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Dawn - 13:24 May 11, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, have submitted additional documents to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, bringing these on record before the hearing on Tuesday, May 12, on their plea, which seeks to set aside the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order denying interim relief in the controversial social media posts case. In December 2025, Imaan Mazari and her husband moved the Supreme Court to set aside the IHC’s decision that denied the interim relief in the controversial social media post case against the couple. The petition argued that the high court had “erroneously and illegally refused” to exercise the discretion to grant ad-interim relief to the petitioners to stay the criminal trial, as recording of evidence before the trial court in their absence was not only a violation of Section 353 CrPC, but also their due process and fair trial rights under Article 10A of the Constitution. The additional documents, submitted by their counsel, Faisal Siddiqi, on... -
Dawn - 13:20 May 11, 2026
The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday dismissed a set of appeals instituted by Greentree Holdings Limited (GTH) against a June order by the Sindh High Court (SHC), which had held that GTH shares were the property of private equity firm The Resource Group Pakistan (TRGP). The dispute revolves around a challenge to a June 20, 2025 SHC judgement, in which the SHC had allowed an application of former TRG CEO Muhammad Ziaullah Khan Chishti to be filed under company laws. In its order on June 20, 2025, the SHC had ruled that shares held by GTH in TRGP (the respondent) were the property of TRGP, and would be deemed to have been purchased by the latter from its shareholders. The court had also ordered TGRP’s Board of Directors to issue notice for an extraordinary general meeting of the company immediately to elect directors, adding that the new board of directors would decide whether to retain or cancel these treasury shares after the elections. A three-judge SC bench, headed by Justice Naeem Akhter Afghan alongside Justi... -
Dawn - 12:46 May 11, 2026
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday decried decisions taken behind closed doors, saying that the provincial government would oppose those decisions that went against peace in the province and the people’s interests. He made the remarks during a visit to Bannu, after 15 police personnel were martyred and three sustained injuries after a suicide attack on the Fateh Khel police post. According to a statement issued by the CM House, Afridi met the families of the martyred police personnel and also offered Fateha. The statement said that he also visited the hospital to inquire about the health of the injured personnel and directed officials to provide them with the best possible healthcare facilities. The statement quoted Afridi as saying that the KP police had shown bravery and courage against terrorism. He said that the people of the province had to stand up for their rights, otherwise the “imposed circumstances” would continue to prevail. “We have been continuously saying that terrorists a... -
Dawn - 11:26 May 11, 2026
The Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday that the Afghan chargé d’affaires was summoned and handed a “strong demarche” over the suicide attack in Bannu, which claimed the lives of 15 police personnel. In a statement, the FO said, “The Afghan chargé d’affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today to deliver a strong demarche regarding the cowardly vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) attack carried out by terrorists of Fitna al Khawarij on the Fateh Khel police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu District on May 9.” Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, while Fitna al Hindustan is a term designated by the state for terrorist organisations in Balochistan. “The ministry conveyed that a detailed investigation into the incident, along with evidence collected and technical intelligence, indicates that the attack was masterminded by terrorists residing in Afghanistan,” the FO said. “Reiterating Pakistan’s grave concern ... -
Dawn - 11:02 May 11, 2026
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat on Monday announced a three-month-long summer vacation for schools in the province. In a statement released by his spokesperson, he said that the summer break would begin on May 22 and would end on August 23. He said that schools in the province would then open on August 24. The minister also posted the same on his official Facebook account. Last month, schools in the province were advised to alter working hours or declare early summer holidays due to excessive heat, which has prevailed over parts of the country over the past few weeks. The Punjab Disaster Management Authority had issued urgent directives to educational institutions and district administrations across the province in view of a heatwave. The advisory had stated that schools should alter working hours or declare early summer holidays if excessive heat persisted; suspend all outdoor sports and activities immediately; ensure uninterrupted availability of clean, cold drinking water; maintain functi... -
Dawn - 10:48 May 11, 2026
