Dawn
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Dawn - 17:27 Jul 20, 2026
Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni on Monday night arrived in Islamabad on an official visit. Upon his arrival in Pakistan, the senior Iranian official was received by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The visiting dignitary is accompanied by a high-level delegation. During his visit, Momeni will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, reported state-run Pakistan TV. Earlier reports had suggested that Momeni was likely to engage with Pakistani officials who previously mediated a now-collapsed interim ceasefire between the US and Iran. Momeni’s visit comes as mediator Pakistan continues its diplomatic efforts to rescue the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last month between the US and Iran. In the ninth consecutive night of attacks on Monday, Washington expanded its strikes across Iran, including a city hosting a nuclear power plant. Iran kept up its own attacks across the region in response, with its Islami... -
Dawn - 16:07 Jul 20, 2026
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that a wife’s right to her dower (Haq Mehr) remains protected if a marriage is dissolved due to the husband’s cruelty or misconduct, even if the family court formally terms the decree as “Khula”. Dismissing a petition filed by a husband challenging a family court decision that awarded 50 per cent of the deferred dower to his former wife, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani issued directives to end the automatic forfeiture of dower in marital dissolution cases. According to details, the couple married on March 18, 2022, with a deferred dower of Rs100,000. Shortly afterwards, the wife filed a suit for dissolution of marriage, alleging that her husband subjected her to physical and verbal abuse when she demanded payment of the dower. She alleged that her husband remained unemployed, was involved in theft and intoxication, and forcibly turned her out of the house. A senior civil judge (family division) in Toba Tek Singh dissolved the marriage and awarded 50 per cent of the d... -
Dawn - 15:48 Jul 20, 2026
Opposition to Iran’s government has long simmered in the country’s impoverished south. But after bearing the brunt of US strikes this month, many residents are directing their anger at President Donald Trump and an air campaign they say has upended their lives. Southern Iran, which borders the Strait of Hormuz, has been a major target of US attacks on ports, energy facilities and transport infrastructure. Washington claims the strikes are aimed at curbing Iran’s ability to threaten shipping through the strategic waterway. Tehran says they have gone far beyond legitimate military targets. Most of the more than two dozen southern residents Reuters interviewed by phone or messaging apps agreed that the strikes had gone beyond targets with a clear military purpose. “Trump has ruined our lives,” said Amin, who runs a small boarding house for tourists in the south, blaming the US strikes for worsening economic hardship. None of those Reuters spoke to said the conflict had generated support for renewed anti-gove... -
Dawn - 15:17 Jul 20, 2026
LAHORE: A resolution has been submitted to the Punjab Assembly seeking a ban on the appointment of dual nationals to government service, arguing that holding citizenship of another country raises concerns over allegiance and access to sensitive state information. The resolution, moved by ruling PML-N MPA Amjad Ali Javed, calls on the federal and Punjab governments to enact legislation barring dual nationals from obtaining government jobs. According to the text of the resolution, an investigative report claimed that around 24,000 serving employees in various government departments held dual nationality. It stated that many of their family members also possessed foreign citizenship, while others were in the process of acquiring it. The resolution argued that acquiring citizenship of another country requires an oath of allegiance to that state, which may raise questions about an individual’s loyalty to Pakistan. It noted that, on similar grounds, dual nationals are already barred from contesting elections. It fu... -
Dawn - 15:06 Jul 20, 2026
Britain’s King Charles III on Monday appointed Andy Burnham as prime minister after outgoing Keir Starmer officially tendered his resignation, the palace said. “Andrew Burnham MP accepted The King’s offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement, adding the king had asked him to form the next government. Burnham became Britain’s sixth prime minister to move into Downing Street in 10 years, with an in-tray overflowing with challenges and little time to make his mark. BBC reported that a large crowd of supporters erupted into applause as Burnham stepped onto Downing Street for his first speech. Delivering his address, Burnham promised to set out new measures to help with the cost of living this week before setting out a new 10-year plan for the country later this year. “Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again,” Burnham said. “We have not been good enough, and we need to be better.” Promising Britons “some breathing space ... -
