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Dawn - 14:45 Jun 01, 2025
Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday described the improvement of ties with Pakistan as a “very positive development in bilateral relations,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement. Earlier this week, both nations 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. 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.” According to the statement, Muttaqi spoke to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar over the phone and discussed upgrading diplomatic relations. “Muttaqi called it a positive step and expressed hope that the remaining stages would be completed soon,” the statement said. “Both sides expressed that upgrading the level of diplomatic relations would pave the way for expanding cooperation... -
Dawn - 14:38 Jun 01, 2025
Indian police have arrested scores of people for allegedly “sympathising” with Pakistan, a month after the worst conflict between the arch-rivals for decades, a top government official said on Sunday. The arrests took place in the northeastern state of Assam, where Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “81 anti-nationals are now behind bars for sympathising with Pak”. Sarma, from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist ruling party, said in a statement, “Our systems are constantly tracking anti-national posts on social media and taking actions”. One of the persons was arrested after he posted a Pakistani flag on his Instagram, Assam police told AFP. No further details about other arrests were given. There has been a wider clampdown on social media since an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-occupied Kashmir, the deadliest on civilians in the disputed territory in decades. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the terrorists it said carried out the attack, charges that Pakistan denied. I... -
Dawn - 13:46 Jun 01, 2025
Poland was voting on Sunday in a tight presidential election that will determine whether the country cements its place in the mainstream of the European Union or turns toward Donald Trump-style nationalism. Both Rafal Trzaskowski of ruling centrists Civic Coalition (KO) and his rival Karol Nawrocki, backed by nationalists Law and Justice (PiS), are hoping to mobilise their supporters and clinch the race. Trzaskowski had a narrow lead in pre-election opinion polls, but the difference was within the margin of error. Voting was due to end at 9 pm (1900 GMT), with exit polls published soon afterwards. The electoral commission says it hopes final results will be announced on Monday morning or early afternoon. Parliament holds most power in Poland, but the president can veto legislation, so the vote is being watched closely in neighbouring Ukraine, as well as in Russia, the US and across the EU. Both candidates agree on the need to spend heavily on defence, as US President Trump is demanding from Europe, and to con... -
Dawn - 13:34 Jun 01, 2025
The Punjab home department has banned the operation of temporary mechanical rides installed during Eidul Azha holidays, fairs, festivals and other seasonal events for a short period of time at any location of the province, according to a notification issued on Sunday. In the past, several accidents have been reported due to malfunctioning and falling mechanical rides, resulting in the loss of lives, including children, and injuries to several other riders. Such incidents were reported at amusement and water parks in different cities, including Lahore and Multan, in the province. Mechanical ride accidents are generally reported during Eid holidays or Christmas holidays, as more families visit amusement parks with their children to enjoy the rides. A notification issued today by the Punjab home department said that temporary mechanical rides typically setup or installed during Eidul Azha holidays, fairs, festivals, and other seasonal events for a short period of time “shall not to be allowed to operate at any l... -
Dawn - 13:14 Jun 01, 2025
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Sunday hailed the results of the Ipsos Consumer Confidence Survey for the second quarter of 2025, saying the findings reflected the government’s successful microeconomic strategy over the last 14 months. The survey was conducted by Ipsos, a global market research firm that gathers insights on consumer behaviour, public opinion, and market trends. The firm uses methods like online polls, interviews, and focus groups across 89 countries. A press release by the Ministry of Finance said today that Aurangzeb welcomed the survey findings, calling them a strong affirmation of the improving economic outlook and public sentiment across Pakistan. “The survey reveals a significant surge in consumer confidence, with 42 per cent of Pakistanis now believing the country is heading in the right direction — the highest level recorded in six years,” the release said. Perceptions of the economy being strong also reached their most favourable levels since August 2019. Notably, optimism had ... -
Dawn - 13:11 Jun 01, 2025
