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Dawn - 18:50 Jul 15, 2026
Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal bin Saqib has asked Jamia Darul Uloom to draw a distinction between speculative cryptocurrencies and asset-backed digital tokens, its chief said on Wednesday. The crypto czar told Reuters he had asked for the clarification after the seminary ruled last month that crypto-based purchases were not permissible under Islamic law. The religious decree, or fatwa, has cast doubt on the government’s rapid embrace of cryptocurrency in Pakistan, which has long ranked among the world’s largest crypto markets by retail activity. Mufti Taqi Usmani and six others had declared purchasing goods with cryptocurrency “impermissible” in a fatwa (religious decree) issued on June 10. It described cryptocurrency as “merely the recording of fictitious numbers in an account”. Saqib said the regulator is in discussions with the seminary to assess digital assets by category, not as a single class. “The central question the fatwa raises is whether a digital asset constit... -
Dawn - 18:37 Jul 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis residing abroad who hold an invalid, expired or cancelled National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) will no longer be allowed to board flights to Pakistan, official sources said on Wednesday. According to official sources, the government has issued immediate directives to all zonal directors of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to convey the decision to every airline operating inbound flights to Pakistan. A government official told Dawn that the practice of allowing travel on invalid NICOPs had been going on for a long time and that it had been decided to stop it with immediate effect. “Airlines should be instructed to verify the validity of NICOPs prior to boarding and refuse carriage to any passenger presenting an invalid, expired or cancelled NICOP,” the official said. He added that passengers travelling on a foreign passport with an expired or otherwise invalid NICOP would not be allowed to board flights to Pakistan unless they held a valid Pakistani visa. The offic... -
Dawn - 18:16 Jul 15, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to Shanghai from July 16-17 to attend the signing ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement on Wednesday. According to the FO, Dar will travel with a delegation at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The deputy prime minister will attend the signing ceremony and sign the agreement on behalf of Pakistan as a founding member. “He will also participate in the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance on 17 July 2026,” the FO added. On the sidelines of the conference, Dar will hold a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, as well as meetings with other officials to discuss matters of mutual interest. “During his engagements, the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister will share Pakistan’s perspective on strengthening international cooperation in artificial int... -
Dawn - 18:08 Jul 15, 2026
BANNU: At least five people, including a police official, were injured on Wednesday after terrorists attacked a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, triggering heavy retaliatory fire from security personnel. Bannu District Police Officer Captain (retd) Muhammad Furqan Bilal confirmed the incident, while the administration of the local hospital confirmed the casualties. According to reports, the attackers attempted to ram a vehicle loaded with explosives into Miryan Police Station, triggering a powerful blast. Police sources said that after the blast, a heavy exchange of fire continued for a considerable time between the terrorists and police personnel, while security was further tightened in the area. Additional police contingents reached the site, while members of the Police Peace Committee also arrived at the scene, the sources added. Reports said the sound of the explosion was heard from a considerable distance. The blast also damaged the police station building and nearby residential are... -
Dawn - 18:05 Jul 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday ruled that earlier Supreme Court (SC) and Islamabad High Court (IHC) decisions that led to the demolition of Monal Restaurant and other commercial establishments within Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) constituted an exceptional transgression of judicial power, resulting in a “grave miscarriage of justice”. The SC had ordered the closure of Monal and the adjacent La Montana restaurant on August 21, 2024, and they were closed the next month to protect the park’s biodiversity. In a short order, a three-member FCC bench headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi accepted the review petitions filed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), challenging the SC’s Aug 21, 2024 directive. In that order, it was held that any lease, license, allotment, or permission granted for restaurant operations within the protected MHNP was contrary to the Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation and Management) Or... -
Dawn - 17:53 Jul 15, 2026
