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Dawn - 17:13 May 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PTI said that preparations for the final round of its movement against Imran Khan’s imprisonment had begun, as Adiala jail authorities again denied permission to meet the party founder on Thursday. PTI leaders, including Khurram Virk, Naseem Ali Shah, Zahir Shah, Rajab Abbasi, Zar Aalam and Rubina Shaheen, reached Adiala jail but were not allowed to meet Imran Khan until the end of visiting hours. Zahir, talking to the media, said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had announced preparations for the final round of the movement against the imprisonment of the PTI founder. He said that as soon as directions were received from the party founder, the movement would move forward, adding that the struggle had not yet ended. “Obstacles are deliberately created, resulting in serious damage to the judiciary, and that is why court orders to arrange a meeting with Imran Khan are not being implemented,” Zahir said. “The attacks on state institutions have weakened them significantly,” he added... -
Dawn - 16:39 May 07, 2026
Countries worldwide sought to prevent further spread of the hantavirus on Thursday, after an outbreak on a cruise ship, by tracking those who had already disembarked before the virus was detected and anyone in close contact with them since. Three people — a Dutch couple and a German national — died in the outbreak on the MV Hondius. In total, five people are confirmed to have contracted the virus, with another three suspected cases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. Hantavirus is usually spread by rodents, but can, in rare cases, be transmitted person-to-person. All passengers who disembarked in St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean, where the ship made a stop on April 24, have been contacted, the ship’s operator said, adding this included people from at least 12 countries, among them seven British citizens and six from the US The first confirmed case of hantavirus in this outbreak came in early May. ‘This is not Covid’ The WHO repeated that the risk to the general public was “low” even if the A... -
Dawn - 16:16 May 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday set aside Section 7E of the Income Tax Ordinance (ITO) 2001 as ultra vires the Constitution, which had empowered tax authorities to levy tax on “deemed income” from assets and properties. Having a significant impact on the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) property taxation, Section 7E was introduced through the Finance Act, 2022, for the tax year 2023. It provided for taxation on deemed or notional income arising from ownership of certain immovable properties, subject to specified exemptions relating to personal residences, agricultural land, and other exempt categories recognised under the statutory framework. The Finance Act 2022 had imposed tax on the “deemed income” of taxpayers holding immovable property worth over Rs25 million. The provision taxed such property at five per cent of its FBR-defined fair market value, subject to a 20 per cent tax rate, resulting in an effective annual tax of one per cent on the capital value of undeveloped or no... -
Dawn - 15:34 May 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The government decided in principle to grant commercial banks significant powers to take over mortgaged houses in case of default after a cumulative notice period of 90 days, in a move aimed at encouraging lending to the housing sector. The proposed foreclosure law to amend “The Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finances) Ordinance, 2001”, currently under review by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, provides that where a customer defaults on payment of mortgage dues, the financial institution may issue three notices of 30 days each, “demanding payment of the outstanding mortgage amount”. “In case of default in payment by a customer after service of the final (third) notice, the financial institution may proceed with the sale of the housing unit, provided that all notices have been duly served upon the mortgagor, who has remained in default of payment of mortgage dues or any part thereof.” The Standing Committee on Finance, which held a meeting in Islamabad on Thurs... -
Dawn - 14:49 May 07, 2026
Cambridge International Education (CIE) on Thursday cancelled the “prematurely shared” mathematics exam, announcing that it will conduct a new version of the exam for affected regions on June 9. On April 30, CIE confirmed that its AS-level mathematics paper was “shared prematurely” against its regulations. It said that the exam paper was for the Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Pakistan and South Asia regions. CIE, in a statement, said that “Cambridge’s senior assessment experts have decided that a new version of the Mathematics (9709/12) exam paper will be sat by all candidates in the affected regions”. CIE noted that the previous exam paper could not be used to award final exam results and “will not be used to generate results through calculated assessment”. As per the statement, the replacement exam will “ensure fair outcomes for students and deliver grades that are trusted by universities and other stakeholders”. CIE announced that the new exam will take place on June 9 (Tuesday), “as part of the June ser... -
