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Dawn - 05:36 May 29, 2025
MUZAFFARABAD: The post-1989 migrants from across the Line of Control (LoC) issued a veiled warning to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Wednesday over the alleged non-fulfilment of their demands. At a meeting, members of the Refugees Working Committee — including heads of refugee camps and elected councillors — urged the government to fulfil their long-ignored demand for two reserved seats in the Legislative Assembly, one each for refugees from occupied Jammu and the occupied Valley, ahead of the general elections due next year. They also demanded an increase in the monthly subsistence allowance and allocation of funds for their resettlement in the 2025-26 budget. The participants strongly condemned what they called the persistent neglect of the 1989 refugees by successive AJK governments. “It is deeply unfortunate that even after three and a half decades, the condition of Kashmiri refugees remains unchanged,” read a joint communiqué issued after the meeting. According to the communiqué, over 9,5... -
Dawn - 05:27 May 29, 2025
• Omar Ayub alleges Nawaz was initially unwilling to conduct nuclear tests • PTI stresses need for political unity, independent judiciary ISLAMABAD: A message shared via the official X (formerly Twitter) account of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday called on public to prepare for a countrywide protest movement. The post came a day after Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, had proposed a ‘give-and-take formula’ for Mr Khan’s release. Although Mr Khan does not have direct access to his social media account, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has not disclosed who manages his posts. The latest message, posted in Mr Khan’s name, urged the masses to get ready for a nationwide protest movement, to be launched soon. It also raised concerns about his treatment in Adiala Jail, alleging that he was being denied basic rights. “Under jail regulations, I am entitled to a 30-minute meeting with my wife, Bushra Bibi, once a week, but even that has not been allowed for several days,” the post quoted Mr Khan as say... -
Dawn - 03:56 May 29, 2025
Billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday announced he was leaving his role in the US government, which was intended to reduce federal spending, shortly after his first major break with US President Donald Trump over his signature spending bill. “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Donald Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he wrote on his social media platform X. “The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” he added. The South African-born tech tycoon had said Trump’s bill would increase the deficit and undermine the work of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has fired tens of thousands of people. Musk — who was a constant presence at Trump’s side before pulling back to focus on his Space X and Tesla businesses — also complained that DOGE had become a “whipping boy” for dissatisfaction with the administration. “I was disappointed to see the massive spendin... -
Dawn - 18:32 May 28, 2025
A six-year-old boy drowned in an open manhole in Karachi on Wednesday, which triggered a protest by residents and politicians, prompting the police to register a case against unidentified suspects in Jamshed Quarters. Jamshed Quarters police Station House Officer (SHO) Ansar Butt said, “Two siblings were passing by a petrol pump in the area when one of them fell into an open manhole. “The victim’s brother alerted bystanders about the incident, where the boy drowned. After being inside the manhole for about 20 minutes, the boy passed away at 7pm on Tuesday.” The incident angered locals who lodged a protest at the scene, which was joined by MQM-P lawmaker Amir Siddiqi. Siddiqi told the media, “The Sindh government and Karachi mayor have failed to cover open manholes in the metropolis. A child fell into a 16-foot-deep drain and died. “The city has been destroyed,” the lawmaker regretted. Siddiqi told Dawn.com that the protest took place for four hours as the police were delaying the registering of a first inform... -
Dawn - 18:24 May 28, 2025
Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother have been charged with several counts of rape, assault and trafficking, UK prosecutors said on Wednesday. The accusations, which date back to between 2012 to 2015, were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2024, but have only been revealed now. Former kickboxer Tate, 38, faces 10 charges in the UK including rape, actual bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution relating to three women. His brother, Tristan, 36, has been accused of 11 similar charges against one woman. “A European arrest warrant was issued in England in 2024, and as a result, the Romanian courts ordered the extradition to the UK of Andrew and Tristan Tate,” prosecutors said in a statement. “However, the domestic criminal matters in Romania must be settled first.” Andrew Tate is facing legal action in several countries, including some cases where he is accused alongside his brother. In Romania, the Tate brothers face separate allegations of tra... -