An operative of the militant Islamic State group (IS) was captured at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in a joint intelligence operation conducted by Pakistan and Türkiye, the latter’s security sources said on Sunday. Pakistan and Turkiye, which share strong bilateral relations, reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing defence and security cooperation during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Istanbul. Ozgur Altun, also known by the codename “Abu Yasir Al Turki”, was arrested in a precision operation jointly conducted by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MİT). Following intelligence sharing, the ISI had been briefed on Altun’s presence in Afghanistan and his intent to cross into Pakistan. After his arrest, he was deported to Türkiye for further investigation. Altun was identified as the highest-ranking Turkish member of IS and played a key role in the group’s media and logistics networks. Türkiye’s MİT had tracked Altun’s activities and foun... -
Dawn - 12:45 Jun 01, 2025
India’s Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had “misled the nation”, amid a furore about the now-acknowledged aircraft losses to Pakistan during the recent conflict. The remarks come a day after India’s top general confirmed that his country’s fighter jets were downed by Pakistan but did not specify a number. That admission followed a statement by Subrahmanyam Swamy, a member of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but a staunch critic of the Indian premier, that Pakistan had downed five Indian planes. “The Modi govt has misled the nation. The fog of war is now clearing,” Kharge wrote in a post on X. He said that in the wake of the remarks made by India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan in Singapore during an interview, there were some very important questions which needed to be asked. “These can only be asked if a Special Session of the Parliament is immediately convened,” he said. “The Congress party demands a comprehensive rev... -
Dawn - 12:33 Jun 01, 2025
The Global Water Organisation (GWO) has officially launched its operations from its headquarters in Riyadh, with founding member states, including Pakistan, signing its charter. The newly established organisation — formed under the leadership of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and the patronage of the Saudi environment minister — aims to enhance international collaboration to address the growing pressures on global water systems. Aside from Pakistan, the founding countries of the GWO include Kuwait, Qatar, Spain, Greece, Senegal and Mauritania. According to a statement from the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) on Sunday, the launching event “marked a major milestone in fostering international collaboration to address global water challenges.” Federal Minister for Water Resources, Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, represented Pakistan at the invitation of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdul Rahman Bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Fadley, to share the country’s perspec... -
Dawn - 12:01 Jun 01, 2025
Pakistan’s top military man General Sahir Shamshad Mirza has stressed the need to move towards conflict resolution instead of management, warning that its absence could result in a destructive escalation. The remarks 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. As New Delhi launched air strikes in early May, killing civilians, Pakistan downed five Indian jets in retaliation. After 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, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, made the remarks at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue 2025 organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore on Saturday evening. During a panel discussion, titled “Regional Crisis-Management Mechanisms”, Gen Mirza said: “It has become imperative to move beyond conflict management... -
Dawn - 10:38 Jun 01, 2025
Bangladesh on Sunday restored the registration of the Jamaat-i-Islami party, allowing it to take part in elections, more than a decade after it was removed under the now-overthrown government. The country’s supreme court overturned a cancellation of Jamaat-i-Islami’s registration, allowing it to be formally listed as a political party with the election commission. “The election commission is directed to deal with the registration of that party in accordance with law,” commission lawyer Towhidul Islam told AFP. Jamaat-i-Islami party lawyer, Shishir Monir, said the supreme court’s decision would allow a “democratic, inclusive and multi-party system” in the Muslim-majority country of 170 million people. “We hope that Bangladeshis, regardless of their ethnicity or religious identity, will vote for Jamaat, and that the parliament will be vibrant with constructive debates,” Monir told journalists. After Sheikh Hasina was ousted as prime minister in August, the party appealed for a review of the 2013 high court orde... -
Dawn - 10:33 Jun 01, 2025
