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Dawn - 03:41 Aug 06, 2026
ONE good thing that has come out of this whole conversation about building the federation on new foundations is that it has exposed the most opportunistic elements among us. Those who crave the opportunity to enter public life but have no chance to do so as long as Pakistan remains even nominally a democracy are the ones most excited by the idea of dismantling the federal structure and replacing it with some reloaded form of a unitary state from the 1960s. Let’s get one thing clear. None of this is about bringing ‘good governance’. Those are pious words that are always used to mask impious intentions. This is actually about wrecking the fortresses into which the democratic forces of the country have been forced to retreat. The democratic forces are the political parties, which with all their inadequacies and imperfections, are the only carriers of the people’s will in our society today. There are three main parties — the PTI, PML-N and PPP. Each controls one provincial government. Each is nourished, indeed ke... -
Dawn - 03:13 Aug 06, 2026
THE interior minister’s comments at an Islamabad seminar last week have sparked many a conversation about the state of the ‘system’. Political leaders, as well as commentators, are all weighing in on the significance of his remarks, as he is seen to be close to those that matter in Pakistan. At the event, Mohsin Naqvi had spoken, among other things, of the need for political parties to start a dialogue, and for national leaders to put aside their differences and discuss governance issues. Picking up on this thread, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, while addressing an event in Quetta on Tuesday, stressed the need for holding a multiparty moot to discuss national problems, though he was critical of Mr Naqvi’s call for new provinces. Speaking before the interior minister’s comments, the PTI had last month similarly called for a ‘grand national dialogue’ involving political parties, the establishment and civil society. As the maulana said, “force alone cannot resolve the country’s political and security issues”... -
Dawn - 02:52 Aug 06, 2026
Mir Raza Ali KARACHI: Police on Wednesday did not rule out the possibility of exhuming the body of former IBA student Mir Raza Ali after a controversy emerged between the police surgeon and investigators over alleged loopholes in the medico-legal report regarding the post-mortem examination. While the family of Mir Raza is convinced that their son was kidnapped, tortured and murdered, investigators probing the incident continue to build their case around the possibility that he died by suicide, claiming they have uncovered significant evidence that sheds light on the 25-year-old’s mental state. The aspiring businessman’s body, bearing a gunshot wound to his chest, was recovered from bushes near Shahi Qila in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, opposite the University of Karachi, two days after he went missing from his home in PECHS last month. Earlier on Tuesday, Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed had told a private news channel that the post-mortem findings had raised several questions, as some observations in the report did no... -
Dawn - 02:51 Aug 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed an amendment to the Election Rules 2017 to empower it to seek direct clarification on statements of assets and liabilities submitted by lawmakers. In a notification, the ECP said it intended to insert a new proviso in Rule 137. Under the proposed change, if there is any ambiguity in the wealth statement of a parliamentarian or an MPA, the commission may seek clarification from the member, or from any person, department, organisation or financial institution. Such entities “shall be bound to respond to the query/clarification within time fixed by the commission,” according to the draft. The ECP has published the draft amendment for public consultation and invited objections and suggestions by Aug 15. The commission will hear and decide the objections thereafter. The draft has been uploaded on the ECP’s official website. The move comes as the ECP is hearing three cases against Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PkMAP chief Mehm... -
Dawn - 02:44 Aug 06, 2026
• PTI holds protests, rallies countrywide to mark third anniversary of Imran Khan’s arrest • Party claims one MNA, four MPAs, several workers arrested in Lahore • Police use teargas, baton-charge Karachi protesters; 10 workers detained PESHAWAR / LAHORE / KARACHI / ISLAMABAD: The opposition PTI marked the third anniversary of party founder Imran Khan’s arrest on Wednesday with protests and rallies across the country, as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi warned of a march on Islamabad next month, while police action and arrests were reported from Lahore and Karachi. In a fiery speech at a large rally organised to mark three years of Imran Khan’s imprisonment, CM Afridi warned that the PTI would march towards Islamabad on Sept 27 if the cases of Mr Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were not heard on merit and restrictions on their meetings with lawyers, family members and political leaders were not lifted. A large number of people from across the province attended the gathering, which was also ad... -
Dawn - 02:35 Aug 06, 2026