Dawn - 18:16 May 28, 2025
Amnesty International and four other human rights organisations called on Pakistan to release human rights defenders in Balochistan and end the crackdown on dissent, according to Amnesty’s website. Last week, the Balochistan High Court rejected constitutional petitions seeking the release of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) Chief Organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch and two other leaders detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO). The BYC is a Baloch advocacy group working against enforced disappearances since 2018. Mahrang and other BYC activists were arrested on March 22 for allegedly “attacking” Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to violence”, a day after their members faced a police crackdown in Quetta while protesting against alleged enforced disappearances. A letter dated May 27 was addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and signed by Amnesty, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia), Front Line Defenders (FLD), the International Federation for Hum... -
Dawn - 18:08 May 28, 2025
The high-level delegation tasked with presenting Pakistan’s position on the ongoing dispute with India has scheduled to meet on June 2, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said on Wednesday. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided to send a diplomatic delegation to important world capitals in the aftermath of the recent military escalation with India. He entrusted the PPP Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to lead the delegation. The delegation comprises Senator Rehman, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Dr Musadik Malik, Engineer Khurram Dastgir, Faisal Subzwari, Tehmina Janjua, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt and Jalil Abbas Jilani. Speaking on DawnNewsTV programme ‘Doosra Rukh’, Senator Rehman said that the diplomatic committee had decided to visit various countries before Eidul Azha. “The committee, headed by Bilawal, will begin its tour of various countries on June 2, starting from New York,” she said. She added, “The committee will first go to New York, then Washington... -
Dawn - 17:17 May 28, 2025
Mexico is set to become the world’s only country to let voters elect all of their judges, sparking sharp disagreement about whether the reforms will diminish or strengthen criminal influence over the courts. The government says the unprecedented popular vote for judges and magistrates at all levels — including the Supreme Court — is needed to address rampant corruption and impunity. Critics argue it will undermine the judiciary’s independence and warn the participation of controversial candidates — such as a former lawyer for notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman — means it is doomed to backfire. On Sunday, voters will choose several thousand federal, district and local judges and magistrates. Another election for the remainder will be held in 2027. Not just anybody can run for one of these jobs. Candidates must have a law degree, experience in legal affairs, what is termed “a good reputation,” and no criminal record. Opponents, including judicial workers, have held a series of mass street protests in... -
Dawn - 15:36 May 28, 2025
The Kremlin on Wednesday rebuffed a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a three-way summit with counterparts Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as Kyiv seeks to force Moscow to halt its more than three-year-long invasion. Moscow said any meeting involving Russian President Putin and Zelensky would only happen after “concrete agreements” had been struck between negotiators from each side. Putin rejected calls to meet Zelensky in Turkey earlier this month, when Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years. Putin has repeatedly said he does not see Zelensky as a legitimate leader and called for him to be toppled. US President Trump, meanwhile, has expressed frustration at both leaders for not yet striking a deal to end the war. The two sides have traded waves of massive aerial attacks in recent weeks, with Ukraine unleashing one of its largest-ever drone barrages on Russia overnight, according to the defence ministry in Moscow. “If Putin is not comfortable with a bilateral me... -
Dawn - 15:28 May 28, 2025
The Saudi government on Wednesday announced that its 937 Health Call Centre was now offering multilingual support to Haj pilgrims around the clock, including in Urdu. 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 call centre “plays a vital role in the Kingdom’s healthcare response during Haj.” “The centre is designed to enhance access to health services, offer medical guidance, and ensure [a] timely response to emergencies,” the press release read. “Available 24/7, the centre provides a wide range of services including real-time medical consultations, emergency assistance, handling of complaints, guidance on accessing health facilities, and support in locating missing or hospitalised pilgrims.” The press release stated that the call centre operates in seven major languages: Urdu, Arabic, English, French, Indonesian, Farsi, and Turk... -