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Monday that a plot to coerce a girl into carrying out a terrorist attack in Islamabad had been thwarted by intelligence agencies. The girl, who was reportedly arrested before she could carry out a suicide bombing, will be released to her father under supervision instead of facing trial, he said. The chief minister, in a press conference alongside the suspect, emphatically denounced the perpetrators of exploitation against Baloch women and girls. He stressed that their actions had no connection at all to Baloch tradition or history. “We are faithful to our tradition,” he said, adding, “These people have no connection to Balochiyat, and the way they are using our women in this war is shameful. I am so ashamed that I cannot even tell the media the details.” According to details shared by Bugti, the girl’s name had initially appeared on social media as a missing person, but an investigation by intelligence agencies ascertained that she was allegedly training at a t... -
Dawn - 10:26 May 11, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered an inquiry into an attack in Toba Tek Singh that left PML-N MPA Col (retired) Sardar Ayub Gadhi injured and four of his aides dead. The incident occurred on Sunday night, when Gadhi was sitting with his friends in his outhouse (Dera) in Chak 184-GB. Subsequently, unidentified gunmen opened indiscriminate fire. In a statement on Monday, PM Shehbaz expressed deep concern and strongly condemned the incident. He also directed the relevant authorities to swiftly complete the inquiry so that those responsible could be identified and brought to justice. Calling Gadhi one of the PML-N’s hardworking workers, the prime minister said that the attack on the MPA while he was listening to public grievances was extremely concerning. He offered prayers for those who lost their lives in the incident and for the recovery of the injured. Those killed in the incident on Sunday night were identified as Zaigham Abbas (41), Nadim Noor (45), Khaliqdad (49), and Haq Nawaz (55). Police s... -
Dawn - 10:22 May 11, 2026
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday allowed an application filed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz seeking the return of Rs70 million deposited as surety for bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case. The case by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) pertains to alleged money laundering and income beyond means via “dubious” business transactions of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills, of which Maryam was a major shareholder. At the outset of the hearing, a NAB deputy prosecutor submitted an affidavit to an LHC full bench about the withdrawal of its plea before the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) challenging directives for the closure of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills investigation against Maryam. At this, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, who headed the bench, accepted Maryam’s application with instructions to the registrar’s office to return the surety amount. Justice Muhammad Jawad Zafar and Justice Abher Gul Khan were the other members of the bench. The chief minister, through her counsel Javed Arshad, had filed ... -
Dawn - 09:19 May 11, 2026
Iran on Monday asserted that it made “legitimate” demands in its latest formal response to the United States’ peace proposal, after US President Donald Trump rejected the reply as “totally unacceptable”. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran had called for an end to the war across the region, the lifting of the US blockade of Iranian ports, and the release of frozen assets abroad in its response. “We did not demand any concessions. The only thing we demanded was Iran’s legitimate rights,” said Baqaei in a weekly press briefing. He said Iran’s demands included “an end to the war in the region”, lifting the US blockade and “piracy”, and the “release of assets belonging to the Iranian people, which have for years been unjustly trapped in foreign banks”. “Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and establishing security in the region and Lebanon were other demands of Iran, which are considered a generous and responsible offer for regional security.” Baqaei said Washington continued to uphold ... -
Dawn - 08:37 May 11, 2026
An American national and a French woman evacuated from the cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak have tested positive, officials said on Monday, as the complex operation to repatriate those on board continued. The French woman, one of five passengers from France flown back from the MV Hondius and placed in isolation in Paris, started to feel unwell on Sunday night, and “tests came back positive”, said Health Minister Stephanie Rist. Late on Sunday, the US health department said one American national evacuated from the ship had “mild symptoms” and that another had tested positive for the Andes virus, the only hantavirus strain that is transmissible between humans. Three passengers from the ship, a Dutch couple and a German woman, have died, while others have fallen sick with the rare disease, which usually spreads among rodents. No vaccines or specific treatments exist for hantavirus, which is endemic in Argentina, where the ship set sail in April. But health officials have insisted that the risk for... -
