Dawn
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Dawn - 07:24 Jul 26, 2026
Iran passed another night without US airstrikes between Saturday and Sunday, as Washington paused a war nearing its fifth month and reports emerged that concerns over dwindling munitions were restraining plans for further escalation. The lull has revived hopes of a return to negotiations after nearly two weeks of consecutive nightly US bombardments, although US media reported the pause could also reflect pressure on stockpiles of Patriot interceptors and other defensive weapons. Fighting over the strategic Strait of Hormuz derailed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran, but the conflict then expanded beyond the vital energy corridor to include attacks on US bases, regional shipping and Gulf allies. However, US operations against Iran were “on a hold”, CNN reported, quoting an unidentified Pentagon source, even as US President Donald Trump threatened a “much higher level” of strikes on Friday. Plans to escalate the campaign have been shelved in part because of those shrinking supplies, The New York ... -
Dawn - 07:00 Jul 26, 2026
To a majority of people who do not support Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), its supporters and leaders appear largely irrational. This perception is driven by a narrative that posits that the words and actions of PTI supporters and party members frequently work against the long-term interests of their own leader and party. Whereas this assessment is rational, one can also contend that what the supporters of PTI say and do is not entirely devoid of rationality. Instead, they are actually demonstrating a flippant version of rationality. This is referred to as “rational irrationality.” Let me explain. According to the American economist Bryan Caplan, adhering to an inflexible and seemingly counterproductive stance yields high psychological rewards and solidifies a collective identity. By prioritising the disruption of the political status quo, PTI supporters and voters make a calculated trade-off. Their behaviour may seem irrational, but it remains entirely rational to the individuals themselves, bec... -
Dawn - 06:58 Jul 26, 2026
Security forces have so far killed 16 terrorists during the ongoing Operation Al-Azm in Balochistan, state media reported on Sunday, citing security forces. “Continuing intelligence-based operations under Operation Al-Azm against Fitna-al-Hindustan in Balochistan, security forces [have] killed 16 terrorists, destroyed multiple terrorist hideouts and recovered weapons and explosive materials,” state-run Pakistan TV reported. The government uses the term “Fitna al-Hindustan” for Balochistan-based groups to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. Operation Al-Azm was launched after a shooting on a Karachi-bound coach coming from Quetta claimed three lives and injured five others on Wednesday. It takes place as Balochistan continues to face security challenges, with the military saying on Wednesday that 10 terrorists had been killed and two suicide bombers and their facilitator had been apprehended during operations in Balochistan’s Mastung and Surab in a span of 48 hours.... -
Dawn - 06:32 Jul 26, 2026
WHILE the killing of suspected criminals in alleged encounters is not a new phenomenon, it is rare in Karachi for arrested suspects to be brought to raids to arrest their accomplices and for them to end up dead “by firing from their own accomplices”. Thursday’s killing of three suspects, who were arrested recently for murdering a doctor during a robbery in Clifton, in a “shoot-out” between police and their alleged accomplices gives rise to the impression that Sindh police are now gradually moving towards the Punjab Crime Control Department’s (CCD) style of “dispensing justice”, which has been quite infamous for such encounters. Dawn reached out to several top officials for comments, but they declined to go on record. However, in background conversations, they said this was partly due to “frustration with the criminal justice system” and partly to prevent “the entry of criminals from Punjab” into Sindh, particularly Karachi. They said several suspects had fled the CCD operations in Lahore and came to Karachi, ... -
Dawn - 06:12 Jul 26, 2026
• In Hyderabad rally, Khalid Maqbool says his party has not rowed back on its demand for separate province to be carved out from Sindh • Existing administrative system has failed to address governance needs of growing population, Kamal tells press conference in Karachi HYDERABAD / KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) intensified its campaign for the creation of new provinces on Saturday, as party chairman Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui led a rally in Hyderabad, while senior leader Mustafa Kamal held a press conference in Karachi to reiterate their demand for new administrative units across the country, including Sindh. The party argued that the existing administrative structure has failed to meet the governance and development needs of the country’s growing population, particularly in Sindh, and maintains that establishing new provinces is essential to ensuring better service delivery, equitable resource distribution and effective governance. However, two separate events highlighted increasing inte... -
