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Dawn - 09:59 Oct 22, 2025
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said he is “quite hopeful” that Pakistan could manage to achieve GDP growth of close to 3.5 per cent during the ongoing fiscal year despite the impact of recent floods. The finance czar shared this projection during an interview on CGTN America programme ‘One on One’, which was published on Tuesday. During the interview, the finance minister was asked how big a challenge the recent floods posed to economic recovery. To that, Aurangzeb began his reply by underlining that climate change was an “existential issue for Pakistan”. “We are living it day in and day out,” he said. He then went on to recall previous floods and their impact, and stated: “We grew at 3pc GDP last year. We had estimated that we would grow a little over 4pc this year, but now, given the flood situation, this will shave off a certain percentage around that. But, I am still quite hopeful that we can manage anything close to 3.5pc during this fiscal year.” At the outset of the interview, the finance mini... -
Dawn - 09:39 Oct 22, 2025
Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero believed that laws were silent amidst the clash of arms. However, the notion that rules were necessary even in times of armed conflict have ancient roots. From the ancient Vedic traditions, Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’, Roman law, the Bible, and the Qur’an, all of these texts include stipulations of what is or is not allowed in war. These norms have evolved into the contemporary law of armed conflict, which aims to spare those not directly involved in hostilities and limit the effects of violence to the amount necessary for the purpose of war. They aim to balance the need to uphold humanitarian rules even in times of armed conflict and that of military necessity, which would allow for a party to the conflict to engage in lawful conduct in order for it to win the war. Ultimately, they seek to inject some element of humanity into the awful business that is warfare. Cardinal Principles Distinction The laws of armed conflict are applied when there is a “resort to armed force ... -
Dawn - 09:35 Oct 22, 2025
Justice Ayesha Malik on Wednesday observed that there was no bar on a full Supreme Court hearing a case fixed before the Constitutional Bench under Article 191A introduced in the 26th Amendment. She made the remarks as an eight-member resumed hearing over three dozen petitions against the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which was passed by Parliament during an overnight session in October last year. At the time, the PTI claimed seven of its lawmakers were abducted to gain their favour as the party opposed the legislation. The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) also alleged its two senators were being pressured, with both later defying party line to vote in the tweaks’ favour. The legislation, which altered judicial authority and tenure, has been a lightning rod for debate, with both opposition parties and legal experts questioning its impact on the judiciary’s independence. The tweaks took away the SC’s suo motu powers, set the chief justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) term at three years and empowered a Specia... -
Dawn - 09:26 Oct 22, 2025
After complaints by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi regarding bulletproof vehicles provided by the federal government, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday that the vehicles in question would be sent to Balochistan instead. On Monday, Afridi had blamed the “flawed policy” of the federal government for the resurgence of terrorism being witnessed in the province. He further claimed that the federal government was neither giving KP funds allocated under the country’s ongoing war against terrorism, nor “other constitutional rights”. He had also alleged that the bulletproof cars provided by Naqvi were “defective and old”, adding that they should be recalled. Late on Tuesday, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had commented on the claims and said that like KP, his province was also affected by terrorism. “It is an appeal to the interior minister that if the KP government is refusing to take the bulletproof vehicles, they should be transferred to the Balochistan government so that t... -
Dawn - 09:01 Oct 22, 2025
Pakistan Navy ship Yarmook seized narcotics worth more than $972 million from sailboats in the Arabian Sea, according to a statement issued on Wednesday from the naval network overseeing the operation. The Combined Maritime Force (CMF), a naval partnership that includes the United States, said the Pakistani naval vessel intercepted two different dhow sailing boats within 48 hours last week. It was working in “direct support of Saudi-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150” of the CMF during focused operation Al Masmak, which began on October 16. “The crew boarded the first dhow and seized over two tons of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $822,400,000 [on] October 18. Less than 48 hours later, the crew boarded a second dhow and seized 350 kilogrammes of [crystal meth] worth $140,000,000 and 50kg of cocaine worth $10,000,000,” the CMF statement said. The narcotics were transported back to the ship for testing to confirm the contents and subsequently disposed of, the statement added. The inter... -
