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  • NA passes bill to establish Pakistan Land Port Authority
    Dawn - 12:27 Aug 07, 2025
    The National Assembly passed the Pakistan Land Port Authority Bill 2025 on Thursday to facilitate the movement of goods and people across border crossing points. With the bill’s approval, Pakistan would become the third South Asian country, after Bangladesh and India, to have a land port authority. The Bangladesh Land Port Authority was created in 2002, while India did so in March 2012. “The House discussed and passed the Pakistan Land Port Authority Bill, 2025,” the NA’s official X account said. The bill was moved by Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry on behalf of Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi. Once approved by the Senate and signed by President Asif Ali Zardari, the bill will establish the Pakistan Land Port Authority, which would function as a statutory body responsible for inter-agency coordination to facilitate the movement of goods and people across border crossing points. As MNA Ali Zahid, who was chairing the session, ordered the clause-by-clause reading of the bill, PPP’s Syed Navee...
    Tags: Pakistan Land Port Authority
  • 550-point gain helps PSX maintain record-setting spree
    Dawn - 12:20 Aug 07, 2025
    The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) maintained its record-setting spree for a fifth consecutive session as it gained over 550 points on Thursday. The benchmark KSE-100 index rose by 992.53 points (0.68 per cent) to reach an intraday high of 146,081.02 points at 12:37pm, from the previous close of 145,088.49 points. However, the shares soon declined slightly, standing at 145,613.09 points at 3:09pm, gaining 524.60 points (0.36pc) from yesterday. Witnessing fluctuations throughout the day, the index finally closed at 145,647.13 points, gaining 558.64 (0.39pc) from yesterday. Awais Ashraf, research director at AKD Securities, told Dawn.com: “Investor interest in companies posting strong corporate results or anticipated to report robust profitability has propelled the index to a new record high. “Additionally, the recent imposition of an additional 25pc tariff on India has further bolstered market sentiment,” he added, referring to the United States’ recent levy on New Delhi, which will raise duties on some Indian ...
  • Trump-Putin meeting agreed for ‘coming days’, venue set: Kremlin
    Dawn - 11:27 Aug 07, 2025
    The Kremlin said on Thursday that a summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was set for the “coming days”, with the two sides already having agreed the venue “in principle”. The summit would be the first between sitting United States and Russian presidents since Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in June 2021, and comes as Trump seeks to broker an end to Russia’s military assault on Ukraine. Three rounds of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv have failed to yield any progress towards a ceasefire, with the two sides appearing far apart in their demands to end the more than three-year-long conflict. Trump said on Wednesday he was likely to meet Putin face-to-face “very soon”. “At the suggestion of the American side, an agreement has been reached in principle to hold a bilateral summit in the coming days,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted as saying on Thursday by Russian state news agencies. “We are now starting to work out the details together with our American colleagues,” Ushakov said. The K...
    Tags: Kremlin
  • 2 killed, cops among 20 injured in blast in KP’s Wana
    Dawn - 11:17 Aug 07, 2025
    Two people were killed while 20 others were injured in a bomb blast targeting a police vehicle in the Wana tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower South Waziristan district on Thursday. Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks, especially in KP and Balochistan, predominantly targeting the police, law enforcement agencies’ personnel, and security forces. Attacks increased after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022. “The blast was caused by a remote-controlled explosive device planted near a police vehicle [in the Rustam Bazaar],” Deputy Superintendent of Police Imranullah was quoted as saying by the Associated Press of Pakistan. Data from the incident report from the Wana District Headquarters Hospital showed two dead with 12 people with major injuries and eight with minor injuries. A list of casualties issued by South Waziristan police spokesperson Anayat Khan identified two wounded policemen as Zubair Salaam Khan from the district’s Dabko...
    Tags: Wana
  • Pakistan Navy, ANF seize illicit drugs worth $38m near Balochistan’s Pasni coast
    Dawn - 10:46 Aug 07, 2025
    The Pakistan Navy and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on Thursday seized about 1,250 kilogrammes of illicit drugs worth $38 million from smugglers near Balochistan’s Pasni coast, the navy’s media wing said. The navy and ANF have previously worked in several intelligence-based joint operations to counter unlawful activities along the coast. “The value of the seized consignment in the international market is approximately $38 million,” a press release from the navy said. “The consignment was being smuggled via the Arabian Sea to international destinations.” It added that the seized items, comprising 1,100kg of hashish, 50kg of crystal meth, and 100kg of heroin, have been handed over to the ANF for further legal proceedings. “This successful operation by the Pakistan Navy and ANF, resulting in [the] seizure of a large quantity of drugs, is a testament to PN’s resolve to fight against illegal activities as a national obligation,” the statement said. “Pakistan Navy will continue to shoulder its responsibility to es...