Flash floods and landslides after torrential monsoon rain over the last two days killed at least 30 people in India’s northeast, officials said on Sunday. State disaster management officials said eight people died in Assam, and nine in Arunachal Pradesh, many of them in landslides as earth loosened by the water slumped into the valley below. Another five people died in a landslide in the neighbouring state of Mizoram, state authorities said. The officials said that six people lost their lives in Meghalaya, while at least two others were killed in the states of Nagaland and Tripura. A red alert warning was issued for several districts in the region after the non-stop downpour over the last three days. Rivers swollen by the lashing rain — including the mighty Brahmaputra, which rises in the Himalayas and flows through India’s northeast towards its delta in Bangladesh — broke their banks across the region. The Indian army said that it had saved hundreds “in a massive rescue operation” across Manipur state. “Peop... -
Dawn - 10:01 Jun 01, 2025
Thousands of Paris Saint-Germain supporters took to the streets of the French capital on Saturday to celebrate their club’s victory in the Champions League final, but clashes with the police led to the arrest of over 500 people, while two people lost their lives amid the celebrations in separate instances. As per the French interior ministry, a woman riding a scooter died after she was hit by a car in the southwest of Paris, while a 17-year-old in the southwestern town of Dax was stabbed to death during the celebrations. In total, 559 people were arrested, including 491 in Paris. The majority of fans celebrated peacefully, but Paris police said scuffles broke out near the city’s Champs-Élysées avenue and PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, where 48,000 had watched the 5-0 win against Inter Milan in Munich on big screens. Most of the people detained were suspected of possessing fireworks and causing disorder, Paris police said. AFP journalists saw police use a water cannon to stop a crowd reaching the Arc de Triom... -
Dawn - 09:53 Jun 01, 2025
Less than 24 hours after striking gold in the javelin final at the Asian Athletics Championship, javelin phenom Arshad Nadeem on Sunday thanked the nation for its support and prayers, dedicating the win to Pakistan. Yesterday, Arshad returned to international competition and won a gold medal with a throw of 86.40 metres in the men’s javelin final in Gumi, South Korea. India’s Sachin Yadav took silver with an 85.16m and Japan’s Yuta Sakiyama took home bronze with an 83.75m throw. Both athletes threw a personal best. In a post on Instagram today, Nadeem said: “It is because of all your prayers that Allah made me successful in the finals, and gave respect to Pakistan, when I won gold at the Asian Athletics Championship. View this post on Instagram “This is a result of your prayers, and the hard work of me and my coach, Salman Iqbal Butt,” he said in a short video message as he adorned a green and white Pakistan jersey. He noted that he would be arriving at Lahore International Airport at 10:20pm tonight. “It giv... -
Dawn - 09:40 Jun 01, 2025
• Chauhan curious why their jets were downed • Claims conflict never came close to a nuclear war • Says ‘channels of communication’ with Islamabad were open • BJP leader says PAF shot down five Indian aircraft NEW DELHI: A day after a BJP politician and staunch critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Subrahmanyam Swamy, claimed Pakistan had downed five Indian planes in the recent military escalation, India’s top military general admitted losses. In an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan admitted losses but dismissed Pakistan’s claims that it shot down six Indian jets, including four Rafales, as “absolutely incorrect”. “What is important is that, not the jet being down, but why they were being down… Why they were down, what mistakes were made — that are important. Numbers are not important,” he said. In a separate interview to Reuters, Gen Chauhan said the losses India suffered were in the initial stages, on May 7, when ... -
Dawn - 08:53 Jun 01, 2025
An explosion occurred near a house on Sunday in Darra Adam Khel, district Kohat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing two people, rescue officials said. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Jawad Afridi said the blast took place at a tube well near a house in Akhorwal village. Two people died on the spot in the explosion. Rescue medical and disaster teams reached the scene after receiving information about the incident. The house was completely destroyed in the explosion, the rescue official said. In another incident, an under-construction building was heavily damaged when an improvised explosive device (IED), reportedly planted by unidentified terrorists, exploded in Bannu district. Muhammad Usama, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, Bannu told Dawn.com that the explosion occurred around at 1am today when unidentified attackers reportedly detonated an IED that severely damaged the building. He said the targeted structure, located in the Kaki tehsil of Bannu district, belonged to the Rescue 1122 emergency services. However, no casual... -
Dawn - 06:45 Jun 01, 2025