Dawn - 07:59 Oct 22, 2025
A Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court (ATC) again issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, on Wednesday in a case pertaining to protests staged by the PTI in November last year over her absence from the hearing. This is the fourth time that the court has issued an arrest warrant for Aleema in the case. November 26 protests, as they famously came to be known as, saw more than 10,000 PTI protesters surge into Islamabad, defying a ban on public gatherings and a lockdown to skirmish with 20,000 security forces enlisted to turn them back. A day of clashes between security forces and protesters in the city’s Red Zone had ended in the PTI leadership’s hasty retreat, with the party announcing that it was calling off its planned protest sit-in “for the time being”. Subsequently, cases were registered against several PTI leaders under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Two of these cases were registered at the Taxila police stat... -
Dawn - 07:35 Oct 22, 2025
United States President Donald Trump has stated that he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a phone call where they talked about having “no wars with Pakistan”. The US president has repeatedly claimed credit for ending the conflict between Pakistan and India earlier this year in May. India has denied the claim that the US president was responsible for brokering the ceasefire via trade threats. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has praised Trump for his “leadership and proactive role” in helping the two neighbours achieve peace in the region. Participating in a Diwali celebration at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said he had a “great conversation” with Indian PM Modi over the phone. “We talked about trade — we talked about a lot of things, but mostly the world of trade, he’s very interested in that. Although we did talk a little while ago about let’s have no wars with Pakistan,” he said. “I think the fact that trade was involved, I was able to talk about that — and we have no war with Pakista... -
Dawn - 06:07 Oct 22, 2025
North Korea fired what appeared to be multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, South Korea’s military said, a week before a key Asia-Pacific leaders’ meeting in South Korea. It was the first launch of ballistic missiles since May by Pyongyang, which has defied a United Nations Security Council ban on the weapons. It was also the first such launch since Lee Jae Myung was elected president in South Korea, with a platform of engagement with North Korea. Lee and United States President Donald Trump are expected to meet in South Korea next week at a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Trump is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. South Korea detected several projectiles believed to be short-range ballistic missiles fired from an area near North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, in a northeasterly direction early on Wednesday, its Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Trump to visit South Korea Lee and Trump have discussed the idea of trying to meet North Korean ... -
Dawn - 04:34 Oct 22, 2025
• Interior minister holds separate meetings with religious leaders at Mufti Muneeb’s residence, meets Muttahida leaders at Governor House • Evades question about ban on TLP, says action against those carrying weapons is ‘non-negotiable’ KARACHI: In a strong message, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi made it clear on Tuesday that the federal government would take decisive action against any armed group operating in the country, regardless of its location or affiliation. He also issued a firm rebuttal to the growing perception on social media, clarifying that the federal government was not targeting any specific religious sect. The interior minister held a meeting with leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan at the Sindh Governor House. Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, MQM-P Chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and senior leaders Dr Farooq Sattar and Aminul Haque lauded Mr Naqvi’s recent role in handling the law and order situation and in upholding the writ of the state across the four provinces. Later, accom... -
Dawn - 03:00 Oct 22, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday launched an initiative under which over 7,000 professionals would be trained in semiconductor design and research. The prime minister said the initiative, to be known as INSPIRE, was “a milestone in Pakistan’s transition to a knowledge-based digital economy” and signalled its entry into the $600 billion global semiconductor ecosystem. Under the programme, 7,200 professionals would be trained in semiconductor design and research. Shehbaz Sharif kicked off the “initiative to nurture semiconductor professionals for industry, research & education” (INSPIRE) to mark Pakistan’s transformative step toward technological self-reliance and global competitiveness. PM unveils ‘INSPIRE’ to train 7,200 professionals, aiming for a share in the $600bn global market In his address, the prime minister said the launch of INSPIRE was a milestone in the country’s transition toward a knowledge-based digital economy, where innovation, research, and human capital drive sustainable ... -