Dawn - 14:17 May 28, 2025
Cricket star Hassan Ali’s mother was allegedly mugged on Wednesday in Gujranwala, a senior police official told Dawn.com. Incidents of snatchings by armed suspects are commonplace nationwide. According to a statement from Gujranwala City Police Officer Muhammad Ayaz Saleem’s office, Hassan’s mother was waiting on the road for her other son, Khurram to pick her up to take her to the bazaar. “A robber snatched her purse and fled the scene,” the CPO said. “Khurram Ali said that the purse contained Rs230,000.” The CPO added that a case had been registered and sought a report from Gujranwala Safe City. According to a copy of the first information report — seen by Dawn.com — the unidentified suspect were charged under Sections 356 (assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) and 379 (punishment for theft) of the Pakistan Penal Code. “Police teams have been formed under the supervision of SP (superintendent of police) City Division to arrest the suspect,” CPO Saleem said. “G... -
Dawn - 13:59 May 28, 2025
Kuwait lifted a 19-year visa ban on Pakistani citizens and resumed issuing a wide range of visas to Pakistani nationals, the government said on Tuesday. The country had stopped issuing visas in 2011 to citizens of Pakistan, Iran, Syria and Afghanistan, citing difficult security conditions in the countries. Since then, Pakistan made several attempts to get visas restored for Pakistani citizens but to no avail. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, during his visit to Kuwait in 2017, had also pleaded Pakistan’s case and requested for restoration of visas for Pakistani citizens. In May 2021, Kuwait decided to resume granting visas to Pakistani families and businessmen. It was also decided during the meeting that Kuwait would issue technical visas for Pakistani workers in medical and oil fields. According to a post on X by the government, Kuwait has now resumed the issuance of work, family, visit, tourist, and business visas, which it termed “a major diplomatic achievement and a step towards deeper bilateral cooper... -
Dawn - 13:59 May 28, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated Pakistan’s willingness to hold talks with India on the Kashmir dispute and counterterrorism, stressing New Delhi wanted the same “in all sincerity”. The prime minister participated in the Pakistan-Turkiye-Azerbaijan Trilateral Summit alongside presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ilham Aliyev. The meeting comes as the premier continued his tour to friendly countries to appreciate their support for Pakistan during the recent conflict with India. Speaking at the summit, PM Shehbaz said: “I have said in all humility that we want peace in the region […] and that requires talks on the table on issues which need urgent attention and amicable resolution, that is the issue of Kashmir according to the resolutions of the United Nations and the Security Council and as per the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.” The premier also touched upon the issue of terrorism: “I have said in all earnest that if India wants to talk on countering terrorism in sincerity of purpos... -
Dawn - 12:06 May 28, 2025
The death toll from heavy rains across the country has risen to 10, with 43 people injured, as strong winds and thunderstorms triggered flash floods and destroyed homes in central and northern parts of Pakistan, officials said on Wednesday. This is the second time in a week that a storm of such intensity wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, damaging crops, properties, and other infrastructure. At least 19 people were killed and over 90 others injured as powerful windstorms and heavy rains had battered many areas in Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday. Four women and a man died in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and three in KP, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said, while other officials said two died in Punjab. “One person is still missing,” Haroon Rasheed, a senior government official in AJK, told AFP, adding that 12 houses and a mosque were destroyed in one village. According to the NDMA, stormy weather is expected to continue in northern and central parts of the count... -
Dawn - 11:49 May 28, 2025
Iran on Wednesday said it may consider allowing US inspectors with the United Nations nuclear watchdog to inspect its facilities if a deal is reached with the United States. Iran has long been accused by Western powers of seeking to develop nuclear weapons — a claim Tehran has consistently denied, insisting its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful, civilian purposes. Tehran and Washington have in recent weeks held five rounds of talks aimed at the issue — their highest-level contact since the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal under Donald Trump in 2018. “Countries that were hostile to us and behaved unprincipledly over the years — we have always tried not to accept inspectors from those countries,” Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami told reporters, referring to staff from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran “will reconsider accepting American inspectors through the agency” if an agreement is reached and Tehran’s demands are taken into account, he added. Since returning to office in ... -
