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Dawn - 18:52 May 30, 2025
Pakistan’s formal negotations with the United States on recirpocal tariffs started on Friday with a phone call between Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, a press release from the finance ministry said. The increase in trade tariffs on Pakistani products announced by US President Donald Trump, which were paused, could have a devastating impact on Pakistan’s important exports and served as a wake-up call for diversification, according to a state-owned think tank. The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics warned that these tariffs would have a “devastating impact” on the country’s export sector, translating into an annual loss of $1.1-1.4 billion. According to the finance ministry, Aurangzeb and Greer “exchanged their view point through a constructive engagement, with the understanding that technical level detailed discussions would follow in the coming few weeks”. “Both sides expressed confidence in advancing these negotiations for successful conclusion at the ... -
Dawn - 18:45 May 30, 2025
French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, the inventor of the abortion pill, died at the age of 98 at his home in Paris on Friday, his wife told AFP. The doctor and researcher, who achieved worldwide renown for his work that led to the pill, had an eventful life that included fighting in the French resistance and becoming friends with artists such as Andy Warhol. “His research was guided by his commitment to the progress made possible by science, his dedication to women’s freedom, and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives,” Baulieu’s wife Simone Harari Baulieu said in a statement. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to his life, calling him “a beacon of courage” and “a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom”. “Few French people have changed the world to such an extent,” he added in a post on X. Baulieu’s most famous discovery helped create the oral drug RU-486, also known as mifepristone, which provided a safe and inexpensive alternative to surgical abortion to mi... -
Dawn - 18:09 May 30, 2025
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Friday emphasised the need for a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir dispute, assailing India’s “unlawful and legally untenable hydro-terrorism,” a statement from the military’s media wing said. His statement came during a visit to Quetta Command and Staff College where he addressed student officers and faculty of the college. The comments followed a recent military confrontation between India and Pakistan over New Delhi’s allegations against Islamabad, without evidence, about a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. New Delhi, based on the allegations, launched a series of air strikes in Pakistan in early May, killing civilians. Islamabad retaliated by downing five Indian jets. It took American intervention on May 10 for both sides to finally reach a ceasefire. India, however, is still weaponising the Indus Water Treaty — a water distribution deal between the two countries — saying that it will no longer abide by the treaty, placing the agreement i...
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Dawn - 17:53 May 30, 2025
Four armed robbers hijacked a Qingqi rickshaw carrying three sacrificial sheep at gunpoint in Karachi’s Ayesha Manzil area, police said on Friday. According to a first information report (FIR), the complainant Mohammed Rashid Saleem said that he had purchased three sheep and was carrying them in his Qingqi rickshaw on Thursday when the incident occurred. “Four suspects riding on two motorcycles snatched the rickshaw along with the animals at gunpoint and fled,” the FIR read, adding that the suspects also snatched cash and a cell phone from the victim. According to a statement from the Karachi Police spokesperson, the Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) Javed Alam Odho took notice of the incident and ordered action against the Azizabad station house officer for negligence, issuing orders to suspend his service for one year. The AIG ordered that the suspects involved in the incident must be arrested within three days, with the recovery of the animals and rickshaw, otherwise, strict legal action will be... -
Dawn - 17:34 May 30, 2025
World Boxing will introduce mandatory sex testing for all boxers in its competitions, the body said on Friday, adding that Paris Olympics women’s welterweight champion Imane Khelif will not be allowed to compete until she undergoes such a test. The governing body, which will run the boxing competitions in the 2028 Olympics after being granted provisional recognition by the IOC, said it aims to deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women. “Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxings rules and testing procedures,” World Boxing said in a statement. All athletes over the age of 18 will have to undertake a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test, which can be conducted by a nasal or mouth swab, saliva or blood, World Boxing said. “The PCR test is a laboratory technique used to detect specific genetic material, in this case, the SRY ... -