Dawn - 14:12 May 07, 2026
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has expressed confidence in the bowling attack as the national side prepares to face Bangladesh in the first Test of the two-match series in Mirpur on Friday. The Green Shirts are visiting Bangladesh for a Test series after being whitewashed on home soil by the Bengal Tigers in August 2024. The visitors had won the two-match series by 10 wickets and six wickets respectively in Rawalpindi. Addressing the pre-series press conference on Thursday, Masood said, “We are fully focused on this series and the challenge of playing Bangladesh in their own conditions.” He also put the weight on the home side’s “quality in all departments”. Masood said that the team is looking forward to “testing” itself against its hosts. “We have selected a well-balanced squad that can perform in different conditions. The players have experience of playing in seam-friendly as well as spin-friendly environments, so we are confident about the options available to us,” he said. “In Test cricket, taking 20 ... -
Dawn - 14:05 May 07, 2026
LAHORE: At least four children were killed and 20 people were injured after the roof of a classroom at a private school in Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan collapsed on Thursday. The preliminary report of the incident released by the district administration confirmed the number of casualties. The injured include 16 students, two teachers and as many labourers, according to the report, which is available with Dawn. It said the incident was reported around noon, following which rescue personnel and ambulances were sent to the site. Initial responders reached the site “in four minutes”, it added. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmad also told Dawn that rescue and district administration officials, along with local residents, participated in the rescue operation to pull out the students and teachers from under the rubble. District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Waqas Gill told Dawn that he was also present at the site while the rescue and search operation was under way. He said all the injured were ta... -
Dawn - 13:47 May 07, 2026
Two separate attacks in South Waziristan on Thursday killed three children and injured several people, security sources said. According to reports, an explosion occurred near a civilian settlement in the Gawa Khwa area of South Waziristan, while mortar shells were also fired at civilians by Afghan Taliban forces in the border tehsil of Angoor Adda. The explosion, they said, was caused after “Fitna al Khawarij hid cylinders filled with explosives near a house in a nearby settlement”. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. “Three innocent children of a family were martyred and several people were injured” as a result of the explosion, the security sources said, noting that the victims were a 15-year-old boy and two girls of eight and seven years old. Security sources added that those injured in the attack were immediately taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Wana. Locals expressed deep grief and anger over the tragic incident and s... -
Dawn - 08:28 May 07, 2026
The military’s media affairs wing has said that any hostile design against Pakistan will be countered with “even greater strength, precision and resolve far stronger than what was witnessed by the adversary during Marka-i-Haq”. Last year’s military conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the end of Pakistan’s Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, with a ceasefire ending a military escalation between the two countries on May 10, has been called “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth) by the state. In a statement released late Wednesday night to mark the first anniversary of the conflict with India, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the armed forces, particularly the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) “proudly commemorate a defining chapter in the nation’s military history; one that strengthened national confidence, reaffirmed institutional resolve and validated PAF’s relentless pursuit of modernization and focused capability enhancement”. “This historic milestone reflects PAF’s steadfast journey ... -
Dawn - 07:38 May 07, 2026
The PTI on Thursday expressed concern and anger over reports of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi being “suddenly and secretly” taken to the hospital in the middle of the night and then taken back to jail. “The entire matter is shrouded in unusual secrecy, a lack of transparency, and serious human rights violations, which have raised countless questions in the minds of the nation,” the party said. The statement came after media reports emerged on Wednesday night alleging that Bushra Bibi, who is currently incarcerated at Adiala jail, was taken to a hospital under tight security for a follow-up examination of her eye. Last month, Bushra Bibi underwent eye surgery at a Rawalpindi hospital. According to prison authorities, she was diagnosed with retinal detachment in the right eye, and doctors had advised surgery. “Why is the nation not being informed about her illness, if her condition deteriorated to the extent that she had to be urgently taken to the hospital in the middle of night?” the party asked. “Which hospi... -
