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Dawn - 02:47 May 14, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said a nuclear war was never an option for the government during last week’s escalation with India. The deputy prime minister, in an interview with CNN, said Pakistan had no choice but to launch strikes in self-defence following cross-border strikes by India on May 7. Terming India’s strikes “war and a wishful attempt to establish its hegemony in Kashmir,” Mr Dar said Pakistan was “very sure that our conventional capacity and capabilities are strong enough” to beat Indian ground and air forces. Deputy PM Dar said there was no direct contact between Indian and Pakistani officials before US intervention, contradicting a previous assertion made by India that Pakistan’s director general of military operations contacted his counterpart with an offer for talks. When asked how the ceasefire deal was reached, the foreign minister said Pakistan’s “counter-escalation” brought world powers into the picture. After Pakistan’s strikes on May 10, Mr ... -
Dawn - 02:39 May 14, 2025
ISLAMABAD: With tensions between India and Pakistan already at a boiling point, both countries on Tuesday expelled officials from each other’s high commissions after accusing them of espionage — further straining diplomatic ties in the wake of recent border hostilities. The diplomatic tit-for-tat began with India declaring a Pakistani official posted at its High Commission in New Delhi persona non grata, accusing him of engaging in activities “not in keeping with his official status”. The official was ordered to leave the country within 24 hours, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a brief statement. India’s move followed the arrest of two individuals in Indian Punjab on Sunday, who were allegedly involved in leaking sensitive military information to a purported Pakistani handler. According to Punjab Police, one of the suspects had been passing details about Indian Army movements, reportedly under the direction of an official linked to the Pakistani mission in Delhi. The chargé d’affaires of the Pakistan... -
Dawn - 17:22 May 13, 2025
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday promised billions of dollars in deals with the United States, from defence to artificial intelligence, as it threw a lavish welcome for President Donald Trump on the first state visit of his second term. The Saudis escorted Air Force One into the kingdom with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching guards of honour and sending flag-waving cavalry to accompany Trump’s motorcade to the palace. Under imposing chandeliers, Trump welcomed a promise by Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for $600 billion in investment and quipped that it should be $1 trillion. “We have the biggest business leaders in the world here today, and they’re going to walk away with a lot of cheques,” Trump told the prince. For “the United States, it’s probably two million jobs that we’re talking about”, Trump said. The White House said that Saudi Arabia would buy nearly $142bn in weapons in what it described as the largest-ever weapons deal, although Trump in his first term trum... -
Dawn - 17:05 May 13, 2025
In a rare public appearance, former prime minister Imran Khan’s sons — Suleman Khan (28) and Qasim Khan (26) — called attention to their father’s incarceration. Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a sentence at the Adiala Jail in the £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023, protests. This is the first time the two have publicly talked about their father’s incarceration. They were allowed by a court in November 2023 to contact him every week, but these talks, according to them, have not always been facilitated. In an interview with X influencer Mario Nawfal on why they chose to speak out now, Qasim said: “We’ve gone through the legal routes. We’ve gone through every route that we thought would potentially get him out. We never thought he would be in there a fraction of how long he’s been in there. And it’s only getting worse. And, so, we’ve somewhat run out of those options. And now we’ve decided the only route of taking act... -
Dawn - 15:48 May 13, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for measures to broaden the tax net, directing the authorities to take strict action against individuals and sectors involved in tax evasion. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) missed its collection target by nearly Rs831 billion in the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, mainly due to a decline in import volume and lower-than-expected inflation, which hit sales tax collections. The tax body collected Rs 2.299 trillion in July-April FY25 against the budgetary target of Rs 10.130tr. On monthly terms, it collected Rs846bn in April against the target of Rs963bn, which indicates a gap of Rs117bn. The prime minister, chairing a review meeting on broadening the tax base and increasing tax revenue, said that the individuals and sectors capable of paying taxes must be brought into the tax net. He also instructed the stringent accountability of officers and personnel assisting the tax evaders, according to a statement by the PM Office. The meeting was informed th... -
Dawn - 12:51 May 13, 2025