Dawn - 11:28 May 28, 2025
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hailed Pakistan’s nuclear capability, saying it continued to serve as a credible minimum deterrent, as evidenced in the recent hostilities with India. With a public holiday, the nation is celebrating Youm-i-Takbeer to mark the historic day of May 28, 1998 when Pakistan joined the ranks of nuclear powers after atomic tests in the hills of Chagai, Balochistan. Pakistan became the seventh nuclear nation in the world and the first Muslim state to have a nuclear arsenal. PM Shehbaz emphasised that Youm-i-Takbeer was more than a celebration and was a solemn reminder of Pakistan’s resolve to safeguard its sovereignty, according to his statement carried by the Associated Press of Pakistan. He linked this year’s commemoration with what he described as Pakistan’s recent success in defending itself from “an unjustified war imposed by India”. Appreciating the nation’s spirit during the confrontation, the premier said, “The joys of Youm-i-Takbeer ha... -
Dawn - 11:06 May 28, 2025
Seven people were rescued while two went missing after a boat sank in the Indus River near Kohat on Wednesday, according to Rescue 1122 officials. A spokesperson for KP Rescue 1122 Bilal Ahmad Faizi said, “A boat sank at Khushalgarh on the Indus River. Seven passengers were rescued with the help of local divers, while a search operation is underway to search for two missing people.” Teams from Kohat, Nowshera, and Karak are participating in the search operation, led by Kohat District Emergency Officer Arif Khattak, Rescue 1122 added. Earlier in May, as many as four people, including two siblings, drowned in the Indus River in two different incidents in Attock, police and rescue sources had said. Last year in April, eight people drowned when a boat capsized in the Indus River near Kund Park in Nowshera district. -
Dawn - 10:09 May 28, 2025
PEN International, an association of writers, called on the government to immediately halt the mass deportation of Afghans from Pakistan, including writers, journalists and others at risk of persecution from the Taliban, according to a statement. As of May 18, a total of 55,865 Afghan nationals including 35,975 ACC holders and 19,890 illegal migrants have left for Afghanistan since April 1, the day the second phase began after the deadline for repatriation of registered Afghan nationals ended on March 31. The PEN International-led joint statement, signed by freedom of expression and human rights organisations, concerns the recent acceleration in the mass deportation of Afghans from Pakistan, including at-risk writers, journalists, artists, human rights defenders and others at risk of persecution from the Taliban for their peaceful expression. More than a dozen organisations called on the government to “immediately halt the arbitrary mass deportation of Afghan nationals in line with the country’s human rights ... -
Dawn - 10:04 May 28, 2025
The chairman of the Senate standing committee on finance and revenue, former finance minister Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, said on Tuesday that the upcoming budget will further burden the people due to an increase in the petroleum levy. He was also critical of the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) performance, especially in terms of the Tajir Dost Scheme (TDS). Under the TDS, taxes were to be collected from shopkeepers at a fixed rate of Rs100 to Rs60,000 per month based on the fair market value of the stores and sales. The scheme was implemented to bring traders and wholesalers into the formal tax structure to fulfill the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) requirement. The former finance minister said the FBR had failed to bring more people under tax net, while responding to a query on DawnNewsTV show ‘Doosra Rukh’ on the board’s inability to raise Rs5.6 million under the TDS. Mandviwalla criticised the “1960’s system” at the FBR and emphasised on the need to introduce officers who could use technology to imp... -
Dawn - 08:56 May 28, 2025
The Foreign Office on Wednesday condemned the “inflammatory monologue” delivered by Indian PM Narendra Modi in Gujarat, urging India to “return to the core principles of international order”. 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. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of air strikes in Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties. Islamabad responded 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 drop their guns as a ceasefire was reached. In a video posted by Indian news outlet ANI, Modi, addressing India’s youth, calls into question the contents of the Indus Waters Treaty. He said, “If you study the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, you’ll be shocked.” He continued, “It was decided that the dams built on t...
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