in December 2029. He called on the Sindh government to complete the K-IV augmentation component on a priority basis, while urging the federal government to release all remaining funds required for the project within the current fiscal year so that its first phase could be completed without further delay. He mentioned that the report had caused widespread concern among Karachi residents, adding that the city’s population of around 35 million was facing an acute water shortage. In letter to Shehbaz, Ka... -
Dawn - 03:13 Jul 20, 2026
The New York Times stunned Americans on Sunday when it revealed a new FBI directive regarding ICE agents — and people who accuse them of violence. Federal agents across the nation received instructions last week not to investigate confrontations with immigration agents, sources told Times reporters. “FBI managers around the country received a written notice informing them of the change on Thursday…The same day, some ICE agents around the country were notified by their F.B.I. counterparts,” Aleaziz and Barrett wrote. “If enacted, such a change would sharply limit law enforcement scrutiny of immigration agents, as the Trump administration draws mounting criticism over killings at the hands of federal officers.” The directive arrived after ICE agents fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford — and as protests mount nationwide in North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and of course, Texas and Maine. One Maine protesters’ sign read “a man was lynched here.” The Justice... -
Dawn - 02:57 Jul 20, 2026
• JUI-F leader says criticism not aimed at institution • Insists he has utmost respect for martyrs, recalls how many comrades have fallen prey to terrorism ISLAMABAD: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday refused to apologise for his controversial remarks about security personnel, saying he had no disagreements with state institutions; rather his misgiving were with those “at the helm of affairs”. In a no-holds-barred address to a party lawyers’ convention in the federal capital, the JUI-F chief slammed what he termed “a propaganda campaign” against him. The Maulana was alluding to his remarks at a political gathering in Kasur last week, where he spoke about security and terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where he reportedly made certain comments about security personnel. The statement had drawn widespread condemnation from political circles, and a number of ruling party ministers and leaders called on him to apologise for his remarks, and withdraw them. The JUI-F chief, however, maintaine... -
Dawn - 02:48 Jul 20, 2026
ISLAMABAD: With less than a week to go in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections, the PML-N and the PPP have stepped up their election campaigns, with their top leadership taking charge of the election campaign to galvanise their support base. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is already in AJK for canvassing — just like he did in Gilgit-Baltistan, where his party ended up forming the government. Hoping to prevent a repeat of the GB polls, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, who has hitherto kept a low profile, has decided to step in and lead the election campaign in Kashmir. He is expected to address multiple rallies in Azad Kashmir. Observers see this election as ‘Nawaz vs Bilawal’ — with some claiming that the election campaign will be trickier for the PML-N because of widespread resentment against the political party over its purported role in the crackdown on protests led by the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). They believe that the PML-N is utilising all efforts to win the Kashmir polls because it ... -
Dawn - 02:39 Jul 20, 2026
The release of the Household Integrated Economic Survey and Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement data presents a clearer picture of poverty and economic distress in Pakistan. This data has appeared after a gap of nearly six years, during which several important events and shocks took place. In 2018-19, the country had to go through a painful macroeconomic adjustment to counteract the yawning current account deficit left behind by the then departing PML-N government. Between 2020 and 2021, the global economy faced massive contraction on account of the Covid-19 pandemic. The expansionary policies designed to mitigate this contraction then led to increased inflation and monetary tightening the world over, which dried up dollar liquidity and raised commodity prices. During this cycle, the PTI government pursued ill-advised growth via the expansion of domestic consumption, which once again increased imports and reintroduced another balance-of-payments crisis. That crisis, coupled with the global oil pr... -
Dawn - 02:34 Jul 20, 2026
PAKISTAN’S ruling elites have long regarded the country’s geographical location as a strategic asset enabling it to project itself as a significant regional player and bolster its geopolitical position. But location cuts both ways. It has also been a liability. Few countries have faced the headwinds from their geography as Pakistan. An overbearing and hostile eastern neighbour, contested borders inherited from colonialism, unresolved Kashmir dispute, volatile neighbourhood and a western neighbour roiled by strife and foreign interventions, all combined to create a permanent security dilemma. That dilemma drove the country’s enduring search for stability. Pakistan’s long-standing strategic nightmare was having to confront two ‘hot fronts’ simultaneously. The imperative to avert this shaped its strategic thinking, security policy and strategy. The tyranny of geography always weighed heavily on the country. That has not changed. What has changed is the scale and gravity of the threat. Pakistan now faces a three-... -
Dawn - 02:31 Jul 20, 2026
QUETTA: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday reiterated the federal government’s resolve to address Balochistan’s economic and development-related concerns through the constitutional framework. He made these remarks during a meeting with a parliamentary delegation of the National Party (NP) headed by its president, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch. During the meeting, Dar emphasised that the federal government remains committed to supporting Balochistan in tackling its diverse challenges and fulfilling the aspirations of its people for sustainable economic growth, progress, and prosperity. Dr Baloch appreciated the deputy prime minister’s engagement and affirmed that the National Party is prepared to cooperate with all stakeholders to promote the welfare and development of the people of Balochistan. He also stated that the insurgent groups active in the province do not enjoy public backing or legitimacy among the people of Balochistan. He briefed Dar on the political and security situation following the recent tra...
12392 items