Dawn - 08:13 May 11, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was told on Monday that Pakistan’s information technology exports were expected to reach $4.5 billion to $4.6bn, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The development came as the premier chaired meeting to review the affairs of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication. During the meeting, the premier was told that the number of domestic internet connections had increased from 1.9 million in 2024 to 5.1m in 2026. He was also told that IT exports were expected to reach between $4.5bn-$4.6bn during the current fiscal year, the PMO said. Further, the premier was told that the recent 5G spectrum auction had generated $509m dollars in revenue. The meeting was also told that, under efforts to promote artificial intelligence, “Indus AI Week” was organised in February 2025 across 30 cities, attracting over 100 international delegates and featuring 88 pavilions. The meeting was told that fibre connectivity had been provided to government schools and health uni... -
Dawn - 08:10 May 11, 2026
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Monday announced a major reduction in tariffs at Gwadar Port aimed at boosting global transit traffic, according to an official statement. According to the statement, the minister said that berthing fees for container ships have been reduced by 25 per cent, while port charges on international transshipment containers have been cut by 40pc. He added that port charges on transit container cargo have also been reduced by up to 31pc. Further, a one-month free storage facility has been introduced for general cargo, compared to the standard five-day allowance at other national ports, the minister added. “Ships bringing transit and transshipment cargo have been given major relief,” Chaudhry was quoted as saying. “These incentives take effect immediately, and further adjustments will be reviewed in phases based on operational data and market response,” the minister added, noting that future revisions would be guided by cargo trends, regional competition, ... -
Dawn - 07:43 May 11, 2026
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb has called on the judiciary to encourage alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and detailed the Supreme Court’s ongoing efforts to establish a mediation centre. In remarks aired on television on Monday, the SC judge stressed the need for mediators to be referred more cases, saying, “For that, the courts have to be willing to refer cases to mediation and must never think that by doing so, they are shying away from their primary responsibility of adjudication.” He noted that, having already paid lawyers, parties were reluctant to pay a fee for mediators and, therefore, some mediation centres had a policy of pro-bono mediations. “To encourage parties to go into mediation, what we have decided now is to train as many judges as mediators, and also officials in the high court and the Supreme Court who are law graduates, who will be willing to conduct mediation in their own pay scale,” the judge said. Justice Aurangzeb, along with Lahore High Court’s Justice Jawad Hassan, was presenti... -
Dawn - 07:23 May 11, 2026
KARACHI: Twenty-five sacrificial goats worth Rs1.9 million were stolen from Gulistan-i-Jauhar, police said on Monday. Malir Cantt Station House Officer (SHO) Agha Abdul Rasheed told Dawn that a man had bought 25 goats and housed them at an empty plot in Block 8. The police official said that the man had also hired a watchman to watch the animals. However, on Saturday night, around three to four suspects arrived at the location in a Suzuki van and took away all the goats, the SHO said. According to SHO Rasheed, the watchman told police that he was awake at the time of the incident, but the suspects tied a cloth over his face and forcibly took away the goats. The official said that police had obtained CCTV footage from the area and asked the owner to lodge a first information report (FIR) to initiate legal proceedings. However, so far, the owner appeared reluctant to pursue the case, the official said. In 2024, a truck containing a consignment of sacrificial goats was hijacked by four armed men in Gulistan-i-Ja... -
Dawn - 06:00 May 11, 2026
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued an alert for glacial lake outburst floods (Glof) for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, it emerged on Monday. According to the alert issued by the PMD on Sunday night, a moderate westerly wave was expected to enter the upper regions of the country. It said that the weather system was expected to hit KP and extend to Gilgit-Baltistan by Monday. During this period, the department predicted widespread rain and wind-thunderstorms, with isolated heavy falls in mountainous catchments. “The weather patterns significantly elevated the risk of Glofs, debris flow, and flash flooding in vulnerable areas, especially in Swat, lower Chitral, Dir, Upper Hazara, Kohistan, Hoper, Ghulkin, Shishper, Ghizer, Hunza, Nagar, Ghanche, Shigar and Astore,” it said The Met department advised people in glacial valleys to avoid proximity to riverbanks and stream beds during the rainfall; monitor local nullahs for sudden changes in water colour (muddiness) or unusual sounds (g... -
Dawn - 05:23 May 11, 2026