Dawn - 15:00 Jul 20, 2026
Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Monday expressed her country’s interest in exploring new avenues for trade and bilateral cooperation with Pakistan as she met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad. Anand is on a one-day official visit to Pakistan, during which she held separate meetings with PM Shehbaz as well as Deputy PM and FM Ishaq Dar. According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) following their meeting, Anand expressed the “keen desire of her government to explore new opportunities for trade and cooperation, especially in the field of agriculture, mining, energy as well as in the auto and auto parts industry”. The Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPPA) would be “instrumental” in enhancing Canadian investors’ confidence to invest in Pakistan, the PMO quoted her as saying. The PMO statement, which described the meeting as “warm and cordial”, further quoted Anand as saying that her visit was on the instructions of PM Mark Carney to “expand ... -
Dawn - 14:59 Jul 20, 2026
ISLAMABAD: With a staggering Rs964 billion claim on the Federal Consolidated Fund (FCF), the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has filed a constitutional petition in the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), challenging the continued extension of the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award despite the merger of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas into the province in 2018, it emerged on Monday. In its petition, the KP government asked the FCC to determine whether its share under the NFC should be increased to reflect its expanded size and responsibilities following the 25th Constitutional Amendment, which merged the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into the province. The petition argues that the merger significantly increased the province’s population, territorial expanse and development needs, warranting a corresponding increase in its share under the NFC Award. It argued that despite this major constitutional change, its share under the NFC formula had not been updated to account for t... -
Dawn - 14:59 Jul 20, 2026
Iran is fighting a “full-scale war” with the United States, its president said on Monday, as Washington expanded its strikes across the Islamic republic including a city hosting a nuclear power plant. Iran kept up its own attacks across the region in response, with its Revolutionary Guards announcing they had hit targets in Bahrain, Jordan and Syria, while Bahrain said Tehran had targeted its air navigation systems. “The reality is that today the Islamic Republic of Iran is engaged in a full-scale war,” said President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a presidency statement. He added that “we must be realistic and accept the natural consequences of this resistance”. His comments came after state media and local authorities reported US strikes on Monday in the north and centre of the country, further than areas near the blockaded Strait of Hormuz waterway through which a fifth of world oil supplies transited prior to the war. The Middle East war resumed after a weeks-long lull prompted by an agreement signed in ... -
Dawn - 13:59 Jul 20, 2026
Spain’s newly crowned FIFA World Cup champions on Monday arrived back in Madrid, where a million fans are expected to greet them after a night of raucous celebrations across the country. Spain captain Rodri held the World Cup trophy aloft at the top of the stairs as he descended from the Iberia plane that flew the team home from the United States after clinching their second star. Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday, secured by a Ferran Torres strike in extra-time, has sparked an outpouring of national pride in the football-mad country, whose only other World Cup triumph came in 2010. Many younger supporters were not yet born when Andres Iniesta’s extra-time goal against the Netherlands secured Spain’s first World Cup in South Africa 16 years ago. On Monday morning, the Castellana, Madrid’s main avenue, bore the marks of a boozy evening — the tarmac strewn with trash, beer cans and shards of glass. Among the last remaining supporters, some slept with grins on their faces on the pavement... -
Dawn - 12:19 Jul 20, 2026
Indian police fired tear gas and baton-charged protesters in New Delhi on Monday as they tried to march on parliament to demand the resignation of the education minister over irregularities in major examinations. The protesters, mostly young students, ran for cover as police charged at them and fired tear gas shells near Jantar Mantar in the Indian capital. They are seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical glitches. Thousands of protesters started gathering from early Monday, defying a steady monsoon drizzle and police barricades, marking one of the biggest demonstrations in the capital in five years. “Our country deserves a government that is bothered about what the young people have to say and is willing to correct its mistakes,” said Sumit Kumar, 18. “The future belongs to us and not these politicians.” The protest comes after prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly taken to hospital on Saturday, bringing ... -
