Dawn
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Dawn - 11:54 Jul 08, 2026
Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry on Wednesday criticised laws enacted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expanding MPAs’ powers and immunities, taunting the PTI over its former pledges to end “VIP culture”. The KP Assembly passed three acts on April 30, which pertained to immunities and privileges of MPAs, the speaker and the deputy speaker, as well as salaries and allowances of lawmakers. Although KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi assented to the laws on May 6, the legislation has remained under wraps. The Acts and the gazette notifications have yet to be uploaded to the KP Assembly website. Commenting on the new laws, Chaudhry criticised the PTI for providing major privileges to KP members despite making promises to end “VIP culture”. He noted that the party had claimed that under its leadership, assembly members would live as common people. “Do common people receive the conveniences of free travel, free arms licences, free stays at rest houses, blackout windows [and] special number plates on their cars, se... -
Dawn - 11:54 Jul 08, 2026
A United Nations inquiry on Wednesday expressed concern at reports of abuse against a prominent Palestinian doctor seized by the Israeli military in Gaza in December 2024, who is still being held in Israel. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, called for the immediate release of Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip. Rights groups and Abu Safiya’s lawyer have said his life is in imminent danger, and he continues to be held without charge, according to the Physicians for Human Rights Israel, an Israeli rights group. “The actions of the Israeli Prison Service guards towards Palestinian detainees raise grave concerns of violations of international law that likely amount to international crimes. “Dr Abu Safiya’s medical condition is the direct result of these actions,” the UN inquiry said in a statement. An Israel Prison Service (IPS) spokesperson said on Wednesday, “The allegations and character... -
Dawn - 11:27 Jul 08, 2026
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 index tumbled by over 4,600 points on Wednesday as US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was “over”. The KSE-100 index dropped by 4,626.19 points, or 2.48 per cent, to close at 181,629.36 points from the previous close of 186,255.55. The market saw a sharp decline after 1:30pm, reaching an intraday low of 179,504.34, down by 6,751.21 points compared to the previous close. The decline followed Trump’s statement that the Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding to end the war with Iran was “over”. Awais Ashraf, director of research at AKD Securities, noted that investor sentiment weakened following Trump’s comments, reigniting concerns over potential disruptions to oil supplies from the Middle East. He added that the market opened on a negative note amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty after US airstrikes on Iran in response to attacks on vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran then said it hit dozens of US military fa... -
Dawn - 10:47 Jul 08, 2026
A Chinese industry regulator warned users on Wednesday of a “security backdoor” embedded in versions of US artificial intelligence company Anthropic’s coding tool, Claude Code. The alleged backdoor could allow the software to “transmit sensitive information”, including users’ locations and identity-related identifiers, back to Anthropic’s servers without users’ consent, said China’s National Vulnerability Database (NVDB), a cybersecurity platform. Claude Code is an AI coding agent that can generate computer code, debug software and review code based on user prompts. San Francisco startup Anthropic blocks users and companies in China and other nations it deems adversarial from accessing its products, but it is still possible to use them in the country through a VPN or third-party proxy services. The NVDB, which is affiliated with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said on its website that it had recently “detected that the AI coding tool Claude Code contains security backdoor risks, posin... -
Dawn - 10:34 Jul 08, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to intensify search and rescue operations in the Arabian Sea after a private cargo plane en route from Sharjah to Karachi went missing late on Tuesday night. A K2 Airways Boeing 737-400 cargo aircraft disappeared from radar over the Arabian Sea, about 300 kilometres west of Karachi, late on Tuesday night. K2 Airways is a private airline based in Karachi. The carrier was established in May 2018 after being granted an airline charter licence by the government. According to reports, the aircraft lost contact while approaching Pakistani airspace. The pilot had reported a navigation problem during the flight and requested assistance from the area control centre. On Wednesday, state-run Radio Pakistan reported that the premier had instructed the CAA, the navy and the PAF to utilise all available resources in the search operation, as he extended his heartfelt sympathies to the families of the fiv... -
Dawn - 08:59 Jul 08, 2026