Dawn - 05:32 Jul 26, 2026
PESHAWAR: Prof. Gul Rahim Khan has been awarded the prestigious Oriental Numismatic Society (ONS) Ashoka Prize 2025 in London for the best paper published in the journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society (JONS) during 2025. This distinguished international recognition celebrates his outstanding scholarly contribution through the research paper titled “Attribution of Coins to the Queens of the Utpala Dynasty of Medieval Kashmir (JONS 260).” Speaking to Dawn regarding the international recognition, Mr. Rahim Khan emphasised the broader historical weight of ancient coinage in understanding the region’s past. “Numismatics is not merely about studying old coins or rare metals; coins are metallic documents that offer authentic evidence where written chronicles fall silent,” Dr. Gul Rahim said. “Attributing these specific coins to the queens of the Utpala Dynasty helps us re-examine the socio-political status, governance and powerful agency of female rulers in medieval Kashmir, which has often been overlooked in co... -
Dawn - 05:32 Jul 26, 2026
BAJAUR: Two people were killed in a remote-controlled bomb explosion near Tali small dam in Salarzai tehsil of Bajaur tribal district on Saturday evening. According to police, unidentified persons had planted an improvised explosive device (IED) near the dam, falling in the limits of Salarzai police station. Local youth had gathered near the dam for refreshment when the IED exploded before sunset. Mansoor Khan, a spokesperson for district police, told Dawn that the victims were identified as Suleman Khan and Ghulam Khan, residents of Tali area, who were killed on the spot. He said that police rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area to collect evidence. “An investigation has been launched to determine the motive behind the blast and identify perpetrators,” he said. Another police official Israr Khan told Dawn that search operation was under way in the area to hunt down the perpetrators of the explosion. Locals told this correspondent that Suleman Khan was a teacher at Government High School Pashat, the m... -
Dawn - 05:11 Jul 26, 2026
WASHINGTON: Congressman Ro Khanna has endorsed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s call for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, saying the United States should cooperate with the international tribunal. “The American president should arrest Netanyahu or [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in accordance with international law,” Khanna, a Democratic lawmaker from California, told the MeidasTouch news network in a hallway interview on Capitol Hill. “America needs to cooperate with the ICC,” he said, adding that the issue was “a matter of human rights” as well as “a matter of a rules-based international order.” “If someone comes to our jurisdiction, [the president] should order the marshals to arrest them,” Khanna said. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024, accusing him of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. Israe... -
Dawn - 04:32 Jul 26, 2026
• Small exporters, manufacturers hit as inflows through hundi, hawala shrink sharply • Crypto investments divert billions of dollars from local market KARACHI: The country’s unaccounted foreign exchange inflows through the hundi and hawala network have declined sharply as the prolonged Gulf war disrupted Dubai’s informal trading business, hurting small exporters and domestic manufacturers. Sources in the financial sector said that hundreds of flights every year carried people with goods not registered in the official export lists to Dubai. These people are commonly known as “khapiya”. The Gulf war, which lasted about five months, crippled this business and also dealt a blow to the domestic manufacturing sector. “We have been preparing embroidery products for years, which were exported to the Dubai market. Now the market is closed and no buyers are available across the Gulf states,” said a manufacturer. He added that his factory is now producing only for the domestic market, which accounts for just 10 per cen... -
Dawn - 04:20 Jul 26, 2026
IT seems that the upcoming general election for the legislative assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and its aftermath will be critical both for the AJK, Pakistan and the broader region, unlike any other of the past 11 elections since 1970. First, the general election 2026 is taking place under the overhang of violent protests organised by the now defunct Joint Awami Action Committee. Although the ongoing agitation is the fourth wave of such protests, it seems to be the most violent and severe. A number of fatalities among both civilians and law-enforcement personnel is just one aspect of the crisis. Although the JAAC has now been declared unlawful under the anti-terrorism law and some of its leaders have been taken into police custody, and despite the fact that at least a part of the leadership adopted a very irresponsible and extremist posture, it is difficult to deny that the JAAC and its 38-point people-centric and anti-elite charter of demands attracted a large segment of the Kashmiri population including ... -
Dawn - 04:08 Jul 26, 2026