Australia will use the upcoming white-ball tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh to test their depth after naming squads featuring three potential debutants, selectors said on Monday. All-rounder Liam Scott has been included in the ODI squads for Pakistan and Bangladesh, with Victoria batter Ollie Peake joining him in the Pakistan squad. T20 specialist Joel Davies has been included in the squad for three T20Is in Chattogram, Bangladesh, starting on June 17. Mitchell Marsh will captain all squads, with Australia to play three ODIs against Pakistan in Rawalpindi and Lahore from May 30 before travelling to Bangladesh for three ODIs in Dhaka in the run-up to the T20 series. “It’s always exciting to see new players get an opportunity to play international cricket and be a part of the national team,” selector George Bailey said in a statement. “The blend of experienced players coupled with new or returning players will provide a nice mix for these subcontinent tours.” Fast bowlers Billy Stanlake and Riley Meredith retur... -
Dawn - 04:26 May 11, 2026
Oil prices rallied on Monday, after US President Donald Trump said Iran’s response to a US proposal was “unacceptable,” raising supply fears as the Strait of Hormuz stayed largely closed, which kept the global market tight. Brent crude futures climbed $4.16 or 4.11 per cent to $105.45 a barrel at 0340 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate was at $99.80 a barrel, up $4.38, or 4.59pc. Last week, both contracts recorded 6pc weekly losses on hopes for an imminent end to the 10-week-old conflict that would allow oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz. “The oil market continues to trade like a geopolitical headline machine, with prices swinging sharply based on every comment, rejection, or warning coming from Washington and Tehran,” said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova. Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday and is expected to discuss Iran, among other topics, with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to US officials. “Market attention now shifts squarely to President Trump’s v... -
Dawn - 02:18 May 11, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The government is considering reducing the income tax burden on salaried individuals while refraining from increasing salaries and pensions in the upcoming budget, aiming to provide equitable fiscal relief to both public and private sector employees. Informed sources told Dawn that Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has expressed a desire to lower tax rates and, if possible, raise the taxable income threshold for the salaried class in recognition of their significant contribution to revenue generation compared to retailers, wholesalers, exporters, and real estate players. On the other hand, the government may keep salaries and pensions unchanged at current levels, using the resulting fiscal savings to provide tax relief instead. “There is no reason to increase salaries if it pushes employees into higher taxable income brackets, leaving government employees with little to no increase in take-home pay,” an official said. He added that with lower tax rates and higher taxable income thresholds, gove... -
Dawn - 20:56 May 10, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi conveyed to Bangladeshi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam on Sunday that there were “vast opportunities for investment”, as the two sides agreed to increase cooperation in trade and business. Naqvi, who is on an official visit to Bangladesh, called on Islam in Dhaka, where the two held “detailed discussions on bilateral relations, the regional situation, and Pakistan’s conciliatory role”, according to an official statement released by the Ministry of Interior. The Bangladeshi state minister appreciated Pakistan’s efforts aimed at resolving the Iran-US conflict, it said. Pakistan has been leading the efforts for the resolution of the conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, and hosted the first round of face-to-face talks between Washington and Tehran in April. The interior ministry’s statement said that during Naqvi’s meeting with Islam, both sides agreed to increase cooperation in the fields of trade, business, and c... -
Dawn - 20:55 May 10, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Sunday that Pakistan had received Iran’s response to a US proposal to end the war in the Middle East. Speaking at a ceremony held in Islamabad to commemorate Marka-i-Haq, the premier mentioned Pakistan’s efforts for de-escalation between the US and Iran, stating that Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had informed him “a while ago” that Pakistan had received Iran’s response. “I cannot go into more detail. But, I commend the efforts of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and congratulate Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has dedicated himself [to this cause],” he said. Earlier, Iranian media reported that Iran had sent its response to the US proposal via Pakistan. “The Islamic Republic of Iran sent today through Pakistani mediators its response to the latest text proposed by the United States to end the war,” the official IRNA news agency said. Iranian news agency ISNA reported that Tehran’s response to the latest US peace proposal fo...
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