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Chinese counterpart Ling Zhifeng agreed to further strengthen cooperation in security and combatting terrorism, state-run PTV reported on Wednesday. The two ministers met at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. During the meeting, the ministers stressed to further cooperation in border management, curbing illegal immigration and combating drugs, while they also determined joint measures to stop assistance and funding for terrorism. The meeting also discussed views on protection of Chinese in Pakistan, ease of visa and promotion of public relations. Meanwhile, Naqvi held a separate meeting with Sri Lankan Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala at the UN Headquarters in New York. They agreed to strengthen coordination in combatting narcotics and enhance cooperation in police training, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. According to the report, they agreed to increase collaboration to curb illegal immigration and prevent travel on forg... -
Dawn - 08:17 Jul 08, 2026
LAHORE: A judicial magistrate on Wednesday granted police custody of four suspects, including the relative of a senior political figure, for another five days in the alleged abduction and rape case involving two foreign women. The suspects were produced before the magistrate at the Cantonment Courts following the expiry of the five-day physical remand granted earlier. During the hearing, the prosecution sought an extension of the remand, informing the court that the suspects’ DNA and fingerprint tests had been conducted. A prosecutor told the court that the police still needed to recover the vehicle allegedly used in the crime, along with a laptop, cash and weapons believed to be linked to the case. Advocate Salman Shahid, the counsel for two of the suspects, opposed the request for further physical remand, arguing that his clients had no connection with the alleged offences. The counsel stated that, according to the police’s own version, the matter was not one of rape or abduction but was related to a crypto... -
Dawn - 07:36 Jul 08, 2026
QUETTA: The Ziarat superintendent of police (SP) has been suspended following a terrorist attack on the Mangi Dam police post, it emerged on Wednesday. On Tuesday, at least nine police officials, including two station house officers, embraced martyrdom in the attack, while 15 alleged terrorists were killed in a clearance operation after the attack. Balochistan chief minister’s aide for media and political affairs Shahid Rind, confirmed the SP’s suspension to Dawn and said that the government had issued a notification in this regard. Separately, the provincial government also constituted a four-member inquiry committee to probe the incident. According to a notification dated July 7 and available with Dawn, the committee was tasked with establishing the “complete sequence of events leading to, during and after the terrorist attack”. The committee will also ascertain the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident and evaluate the deployment, preparedness, response, command, control and coordination of all ... -
Dawn - 07:16 Jul 08, 2026
The morning sun beats down on Antonio Reina as he tends to a public garden in Barcelona, but he works reassured that a simple wristband protects him in the summer heat. The device contains a sensor that detects body temperature. If Reina gets dangerously hot at the risk of making a potentially deadly heatstroke likelier, a red light and a sound raise the alarm. “It’s an extra layer of security. As it’s supposed to go off before you have symptoms, it lets you leave wherever your place of work is, drink water, and get under the shade,” Reina, 54, told AFP. A picture taken on July 6, 2026 in Barcelona shows a gardener’s wristband containing a sensor that detects body temperature. — AFP The wristbands exemplify how Spain, a country long familiar with high temperatures, is adapting the world of work as climate change makes extreme heat spells more intense, frequent and longer. The issue has taken on greater urgency in Europe after last month’s exceptional heatwave sent temperature records tumbling, was linked to t... -
Dawn - 07:00 Jul 08, 2026
CHAKWAL: A new twist has emerged in the killing of nine-year-old Hania Ahmed as her father claimed that the robbers did not resort to shooting; rather, the incident occurred due to direct firing by a cop of the Crime Control Department (CCD). Hania, an Australian citizen visiting Pakistan, was killed on the spot on the night of June 10 in Chakwal city during a robbery incident due to firing by a CCD official. Her father, Adeel Ahmed, and her 11-year-old brother Affan were seriously injured, while her mother Dr Sidra Khan remained unhurt. The incident sparked international concern. Admitting the CCD’s mistake, the Punjab police and the department have described the incident as a case of “criminal negligence”. In an application submitted to District Police Officer Kashif Zulfiqar on Tuesday, Adeel alleged that City Police Sub-Inspector Ahsan Abdullah misrepresented the incident in the first information report (FIR) by mentioning that robbers opened fire. In the application, a copy of which is available with Daw... -