    Tags: Pasni Balochistan Pakistan Navy
  • Thailand and Cambodia agree to extend peace pact
    Dawn - 10:32 Aug 07, 2025
    Thailand and Cambodia agreed Thursday to extend a shaky ceasefire deal that followed five days of deadly hostilities along their border last month. At least 43 people were killed in the conflict that ended last Tuesday, after a long-standing dispute over border temples boiled over into violence. A truce was brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim — chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) regional bloc — after cajoling by United States President Donald Trump and a team of Chinese mediators. The deal dictated a ceasefire, followed by a meeting of rival regional commanders, before defence officials held three days of talks in Kuala Lumpur that concluded with a joint statement on Thursday. “Both sides agree to a ceasefire involving all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians and civilian objects and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all areas,” it said. “This agreement must not be violated under any circumstances.” In the first days of the truce, both Tha...
    Tags: Cambodia Thailand
  • All 4 workers rescued after emerald mine collapse in Swat: rescue officials
    Dawn - 09:50 Aug 07, 2025
    Four workers trapped 900 feet underground in a Swat emerald mine were rescued during an operation, Rescue 1122 said on Thursday. On Wednesday evening, a major rescue operation was launched after a section of the emerald mine collapsed, trapping multiple workers underground. According to initial reports by Rescue 1122 Swat, the mine caved in suddenly during extraction activity. “Rescue 1122 medical teams are providing immediate medical assistance to the rescued workers,” Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi told Dawn.com. “The operation continued for several hours after the mine collapsed, in which more than 40 personnel participated.” The rescue operation was led by District Emergency Officer Swat Rafiullah Marwat, as per Faizi. “The trained personnel and modern equipment of Rescue 1122 made the operation successful,” Faizi said. Meanwhile, the army was also involved in the rescue operation, according to state-run Radio Pakistan. “As soon as the incident was reported, Pakistan Army teams were immediatel...
    Tags: SWAT
  • Khawaja Asif dismisses rumours of him resigning as defence minister
    Dawn - 09:44 Aug 07, 2025
    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday refuted rumours circulating on social media that he had stepped down from his position following a controversy. Asif clarified the matter after an X user named Zubair Ali Khan, in a series of posts on the platform late Wednesday night, alleged that the defence minister had handed in his resignation over a controversy but had withdrawn it and was now unreachable. Replying to the post that levelled the allegations against him, Asif wrote: “With apologies, this gentleman has written his wishes in this tweet. Not reality.” He shared a screenshot of the post thread, edited with a red stamp marking it as “FAKE”. The X user, a former journalist, had alleged that the minister resigned due to “intensified controversy regarding the arrest of the additional deputy commissioner revenue (ADCR) of Sialkot a few days ago on charges of alleged financial corruption”. “In the resignation sent to Dr Tauqeer Shah, advisor to the prime minister’s office, Khawaja Asif stated that either th...
    Tags: Khawaja Asif
  • Senate body seeks detail of cases registered against journalists under Peca
    Dawn - 07:15 Aug 07, 2025
    ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday showed its concern over registration of cases against journalists under the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) and called for urgent action to address growing concerns of media persons regarding FIRs and arrests of journalists. The Senate committee headed by ruling PTI’s Ali Zafar issued the directives after it was informed by the Ministry of Interior that 689 cases had been registered under the Peca law throughout the country, including nine FIRs [First Information Report] registered against journalists. According to an official handout, the committee received a detailed briefing from officials of the information and interior ministries regarding the number and nature of cases registered under Peca since its passage from the parliament in January, with a special focus on journalists, media professionals, digital content creators, and social media activists. The committee was further informed that only ...
    Tags: Peca
  • Bajaur’s Lowi Mamund returning to normalcy
    Dawn - 06:51 Aug 07, 2025
    BAJAUR: Life in several areas of the restive Lowi Mamund tehsil here has begun returning to normalcy following the postponement of a potential anti-terrorist operation due to talks between the Bajaur Aman Jirga and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Residents told Dawn on Wednesday that the Jirga-TTP talks, which had been continuing for the last six days and were meant to convince terrorists to leave the region for Afghanistan, had not only led to the postponement of the Operation Sarbakaf planned by security forces in 16 Lowi Mamund areas but also helped normalise situation in many villages to some extent. They said the Laghari Bazar, a major commercial centre in the tehsil, reopened on Wednesday after remaining closed since July 29 due to the curfew imposed by the district administration in those areas for the launch of the Operation Sarbakaf to flush out terrorists, who were present in the region for several weeks. Attributing normalcy to the ongoing Jirga-TTP dialogue, the residents said they we...