PTI MNA Junaid Akbar on Tuesday said he had handed over his resignation as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to the party. The development came after it emerged that PTI founding chairman Imran Khan had directed Akbar to resign from the position and focus on provincial matters. In a video statement issued today, Akbar confirmed that he had handed over his resignation to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, saying that he readily accepted the decision of the party and Imran. “Whatever the decision of the party and the decision of Imran Khan, I will not think for a moment and will readily accept it,” he said. Akbar said the position was a responsibility given by the party and he would accept any decision by the PTI founder, including handing over the party presidency or resignation from the assembly. PTI’s central information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, had confirmed to Dawn, that Akbar would step down as PAC chairman. He said Imran had conveyed the message through his sister Aleema Khan d... -
Dawn - 11:36 May 13, 2025
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur on Tuesday vowed that the provincial government will make education a “top priority” in the upcoming budget and allocate more resources towards the sector, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. The chief minister’s concerns follow in the wake of the unexpected textbook shortage in the province which has disrupted classes, high dropout rates, and Pakistan’s “low” ranking in the District Education Performance Index Report 2020-23. “Presiding over a meeting in Peshawar, he directed measures to enhance teachers’ capacity, ensure 100 per cent merit in new recruitments, and establish schools in rented buildings in areas where they are urgently needed,” the report said. During the meeting, it was decided that comprehensive and multi-faceted measures would be taken to increase student enrollment in schools. In this regard, schemes would be included in the upcoming budget to support various activities. “Gandapur expressed concern that in some districts, the rate of out-... -
Dawn - 11:16 May 13, 2025
Pakistani all-rounder Shoaib Malik announced his resignation from the role of Domestic Cricket Mentor today through a social media post on X. He submitted his formal resignation to the Pakistan Cricket Board two weeks ago, saying he believed it was “time to move on” to ensure fairness and pay attention to multiple personal and professional responsibilities in his life. “This was not an easy choice, but after reflecting on my commitments, I realised that juggling multiple responsibilities would prevent me from giving my best — both to Pakistan cricket and to my other professional and personal priorities,” he wrote in his post. The former skipper added he would continue to serve the role according to his contractual obligations, giving PCB enough time to appoint a new mentor for the next season. Malik also expressed immense gratitude to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB executive team, his former teammate and director of Champions Events Wahab Riaz, the coaching staff at Stallion, and the players who “entruste... -
Dawn - 10:58 May 13, 2025
Bulls maintained a hold of the trading floor at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday as shares gained over 1,000 points, continuing their upward momentum following de-escalation between India and Pakistan. The KSE-100 index opened with a gain of 2,769 points to stand at 120,067.12 points from the previous close of 117,297.73 at 9:30am. By 3pm, the index stood at 118,605.98 points, up 1.12 per cent. Bullish momentum witnessed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange — PSX data portal Finally, the index closed at 118,575.88 points, up 1.09pc or 1278.15 points compared to yesterday. A day earlier, the PSX gained a record 9pc, with the market mirroring the restored calm in the region after the Pakistan-India ceasefire. The development, announced by US President Donald Trump on Saturday, followed four days of tit-for-tat strikes between the nuclear-armed neighbours, as well as diplomacy and pressure from Washington. Commenting on today’s surge, Awais Ashraf, director of research at AKD Securities said: “Investor sen... -
Dawn - 10:48 May 13, 2025
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the former New Zealand cricketer Mike Hesson as the new white-ball (ODIs and T20 Internationals) head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, according to a press release issued by PCB. The role was left vacant by Gary Kirsten, who resigned just seven months into the job on October 29 following differences with the PCB. Last year, Aaqib Javed was temporarily handed the responsibility as Pakistan’s white-ball head coach until next year’s ICC Champions Trophy. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi took to X to welcome the new coach, saying “After evaluation of numerous applications received against the vacancy, I’m pleased to announce that former New Zealand cricketer and renowned coach, Mike Hesson, will join us as the new White-ball Head Coach for the Pakistan National Team,” adding that he will join from May 26. “We look forward to his expertise and guidance in shaping the future of Pakistani cricket,” added Naqvi. Mike Hesson, who is the current head coach of Islamabad ... -
Dawn - 09:13 May 13, 2025