Dawn - 06:17 Jul 08, 2026
An international operation against Indian organised crime groups has led to 24 arrests, US officials said on Tuesday, including in connection with the assassination in Canada of a prominent Sikh figure. The sting involved law enforcement officials operating in the United States, Canada and Europe, who had together been probing crime syndicates that engage in racketeering, targeted killings, shootings, extortion and drug trafficking. Dozens of people have been charged, including two who US officials say ran their global criminal syndicates while in prison in India. All but 10 of them are now in custody. “Transnational criminal gangs who spread fear, drugs, and violence will face the full force of justice and the weight of the federal government,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. Among the crimes alleged in indictments unveiled Tuesday is the 2023 killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent campaigner for “Khalistan” —a separatist movement that seeks an independent hom... -
Dawn - 06:11 Jul 08, 2026
Oil prices gained more than 2 per cent on Wednesday after the US military launched airstrikes against Iran and reimposed crude sales sanctions, raising fears their fragile truce was unravelling and Middle East supplies could be disrupted again. Brent crude futures gained $1.92, or 2.6pc, at $76.08 a barrel at 0400 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $1.82, or 2.6pc, to $72.26 a barrel. Both benchmarks rose about 3pc on Tuesday after the US revoked the general licence authorising the sale of Iranian crude following the Iranian attacks. “While the revocation doesn’t fundamentally change oil market dynamics, it’s important from a sentiment perspective. It heightens the risk of a breakdown in the temporary deal between the US and Iran,” ING commodity strategists said on Wednesday. The US airstrikes were in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command said on Tuesday. “The current conflagration is a reminder to the market of how fra... -
Dawn - 05:25 Jul 08, 2026
OpenAI will publicly launch its most capable model, GPT-5.6, on Thursday, after delaying the launch last month on the US government’s request amid national security concerns that powerful AI systems could be misused. This comes on the heels of the US government lifting curbs on Anthropic’s latest Fable and Mythos AI models last week, less than three weeks after the company was ordered to suspend their access over national security risks. Washington has increased scrutiny of advanced AI model releases to identify potential threats on concerns that the technology could be misused by military or intelligence in China, Russia or other countries of concern. Axios, which broke the news on the OpenAI launch, reported citing a source familiar with the matter, that the US Department of Commerce had approved a broad launch of GPT-5.6, following additional government testing under Washington’s new oversight framework for frontier AI. OpenAI had limited the model’s access to a small group of vetted partners whose details... -
Dawn - 04:40 Jul 08, 2026
KARACHI: A power breakdown by K-Electric at the Dhabeji Pumping Station on Tuesday disrupted operations of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) and is expected to reduce the city’s water supply by nearly 100 million gallons per day (MGD). According to a KWSC spokesperson, the electricity outage affected the K-2 Pump House, where the manifold chamber and main valves developed a fault. “Work is being carried out at full pace to remove accumulated water from the affected valves, after which repair work will begin immediately,” he said. He added that the water utility had directed technical teams to undertake emergency repairs. “Engineers and maintenance staff are present at the site to identify and fix the fault as quickly as possible”, the official said. The spokesperson said that as a result of the malfunction, three major pumps at the K-2 Pumping Station had been temporarily shut down. “The disruption is expected to reduce Karachi’s daily water supply by around 100 million gallons,” he added. It ... -
Dawn - 04:20 Jul 08, 2026
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they had hit dozens of US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to American strikes, in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB. “In an initial response to this aggression, the IRGC Navy and Aerospace Force carried out a joint missile and drone operation, striking 85 key US military facilities” in the two countries, while also shooting down an MQ-9 drone, the statement said. The statement came after the US military unleashed a new wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday and revoked a licence allowing the country to sell oil after three tankers were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, putting pressure on an already fragile ceasefire. After a day in which huge crowds mourned Iran’s assassinated supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the holy city of Qom, US Central Command (Centcom) said it hit over 80 targets in a series of strikes intended to impose what it called “heavy costs”. The military command said it struck more than 6... -