KARACHI: A warning from a senior minister has deeply shocked the trade and industry leaders, but they are tight-lipped when asked for comments on the situation. Recently, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the governance system had completely collapsed and was no longer capable of addressing critical challenges, and called for the creation of new administrative units. However, the statement was closely analysed by trade and industry leaders, but they were not ready to publicly comment on the implications of the “collapsed governance system.” A leading industrialist described it as a political statement, not an economic one. Calls it a political, not economic statement “In fact, we are facing a number of problems that hinder the growth of the economy, and these should be addressed on a war footing,” said Mr Saqib Fayaz Magoon, Senior Vice President of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI). We are stuck with the high cost of energy, which has increased production costs too much, p... -
Dawn - 02:34 Aug 06, 2026
• Smaller mines and larger copper, antimony projects under consideration • US Embassy official says Reko Diq moving forward, but slower than expected • Encourages Pakistan to provide level playing field to American firms • Finance minister, US trade representative review progress on bilateral trade talks ISLAMABAD: Amid a big push from the Trump administration to secure global critical mineral supply chains, US companies are exploring opportunities to take over and develop smaller mines in Pakistan, besides looking at more significant investments in larger projects, potentially in copper and other critical minerals such as antimony. Speaking to journalists at a background briefing, a US Embassy official said the Trump administration had been focusing on critical mineral supply chains around the world, particularly in Pakistan, through multilateral agencies, the US International Development Finance Corporation and the Export-Import Bank of the United States. The official said the US Exim Bank had committed $1.... -
Dawn - 19:19 Aug 05, 2026
WASHINGTON: Pakistan on Wednesday informed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that multiple terrorist groups continued to operate from safe havens inside Afghanistan, posing a growing threat to regional security. Speaking at a UNSC briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad also highlighted Islamabad’s concerns over Jammu and Kashmir, as the Council met on the seventh anniversary of India’s August 5, 2019, decision to revoke the region’s special constitutional status. Ahmad described the measures imposed on that day as a new phase of repression against the Kashmiri people and accused India of committing what he called “state terrorism” in the disputed territory. He said the international community must show “zero tolerance” for such actions and should not allow counterterrorism efforts to be used as a pretext to suppress what Pakistan describes as legitimate struggles for self-determinat... -
Dawn - 19:14 Aug 05, 2026
The government on Wednesday announced an increase of Rs4.45 per litre in the price of petrol and a reduction of Rs2 per litre in the price of high-speed diesel (HSD). Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs333.01 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs383.86 per litre. The government continues to levy Rs110 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs96 per litre on diesel. The Petroleum Division’s notification said the new prices would be applicable for August 6 (Thursday). The diesel price has come down from a peak of Rs520.35 recorded on April 3. Its price had started rising from Rs281 per litre after the US-Iran war broke out on February 28. The petrol price had peaked at Rs458.41 on April 3 after beginning its upward trajectory from Rs266 in the first week of March. Earlier, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik announced that fuel prices would now be fixed on a daily basis due to fluctuations in international market prices following renewed hostilities between Iran and the US. The government had bee... -
Dawn - 18:57 Aug 05, 2026
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday said the incumbent government would complete its constitutional term and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would remain in office for the full five-year tenure. Naqvi made the remarks while speaking to the media outside the Interior Ministry in Islamabad, a week after saying the country’s governance system had “collapsed” and arguing that Pakistan needed new administrative units, or provinces, to improve service delivery, accountability and access to justice. A day later, the military’s spokesperson also called on political parties to consider an administrative reset to improve governance, arguing that the country’s security and stability depended on adapting its governance structure to the demands of modern times and a growing population. “The future for the government is the completion of its five-year tenure … Shehbaz sahib will remain the prime minister for five years … the prime minister will complete his five-year term,” Naqvi maintained. When asked whether his re... -
Dawn - 18:37 Aug 05, 2026