Dawn - 07:30 May 07, 2026
Doctors Without Borders on Thursday accused Israel of having deliberately restricted food and aid in Gaza, creating a “manufactured malnutrition crisis” with particularly devastating impacts on infants and pregnant and breastfeeding women. The report also examined the harm done by the US- and Israeli-backed private organisation set up last year to largely replace UN distribution of aid in Gaza. The medical charity, known by its French acronym MSF, based its case on an analysis of the situation between late 2024 and early 2026 at four health facilities it supports in the Gaza Strip. That analysis showed significantly higher levels of prematurity and mortality among infants born to malnourished mothers, and spikes in miscarriages, it said. MSF linked these outcomes with Israel’s blockade of essential goods and attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities. “Insecurity, displacement, restrictions on aid, and limited access to food and medical care have had devastating consequences for maternal... -
Dawn - 06:25 May 07, 2026
Gunmen on motorbikes in India’s West Bengal ambushed and killed a political aide from the ruling Hindu-nationalist party days after it swept state elections, police said Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a resounding victory on Monday in the eastern state of more than 100 million people, taking 207 of the 294 assembly seats, for its first-ever state victory in West Bengal. Chandranath Rath, 41, a close aide of West Bengal’s BJP chief Suvendu Adhikari was shot dead late on Wednesday near his home in Kolkata. Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, now tipped to become the state chief minister, called it “cold-blooded murder”. Motorbikes blocked Rath’s vehicle, before the attackers opened fire in a barrage of around a dozen shots, hitting Rath multiple times in the heart. “The shooting happened at about 11 pm on Wednesday — the bikes that stopped Rath’s car have been seized,” West Bengal police chief Siddh Nath Gupta told AFP. “The bikes had fake reg... -
Dawn - 06:03 May 07, 2026
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has directed all deputy commissioners to take precautionary measures ahead of heatwave conditions that are slated to begin from May 8 (Friday). In the letter sent, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the PDMA said heatwave conditions were likely to develop over the province’s plain areas from May 8 to May 10. It said that daytime temperatures may rise to 43–47°C in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu, Karak, and Lakki Marwat. It also forecast daytime temperatures between 39–43°C in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Haripur, and Kohat. “Afterward, a shallow westerly wave is likely to affect most parts of the province on 10th (evening/ night) and likely to persist in the upper parts till May 13. This system is likely to bring relief from the prevailing hot conditions in the province,” it said. “It is therefore requested to kindly take all precautionary measures to avoid any loss of life, damages to crops and livestock,” the departmen... -
Dawn - 04:28 May 07, 2026
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday that the Australia men’s cricket team will tour the country for a three-match one-day international (ODI) series. In a press release, the cricket board said that the visitors would arrive in Islamabad on May 23 and take on the Green Shirts in the first ODI scheduled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 30. The second and third ODIs of the series will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on June 2 and 4, respectively, it said. “All three ODIs are scheduled to begin at 4:30pm local time, with the toss taking place at 4pm,” the press release said. It went on to say that the upcoming bilateral ODI series would be Australia’s first in Pakistan since 2022. It also highlighted that Australia last visited Pakistan earlier this year to participate in a three-match T20I series, which the hosts won 3-0 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. It further said that Australia also featured in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches in Pakistan, including a five-wicket win... -
Dawn - 03:18 May 07, 2026
• CDA mulls tourism development at key water source • Critics cite past controversies and ecological risks ISLAMABAD: City managers are planning to develop water sports and recreational facilities near Simly Dam, a move that may pose environmental challenges for residents. The dam, built in 1983, is located 30 kilometres east of Islamabad in the foothills of lush green mountains and is considered a main source of clean drinking water. The other dam in Islamabad, including Rawal Dam, which supplies water to Rawalpindi, is already heavily polluted, mainly due to uncontrolled contamination in its catchment area. Simly Dam, located in a less-visited area, remains a source of clean drinking water. However, the federal government and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) now plan to introduce recreational activities in the area. Recently, the CDA board approved a summary for hiring former chairman Kamran Lashari as a consultant (city curator) for the “preparation of a comprehensive citywide culture and tourism vi... -
Dawn - 02:06 May 07, 2026
