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Dawn - 02:48 Nov 10, 2025
• Officials concerned by soaring prices • Senate body to question industry on steep hikes KARACHI: Prices of more than a hundred commonly used medicines have increased by an average of 32 per cent since February last year, after the caretaker government lifted price controls under its deregulation policy, prompting concern among officials and calls for the pharmaceutical industry to explain the steep hikes, according to officials and industry sources. The steep rise has not only fuelled public anger but also caught the authorities off guard, as they had expected that price deregulation would promote competition and eventually bring down costs for consumers. However, the outcome appears to be quite the opposite. The surge in medicine prices came to light through recent findings of an ongoing national survey ordered by the prime minister, following complaints from citizens, hospitals, and provincial health departments about soaring drug costs. Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Service... -
Dawn - 02:41 Nov 10, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Calling the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment a “9/11 on Pakistan”, Tehreek Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai announced a nationwide protest, arguing the measure would “shatter the foundation of the country”. Mr Achakzai said the peaceful protest would be held under the slogan of a Habib Jalib ghazal: “Aise Dastoor Ko, Subh-i-BeNoor Ko, Me Nahi Manta, Mai Nahi Janta”. Speaking at a news conference at the National Press Club, he announced two additional slogans: “death for dictatorship and democracy live long” and “free the prisoners”. Mr Achakzai described himself as a “true patriotic” who has taken the oath to protect the country five times, noting that the current National Assembly speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, administered two of those oaths. Opposition alliance announces nationwide protests; plans to observe ‘Black Day’ He recalled an exchange from 1993 with then-speaker Gohar Ayub Khan. “I spoke to the speaker that he has taken an oath of protecting the Const... -
Dawn - 19:36 Nov 09, 2025
PTI Senator Ali Zafar detailed during a Senate session on Sunday five points that he said constituted the fundamental spirit of the 1973 Constitution and warned that altering the “balance of these five pillars” could lead to “major chaos”. The session was convened today — on a Sunday in a rare move — with a one-point agenda to deliberate on the bill for the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The 26-page Constitution (Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Act, 2025 was tabled in the Senate yesterday amid the opposition’s outcry over the pace and scope of the proposed changes, just hours after its approval by the federal cabinet. Senate Chairperson Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani presided over the session today, which began with the House remembering Allama Iqbal on his birth anniversary. Later, the house also passed a resolution in relevance to Iqbal Day. During the session, PTI lawmakers had pictures of their party founder Imran Khan placed on their desks. At the beginning of the proceedings, a PTI leader raised an objection, to whi... -
Dawn - 19:23 Nov 09, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted senators from coalition partners and thanked them, as well as President Asif Ali Zardari, for their cooperation on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment and “fully supporting this national thought”. According to state-run APP, the premier hosted a dinner for the senators — a development that came after the standing committees on law and justice of both houses of Parliament approved the proposed legislation earlier today. The bill for the amendment, which has been criticised particularly over its clauses pertaining to changes in the judiciary and Article 243 (command of the armed forces) of the Constitution, was tabled in the Senate yesterday amid the opposition’s outcry. Prior to that, the PM had held several meetings with the representatives of the allied parties with the proposed legislation on the agenda. According to the APP report, addressing his guests today, the PM said he was thankful to the heads of all allied parties and President Zardari. “All allied partie... -
Dawn - 18:58 Nov 09, 2025
The director general of Britain’s BBC, Tim Davie, and the chief executive of news, Deborah Turness, have resigned following criticism over bias at the corporation, including in the way it edited a speech by United States President Donald Trump. The BBC has been embroiled in a spate of allegations that it had failed to maintain political neutrality in its reporting, including in its coverage of Trump, the Israel-Hamas war and over transgender issues. In the most recent controversy, The Daily Telegraph had reported for days on an internal document produced by a former BBC adviser on standards who had listed a raft of errors, including in the way a speech by Trump on January 6, 2021, was edited. The document suggested the flagship ‘Panorama’ programme had edited two parts of Trump’s speech together so he appeared to encourage the Capitol Hill riots of January 2021. “This is entirely my decision, and I remain very thankful to the Chair and Board for their unswerving and unanimous support throughout my entire tenu... -
