Dawn
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Dawn - 02:40 Jul 17, 2026
THE centre-periphery divide in Pakistan is as old as the country itself. Its contours may have changed over time, but it remains as acute as any of the major structural crises that afflict us. At the time of writing, at least three peripheries are simmering. Balochistan, KP and AJK are all unique geographical regions whose historical relationships with the state cannot be reduced to one another but even establishment apologists find it hard to simply reduce the current situation in all three regions to the proverbial foreign hand. The Seraiki belt, Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan may not presently be gripped by unrest, but they remain peripheral to the political, economic, cultural and intellectual mainstream. In short, the majority of the people of these regions are at best struggling for economic survival and dignity, and at worst are subject to oppressive governance. Underlying the centre-periphery divide is a model of colonial statecraft that sees all ordinary people as subjects to be ruled by carrot and stick... -
Dawn - 02:38 Jul 17, 2026
GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution asking the federal government to grant provisional provincial status, as well as constitutional and political rights, for the people of the mountainous region. The resolution, supported by both sides of the aisle, was presented by lawmaker Jalal Ali Shah during the session on Thursday. It recalled the historical background of GB’s liberation, subsequent administrative reforms, and constitutional mechanisms for its integration into the national constitutional framework. It noted that the Gilgit-Baltistan (Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order 2009 constituted a significant milestone by establishing an elected legislative assembly and enhancing self-governance, while simultaneously reaffirming that further constitutional advancement of the region remained an objective of the state. The resolution said the GB assembly was granted legislative powers through the Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018 in light of the special directives... -
Dawn - 02:34 Jul 17, 2026
KARACHI: The ongoing war in the Gulf has further reduced foreign investment in Pakistan, with Bahrain withdrawing its investments from domestic bonds within the first 10 days of the current fiscal year. The State Bank reported on Thursday that there was no inflow of foreign investment into the domestic market during the first 10 days of 2026-27, particularly from the Gulf states. The renewed US-Israeli war on Iran has not only pushed up oil prices but also left countries like Pakistan facing increasing trouble, as neither foreign investment is coming from the region nor is the market stable for exports. Only a $4 million inflow was noted from Luxembourg in the treasury bills, which pay the highest returns, up to 11.5 per cent, in developing countries. Bahrain withdraws $30m from bonds in first 10 days of FY27 However, the conflict closed off an option for Pakistan to receive inflows from the Middle Eastern countries. As a result, the UAE immediately withdrew $3.5bn held in the State Bank of Pakistan’s account... -
Dawn - 02:29 Jul 17, 2026
• Senate panel asks PTA to explore alternative mechanism for SIM registration • Regulator says ‘visible 5G coverage’ expected by year-end • Ogra clarifies consumers liable for metered gas leakage ISLAMABAD: Amid concerns about the restrictions surrounding the transfer of e-SIM cards from one phone to another, the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was informed on Thursday that consumers would soon be able to transfer their e-SIM cards at least 10 times without any cost. In a meeting chaired by Rana Mahmoodul Hassan, the Senate panel discussed various issues related to the telecom sector, such as the rollout of 5G internet services, mobile network quality, and alternative mechanisms for the issuance of SIM cards. PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman informed the committee that telecom operators followed different policies, allowing only limited transfers. He added that a uniform policy was being finalised to enable consumers to make at least 10 transfers without cost. The committee members also expressed... -
Dawn - 02:24 Jul 17, 2026
PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s assertion that agriculture and livestock hold the key to Pakistan’s quick economic revival is spot-on. The sector contributes almost a quarter of GDP, employs well over a third of the labour force and remains the largest source of livelihoods. Livestock alone accounts for more than 60pc of agriculture’s value addition, while Pakistan ranks among the world’s largest milk producers, and possesses considerable untapped potential in both milk and meat exports. Few sectors offer comparable opportunities to generate growth, reduce poverty, improve food security and earn foreign exchange simultaneously. But the PM’s declaration that the economy can be revived within a year through agriculture highlights the gap between ambition and policy execution. The agricultural crisis has never been about the absence of potential. It is the consequence of decades of policy neglect and inconsistency, institutional decay and distorted incentives. While successive governments have acknowledged the s... -