KARACHI: Caregivers of children up to five years of age in Sindh will receive Rs3,000 every quarter for growth monitoring, nutrition counselling and school readiness, as the provincial government rolls out a Rs14 billion Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme. The decision was taken on Wednesday at the third board meeting of the Sindh Social Protection Authority (SSPA), chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. The board approved a package of initiatives to expand the province’s social safety net, strengthen maternal and child welfare, and provide seasonal income support to rural women. The ECD project, funded by KfW, a German state-owned investment and development bank, will target 885,000 children aged between one month and five years. Murad approves Rs14bn early childhood development initiative; quarterly payment of Rs3,000 each to benefit over 885,000 kids, meeting told According to a statement issued by the CM House, the meeting was attended, among others, by provincial ministers Dr Azra Fazal,... -
Dawn - 02:06 May 07, 2026
• Judgement says special courts not limited to ownership, possession matters • Rules they can hear inheritance, partition, contract, transaction disputes LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has declared that special courts established for overseas Pakistanis can hear a wide range of property-related disputes, going beyond narrow questions of ownership and possession. In a judgement authored by Justice Anwaar Hussain, the court decided multiple petitions related to the scope of jurisdiction under the Punjab Establishment of Special Courts (Overseas Pakistanis Property) Act, 2025. The matter reached the high court after special courts declined to hear several cases — including suits relating to specific performance, cancellation of transactions and inheritance claims — on the grounds that such disputes fell outside their limited mandate. These matters were subsequently referred back to civil courts, prompting affected litigants, including overseas Pakistanis, to challenge the interpretation before the LHC. In o... -
Dawn - 02:06 May 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The functioning of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) came under scrutiny on Wednesday when the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) questioned the notion that its records are immune to tampering. “Who says Nadra records cannot be tampered with?” wondered Justice Aamer Farooq while hearing a habeas corpus petition regarding the custody of a minor girl, Ayesha Tariq, who had converted from Christianity to Islam. Justice Farooq was heading a two-judge FCC bench that also comprised Justice K.K. Agha. During the hearing, senior counsel Muhammad Saqib Jillani, representing the girl’s parents, argued that Ayesha was underage, adding that a Nadra certificate to this effect had been placed on record. He also expressed concern that the girl might have married. Orders shifting of newly converted Muslim girl to Darul Aman in habeas corpus plea Additional Advocate General Punjab Waseem Mumtaz Malik, however, submitted that if the girl was under 18, she should be sent to her parents; otherwise, ... -
Dawn - 20:10 May 06, 2026
The second Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference kicked off in Islamabad on Wednesday, with business leaders and experts highlighting the impact on the country’s agricultural sector and vulnerable communities, and the need for determined implementation of legal and policy frameworks, as well as climate finance. Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Pakistan remains among the most climate-vulnerable nations, underscoring the critical need for coordinated, locally grounded, and globally informed responses. The two-day conference, organised by DawnMedia, brings together policymakers, experts, and stakeholders from across sectors to examine intersecting challenges and chart a path forward. Federal ministers, government officials, business leaders, and agriculture and water experts were among the various speakers who presented their perspectives on tackling the climate crisis. Key takeaways: Pakistan must be disciplined in management of energy transition: Dawn CEO Nazafreen Saigol ... -
Dawn - 19:07 May 06, 2026
Israel struck Beirut on Wednesday for the first time since agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah last month, with Israel claiming it targeted a commander of the group’s elite Radwan force in the city’s southern suburbs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the action in a joint statement. Israeli media reported that the commander was killed in the strike, but there was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli military or Hezbollah. The Lebanon ceasefire has underpinned a broader US-Iran truce, with a halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon being a key Iranian demand. As Iran and the US say they are drawing closer to a deal to halt their conflict, the strikes threaten the ceasefire that halted Israeli attacks on Beirut. Israeli troops have remained in areas south of the Litani River and strikes continued in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has responded by firing and launching armed drones towards Israeli soldiers. Israel earlier on Wednesday called for residents to eva...
10706 items