Dawn - 03:45 Jul 08, 2026
KASUR: A woman allegedly threw acid on a man over betrayal on Tuesday near village Rangpur, in the limits of the Saddar police station. Police claimed that accused Rimsha Bibi called Ehsan and asked him to take her to the Rangpur village on his bike. There, she allegedly took out a bottle from her purse and threw acid on him at a deserted place. The accused, later, escaped from the crime scene, police claimed. Police said the accused woman was divorced two months after her marriage and was currently working at a departmental store. Police said that Ehsan of Kot Molvi Abdul Qadir had previously divorced three women and wanted to marry Rimsha Bibi. Police said that Rimsha Bibi was unaware of the victim’s previous marriages and was shocked when she learnt about the fact and decided to take a revenge. Police shifted the injured man to the DHQ Hospital from where he was referred to Lahore. Police claimed that the acid was diluted causing minor wounds. Police lodged a case against Rimsha Bibi and were investigating... -
Dawn - 03:30 Jul 08, 2026
PAKISTAN’S economic debate is trapped in a distracting quarrel — whether banks lend too much to government and too little to enterprise. Allocation matters, but it is not the binding constraint. On the State Bank’s consolidated estimates, with the share of development spending shrinking, a rupee of government spending now multiplies about 0.71 in output on average while a rupee of private investment returns 1.2 to 1.3. The private rupee works nearly twice as hard yet, strip out productivity — ie, the efficiency with which inputs become output — and even that collapses towards 1.0. Adjusted for our stalled productivity, no rupee in Pakistan truly compounds. We accumulate without amplifying. The distinction is decisive. A rupee invested where productivity is rising earns more each year as workers learn and firms innovate; a rupee in a stagnant system merely buys more of the same. Pakistan’s productivity sits near 0.28 on comparable estimates, against India’s 0.48 and Sri Lanka’s 0.42, and the export scoreboard ... -
Dawn - 03:29 Jul 08, 2026
KARACHI has been ranked among the ‘least-liveable cities in the world’, ranking 170th among 173 cities on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual Global Liveability Index 2026. The only cities ranked below Karachi include Dhaka, Tripoli and Damascus, while war-torn Tehran (164) and Kyiv (166) scored slightly higher. According to EIU, issues such as congested roads and crime tend to punish the index’s biggest cities. The EIU’s ranking, which evaluates living conditions across 173 cities, provides a globally recognised benchmark for urban liveability and resilience. It measures measuring indicators such as stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure, and quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle in any given location. Getting an overall score (out of 100) of 43 — the same as Algiers — Karachi’s scored poorly in nearly all metrics, except education. It scored 20 on stability, 54 on healthcare, 36 in culture and environment, 75 in education and 52 in infras... -
Dawn - 03:11 Jul 08, 2026
THE spectacle of a number of cabinet ministers at an investment conference in Istanbul last week offers an insight into the current government’s perception of how to fix Pakistan’s problems. Of course, the inseparable duo of the prime minister and deputy PM was there too. The two may well have secured a place in the Guinness World Records for the most world tours undertaken together. They were apparently there to project Pakistan’s potential for foreign investment. No one denies the significance of such conferences for attracting foreign investment critical for economic growth. But the ministers’ presence at every conference will not, on its own, draw investor interest. What matters more is fixing things at home to create the environment and capacity for both domestic and foreign investment. Chaotic governance and inconsistent policies have been a major impediment in the way of any investment coming to the country. Over the past few years, Pakistan’s top leadership has addressed investment conferences in seve... -
Dawn - 02:58 Jul 08, 2026
THE surge in terrorist violence in Balochistan highlights the renewed threat confronting Pakistan. The martyrdom of at least nine policemen in Ziarat and the arrest of two alleged BLA operatives in Karachi on Tuesday, preceded by deadly violence near Quetta a day earlier, indicate that terrorist groups retain both the capability and intent to challenge the state’s writ. While security forces responded by killing 15 terrorists, the priority should be to determine whether groups that have traditionally operated independently are now cooperating operationally. Any evidence of tactical collaboration between the banned TTP and separatist outfits such as the BLA would mark a dangerous escalation. The latest incidents also reinforce concerns that militancy is no longer confined to the remote districts of Balochistan and KP. The foiled plot in Karachi coming soon after the attack on Rangers personnel in the city is a reminder that urban centres could be the next targets. The state’s counterterrorism strategy must ant...
12400 items