Dawn - 02:15 Jul 17, 2026
• Officials having to rely on ‘less credible sources’ in the absence of river flow information from India • Action to clear Ravi riverbed of ‘temporary encroachments’ on the cards LAHORE: The Punjab government has asked the irrigation department to prepare for flooding under the ‘high-alert category’, amid prevailing uncertainty about river flows due to India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. A source privy to a meeting chaired by Lahore Commissioner Nauman Yousaf told Dawn that the irrigation department was making arrangements keeping in view the information being shared on social media or through other means, which were insufficient to make accurate assessments. “In a recent meeting related to the flood situation and arrangements, a senior official of the irrigation department revealed that India continued to avoid sharing data since it had put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance in April last year,” the source said. In light of this information, the commissioner directed the irrigation de... -
Dawn - 19:07 Jul 16, 2026
The recovery plan for war-battered Gaza, under US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace (BoP), has been significantly scaled back and, instead of reconstructing the entire territory, now envisions a small pilot project in the south of the besieged territory, the British publication The Guardian reported on Thursday. The board was initially proposed in September 2025 and formally established in January. Under its charter, the US government serves as its official depository and Trump has designated the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace in Washington as the Board’s headquarters. A UN Security Council resolution adopted in mid-November last year authorised the board, along with cooperating states, to establish an international stabilisation force in Gaza following a ceasefire that began in October under a Trump-backed plan accepted by Israel and Hamas. According to the publication, the new pilot project now aims to construct a small temporary camp for a fraction of Gaza’s population, with a Palestinian administ... -
Dawn - 18:26 Jul 16, 2026
The Trump administration moved on Thursday to tighten the duration of visas for foreign students, cultural exchange visitors and journalists. The new final rule from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) creates a fixed time period for F visas for international students, J visas that allow visitors on cultural exchange programs to work in the US, and I visas for members of the media. Those visas are currently available for the duration of the program or employment in the US. The effective date is 60 days from publication in the Federal Register, subject to congressional review. US President Donald Trump, a Republican, kicked off a wide-ranging immigration crackdown after taking office in January 2025. His administration has increased scrutiny of legal immigration, revoking student visas and green cards of university students over their ideological views and stripping legal status from hundreds of thousands of migrants. The latest action would create new hurdles for international students, exchange workers... -
Dawn - 18:15 Jul 16, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s oil supply chain players appeared nervous as petrol stocks declined to a 14-day cover on Thursday, prompting the government to urgently address procedural issues and activate enforcement mechanisms to discourage hoarding for profiteering in the market. The decline comes amid rising prices following renewed US-Iran hostilities. Informed sources said the government may have to revert to the fuel conservation measures adopted over the past couple of months as it reviews the latest regional situation. A session with the oil industry, urgently convened by the recently created National Coordination and Management Council (NCMC) — a civil-military body on energy supplies — “holistically” reviewed the availability of petroleum products across the country. Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema is the chairman, while Lt Gen Zafar Iqbal is the co-chairman of the NCMC’s executive committee. Informed sources said petrol consumption had risen over the past three weeks following a substantial ... -
Dawn - 17:45 Jul 16, 2026
Pakistan on Thursday became a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the agreement establishing the forum in Shanghai, China, the Foreign Office (FO) said. “Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the agreement on the establishment of the WAICO on behalf of Pakistan at the signing ceremony held today in Shanghai, China,” the FO said in a post on X. As a founding member of WAICO, Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to advancing international cooperation in the area of artificial intelligence, especially from the perspective of the Global South, it added. “Pakistan looks forward to working closely with fellow WAICO member states in efforts to help bridge the global AI divide and to promote equitable access to AI to advance development for all,” the FO added. Earlier in the day, FM Dar arrived in China to sign the agreement on behalf of Pakistan. China had proposed the creation of W... -