THE recent outcry by Maulana Fazlur Rehman regarding an unspecified state policy to raise private militias for local protection against terrorists has sparked controversy. Many have accused the maulana of disrespecting those who have sacrificed their lives to protect the homeland. However, the broader context of his remarks deserves scrutiny: why do states encourage local populations in conflict zones to stand up against violent actors? Take the example of Pakistan. Successive governments have used this tactic —from the then East Pakistan to Balochistan and KP. The core question, and perhaps the crux of the maulana’s argument, is why this policy has failed in most cases. Known for his sharp political timing, the maulana deliberately chose a platform near Lahore, the political heartland of Punjab, to ensure that his message reached key decision-makers. Yet, his objections to local state-backed civilian militias are far from isolated. Across KP and Balochistan, particularly in the southern districts, from Lakki... -
Dawn - 03:57 Jul 26, 2026
MERE hours after the US signed a landmark civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, American President Donald Trump sprang a surprise: the deal would only go through if the Saudis recognised Israel and signed the so-called Abraham Accords. While Riyadh has remained silent over the demand, media reports indicate that recognition of the Zionist state was not part of the negotiations, and is most likely a Trumpian addition to the deal. Saudi Arabia must join “the very respected and successful Abraham Accords”, Mr Trump said, championing his pet project dating back to his first term, when the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco officially recognised Israel. To ensure there was no ambiguity about Mr Trump’s announcement, the White House press secretary said “the deal is off” if the Saudis refused to join the Accords. The American leader has been pressing Saudi Arabia and other Muslim states, including Pakistan, for some time to recognise Israel. However, this remains a morally reprehensible proposition considering Tel Aviv’s gen... -
Dawn - 03:57 Jul 26, 2026
KARACHI: The State Bank is widely expected to keep its policy interest rate unchanged at its monetary policy meeting on Monday (July 27), as policymakers are unlikely to alter the benchmark rate amid heightened uncertainty following the Gulf war. Economists, researchers and analysts are still assessing the war’s impact on Pakistan, but there is broad agreement that it pushed global oil prices above $100 per barrel, affecting economies worldwide, including Pakistan. Analysts closely tracking the economy say it would be difficult to maintain macroeconomic stability with sluggish growth. They believe the State Bank is unlikely to risk undermining that stability by changing the policy rate. Despite the surge in global oil prices, which has intensified inflationary pressures, the government and the State Bank hope to keep average CPI inflation within the 7-8pc range in FY27. While some analysts question this outlook, most believe it will depend on developments in the region. The US strikes on Iran continued, while... -
Dawn - 03:36 Jul 26, 2026
QUETTA: Two people were injured after unidentified attackers opened fire on an ambulance carrying a body in the Darg tehsil of Balochistan’s Musakhel district, officials and local sources said on Saturday. According to sources, the two individuals sustained gunshot wounds in the attack and were shifted to a nearby hospital. Reports also suggested that the body being transported in the ambulance was hit by bullets during the firing. The incident triggered panic in the area, while local authorities launched an investigation into the attack. Preliminary information indicated that the shooting may have stemmed from a longstanding personal feud, although officials have not confirmed the motive. The Musakhel district administration is conducting further investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible. Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2026 -
Dawn - 03:28 Jul 26, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Saturday criticised the government for continuously increasing fuel prices while simultaneously allowing a Rs1.8 billion special allowance package for top bureaucrats who already receive free fuel. PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said ordinary Pakistanis were subjected to a six-day petroleum monsoon that drove petrol to Rs335.18 and diesel to Rs383.46 per litre. He observed that the rulers have perfected a dual system: free fuel and luxuries for the elite, and daily fuel bombs for the public. Agriculture, transport and industry are being systematically executed under the excuse of international markets. “PTI demands the immediate rollback of the six-day cumulative hike; a sharp cut in the Rs80 per litre petroleum levy and the overall Rs1.7 trillion levy target; and the complete scrap of the disastrous daily pricing mechanism,” Mr Akram said. He added that Rs1.8 billion bureaucratic bonus should be cancelled. On the agricultural front, Mr Akram called the government’s sudde... -
Dawn - 03:04 Jul 26, 2026