As Europe’s railways buckle under record heat, roads melt and power grids strain, countries are turning to an array of fixes for ageing infrastructure, from drones inspecting tracks and AI-powered sensors to a surprisingly simple tool: white paint. At Norway’s Oslo airport on Wednesday, with temperatures set to hit 30 degrees Celsius, 10℃ above normal for the time of year, workers doused the tarmac with water to keep it cool. It’s a marked shift in a country more used to coping with the cold that reflects how Europe is having to adapt to rising temperatures that are stoking wildfires, causing thousands of excess deaths and putting infrastructure under growing pressure. “In Norway, the asphalt must withstand both extreme cold and fairly warm temperatures,” said Jrn Arvid Remark, operating engineer at Norwegian state-owned airport operator Avinor, adding the airport was testing a new heat-resistant asphalt. The fire brigade sprays around 9,000 litres of water on key parts of the runway, which can get damaged at... -
Dawn - 17:37 Jul 15, 2026
BANNU: At least four people, including a police official, were injured on Wednesday after terrorists attacked a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, triggering a heavy exchange of fire with security personnel. Bannu District Police Officer Captain (retd) Muhammad Furqan Bilal confirmed the incident, while the administration of the local hospital confirmed the casualties. According to reports, the attackers attempted to ram a vehicle loaded with explosives into Miryan Police Station, triggering a powerful blast. Police sources said that after the blast, a heavy exchange of fire continued for a considerable time between the terrorists and police personnel, while security was further tightened in the area. Additional police contingents reached the site, while members of the Police Peace Committee also arrived at the scene, the sources added. Reports said the sound of the explosion was heard from a considerable distance. The blast also damaged the police station building and nearby residential a... -
Dawn - 17:20 Jul 15, 2026
The Italian Supreme Court on Wednesday delivered its final verdict in the case of a young woman killed five years ago for refusing an arranged marriage, making final the murder convictions of five of her relatives, Italy’s leading news agency ANSA reported. Saman Abbas, an 18-year-old girl of Pakistani origin living in Italy, was murdered by her family in Italy’s Novellara in the spring of 2021 for refusing an arranged marriage in Pakistan. The Supreme Court of Cassation — Italy’s highest court of appeal — upheld the murder convictions and life sentences of Abbas’ parents, Shabbar Abbas and Nazia Shaheen, as well as her cousins Ijaz Ikram and Nomanul Haq, and also upheld the 22-year prison sentence of her uncle, Danish Hasnain, according to ANSA. Abbas had in 2020 rebelled against her family’s plan to marry her to a cousin in Pakistan. While still a minor, she sought help from social services and was moved to a shelter home in November. She also reported her parents to the police, but returned to them on Apri... -
Dawn - 16:41 Jul 15, 2026
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Wednesday a revamped format for the men’s 2027 one-day international World Cup that could lead to an additional fixture between arch-rivals Pakistan and India. While next year’s edition in southern Africa remains a 14-team competition, the three lowest-ranked qualifiers will now take part in a preliminary round with just one of them progressing to a 12-strong main group stage. That will now feature just two pools of six, with a new ‘super seven’ stage replacing the previous ‘super six’ round-robin. Significantly, there will be no quarter-finals with the tournament denied the further jeopardy and interest that comes with an extra round of clear-cut knockout matches. An additional team in the round-robin phase, however, increases the prospects of an extra match between India and Pakistan. The passion for cricket in the sub-continent, which in turn generates huge broadcast rights and commercial revenues for the ICC, makes a match between India and Pakistan the... -
Dawn - 16:17 Jul 15, 2026
India and Britain’s trade pact took effect on Wednesday, cutting tariffs on thousands of goods and expanding market access for services, firms and professionals in both countries. The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement gives Indian exporters duty-free access to most British tariff lines, benefiting sectors such as textiles, leather, footwear, marine products, gems and jewellery and processed foods. Britain, meanwhile, gains greater access to one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies through phased tariff cuts and quotas for sectors such as automobiles and silver, as well as openings in procurement, financial services, education, insurance and professional services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X that the trade pact and accompanying social security agreement would deepen economic ties and give “fresh momentum” to India’s farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses. India exported $13.44 billion of goods to Britain and imported $11.68 billion in the 2025-26 fiscal yea... -
Dawn - 16:11 Jul 15, 2026