Dawn - 16:59 Jul 16, 2026
LAHORE: A judicial magistrate on Thursday dismissed the post-arrest bail petition of podcast host Rehan Tariq in a case registered under blasphemy laws and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) registered a first information report (FIR) against the YouTuber on June 25, after he conducted a podcast with a religious scholar and discussed highly sensitive and controversial sectarian issues, sparking controversy among followers of different sects. The NCCIA had arrested the Youtuber from Lahore’s international airport upon his arrival from abroad. On Tuesday, he was sent on judicial remand by a magistrate. Advocate Mian Dawood argued before the magistrate on behalf of the petitioner, saying that the prosecution had failed to produce any evidence linking his client to the alleged social media uploads. He argued that conducting an interview and asking questions on historical or religious matters were constitutionally protected journalistic functions. He furt... -
Dawn - 16:45 Jul 16, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The European Union on Thursday noted “issues” in Pakistan’s compliance with its commitments under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) and cautioned that Islamabad would have to address those shortcomings to qualify under the revised GSP framework. The caution came in the European Commission’s latest report on the implementation of the GSP over the 2023-2025 period, which said Pakistan had “been facing compliance issues with its GSP+ obligations” and had “regressed in a number of areas while positive change was limited”. Looking ahead, the Commission said Pakistan’s continued access to the EU’s preferential trade regime would depend on tangible improvements in areas where concerns persisted. “To ensure further GSP+ eligibility and compliance with international commitments, including in view of the revised GSP rules as of 2027, key priorities for future engagement include: ensuring accountability for human rights violations; increased efforts against torture; in prison and capital punis... -
Dawn - 15:29 Jul 16, 2026
“Sonam sir is not doing so well, and his rib cage has started showing,” said Vijeta Dahiya, spokesperson for the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), speaking from New Delhi, where the educationist, Sonam Wangchuk, is on the 19th day of hunger strike. “He’s nearly 60, has lost muscle mass; the heat and humidity are not helping either and I can see him having dizzy spells,” he added. Wangchuk, a well-known public figure in India and among international water conservation circles, is known for innovations such as the ice stupa, which communities in Pakistan’s Baltistan region have also sought to replicate. He is a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize. Last year, he was invited to speak at Dawn’s Breathe conference. “His coming aboard has given our cause a huge boost,” said Dahiya and explained how the online satirical political movement, founded on 16 May 2026, emerged in response to remarks by Justice Surya Kant, a judge of the Supreme Court of India, likening unemployed you... -
Dawn - 15:10 Jul 16, 2026
Security forces on Thursday killed three more terrorists in Balochistan as Operation Shaban continued in the province, state-run Radio Pakistan reported, citing security sources. The latest casualties have taken the total tally of terrorists killed during the operation to 91. State media further reported that 129 terrorists had been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations in the province since July 5. “Security sources say Operation Shaban will continue in Balochistan until the last terrorist is eliminated,” Radio Pakistan reported. The operation was launched after the martyrdom of 27 police personnel in an attack by terrorists at a police post in the Mangi dam area. Nine police personnel were killed on the spot, while 18 others were killed by the terrorists after being kidnapped. Troops from the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and police are participating in the joint operation. Balochistan has been facing terrorism for a long time, with a monthly security assessment released by... -
Dawn - 14:36 Jul 16, 2026
LAHORE: A judicial magistrate on Thursday extended the physical remand of three suspects for another four days in a case of alleged kidnapping and rape of two foreign women. Defence C police presented the suspects before the court on expiry of their previous remand. The police sought an extension of the remand to recover weapons from the suspects allegedly used in the crime. On July 2, police registered a case against five suspects on charges of kidnapping for ransom and sexually assaulting two foreign women. The alleged victims, who are nationals of the Netherlands and Venezuela, had come to Pakistan to visit their ‘friends’. During the hearing today, the magistrate asked the police what recoveries had been made during the earlier remand period. The prosecutor stated that weapons had already been recovered from two of the suspects. However, he said, a weapon still had to be recovered from the third suspect. He also told the court that they were yet to recover cash, jewellery and a watch allegedly connected t... -
Dawn - 14:34 Jul 16, 2026