Dawn - 17:15 Nov 09, 2025
A new wave of road closures is set to cripple Karachi once again, as after the much-delayed Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project turned major arteries into construction zones, the Karachi Water and Sewerage System Improvement Project (KWSSIP) is bringing fresh digging, roadblocks and traffic congestion to one of the city’s busiest corridors — University Road. According to officials, a section of University Road between Nipa Chowrangi and Federal Urdu University will remain closed from November 10 to December 30. “The closure is necessary for laying new 96-inch and 72-inch pipelines as part of the K-IV augmentation plan,” said a senior official. “This stretch, which is roughly 2.7 kilometres long, will form part of a new network that’s crucial for improving the city’s water supply.” However, for millions of daily commuters, the Red Line BRT’s construction already brought endless congestion, dust, and frustration to residents of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Johar and adjoining areas. The first phase of the n... -
Dawn - 17:13 Nov 09, 2025
The visas of foreigners seeking residence in the US face the possibility of rejection if the applicants have certain medical conditions, including diabetes or obesity, according to US-based news outlet KFF Health News. The publication reported this on Thursday, citing a new directive from the Trump administration. According to the outlet, this new directive was outlined in a cable issued by the US State Department to embassy and consular officials. It “directs visa officers to deem applicants ineligible to enter the US for several new reasons, including age or the likelihood they might rely on public benefits”, KFF reported. “The guidance says that such people could become a ‘public charge’ — a potential drain on US resources — because of their health issues or age,” the report said. “You must consider an applicant’s health,” the cable read, according to KFF. It added: “Certain medical conditions — including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic disea... -
Dawn - 16:48 Nov 09, 2025
A case was registered against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Sunday with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Islamabad over his “profane” and “misleading” remarks about state institutions. Afridi had made the remarks referred to in the FIR on Nov 6 during an interaction with the media outside Adiala jail after he was once again denied an audience with PTI founder Imran Khan. He had alleged that security forces in KP would bring dogs into mosques and tie them down there, thereby violating the sanctity of holy places. His statement sparked an outcry, drawing condemnations. Subsequently, a first information report (FIR) was registered against him today on behalf of the state and under Sections 11, 20 and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. The FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn, stated that following an inquiry dated November 8, it transpired that Afridi and others had “knowingly and deliberately, with mala fide intentions and ulterior motives,... -
Dawn - 15:23 Nov 09, 2025
The military leadership of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia vowed to enhance bilateral defence cooperation and reaffirmed their resolve to further deepen ties between the two countries, a statement from the military’s media wing said. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the commitment was made during a meeting of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, with the Chief of General Staff of the Saudi Armed Forces, General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, in Saudi Arabia. The Pakistani official is on an official visit to the Kingdom. “During the meeting, both sides discussed the evolving global and regional environment and avenues for enhancing bilateral defence cooperation,” the ISPR said. “The military leadership reaffirmed their resolve to further deepen the strong brotherly ties and enduring defence partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.” In recognition of his significant contributions in deepening Pakistan-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relationship, in ... -
Dawn - 15:13 Nov 09, 2025
The standing committees on law and justice of both houses of Parliament approved on Sunday the draft of a bill for a 27th Constitutional Amendment after some changes, Senator Farooq H. Naek told reporters after a meeting that was convened to deliberate on the proposed changes. He said that he and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had been authorised to make changes to some clauses of the bill, without sharing anymore details about the said clauses. Alongside him, Tarar said they would submit a report on the proposals finalised by the committees to the Senate tomorrow (Monday). The bill for Constitution (Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Act, 2025 was tabled before the Senate yesterday, hours after it was approved by the federal cabinet, triggering noisy protests from the opposition over the pace and scope of the proposed changes. That initial draft of the bill proposed the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), changes to the appointment process for high court judges, a higher cap on provincial cabinets, and ... -