SUKKUR: Larkana sessions judge and in-charge of Anti-Terrorism Court survived attack by a gang of highwaymen who opened fire on his car and his security detail following him in police mobile van on Khairpur-Larkana road late on Friday night. A police constable, Maqbool Sheikh, died and his colleagues, Iqbal Baloch and Safeer Ahmed Kehar, suffered gunshot wounds in the attack that took place within the jurisdiction of Tando Masti police station in Khairpur district. Police officials said the judge, Samkan Ahmed Mughal, and his security squad came under fire from the armed dacoits but the judge remained unharmed in the attack. The judge was on his way to Larkana last night after attending an event at the Sindh High Court’s Sukkur bench, they said. They said that the armed highwaymen were standing by the road within the limits of Tando Masti police station when they signaled the judge’s convoy to stop. In reply to media persons’ questions if it was a targeted attack on the judge and linked to some cases he was h... -
Dawn - 06:06 Jun 01, 2025
Elon Musk on Saturday denied a report that he used ketamine and other drugs extensively last year on the 2024 campaign trail. The New York Times reported on Friday that the billionaire adviser to United States President Donald Trump used so much ketamine, a powerful anaesthetic, that he developed bladder problems. The newspaper said the world’s richest person also took ecstasy and mushrooms and travelled with a pill box last year, adding that it was not known whether Musk also took drugs while heading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after Trump took power in January. In a post on Saturday on X, Musk said: “To be clear, I am NOT taking drugs! The New York Times was lying their ass off.” He added: “I tried ‘prescription’ ketamine a few years ago and said so on X, so this not even news. It helps for getting out of dark mental holes, but haven’t taken it since then.” Musk first dodged a question about his drug use at a bizarre farewell appearance on Friday with Trump in the Oval Office in... -
Dawn - 05:22 Jun 01, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to ramp up operations against foreign nationals unlawfully residing in Pakistan, a month after the expiry of a deadline set for around 44,000 Afghan nationals approved for relocation to a third country. The decision was taken at the third meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee and Harden the State Committee held here under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday. The government had already announced it would deport thousands of Afghan refugees awaiting resettlement in the West if the prospective host countries didn’t relocate them by April 30. Tens of thousands of Afghans came to Pakistan fearing retribution after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US-led forces. An official told Dawn that so far 1.023 million Afghans had been repatriated. He said 135,865 had been repatriated in April and another 65,057 in May. On May 30 alone, 1,483 individuals had been repatriated. Naqvi asks all institu... -
Dawn - 05:11 Jun 01, 2025
GILGIT: Despite rain and winds in different parts of Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday, government schoolteachers continued to boycott classes and hold a protest sit-in for a sixth consecutive day to press the authorities for their one-point agenda of long overdue promotions. Academic activities at government schools across Gilgit-Baltistan have been suspended since last week, as thousands of teachers announced that they would call off their protest only when their single-point demand was fulfilled. For the past five days, teachers have organised demonstrations and rallies outside the education department offices in Hunza, Nagar, Astore, Skardu, Diamer, Ghanche, Shigar, Kharmang and Ghizer. On Friday, the protesting teachers from these districts marched towards Gilgit and joined the protest sit-in outside the Gilgit-Baltistan Directorate of Education in Gilgit, the regional headquarters, where the minister’s office is situated. Despite harsh weather conditions on Saturday, a number of male and female government te... -
Dawn - 02:37 Jun 01, 2025
KARACHI: Building on the success of its inaugural conference, DawnMedia on Saturday announced the ‘Second Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference’ to be held on April 15-16, 2026. The first edition of Breathe Pakistan sparked national dialogue and global collaboration around vital climate challenges — from climate justice and finance to renewable energy transitions, disaster risk reduction, and inclusive public-private partnerships. It emphasised the crucial roles of accountability, media engagement, and the empowerment of women and smallholder farmers in building climate resilience, according to a press release. Pakistan remains increasingly vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change, facing record-breaking heatwaves, destructive hail and windstorms, water scarcity, and extreme weather events that threaten lives, infrastructure, and livelihoods. As climate challenges intensify, DawnMedia continues to bring this critical issue to the forefront through the following ways. Raising ...
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