Dawn - 02:22 Oct 22, 2025
• Azma says 3,800 of group’s ‘financiers’ identified; assets frozen • Expects ban on party to be enforced ‘within a few days’ • ‘Due diligence under way’ on Punjab’s summary, says Talal • Claims govt ‘making arrangements’ in light of JUI-F’s ‘possible’ march on capital • Khawaja Asif calls for ‘hard state’ approach to curb extremism LAHORE: Individuals providing “financial or political support” to Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) will face terrorism charges, the Punjab government warned on Tuesday, as it pressed the federal government to proscribe the group. “Some 3,800 TLP financiers have been identified. Their funding sources have been blocked and legal action will be initiated against them under anti-terrorism laws,” Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari told a press conference in Lahore on Tuesday. She said the Punjab cabinet had forwarded a summary to the federal government seeking a ban on the TLP and expected a decision soon. “We expect the ban on TLP to be enforced within a few days,” s... -
Dawn - 19:02 Oct 21, 2025
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday night said tremors of a 5.3-magnitude earthquake were felt in the twin cities and the northern areas of the country. The PMD stated that the epicentre of the quake was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan at a depth of 234 kilometers and occurred at 11:15pm local time. It added that the quake was felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Chitral, Swat, Dir and Malakand. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) registered a 5.1 magnitude quake 34km west of the Ishkashim border town in Badakhshan province at a depth of 243.9km. A screenshot of a map showing three earthquakes registered north and west of Pakistan. — Screengrab via USGS Two Reuters witnesses said strong tremors were felt in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul. The twin cities and other northern areas were similarly jolted by tremors on Friday when a magnitude of 5.6 struck at a depth of 120km at 5:15pm in the Hindu Kush mountains. -
Dawn - 18:56 Oct 21, 2025
Pakistan were already staring at defeat before the relentless rains, stop-start in manner, in Colombo sealed their fate. Fatima Sana’s side crashed out of the ICC Women’s World Cup on Tuesday after a crushing 150-run defeat (DLS method) to South Africa in their penultimate match of the league stage at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Pakistan needed a victory to have any chance of staying alive in the last-four race and already-qualified South Africa, but chasing a target that was revised with every downpour, they stood little chance after the Proteas amassed 312-9 in 40 overs. Speaking after the match, skipper Fatima said: “I think today is the day bowlers didn’t perform well. We have to accept it. They played very well, but we needed to be calmer in those situations. “I think after the second over, and after the rain, it was a different situation because the conditions and the ball were wet.” The pacer added that the bowlers tried to find rhythm, but it was very difficult to bowl in those conditions. The first sho... -
Dawn - 18:49 Oct 21, 2025
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) on Tuesday rubbished reports of a fuel shortage in the country, saying the situation is “fully under control”. Earlier, media reports claimed that oil companies warned of a nationwide fuel shortage due to new taxation requirements by the Sindh government. They added that the new regulations added to delays in clearing fuel shipments at ports and also added costs that could not be passed on to consumers. The Oil Marketing Association of Pakistan also approached the federal energy ministry over the matter and urged the government to intervene. “There is no situation of fuel shortage in the country. Some clearance delays were experienced earlier with imported petroleum products; however, the situation is now fully under control,” said Ogra in a statement released today. It added that Pakistan State Oil’s diesel vessel and a petrol vessel of Wafi Energy, the majority shareholder of Shell Pakistan Ltd (SPL), were also cleared today. “Fuel supply operations across the cou... -
Dawn - 17:40 Oct 21, 2025
The deadlock over the Asia Cup trophy — which India refused to collect at the closing ceremony last month amid Pakistan-India hostilities — continued on Tuesday as the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) contacted Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head Mohsin Naqvi to hand over the trophy, Indian media reported citing sources. Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, told reporters in Karachi on Tuesday that the ACC has informed the BCCI that a formal ceremony will be held in Dubai on December 10 to present India with the trophy. Dawn.com understands that Naqvi, as ACC chief, is keen on handing over the trophy himself following the farcical scenes that followed after last month’s final between Pakistan and India. Defending champions India edged Pakistan by five-wickets in a last-over thriller to win the Asia Cup title at the Dubai International Stadium last month. However, the closing ceremony descended into farce as the Indian cricket team refused to collect the winners’ trophy from Naq... -