Dawn - 17:23 May 30, 2025
A district official was killed when his house was attacked by terrorists in Balochistan’s Surab city on Friday, a statement from the provincial government said. Balochistan Government Spokesperson Shahid Rind, in a statement, termed the incident a “nefarious attempt to challenge the writ of the state”. “A bank was looted and the homes of several government officials were attacked, including Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Hidayatullah Buledi. “Buledi was martyred while defending his home during the attack,” Rind said in the statement, adding that the official “set a new example of bravery” through his sacrifice. “Women and children were also present at the residence during the attack,” he added. The spokesperson added that “Indian-sponsored proxies have taken action on (India’s) behalf”, adding that a search operation was underway in the area. “We are determined to thwart efforts of anti-state elements,” he said, according to the statement. Frontier Corps and Levies personnel had arrived at the scene... -
Dawn - 16:04 May 30, 2025
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Friday sentenced PTI members, including Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Abdul Latif, to 27 years of imprisonment for attacking a police station during the violent May 9 riots. On May 9, 2023, PTI supporters, protesting the party founder Imran Khan’s arrest, staged violent protests throughout the country, vandalising military installations and state-owned buildings, while also attacking the Lahore corps commander’s residence. Following the riots, thousands of protesters, including party leaders, were arrested. ATC Special Court-II judge Tahir Abbas Sipra handed down the punishment under different sections of the Pakistan Penal Code after finding the accused guilty of attacking the Ramna police station during the May 9 riots. The accused were sentenced to a total of 27 years in prison along with a fine worth Rs327,000. The sentences shall run concurrently, the judge said. MNA Abdul Latif, who was elected from NA-1 Chitral, was not present in the court when the... -
Dawn - 16:02 May 30, 2025
At least 117 people have died and several others are still missing after heavy flooding destroyed thousands of homes in Nigeria’s Niger state, an emergency official said on Friday. The death toll is a sharp rise from Thursday’s figure of 21 people, Ibrahim Hussaini, head of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, said, adding that some 3,000 houses were submerged in two communities in the north-central state. Nigeria is prone to flooding during the rainy season, which began in April. In 2022, Nigeria experienced its worst wave of floods in more than a decade which killed more than 600 people, displaced around 1.4 million and destroyed 440,000 hectares of farmland. The flooding incident in Niger state occurred on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning, Hussaini said, with a number of people still in the water. -
Dawn - 15:54 May 30, 2025
Human rights defenders Tahira Abdullah and Samina Omar were released following a short detention in Islamabad on Friday, a Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) activist told Dawn.com. The HRCP earlier condemned the “arbitrary arrest of human rights defenders Tahira Abdullah and Samina Omar in Islamabad” in a post on X. According to the post, the pair was taken into custody outside the National Press Club ahead of a protest in solidarity with the people of Gaza. “Given that neither of them was part of any public gathering at the time, their actions in no way constitute a violation of Section 144 as the police have alleged,” the statement said. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period. The statement said the commission was “concerned to learn that [the women] are allegedly not being given access to their legal counsel”. “Both Ms Abdullah and Ms Omar must be released ... -
Dawn - 15:43 May 30, 2025
Pakistan on Friday announced its elevation of diplomatic representation in Afghanistan from Charge d’Affaires to Ambassador level as bilateral ties “move on a positive trajectory.” Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to upgrade their diplomatic relations by exchanging envoys — a key step towards normalising ties after years of strained relations between Islamabad and the Taliban administration in Kabul. Ties between the two neighbouring countries had turned sour due to frequent border skirmishes and Islamabad repeatedly demanding that Kabul take action against the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for using Afghan soil to launch attacks in Pakistan. Kabul has denied the allegations. The recent understanding was reached during an informal trilateral meeting of foreign ministers from Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan in Beijing earlier this month. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Afghanistan’s interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in the Chinese capital. In a post on X, Dar said, “... -
Dawn - 15:14 May 30, 2025