Dawn - 14:16 Nov 09, 2025
United States President Donald Trump has been talking up the prospects of Saudi Arabia agreeing to normalise ties with Israel, but it is unlikely to happen when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits the White House this month. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia after decades of enmity could shake up the political and security landscape in the Middle East, potentially strengthening US influence in the region. Trump said last month he hoped Saudi Arabia would “very soon” join other Muslim countries that signed the 2020 Abraham Accords normalising ties with Israel. But Riyadh has signalled to Washington through diplomatic channels that its position has not changed: it will sign up only if there is agreement on a roadmap to Palestinian statehood, two Gulf sources told Reuters. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman speaks with US President Donald Trump on the day of the Saudi-US Investment Forum, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 13. — Reuters/File The intention is to a... -
Dawn - 12:51 Nov 09, 2025
The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday stated that the Afghan Taliban only participated in talks with Pakistan this past week to prolong a temporary ceasefire between the two nations and did not take any action against terrorist elements operating from their soil. Talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban followed weeks of shuttle diplomacy after deadly border clashes last month. On Friday, the talks broke down, with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif saying that the negotiations “entered an indefinite phase”, but a temporary ceasefire between Kabul and Islamabad still stands. In a lengthy statement published today, the FO said: “Anyone following the talks held under the mediation of brotherly countries of Turkiye and Qatar, could easily discern that the Taliban regime was only interested in prolonging the temporary ceasefire, but without taking concrete and verifiable actions against the TTP/FaK (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan/Fitna-al-Khawarij) and BLA/FaH (Balochistan Liberation Army/Fitna-al-Hindustan) elements pre... -
Dawn - 12:23 Nov 09, 2025
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia formally signed an agreement for Haj 2026, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday. According to the report, “Saudi Deputy Minister for Haj and Umrah Dr Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashat and Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs of Pakistan Dr Syed Ata-ur-Rehman signed the agreement in Jeddah on Saturday.” Haj, one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, is performed each year by millions of Muslims worldwide. Pakistan receives one of the highest Haj quotas from Saudi Arabia. Dr Syed Ata-ur-Rehman expressed gratitude for the Saudi government’s excellent efforts in hosting and providing facilities to the guests of Allah, the report added. “Like last year, Pakistani pilgrims will be provided with high-quality services this year,” the report quoted Dr Rehman as saying. The secretary further expressed the determination of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to complete arrangements for both government and private Haj schemes in a timely and effective manner, in accordance with the guideli... -
Dawn - 12:05 Nov 09, 2025
Opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on Saturday rejected certain changes suggested to Article 243 of the Constitution under the 27th Amendment, claiming they were “person-specific”. Yesterday, hours after the Constitution (Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Act 2025 was tabled in the Senate, the TTAP announced a nationwide protest movement against the proposed legislation starting today. Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who leads the alliance, TTAP Vice Chairman Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) Chairman Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas addressed a joint press conference in Islamabad. “Fundamentally, the concept of social contract implies how the state will take care of an individual’s basic rights. This is what the Constitution is all about,” Khokar noted. He stressed the concept of separation of powers provided in the 1973 Constitution, which meant that “no one institution will become so strong as to overpower other institutions”. “S... -
Dawn - 11:08 Nov 09, 2025
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler, and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin will visit Islamabad next week to discuss tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday. He made the announcement while speaking to reporters on his flight returning from Azerbaijan. Talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which were taking place in Istanbul in the presence of mediators, broke down on Friday without any agreement, as negotiators failed to bridge deep differences over how to monitor and prevent cross-border terrorism, officials and sources said. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif insisted that the negotiations were “over” and had “entered an indefinite phase”. “Right now, as we speak, negotiations are over,” Asif told Geo News, alleging that the Afghan Taliban delegation again came to Istanbul “without any programme” and was unwilling to sign a written agreement. A senior security source confirmed that discussions had hit an impasse. “The talk... -