State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry on Wednesday said authorities were stepping up security around the Saindak copper and gold mine in Balochistan after supply routes were disrupted in the region by terrorists, and the mine’s operator denied a report that the project could be forced to shut down. The development comes as kinetic operations in the province are being carried out under Operation Shaban, a high-intensity counterterrorism and counterinsurgency campaign launched by Pakistan’s security forces following multiple high-casualty and high-profile terrorist attacks in Balochistan. Chaudhry said Islamabad had received the mine operator’s security concerns in early July and ordered agencies to increase deployment around its installations, personnel and cargo. “We have directed the provincial authorities and all concerned security agencies to beef up deployment for all of their installations, personnel, logistics and transportation,” Chaudhry told Reuters. “It is our priority to safeguard all project... -
Dawn - 15:10 Jul 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday formally appointed the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the financial and transaction adviser for the outsourcing of Islamabad International Airport’s operations. Last week, the Privatisation Commission Board reviewed the terms of a transaction advisory services agreement (TASA) with the lender and gave its approval. The TASA was signed by Privatisation Commission Director General Shahid Dayo and ADB Country Director Emma Fan, an official announcement said. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation and Privatisation Commission Chairman Muhammad Ali, Privatisation Commission Secretary Usman Akhtar Bajwa, Privatisation Division Secretary Hammad Shamimi and ADB Deputy Country Director Syed Hussain Haider witnessed the signing. Under the agreement, ADB would provide comprehensive transaction advisory services, including technical, financial, legal, environmental and commercial expertise, to support the structuring and implementation of the transaction in accordance with intern... -
Dawn - 14:16 Jul 15, 2026
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Home Secretary Chaudhry Guftar Hussain said on Wednesday that the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had carried out coordinated campaigns using “baseless claims and propaganda” to incite people against the state. Hussain, addressing the media, stated that the banned organisation had resorted to using women and children as “human shields” after its leaders showed indifference towards the party and failed to uphold their promises. The home secretary said the actions of the JAAC were not only unethical but also violated “Kashmiri values”. “Distracting students from their education means playing with their futures.” JAAC promoted anti-state narratives, antagonised people against the Pakistan Army, attempted to damage Pakistan and AJK’s historical relationship, restricted people’s movement by blocking roads and disrupted the lives of ordinary citizens, the home secretary added. “All these actions prove that JAAC’s actual purpose is not to protect the rights of the people but to ... -
Dawn - 13:16 Jul 15, 2026
LAHORE: The Lahore district administration sealed a private water park in Batapur on Monday after a nine-year-old girl allegedly got stuck in a drainage pipe and died due to the alleged negligence of park officials, it emerged on Wednesday. Batapur police arrested three officials of Sozo Water Park after registering a criminal case against them. The incident occurred on Monday, when the park administration allegedly began draining a swimming pool without first evacuating the children who were still swimming in it. Police said the powerful suction created by a high-capacity drainage pump pulled the nine-year-old girl into the pool’s drainage pipe, where she became trapped. Rescue teams searched for the child for around 40-50 minutes before she was found stuck inside the drainage pipe. She could not be revived. Following the incident, the district administration immediately sealed the water park and suspended all activities. A district administration spokesperson said the facility had been sealed on the day of ... -
Dawn - 12:20 Jul 15, 2026
On a Saturday evening this month, an 11-year-old girl left her home for a friend’s birthday party in a small town in eastern India. She never returned. She was kidnapped, raped, bundled into a sack and thrown into a pond by a gang of men while still alive, according to a local investigating police officer. A health and physical education textbook of an 11-year-old girl who was raped and killed last week, is kept inside her parents’ house in a town near Kolkata, West Bengal, India on July 11, 2026. —Reuters/File The assault was the latest example of the brutal sexual violence that is endemic across India, with over 80 rapes reported to police every day, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau. Many more assaults go unreported because of victim blaming and shaming, activists say. Deep-seated patriarchy and misogyny, understaffed police forces and severe judicial delays contribute to many perpetrators believing they can escape punishment for assaulting women. That sense of impunity feeds into th... -
Dawn - 12:05 Jul 15, 2026