Egypt and Greece sought to ease tensions over the historic St Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai peninsula on Friday after a controversial court ruling said it sat on state-owned land. Cairo has denied that the ruling threatens the UNESCO World Heritage landmark after Greek and church authorities warned of the sacred site’s status. St Catherine’s monastery was established in the sixth century at the biblical site of the burning bush in the southern mountains of the Sinai peninsula and is the world’s oldest continually inhabited Christian monastery. A court in Sinai ruled on Wednesday in a land dispute between the monastery and the South Sinai governorate that the monastery “is entitled to use” the land, which “the state owns as public property”. But on Friday, in a phone call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Cairo was “fully committed to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine’s monastery, and ensuring it is not violated”. The Gree... -
Dawn - 14:20 May 30, 2025
Over a million Muslim pilgrims from across the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform Haj this year, with the kingdom showcasing its readiness and preparation, the Saudi government said on Friday. Haj, one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, is performed each year by millions of Muslims worldwide. Pakistan receives one of the highest Haj quotas from Saudi Arabia. According to a press release from the Saudi Embassy, the newly expanded Grand Mosque in Makkah “marks a defining feature of this year’s Haj”, as it is now capable of accommodating double its previous capacity. “Following months of cross-sector coordination and international cooperation, the kingdom reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that every pilgrim’s journey is not only safe and seamless but also spiritually enriching,” the press release read. Quoting Dr Ghassan Alnwaimi, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Haj and Umrah, the press release added, “Our readiness is not just measured in infrastructure and systems — it’s reflected... -
Dawn - 13:18 May 30, 2025
Two seven-year-old boys were found dead in a house in Punjab’s Hafizabad several days after they were reported missing, according to a first information report (FIR). According to a copy of the FIR — seen by Dawn.com and filed upon the complaint of the father of one of the victims — the complainant was heading for work at 7am on Wednesday morning when he learned that his son had gone missing. “When I returned from work at 9 or 10pm, I could not find my son,” the complainant stated in the FIR. “We went to the house of a neighbour and found my son’s shoe there.” According to the FIR, when asked about the missing boy, the neighbour said that his grandson had also gone missing. The complainant added that he and other residents searched for the children and performed announcements through mosques, to no avail. On Thursday morning, the complainant was informed that the boys had been seen with three named and two unidentified suspects. “We arrived at a house where the suspects were present. When we asked them to ope... -
Dawn - 13:17 May 30, 2025
The Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP) and Princeton University researchers have initiated a project to develop a long-term energy transition planning framework, according to a press release issued on Friday. The press release said that the initiative comes at a time when Pakistan’s energy sector faced high costs, volatility, and an overreliance on imported fossil fuels, which accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the country’s energy supply. “Outdated infrastructure, inefficient management, and transmission bottlenecks have contributed to persistent power shortages and a growing circular debt crisis, issues that the roadmap aims to address while planning for future growth, sustainability, and climate resilience,” the press release said. Part of a two-day workshop, the event “Pakistan’s Energy Transition Roadmap” brought together over 50 policymakers, researchers, and private-sector experts. “Drawing on Princeton’s net-zero project expertise, the initiative would provide Pakistan with practical, ev... -
Dawn - 13:04 May 30, 2025
A former British Marine appeared in court for the first time on Friday charged with allegedly driving his car into crowds celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League win, leaving 79 people injured. Paul Doyle faces seven charges including dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm with intent during Monday’s incident in the northwestern English city, which marred the port city’s huge celebrations. The 53-year-old confirmed his name, date of birth and address during a brief appearance at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court. UK media outlets inside the courtroom reported that Doyle — wearing a black suit, white shirt and grey tie — held back tears before the hearing broke for an adjournment. A total of 79 people aged between nine and 78 were injured when a dark Ford Galaxy ploughed into Liverpool supporters as they celebrated their club’s record-equalling 20th English top-flight title. There were no fatalities. Seven people remained in hospital, Merseyside Police assistant chief constable Jenny Sims told reporters ... -
Dawn - 12:40 May 30, 2025
The Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) will hold a meeting on June 2 to discuss digital currency regulations, the Ministry of Finance said on Friday. The PCC was officially launched in March to “regulate and integrate blockchain technology and digital assets” into the country’s financial landscape. According to a press release by the finance ministry, the meeting will be chaired by the Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, serving as a “strategic forum to deliberate on the evolving regulatory and legal framework surrounding digital currency and the broader crypto landscape in Pakistan”. PCC Chief Executive Officer Bilal Bin Saqib will also participate in the meeting, along with other PCC members, the press release said. It also said, “Key items on the agenda include the development of a robust regulatory framework to govern digital and virtual assets in Pakistan, in alignment with global standards and technological advancements. “A focal point of discussion will be the groundwork for the establishment of the Pakist... -
Dawn - 12:36 May 30, 2025
Pakistan and India are close to reducing the troop build-up along their border to levels before conflict erupted between the nuclear-armed neighbours this month, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee told Reuters on Friday, although he warned the crisis had increased the risk of escalation in the future. The developments follow a recent military confrontation between India and Pakistan over New Delhi’s allegations against Islamabad, without evidence, about a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. New Delhi, based on the allegations, launched a series of air strikes in Pakistan in early May, killing civilians. Islamabad retaliated by downing five Indian jets. After intercepting drones sent by India and tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, it took American intervention on May 10 for both sides to finally reach a ceasefire. Gen Mirza said the two militaries had started the process of drawing down troop levels. “We have almost come back to the pre-22nd April... -
Dawn - 12:24 May 30, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, rejecting the weaponisation of water, warned that Pakistan would not allow India to cross the red line by holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and endangering millions of lives for narrow political gains. Delhi suspended its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960, which governs the usage of the Indus river system, shortly after 26 civilians in India-held Kashmir were killed in what India called an act of terror. Pakistan has denied involvement in the incident, but accord remains “in abeyance” by India despite the two nuclear-armed neighbours agreeing to a ceasefire this month following the worst fighting between them in decades. After the April 22 attack, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered officials to expedite planning and execution of projects on the Chenab, Jhelum and Indus rivers, three bodies of water in the Indus system that are designated primarily for Pakistan’s use, six people told Reuters. The three-day International Conference... -
Dawn - 12:11 May 30, 2025
Pakistan became a co-signatory to China’s newly set up Hong Kong-based International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) on Friday, a statement by the Foreign Office said. China signed a convention setting up an international organisation for mediation in Hong Kong that Beijing hopes will be on par with the International Court of Justice and bolster the city’s international credentials, Reuters reported. Pakistan, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia and Serbia were among the countries attending the signing ceremony, while representatives from 20 international bodies, including the United Nations, were also expected to join, public broadcaster RTHK said. “Deputy Prime Minister [and] Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, today signed, on behalf of Pakistan, the convention on the establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation in Hong Kong,” the statement by the FO read. Speaking on the occasion, Dar appreciated the Chinese leadership for its wisdom in developing and consistently leading efforts in es... -
Dawn - 10:34 May 30, 2025
The province of Sindh, a traditional favourite for migratory birds, saw the most drastic decline in the number of migratory birds due to climate change, with a staggering drop of over 50 per cent in two years. The country’s once-thriving wetlands, long a sanctuary for millions of migratory birds fleeing Siberia’s brutal winters, are witnessing a disturbing decline in avian visitors. Experts warn that a mix of prolonged drought, receding water levels, and growing habitat degradation is driving away these seasonal guests — some possibly for good. According to the Sindh Wildlife Department’s 2024-25 waterfowl count, the number of migratory birds fell sharply from 1.2 million in 2023 to 603,900 in 2024 and just 545,000 this year, a staggering drop of over 50pc in two years. In 2023, the region experienced an exceptional influx of birds, buoyed by the lingering effects of the catastrophic 2022 floods that, while devastating for communities, temporarily revived Pakistan’s lakes, streams, and lagoons. The excessive ...
1405 items