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the election for the vacant general seat from Punjab in Senate on May 29. The seat fell vacant following the demise of Senator Professor Sajid Mir on May 3, 2025, Associated Press of Pakistan reported. According to a notification by the provincial election commissioner, the nomination papers may be filed on May 14 and 15 for the election that will be held at the Punjab Assembly. The names of the nominated candidates will be published on May 16. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on May 17 while appeals against their acceptance or rejection will be filed on May 20. The appeals will be disposed of on May 22. The revised list of candidates will be published on May 23, while the candidature may be withdrawn by May 24. The polling will be held at the Punjab Assembly chambers between 9am to 4pm. The nomination papers may be received from the Punjab ECP office on 10-Court Street in Lahore during the office hours. Notable religious and political ... -
Dawn - 08:04 May 13, 2025
At least 11 soldiers were martyred and 78 wounded while defending Pakistan against India’s “unprovoked and reprehensible dastardly attacks” during the recent escalation between the neighbours, said the military’s media wing in a statement on Tuesday. The military confrontation between India and Pakistan came as the former blamed Islamabad for the Pahalgam attack. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of air strikes on Pakistan under the banner of Operation Sindoor, resulting in civilian casualties. Both sides then exchanged missiles, which stretched over the week. It took American intervention for both sides to finally drop their guns. On Saturday, when tensions between the two countries peaked, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached between India and Pakistan. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), 40 civilians — including seven women and 15 children — lost their lives in the Indian aggression, and 121 others sustained injuries. The martyrs from... -
Dawn - 07:49 May 13, 2025
An assailant opened fire at a school van injuring six people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Battagram district, police said on Tuesday. Battagram police spokesperson Gul Nabi told Dawn.com that the school van was coming from the Pirwahari area when it was attacked. “Five students and the van driver were injured in the incident,” he added. The injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Battagram, he continued, adding that one person, who was in critical condition, was referred to the Ayub Medical Complex Abbottabad. “A first information report [FIR] was lodged and efforts to arrest the suspect were underway,” Nabi added. According to Kuzabanda Station House Officer (SHO) Amjid Khan, the suspect’s motive behind the incident was “personal vendetta” against the van driver. “The shooter opened fire, recklessly endangering the lives of the children onboard,” he said. The president of the Private Education Network (PEN) Battagram chapter, Syed Raqib Shah, condemned the incident and characterised it as an “a... -
Dawn - 06:09 May 13, 2025
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday announced that the remaining eight matches of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) — postponed due to the conflict with India — would resume from May 17, with the final scheduled for May 25. The PSL was first moved to the UAE and subsequently postponed after an Indian drone crashed close to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium last week. In a post on X today, Naqvi stated that the league will pick up from where it left. “Let the aura take over as we unite and celebrate the spirit of cricket,” he wrote. Earlier, it was reported that the six PSL franchises have reached out to players, who were flown from the country on a charter flight over the weekend as the cross-border skirmishes with India intensified last week, to return after a ceasefire agreement was reached. “The franchises are in negotiations with their foreign players regarding the tentative dates of May 17 to 25 with Rawalpindi proposed to be the venue for the remaining matches,” sources tol... -
Dawn - 04:33 May 13, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The government is finalising a plan to introduce a subsidised housing scheme for the lower-income class and mortgage facilities for the middle class with the involvement of commercial banks, starting with government-sponsored 200,000 low-cost housing units. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to formally announce the scheme to revive the housing and construction sector, which is passing through challenging times along with purportedly 72 associated industries, an informed source told Dawn. The sources said the government would initially provide about 200,000 low-cost 3-5 marla housing units after their construction in the public sector at 50pc subsidy on financing and then expand it. A draft plan was shared with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and commercial banks on Monday. A meeting on affordable housing finance schemes was presided over by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday to address the critical challenges faced in long-term housing finance and explore viable policy models for low-... -
Dawn - 04:26 May 13, 2025