    Tags: Lowi Mamund
  • Currency crunch as govt pushes dollar down
    Dawn - 06:46 Aug 07, 2025
    KARACHI: The government’s efforts to artificially bring down the dollar rate are faltering, with market forces pushing back against a Rs250 exchange rate target and foreign currencies reportedly vanishing from the open market. A crackdown on dollar smuggling launched on July 23 has led to a minor depreciation of around Rs3 in both the open and interbank markets. However, this has done little to bridge the gap between market sentiment and official expectations. The dollar continues to trade above Rs280, and a noticeable shortage has emerged. In recent meetings held in Islamabad with banks, currency dealers, and jewellers, authorities reportedly reiterated their desire to bring the dollar down to Rs250. However, participants in the meetings described the target as unrealistic. Some bankers estimate the real market parity to be closer to Rs281. Currency dealers say major foreign currencies — including the US dollar, British pound, and euro — are largely unavailable. “You might find a few hundred dollars at some ...
    Tags: Currency
  • Changes to seminary law may open new can of worms
    Dawn - 05:51 Aug 07, 2025
    ISLAMABAD: Although the government managed to secure parliamentary approval for an ordinance promulgated to satisfy Maulana Fazlur Rehman and a group of seminary boards, their registration may be hampered by the fact that the law only applies to the capital territory. During Wednesday’s proceedings, the Nat­ional Assembly passed the Societies Regis­tration (Amendment) Act 2025, allowing religious seminaries to get registered with the authority of their choice — the federal education ministry’s Directorate Gene­ral of Religious Education (DGRE), or their relevant DC office under the Societies Act 1860. The new amendment is an addition in section 21-(C) of the law, allowing religious seminaries to choose which body they want to register themselves with. It has already been approved by the Senate. The law became a bone of contention bet­ween the JUI-F and the ruling coalition after President Asif Ali Zardari reportedly withheld presidential assent on the bill last year. The bill sailed through the Senate on Oct ...
  • Army chief heads to US, again
    Dawn - 04:26 Aug 07, 2025
    WASHINGTON: Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir is expected in the US this week for consultations with his American counterparts, official sources told Dawn. Sources said this would be a return visit, following a trip to Pakistan by Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), in late July. In a press statement issued on Aug 4, CENTCOM recalled Gen Kurilla’s recent visit to Pakistan and other countries in the region. During the visit, Gen Kurilla was also conferred the Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Milit­ary) by the Pakistani government. Field Marshal Munir previously visited Washin­gton in June, when he was hosted by President Don­ald Trump for lunch at the White House — an unprecedented gesture typically reserved for visiting heads of state or government. There was no official word on the visit from Inter- Services Public Relations or Pakistan’s embassy in Washington, but during his previous, the army chief had hinted that he expected to return to the US again later in the year. The ...
  • ‘Human actions’ led to 15pc heavier rains this year
    Dawn - 02:55 Aug 07, 2025
    • Experts, scientists say even moderate rains are causing high death tolls • Pakistan is 152nd in list of countries least ready for climate impact • Report says issue ‘taken seriously’ in Pakistan, but financing is absent ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, one of the countries least prepared to deal with the impact of climate change, was hit particularly hard this year as it received 15 per cent more rainfall than average. This anomaly was a result of human actions that exacerbated the crisis of climate change, said a group of 18 scientists and researchers who were part of the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College’s Grantham Institute in the UK. The group, which included experts from universities and meteorological agencies in Pakistan, the UK, France and the Netherlands, said the recent floods were triggered by heavier-than-normal rainfall and blamed human actions for the weather anomaly. Pakistan’s monsoon season starts in late June and ends in September. It brings 70 to 80pc of the country’s annual rainfal...
  • Pakistan women lose by 11 runs in first Ireland T20
    Dawn - 19:00 Aug 06, 2025
    Pakistan lost by 11 runs to Ireland on Wednesday in the first Twenty 20 International (T20I) of their series in Dublin. Skipper Fatima Sana was the pick of the bowlers for the Green Shirts at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground, getting a career-best 4-26 as the team looked to kickstart a packed international calendar — featuring two white-ball World Cups — with a winning performance after bowling the Irish side out for 142. However, that was not meant to be, as the Irish side restricted the visitors to 131 in their chase, with all-rounder Orla Prendergast being adjudicated player of the match for her three wickets and 26 runs. In the first innings, Sadia Iqbal, the number one ranked T20I bowler in the world, started her spell by conceding a boundary to Ireland opener Amy Hunter. Skipper Fatima struck in just her second over, bowling an inswinger to dislodge her opposite number Gaby Lewis’s middle stump. The Irish side then recovered to score 48-1 at the end of the powerplay — courtesy five boundaries from opene...