Dawn - 10:52 Nov 09, 2025
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on Saturday for a landmark official visit, his country’s state news agency reported, a day after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist. Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. It’s the first such visit by a Syrian president since the country’s independence in 1946, according to analysts. The interim leader met Trump for the first time in Riyadh during the US president’s regional tour in May. US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said earlier this month that Sharaa would “hopefully” sign an agreement to join the international US-led alliance against the militant Islamic State (IS) group. The United States plans to establish a military base near Damascus “to coordinate humanitarian aid and observe developments between Syria and Israel”, a diplomatic source in Syria told AFP. The State Department’s decision Friday to remove Sharaa from ... -
Dawn - 10:13 Nov 09, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday ordered the withdrawal of proposed immunity for the PM as part of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, urging that the premier must remain “fully accountable”. Taking to X, he ordered the withdrawal of a clause seeking to grant immunity to the PM in the 27th Amendment and said, “On my return from Azerbaijan, I have learnt that some Senators belonging to our party have submitted an amendment regarding immunity for the prime minister.” “While I acknowledge their intent in good faith, the proposal was not part of the Cabinet-approved draft. I have instructed that it be withdrawn immediately,” PM Shehbaz wrote. “As a matter of principle, an elected prime minister must remain fully accountable, both before the court of law and the people.” Separately, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, while speaking to reporters today, said that PM Shehbaz told him earlier that “he had no interest in getting immunity,” owing to the executive nature of his role as the prime minister. “The other p... -
Dawn - 08:12 Nov 09, 2025
All was quiet in Sana Bahadar’s mind when she entered the squash court on the last day of October for her quarterfinal at the CNS Squash Championships. Her immediate aim: to clinch the fourth game and move a step closer to claiming another title. It wasn’t to be. The hotly-contested first three games had been indicative of a battle to the end and Sana would soon have to put her body on the line to win when her opponent’s racket hit her in the throat. Struggling to breathe as she clutched her throat, Sana stumbled out the glass door and into the stands. Her father, Sher, rushed over and crouched in front of her, asking what happened. He told a concerned referee rushing over that she had been hit in the throat, but the referee told him not to interfere during play. “I was speaking for Sana because you don’t understand sign language,” Sher quipped to silence the referee. He opened his mouth to argue with Sher but shut it just as quickly, staring at the medical officer and Sher attending to Sana. Her opponent, Sa... -
Dawn - 07:27 Nov 09, 2025
• Article 175 tweak ‘ends judiciary as we knew it’, says senior counsel • Supporters believe new constitutional court will modernise judiciary ISLAMABAD: The initial draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, tabled in the Senate on Saturday, has led many legal experts to believe that the tweaks would, in effect, dethrone the Supreme Court as the country’s highest judicial forum, ceding that position to a proposed Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). However, proponents of the amendment say the new constitutional court would modernise the judiciary, reduce backlogs and separate constitutional and appellate jurisdictions — a reform they argue will improve efficiency and clarity in the justice system. “Left with a limited jurisdiction of deciding ordinary civil, criminal and statutory appeals, the Supreme Court has now become all the more a ‘Supreme District Court’,” remarked a senior counsel who asked not to be named. He warned that the government could now amend laws like the Elections Act 2017 ... -
Dawn - 05:54 Nov 09, 2025
The PML-N and the PPP on Saturday rejected the impression that the 27th Constitutional Amendment was rushed through without proper debate, saying the draft has undergone “extensive scrutiny”. Earlier today, after getting approval from the federal cabinet, the bill for the 27th Constitutional Amendment was tabled before the Senate and subsequently referred to the standing committees on law and justice. Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said there was “no urgency” in convening the cabinet meeting even though Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the session virtually from Baku, Azerbaijan. Malik said there was “a lot of discussion” about the proposed constitutional amendment, adding that deliberations were continuing within party committees and that it was the parliamentarians’ right to propose amendments. He maintained that a “wrong impression” had been created that the process was being hurried. The state minister also said that some cha...
5792 items