Dawn - 16:58 Oct 21, 2025
K-Electric (KE) said on Tuesday that following the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (Nepra) recent decision on a set of review motions, its average tariff had reduced by Rs7.6/kWh, which would have “far-reaching consequences for its stakeholders, including consumers”. According to KE, power regulatory authority’s decision has resulted in a reduction of its average tariff from the previously announced Rs39.97/kWh to Rs32.37/kWh. However, the utility clarified that the recent announcement by the regulator does not apply to customers and, therefore, there would be no change or reduction in monthly bills for power consumers. On May 27, Nepra had set KE’s base tariff at Rs39.97 per unit for the fiscal year 2023-24, which was almost 40pc higher than even the national average tariff of about Rs28 per unit in 2025-26 for the 10 public sector power distribution companies (Discos) in the country. The delta between the Discos’ average and KE’s tariff was transferred to the taxpayers through the federal bud... -
Dawn - 16:56 Oct 21, 2025
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy began a five-year sentence on Tuesday for conspiring to raise campaign funds from Libya, arriving at La Sante prison in Paris in a stunning downfall for a man who led the country between 2007 and 2012. The former conservative president, 70, left his home for the car journey to the prison, walking hand in hand with his wife Carla Bruni and cheered by a crowd of supporters chanting “Nicolas, Nicolas” and singing La Marseillaise national anthem. Sarkozy, who was convicted and sentenced last month, is the first former French leader to be jailed since Nazi collaborator Marshal Philippe Petain after World War Two. Sarkozy says he is innocent Shortly after he headed for La Sante, Sarkozy published a long message on X in which he claimed to be a victim of revenge and hatred. “I want to tell [French people], with the unshakeable strength that is mine, that it is not a former president of the republic who is being imprisoned this morning — it is an innocent man,” he said. Sarkozy... -
Dawn - 15:44 Oct 21, 2025
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Huzaifa Rehman said on Tuesday that the Centre has asked the Punjab government to arrange a meeting between KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI founder Imran Khan to facilitate the formation of the provincial cabinet. Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9 protests. The PTI has regularly raised concerns about the lack of access to the party founder and how family, friends and party leaders are hindered from meeting him. Afridi, who was elected as the provincial chief minister last week, was denied a meeting with Imran during a visit to the prison on Thursday. Speaking to reporters, he said he would announce his cabinet after consulting Imran and seeking his input. He claimed he had officially notified the Punjab government and the federal government of his plan to visit Adiala, but received no response, adding that Prim... -
Dawn - 15:29 Oct 21, 2025
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Monday criticised newly elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, accusing the provincial government of undermining counter-terrorism efforts for political point scoring. The PTI, which has been in power in KP since 2013, opposes military operations, which tribal people also resist as they often lead to displacements. The remarks come a day after the KP CM blamed the federal government’s “flawed policy” for the resurgence of terrorism in KP, during his first official high-level meeting since assuming office on October 15, after the former CM Ali Amin Gandapur resigned earlier this month on the directions of party chairman Imran Khan. View this post on Instagram He alleged that the federal government was neither giving KP funds allocated under the country’s ongoing war against terrorism, nor “other Constitutional rights”. He also criticised the Centre for providing KP Police “defective and old” armoured vehicles and asked that the vehicles be reca... -
Dawn - 15:16 Oct 21, 2025
Supreme Court’s Senior Puisne Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar have said that changes recently made to the Code of Conduct for superior court judges will restrict judicial freedom and create avenues for internal and external control, it emerged on Tuesday. On October 18, the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) approved far-reaching amendments to the Code of Conduct, barring superior court judges from engaging in public controversy or media interaction, particularly on political questions, and introducing new restrictions on social and diplomatic activity. Chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, the meeting was attended virtually by Justices Shah and Akhtar. Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Aalia Neelum and her Islamabad counterpart Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar attended in person. In the latest letter penned to the SJC chair and its members, Justices Shah and Akhtar said they had submitted their unsigned written comments at the start of the meeting in a letter d...
5467 items