• Resolution adopted unanimously praises forces for ‘befitting response’ to Indian hostility • House apprised of govt’s five-year privatisation plan ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution commending the armed forces for giving a befitting response to the Indian aggression last week before US President Trump announced that a “full and immediate ceasefire” was reached between the two countries. The resolution in the National Assembly, moved by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, said the long-term stability in South Asia can only be achieved through “sincere and structured negotiations”. Reiterating Pakistan’s pledge to regional and global peace with dignity and honour, the resolution underscored that “democracies are committed to dialogue not conflict”. It urged the authorities to actively engage the international community to resolve the issue of Indian occupied Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of locals and the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolu... -
Dawn - 04:09 May 13, 2025
GENEVA: Countries are meeting at the United Nations on Monday to revive efforts to regulate the kinds of AI-controlled autonomous weapons increasingly used in modern warfare, as experts warn time is running out to put guardrails on new lethal technology. Autonomous and artificial intelligence-assisted weapons systems are already playing a greater role in conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza. And rising defence spending worldwide promises to provide a further boost for burgeoning AI-assisted military technology. Progress towards establishing global rules governing their development and use, however, has not kept pace. And internationally binding standards remain virtually non-existent. Since 2014, countries that are part of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) have been meeting in Geneva to discuss a potential ban fully autonomous systems that operate without meaningful human control and regulate others. Autonomous and AI-assisted weapons systems are playing a bigger role in conflicts UN Secretary-General An... -
Dawn - 04:04 May 13, 2025
NEW DELHI: Indian anchor Arnab Goswami was reporting the decimation of Pakistan when suddenly, out of the blue, the ceasefire was announced. His colleagues from various pro-Modi TV channels were reporting about a “regime change” in Pakistan when not mentioning the firing of Russian-made Brahmos missiles into densely populated parts of Karachi. Their audiences were beginning to doubt the ravings but had nowhere to verify the facts. Practically every foreign channel or newspaper was made inaccessible in India by overt or covert means. “Who authorised President Trump to intervene?” Goswami was frothing at the mouth. In his dream world, there couldn’t be Pakistani pilots outfoxing their Indian counterparts, or Pakistan having better planes. The political leadership has usually been defended by its TV channels. That nexus could be coming to a head. The brunt of the attack, however, was borne not by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who would have been the obvious interlocutor with President Trump. Mr Modi’s ... -
Dawn - 02:55 May 13, 2025
BEIRUT: Half a million people in the Gaza Strip face starvation, a global hunger monitor said on Monday, warning the Israeli-blockaded enclave faces a high risk of famine by the end of September. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report cited a significant deterioration since October. It forecast that 2.1 million people across Gaza — roughly the entire population — will likely experience high levels of acute food insecurity, with 469,500 projected at “catastrophic” levels — the most severe stage. The previous IPC analysis in October found 133,000 people in that category. Israel sealed off Gaza in early March when it resumed military action against Hamas after a ceasefire collapsed. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said the IPC had “constantly talked about famine; famine has never happened because of Israel’s efforts to get more aid in.” He blamed Hamas for causing hunger by allegedly stealing aid. Hamas denies this, accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon. Warns half ... -
Dawn - 02:50 May 13, 2025
• Death toll from unprovoked shelling across LoC jumps to 32 • Educational institutions to reopen today • AJK premier hails army’s response as president wants immediate relief for affected families MUZAFFARABAD: Indian troops violated the ceasefire agreement late Sunday night by resorting to ‘unprovoked’ shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in the death of a young man in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), officials said on Monday. According to Sardar Waheed Khan, Director General of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), Indian forces targeted several villages in the Nakyal sector of southern Kotli district shortly after 11pm, using both small and heavy arms during a 40-minute barrage. In Bari Dhara Mathrani, one of the affected villages, 32-year-old Muhammad Shahid, son of Muhammad Taj, sustained critical abdominal injuries when shrapnel from a mortar shell struck him. He was initially treated at the THQ Hospital in Nakyal and later referred to the DHQ Hospital in Kotli, where he succumbe...
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