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa receives UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at presidential palace.—AFP • Guterres pledges support for Syria’s reconstruction; backs Syria’s request for EU support; calls situation in Golan Heights ‘totally unacceptable’ • Damascus demands Israeli withdrawal from ‘buffer zone’ DAMASCUS: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres pledged help for Syrian reconstruction on Saturday during the first visit to Damascus by a serving United Nations chief since 2009, before the start of a civil war that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa received Guterres at the presidential palace in Damascus, state news agency SANA said, without providing further details. “No country emerges from a very severe conflict and rebuilds itself on its own,” Guterres said after the talks with Sharaa at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. “We must help Syria in its determination and resolve to do so,” Guterres added. Shaibani rei... -
Dawn - 03:01 Jul 26, 2026
LAHORE: While a vast area of Punjab, covering nearly 400 square kilometres, has come under water following ongoing torrential rains and the overflow of several drains carrying water far beyond their designed capacity, the Chenab and Ravi rivers are expected to reach medium to high flood levels over the next 24 hours. The warning at a time when the flooding has already caused widespread damage to standing crops, livestock and infrastructure prompted district administrations in several areas to expedite flood-response measures, including the establishment of relief camps. “The situation is very alarming this time, as a vast area of around 400sq-kms has come under water in Sheikhupura, Muridke, Gujranwala, Narowal, Sambrial and Pasrur, which fall within the Lahore and Gujranwala divisions,” a senior official of the Punjab irrigation department told Dawn on Saturday. “The current situation resembles an inland sea because of the vast expanse of floodwater,” the official added, requesting anonymity. Floodwaters swa... -
Dawn - 02:59 Jul 26, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A sub-committee of the federal cabinet, headed by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, has approved the prices of 52 life-saving drugs, prompting Health Minister Mustafa Kamal to say that patients would finally have access to cheaper and better-quality medicines. “However, the approval is subject to the final approval of the federal cabinet,” Mr Kamal said while speaking to Dawn on Saturday. The sub-committee, headed by Mr Aurangzeb, has five members, including the health minister. Replying to a question, Mr Kamal said that there were two categories under which medicine prices could be increased. “The first category is hardship [under which prices are increased when production becomes unviable due to rising production costs], and the second category is only the fixation of prices for new molecules. “All 52 medicines were placed under the price-fixation category,” he said. The federal health minister said that the majority of the molecules were either new to the market or alternatives to some of th... -
Dawn - 02:53 Jul 26, 2026
LAHORE: At least seven people, including two children, were killed and 20 others injured in rain-related incidents across Punjab during the last 24 hours, while downpour also damaged houses and killed livestock, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority. The PDMA report, available with Dawn, said 14 rain-related incidents were reported across the province up to 2pm on Saturday. These included deaths caused by structural collapses and drowning, injuries from roof collapses and electrocution, the collapse of seven house roofs, and the death of five buffaloes. In Lahore, three people, including a man, a woman and a child, died, while five others were injured in four separate roof-collapse incidents in Bobby Plaza, Garhi Shahu Railway Colony, Saggian Pind and Kahna. Two people, including a man and a child, were killed and three others, including a woman and two children, were injured when the roof of a house collapsed near Adda Dhing Shah on Depalpur Road in Kasur. A woman died after the roof of a... -
Dawn - 02:40 Jul 26, 2026
• Maryam shares video of green buses reaching AJK • PPP alleges code of conduct violations by rivals • Election commissioner warns against new schemes, reviews election preparations • 2,316 polling stations set up across division • MQM-P withdraws candidates in PML-N’s favour MUZAFFARABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its coalition partner at the Centre, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), are set to face off in the Mirpur Division elections on Monday, as electioneering ended at midnight amid allegations of pre-poll rigging by the PPP and a warning from the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Election Commission that no individual or institution would be allowed to violate the election code of conduct. The Election Commission on Saturday reiterated that no individual or institution would be allowed to violate the election code of conduct, amid a controversy over development promises made during the election campaign. Although the commission’s statement did not name any individual or political party, it...
12682 items