    Tags: Pakistan Ireland
  • Body of missing teenage girl found from nullah near Punjab’s Rawat
    Dawn - 18:48 Aug 06, 2025
    The body of a missing teenage girl was recovered from a drain near Punjab’s Rawat on Wednesday, according to police. Kahuta Police Station House Officer (SHO) Zakaullah Shah told Dawn.com: “ Fifteen-year-old Sania Bibi, daughter of Muhammad Waris, a resident of Kahuta town, had gone missing from her home the previous day, while her body was found lying in Lang Nullah in the Rawat area on Wednesday morning.“ Shah said that her body was transported to Kahuta Tehsil Headquarter Hospital for a postmortem to ascertain the cause of her death. The SHO further added that her family had told the police that she was mentally ill and had left her home barefoot. “They were searching for her and she probably jumped into the ravine. Her body was recovered miles away in the Rawat area, at the bank of the nullah,” the SHO said. The official added that all aspects of her death would be investigated after receiving postmortem reports. Last month, the prime suspect in the Arshman Akhtar murder case was killed in an alleged enco...
    Tags: Punjab Rawat
  • Rescue operation underway after emerald mine collapses in KP’s Malook Abad
    Dawn - 18:20 Aug 06, 2025
    A major rescue operation was launched in the Malook Abad area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district after a section of an emerald mine collapsed on Wednesday evening, trapping multiple workers underground. According to initial reports by Rescue 1122 Swat, the mine caved in suddenly during extraction activity. “Upon receiving the alert, the district emergency officer immediately dispatched a specialised disaster response team to the site, where a full-scale rescue operation was launched without delay,” said Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shafiqa Gul. Gul confirmed that four mine rescuers entered the collapsed shaft, working to reach and retrieve the trapped individuals. “Rescue efforts were being carried out with urgency, utilising all available resources including modern equipment, ambulances and medical teams stationed at the site,” she said, adding that additional support has been requisitioned from nearby mines and emergency units to expedite the operation. “We are doing everything in our capacity to ensure a sa...
    Tags: Rescue Malook Abad
  • Pakistan’s social sector adapts to survive global aid cuts
    Dawn - 18:17 Aug 06, 2025
    The Trump administration’s abrupt decision to terminate foreign aid, including funding through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), delivered a jolt to Pakistan’s social sector, forcing many organisations to halt projects, lay off staff, and scale back operations. Days after beginning his second term in January, Trump announced a pause in all foreign assistance under his “America First” policy. The move further deepened an already challenging funding environment in Pakistan, where donor fatigue and shifting priorities have chipped away at global aid streams in recent years. Still, the development sector has managed to absorb the initial shocks. Experts say a shift in strategy, bolstered by growing support from the Pakistani diaspora and government contributions, has helped NGOs keep their work alive. “Pakistan’s decades-old development sector, particularly the big NGOs, is deep-rooted and is pursuing a multi-sectoral and multi-donor approach to avoid dependence on one or a few donor...
    Tags: Pakistan
  • Govt can consider pardon if Imran issues apology, PM’s coordinator says
    Dawn - 18:11 Aug 06, 2025
    Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Industries Rana Ihsan Afzal has said that the government would be able to consider a pardon for PTI founder Imran Khan if he were to issue an apology for his crimes. Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a sentence at the Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests of May 9, 2023. In an interview on DawnNewsTV show ‘Doosra Rukh’ a day ago, Afzal said Imran’s sentence could be commuted if he were to issue a written apology to the president. “If he writes some mercy petition or an apology to the head of state, then in my opinion, his sentence can definitely be forgiven,” Afzal said. “The scope available in the law can be used. Besides this, the government does not have any other power to forgive his sentence,” he said, adding that as the allegations against Imran had been proven, a pardon could be considered based on an apology. He emphasised that the sentencing in the...
    Tags: Imran
  • Search underway for 2nd day after Karachi couple drowns in Skardu boat capsize accident
    Dawn - 17:59 Aug 06, 2025
    A search operation for a missing body continued for a second day after a couple from Karachi drowned in a boat capsize accident in Skardu, officials said on Wednesday. Skardu is a popular tourist destination for local and international visitors. However, accidents are quite common due to the difficult terrain and lack of modern infrastructure. A statement by Rescue 1122 said, “Two people went missing in a tragic boat capsizing incident in the beautiful Kachora area of Skardu. Rescue 1122 divers and rescue personnel of Skardu have recovered the body of a woman after taking immediate action, while the search for the other missing person is still ongoing. The search and rescue operation was ongoing under the supervision of Emergency Officer Islamuddin, it added. Baltistan Police Public Relations Officer Ghulam Muhammad told Dawn.com that a family from Karachi, who were visiting the Kachura Soq Valley in Skardu, had been rafting on a river when the raft capsized at 4pm on Tuesday. “Three operators and a 15-year-o...
    Tags: Karachi Skardu

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