Dawn - 12:07 Jul 20, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) decided on Monday to recommend a constitutional amendment to the federal government to pave the way for the establishment of an “International Commercial Court of Pakistan”. The decision was taken at the 49th meeting of the LJCP, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, a statement issued by the Supreme Court said. “Recognising the pivotal role of a modern commercial justice system in promoting investment, economic growth and international trade, the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, under the chairmanship of the chief justice of Pakistan, today recommended the establishment of the International Commercial Court of Pakistan through a proposed constitutional amendment,” the statement read. The statement added, “The International Commercial Court of Pakistan has been proposed as an independent federal superior court through the insertion of a new Article 212-A in the Constitution.” It said that the proposed new court was envisaged... -
Dawn - 11:57 Jul 20, 2026
Larry the cat, the UK’s most famous feline, on Monday welcomed his seventh housemate at 10 Downing Street since he began patrolling the corridors of power more than 15 years ago. “Politicians come and go; cats are permanent,” Larry’s X account @Number10cat posted, as the country’s chief mouser waited for incoming leader Andy Burnham to replace Keir Starmer. In instructions to his new employers, he wrote: “Larry likes his breakfast at 9, brunch at 1030 and lunch at noon with plenty of snacks in between. The rest of the job is a doddle.” Here are some things to know about the troubled office’s only purr-manent resident. Humble roots Recruited to deal with a rodent problem, Larry arrived at the prime minister’s official residence on February 15, 2011, when David Cameron was leader. He was adopted from a London animal shelter when he was believed to be about four years old. Since then, the white and tabby cat, officially introduced on Downing Street’s website as the “Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office”, has reign... -
Dawn - 11:55 Jul 20, 2026
Britain’s King Charles III on Monday appointed Andy Burnham as prime minister after outgoing Keir Starmer officially tendered his resignation, the palace said. “Andrew Burnham MP accepted The King’s offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement, adding the king had asked him to form the next government. Burnham, 56, is delivering his first speech outside 10 Downing Street. Burnham became Britain’s sixth prime minister to move into Downing Street in 10 years, with an in-tray overflowing with challenges and little time to make his mark. The new leader takes over from the unpopular Starmer just two years after the outgoing prime minister led the Labour Party to power in a landslide election victory after 14 years of Conservative rule. In an interview with The Times published late on Sunday, Burnham set out his ambition for change, saying he wanted to draw a line under a decade of political turmoil. “What we’ve been doing hasn’t been working. That’s the way ... -
Dawn - 11:32 Jul 20, 2026
PESHAWAR: A vehicle carrying Afghan families returning to the neighbouring country was swept away in a flash flood triggered by rains in the Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district on Monday, Rescue 1122 said. Rescue workers have so far recovered the bodies of three people travelling in the car, the emergency service said, adding that the search for the others was under way. Rescue 1122 said in an initial statement that the vehicle was swept away near Sultan Khel Market, following which rescue teams were dispatched to the site and a search operation was launched. In subsequent statements, it said the bodies of a woman and a man were found by Rescue 1122 divers, who had the assistance of local residents, in the Jamrud town, while the body of a child was recovered from the Parang Sang area. The bodies were initially taken to Type D Hospital in Jamrud and later to the Afghan refugee camp in Landikotal, Rescue 1122 said. During their search, rescue personnel also found the body of a man who was... -
Dawn - 11:24 Jul 20, 2026
Indian police fired tear gas and baton-charged protesters in New Delhi on Monday as they tried to march on parliament to demand the resignation of the education minister over irregularities in major examinations. The protesters, mostly young students, ran for cover as police charged at them and fired tear gas shells near Jantar Mantar in the Indian capital. They are seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical glitches. Thousands of protesters started gathering from early Monday, defying a steady monsoon drizzle and police barricades, marking one of the biggest demonstrations in the capital in five years. “Our country deserves a government that is bothered about what the young people have to say and is willing to correct its mistakes,” said Sumit Kumar, 18. “The future belongs to us and not these politicians.” The protest comes after prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly taken to hospital on Saturday, bringing ... -