Although Pakistan became an independent state in 1947, the land it occupies has long been a crossroads of civilisations. From Mehrgarh to the Indus Valley Civilisation, this region has linked and integrated South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East through trade, culture, and ideas. That historical role is again shaping Pakistan’s economic thinking as it seeks deeper ties with Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics (CARs), Russia, China, and broader regional connectivity. At the centre of these efforts is the Pakistan-Russia Business Council (PRBC), operating under the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI). With the FPCCI acting as a bridge between the private sector and government institutions, its Council has worked to expand commercial, educational, technological, and investment cooperation between Pakistan and Russia. Over the last few decades, the PRBC has helped facilitate MoUs with regional chambers of commerce across Russia, encouraging collaboration in trade, technology, ed... -
Dawn - 14:20 Jul 16, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday reserved its ruling on a thorny jurisdictional dispute over whether it retains the authority to hear bail applications in pending National Accountability Bureau (NAB) appeals, or if such pleas must be transferred to the newly established Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) under the 27th Amendment of the Constitution. Headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, a three-judge SC bench —also consisting of Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan — hinted while closing the case that the court’s determination would be announced in a day or two. The bench is seized with the dispute over whether bail applications in pending NAB appeals fall within the category requiring transfer to the FCC — now a top court constituted under the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The federal government has taken the position before the SC that both appeals and bail applications in pending NAB cases will now be heard by the FCC. Senior counsel Ibadur Rehman Lodhi, while representing... -
Dawn - 14:16 Jul 16, 2026
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark index staged a “strong recovery” on Thursday as it surged by around 2,800 points to cross 178,000 points. The KSE-100 index opened in the green and had already surpassed the 177,000-point level by 10:02am. From 11am onwards, it maintained a gain of over 2,000 points compared to the previous close. Finally, the index gained 2,837.78 points (1.62 per cent) to close at 178,123.56 points from the previous close of 175,285.78. Topline Securities Ltd said the market “staged a strong recovery, extending Wednesday’s rebound as broad-based buying returned to the market”. “Improved investor sentiment, easing concerns over geopolitical tensions, and renewed interest in blue-chip stocks helped the index recover a significant portion of the losses recorded earlier this week,” the brokerage house noted. Heavyweight stocks Engro Holdings, United Bank Limited, Meezan Bank Limited, Hub Power Company, and Lucky Cement emerged as the top contributors, collectively adding approximate... -
Dawn - 13:57 Jul 16, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday warned that the adverse impact of fresh tensions in the Middle East, triggered by the recent US-Iran attacks, could hit the country’s economy again. The prime minister made these remarks while presiding over a meeting to review the impact of regional tensions on Pakistan’s economy and reports on austerity and cost-saving measures. According to the PM Office, the prime minister observed that uncertainty in the region persists and directed all relevant authorities to remain fully prepared to address any potential challenges. He appreciated the public for their wholehearted support during the previous national austerity and conservation campaign, expressing his sincere gratitude. The prime minister further stated that Pakistan’s economy was currently stable. He directed that a comprehensive contingency plan be prepared to enable timely action. The premier also commended the nation’s active participation in the government’s fuel and energy conservation campaign... -
Dawn - 13:37 Jul 16, 2026
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has introduced a new Transport Monetisation Policy allowing judicial officers across Punjab’s district judiciary to purchase their officially allotted vehicles at depreciated prices. According to a notification issued by the LHC registrar, the policy was approved by Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum in pursuance of the decisions of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC) and the Punjab cabinet. The policy has taken effect retrospectively from July 1, 2026. Under the new policy, judicial officers will no longer receive official fuel, maintenance, or driver facilities for personal use. Instead, they will be paid a monthly transport monetisation allowance — the rates of which will be determined by the competent authority and revised periodically in line with fuel prices and economic conditions. A key feature of the policy is that judicial officers have been given the option to purchase the official vehicles currently allotted to them at a depreciated...
12682 items