Pakistan beat the West Indies by eight wickets on the fourth day of the second and final Test at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad on Wednesday to level the series. Beaten by 90 runs in the first Test the previous week, the visitors were left with a target of only 75 runs after the home side — already in deep trouble overnight at 103 for six in the second innings — were dismissed for 117 half an hour into the start of the day’s play. Abdullah Shafique and captain Babar Azam guided their team to victory after openers Imam-ul-Haq and Azan Awais fell cheaply to pacers Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph, with Babar hoisting consecutive sixes off spinner Jomel Warrican to seal the result. Babar Azam (L) of Pakistan hits 6 and Shai Hope (R) of West Indies watch during the 4th day of the 2nd Test match between West Indies and Pakistan at Queens Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on August 5, 2026. — AFP It gave Pakistan a share of the series in the same manner as their last campaign in the Caribbean in 2021, wh... -
Dawn - 17:16 Aug 05, 2026
Schools and colleges across Sindh will now observe a five-day working week, from Monday to Friday, after the provincial government reversed its decision to hold classes six days a week. The change was announced in a notification issued by the Sindh School Education and Literacy Department on Wednesday. “With the approval of the competent authority, it is hereby notified that all public and private educational institutions under the administrative control of the School Education & Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, shall observe a five-day working week, from Monday to Friday, with immediate effect and until further orders,” the notification said. It added that the working hours of single-shift and double-shift schools would be issued separately. Meanwhile, a notification issued by the Sindh College Education Department said: “With the approval of the competent authority, it is hereby notified that all public and private educational institutions under the administrative control of the College Education D... -
Dawn - 16:30 Aug 05, 2026
Pakistan and Iran on Wednesday agreed to further expand trade ties by keeping border crossings open round the clock, improving logistics and harmonising customs procedures. The development came during a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a six-member Iranian delegation, led by Iran’s Minister for Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Atabak, in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). During the meeting, the prime minister said that Pakistan highly valued its relations with its close, brotherly neighbour Iran, the PMO said. “Pakistan will continue its sincere efforts for peace in the region,” PM Shehbaz was quoted as saying. He added that he had recently held a productive discussion with Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian on establishing lasting peace in the region and further enhancing Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations, particularly in trade, the statement said. During the meeting, the prime minister expressed hope that sustained efforts would enable bot... -
Dawn - 15:54 Aug 05, 2026
KARACHI: The PTI held a protest near the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Wednesday to mark three years since the imprisonment of party founder Imran Khan and demand his release. The demonstration led to traffic disruptions in the surrounding areas after authorities blocked routes leading to the venue, causing severe congestion and leaving commuters stranded for extended periods. A screenshot showing closed roads in Karachi’s Saddar Town area. — Screengrab from Google Maps A police official, who wished not to be named, said that some PTI workers and leaders were detained near the Press Club. They confirmed that police resorted to tear gas shelling and used baton charges to disperse the demonstrators, adding that after the police action, the road was cleared for traffic in the evening. The PTI in a statement said it staged demonstrations in Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Umerkot, Mithi and other parts of Sindh, with participants demanding Imran’s release. In Karachi, the demonstration was led by PTI Sin... -
Dawn - 14:44 Aug 05, 2026
An Indian parliamentary panel called on Wednesday for Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg to apologise for the temporary removal of a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India, the world’s most populous country, is Meta’s largest market by users, with hundreds of millions of people using Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Modi’s video, addressing students during youth-led protests on July 23, was briefly removed from Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, but was later restored. Meta has said it was caused by technical error. Nishikant Dubey, who heads the parliamentary committee on communications and information technology, said the panel blamed Meta. “Deleting the prime minister’s video was not the work of an intermediary, but that of a publisher,” Dubey said, a lawmaker in Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Zuckerberg will have to apologise within three days.” Joel Kaplan, chief global affairs officer at Meta, said he met with India’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday and a... -