Dawn - 10:08 Jul 20, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday hailed the visit of Canada’s FM Anita Anand as an “important milestone” in bilateral ties, stressing that economic cooperation remained a “key priority”. He made the remarks during a joint press briefing with Anand, who arrived in Islamabad earlier in the day. “Her visit is an important milestone in Pakistan-Canada relations and reflects our shared commitment to further strengthening our bilateral ties,” Dar said. “Pakistan and Canada enjoy long-standing and multifaceted relations underpinned by historical linkages, people-to-people contacts and a vibrant Pakistani diaspora in Canada,” he highlighted. The deputy premier noted that economic cooperation remained a “key priority” in the bilateral relationship with Canada. He said the two sides discussed ways to further expand trade and investment ties, including greater facilitation of business-to-business (B2B) linkages and enhanced engagement in areas of mutual interest. Dar said Pakistan welcomed ... -
Dawn - 09:54 Jul 20, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that the modernisation of Pakistan Railways’ infrastructure will be instrumental in establishing the country as a regional trade and logistics hub. He made the remarks while presiding over a review meeting on the progress of the Pakistan Railways Transformation Plan. During the meeting, he directed the swift upgradation of Pakistan Railways to make it a more effective and revenue-generating mode of transport. He also remarked that the railway was the most cost-effective and efficient mode of transport for both passengers and freight. He added that a modern and efficient railway system would play a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan’s economy, promoting trade and enhancing regional connectivity. PM Shehbaz directed that all railway development projects be completed within the stipulated timelines while maintaining the highest quality standards. He instructed the relevant authorities to present proposals regarding the upgradation of the Rohri–Multan se... -
Dawn - 09:16 Jul 20, 2026
LAHORE: A judicial magistrate on Monday sent three suspects on 14-day judicial remand in a case pertaining to the kidnapping and rape of two foreign women. Defence C police produced the three suspects before the court on the expiry of their physical remand. The police asked the court to remand the suspects in judicial custody. The magistrate accepted the request and sent the suspects to the judicial lockup, directing police to submit their investigation report at the next hearing. A duty magistrate on Sunday had allowed the police five-day physical remand of a suspect identified as “Boss” by the complainant in the first information report (FIR). Separately, a Lahore High Court judge on Monday disposed of a habeas corpus petition filed by the mother of the aforementioned suspect seeking recovery of her son from police custody. A law officer told the court that the petitioner’s son was on physical remand, after which the LHC disposed of the petition. Four other suspects, including a relative of a senior politic... -
Dawn - 05:59 Jul 20, 2026
Every year, as the sugarcane crushing season approaches, Pakistan finds itself trapped in the same debate. Farmers demand higher cane prices to offset rising production costs. Sugar mills argue that increased procurement prices make sugar commercially unviable. Governments intervene to broker settlements, while consumers brace for higher retail prices. By the end of the season, all of them have negotiated a price. Yet almost no one asks the most important question: why does Pakistan continue to treat sugarcane as a pricing problem rather than a productivity challenge? This difference matters because prices merely redistribute value within the supply chain; productivity creates new value for everyone. A grower harvesting more cane from the same land earns higher income without depending entirely on a single factor of price increases. Millers process more efficiently, consumers benefit from a more stable supply, and the economy becomes more competitive. Unfortunately, public policy has rarely been designed arou... -
Dawn - 05:51 Jul 20, 2026
Confronted by escalating tensions in the Middle East and repeated disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistan has begun taking concrete steps to establish its first-ever Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR). The country currently operates largely on a fragile, just-in-time commercial inventory model, with petroleum stocks providing only limited protection against prolonged supply disruptions. Under the proposed strategy, the government plans to establish a 45-day emergency oil buffer in the first phase, with a longer- term objective of expanding reserve capacity to 90 days. These stocks could be requisitioned by the state during a national supply emergency. As a longer- term strategic initiative, Islamabad is promoting the development of a Pakistan Maritime Energy City at Gwadar Port. Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, are being invited to establish and maintain strategic crude-oil reserves there. Such an arrangement could allow Gulf producers to store oil outside the immediat...
12682 items