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark index snapped a two-day losing streak on Wednesday, gaining more than 1,700 points to settle above the 175,000 mark. The KSE-100 index rose by 1,766.97 points (1.02 per cent) over the course of the day after a volatile session. It closed at 175,285.78 points, up from its previous close of 173,518.81. The index started with a steep rise, hitting its intraday high of 176,701.38 points at 10:02am — 3182.57 points up from the previous close. By 10:14am, it came down a little but was still up 2,664.88 points. It then reversed its initial gains, with the index up 1,091.77 points at 12:54pm. It stayed well above the previous close, however, hovering above the 174,000 mark between 12:30pm and 2pm, before rising steadily to settle above 175,000 points by the market’s close. Mettis Global, a web-based financial portal, said the KSE-100 index was rebounding from the previous session’s steep losses as investors engaged in value buying after heavy selloffs. Awais Ashraf, direc... -
Dawn - 11:53 Jul 15, 2026
PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Wednesday that the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) since last month was “very concerning”, and the longer it persisted, the more harm would be caused to the Kashmir cause and Pakistan’s reputation. Bilawal expressed these views while addressing his party’s office bearers and ticket holders in AJK, where he arrived on Tuesday for an unscheduled visit ahead of July 27 elections in the region. AJK has been seized by protests and deadly clashes between law enforcers and protesters from the recently proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) ahead of the polls. The matter at the centre of the tensions is JAAC’s demand for the abolition of 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly that are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. Addressing his party’s workers against this backdrop, Bilawal said, “If someone uses inappropriate language against Kashmiris, we will be heartbroken.” He added... -
Dawn - 11:47 Jul 15, 2026
LAHORE: A sessions court on Wednesday issued a notice to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on a petition seeking the registration of a case against Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for allegedly making a controversial statement about security personnel. Fazl made the statement during a recent party rally in Punjab’s Kasur, where he spoke about the security situation and terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. In this context, he referred to the frequent mention of soldiers’ martyrdom, adding that security personnel were drawing salaries to fight for the country. The petition, filed by citizen Mohammad Waqar, was heard by Additional District and Sessions Judge Malik Latif. Advocate Mudassar Chaudhry, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, submitted that his client had watched a speech by the JUI-F chief on social media in which he allegedly made derogatory remarks about Pakistan’s martyrs. The counsel argued that the speech hurt the petitioner’s sentime... -
Dawn - 10:41 Jul 15, 2026
Pakistan’s recent diplomatic efforts for achieving sustainable peace in the deserve to be assessed not by whether they produced an immediate US-Iran agreement, but by what they strategically accomplished. First, it helped create diplomatic space at a critical moment, reducing the risk of a disastrous regional escalation. Second, it contributed to bringing Washington and Tehran into direct high-level engagement after nearly five decades of estrangement, demonstrating that dialogue remained possible even amid military confrontation. Third, and perhaps most importantly, the process helped identify the real sticking point around which any future negotiations must ultimately be built. Whenever tensions between the United States and Iran dominate international headlines, the debate almost invariably revolves around Iran’s nuclear programme. Yet, this focus often obscures the deeper strategic issue that has repeatedly frustrated diplomatic efforts. The nuclear file is important, but it is not the decisive obstacle. ... -
Dawn - 10:41 Jul 15, 2026
Ransomware group World Leaks has posted on the dark web a huge cache of files related to India’s largest nuclear plant, including purported blueprints of parts of its facilities and supplier details — information it labelled as coming from Reliance Group. The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, located in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, is the largest of India’s seven nuclear plants and central to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious plans to expand the country’s atomic energy capacity. Indian businessman Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group, one of the plant’s contractors, told Reuters in a statement that there had been a “partial breach” of its data on a server hosted by third-party Indian data centre service provider Yotta, and that the government had been informed about the incident. Reliance did not disclose what data had been breached. The data breach could pose a “serious” risk to the safety of the plant, says Nickolas Roth, a senior director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, which advises governments and...
12392 items