Dawn - 14:43 Aug 05, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said that Israel has no sovereignty over East Jerusalem and its holy sites, condemning the incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by “extremist Israeli settlers”. Addressing the ministerial conference in Amman, Jordan, he said that the illegal actions of Israel — the occupying power in occupied Palestine — continued to threaten the sanctity and historical character of the holy sites in Jerusalem. “They undermine international law, disregard UN resolutions, and further erode the prospect of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.” “Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the continued incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist Israeli settlers encouraged by senior Israeli ministers and carried out under the protection of occupying forces,” FM Dar stated. By deliberately undermining the religious and historical status of Jerusalem, FM Dar emphasised that Israel was provoking the sentiments of billions of Muslims across the globe. “This appear... -
Dawn - 13:56 Aug 05, 2026
PM Shehbaz directs adoption of comprehensive strategy to attract investors for Discos' privatisation
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed relevant authorities to adopt a “comprehensive strategy” to attract international investors for the privatisation of state-owned power distribution companies (Discos) and complete the restructuring of the Privatisation Commission within one month. “A comprehensive and effective strategy should be adopted to ensure the participation of investors meeting international standards in the privatisation of Discos,” the PM said while presiding over a review meeting in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by his office. But, consumers’ interests should also be prioritised in the privatisation process, he instructed. The premier further stated that all stages of the privatisation process should be completed within the stipulated timeframes and in accordance with established rules and international best practices while ensuring profitable outcomes. He also expressed satisfaction over “successful roadshows” in Pakistan and abroad to attract investors, n... -
Dawn - 13:08 Aug 05, 2026
A search team has transported the bodies of renowned climber Nirmal Purja and three of his team members to the base camp of the mountain where they were killed in an avalanche, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said on Wednesday. The avalanche struck on July 30, cutting off contact with the 10-member international expedition led by 43-year-old British-Nepali climber Purja on Broad Peak, one of the world’s highest mountains. His company confirmed there were no survivors. “On behalf of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, it is announced with great sadness to confirm that, following an exceptionally challenging and technically demanding recovery operation on Broad Peak, the bodies of Nirmal Purja, Zhong Wang, Nima Sherpa, and Kilu Sherpa have been successfully recovered and have now arrived safely at Base Camp,” the ACP posted on social media, referring to a Chinese mountaineer and two other Nepali climbers. “While today marks an important milestone, three climbers remain missing,” the club said. “We remain committed t... -
Dawn - 12:18 Aug 05, 2026
A powerful El Nino weather event could push an additional nearly 49 million people into acute food insecurity across some of the world’s most vulnerable regions by the end of next year, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday. The UN agency said in a report that there was an 81 per cent chance of a very strong El Nino event, with sea surface temperatures at their warmest levels since at least 1982 and potentially making it the strongest such event since 1950. El Nino, a periodic warming of ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific, alters global weather patterns and is often associated with drought in Southern Africa, delayed monsoons in parts of Asia and erratic rainfall elsewhere. “These are events that in the past have triggered large-scale hunger,” Jean-Martin Bauer, director of WFP’s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service, told reporters. Based on an analysis of 45 countries deemed vulnerable to the adverse effects of El Nino, WFP estimates that the number of people facing acute food insec... -
Dawn - 12:11 Aug 05, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The National Dialogue Committee (NDC) has approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking directives for jail authorities to facilitate a meeting with incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, arguing that the denial of visitation rights violates fundamental constitutional guarantees and prison regulations. The petition, filed under Article 199 of the Constitution, read with Section 561 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978, was submitted by NDC Chairman Mahmood Baqi Molvi along with fellow committee members Imran Ismail, Barrister Muhammad Ali Khan Saif and Fawad Ahmed. The petitioners, all former federal ministers and senior PTI leaders, contend that the jail administration has imposed an “illegal and arbitrary ban” on meetings with the imprisoned couple since their incarceration on August 5, 2023. The petition asserts that the respondent authorities, including the Federation of Pakistan through the Ministry of Interior, the Punj...
12385 items