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Dawn - 18:31 Oct 20, 2025
Veteran Bollywood comedy actor Govardhan Asrani died after a prolonged illness on Monday at the age of 84, Indian media outlets reported. A post on his Instagram account confirmed his demise, saying: “The news of the demise of Asrani ji, the king of laughter, ruling over millions of hearts has immersed us all in deep sorrow. He gave a new identity to Indian cinema with his unique acting, simplicity and humor. The life they put into every character, will live in our memories forever. Their departure is not just for the film industry, but the loss of everyone who ever smiled at their acting.” View this post on Instagram Indian wire agency ANI reported that his last rites were performed at Santacruz Crematorium in the presence of his family. His manager, Babu Bhai Thiba, told the outlet that Asrani died at 3pm at Arogya Nidhi Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. “He is survived by his wife, sister, and nephew,” the manager added. The outlet added that over his long and successful career, Asrani became one of Hindi cin... -
Dawn - 18:20 Oct 20, 2025
After a week of violence, residents on the frontier between Pakistan and Afghanistan are hoping a new ceasefire deal will end the clashes and revive crucial cross-border trade. While the crossings remain closed, life has regained a semblance of normality, with bakers kneading bread, fruit and vegetable sellers wheeling out their carts, and customers frequenting shops. “People can breathe and feel relieved. (But) before that, gunfire damaged a few houses in our village,” said Sadiq Shah, 56, a shopkeeper from Baizai on the Pakistani side. Fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan broke out after explosions in Kabul on October 9. The Taliban government blamed the blasts on its neighbour and launched a retaliatory border offensive, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong response. After further clashes left soldiers and civilians dead, the two sides declared an initial 48-hour ceasefire on Wednesday. New Pakistani strikes hit Afghanistan on Friday, with Islamabad saying it was targeting armed groups that the Taliban... -
Dawn - 18:04 Oct 20, 2025
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that the ceasefire agreement between Islamabad and Kabul was linked to the Afghan Taliban’s ability to rein in terrorists attacking Pakistan from neighbouring soil. The two countries agreed to a ceasefire in Doha at the weekend after days of border clashes that killed dozens, the worst such violence since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021. Ground fighting between the one-time allies and Pakistani airstrikes across their contested 2,600-kilometre frontier were triggered after Islamabad demanded that Kabul control terrorists it says operate from safe havens in Afghanistan. “Anything coming from Afghanistan will be [a] violation of this agreement,” Asif said in his office at Parliament in Islamabad. “Everything hinges on this one clause.” The Taliban administration and Afghanistan’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. “In the agreement signed by Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkiye and Qatar, it was clearly spelled out that there wo... -
Dawn - 17:49 Oct 20, 2025
Saudi Arabia joined other nations on Monday in welcoming the ceasefire agreed between Pakistan and Afghanistan after days of border hostilities, affirming its support for efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability between the two countries. The ceasefire was agreed early yesterday morning during talks between Afghan and Pakistani delegations in Doha with the mediation of Qatar and Turkiye. A next round of negotiations between the two sides is scheduled to be held in Istanbul on October 25. A statement posted on the Saudi foreign ministry’s X account said it “expresses the kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s welcome of the signing by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Afghanistan of an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries, during the round of negotiations held in Doha.” “The kingdom affirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability, and its continued commitment to ensuring sec... -
Dawn - 17:48 Oct 20, 2025
Pakistan bowler Rameen Shamim said on Monday that although the weather was out of their control, the team was trying their best to make the semi-finals ahead of their pivotal South Africa ICC Women’s World Cup encounter on Tuesday. Monsoon rains in Colombo have seen Pakistan’s last two matches end in washouts against England and New Zealand, respectively, costing the team a chance to pick up more points in their last-four push. The washed-out New Zealand fixture on Saturday saw South Africa become the second team to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament, with the Green Shirts still searching for their first win. Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Colombo, Rameen said: “Yeah, obviously, rain is not in our control. We cannot control the weather. Yeah, unfortunately, we are upset because we were up to the mark against England. “… But we are confident because we played some good cricket in the last two matches. And now we have to play against South Africa and Sri Lanka.” The off-spinner added t... -
Dawn - 17:32 Oct 20, 2025
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday stressed the need for internal stability and unity to tackle the current challenges afflicting the country. The meeting came in the wake of a feud between the PPP and PML-N, coalition partners in the federation, that has seemed to cool down for now. Ties between the allies came under immense strain recently as they engaged in a war of words over flood relief, after Bilawal asserted that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) was the “sole method” of providing relief to those affected by floods in the country, while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz accused his party of “politicising” the issue. Concerted efforts were made by leading figures, such as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari, who stepped in to defuse tensions, with the latter also calling on Naqvi to play his role for a possible rapprochement. A statement from the PPP issued today said Bilawal met Naqvi and discussed issues of mutual inter... -
Dawn - 17:08 Oct 20, 2025
At least two people, both workers of the outlawed Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), were shot dead in a suspected targeted attack in the Nagan Chowrangi area of Karachi on Monday. The attack comes over a week after another worker of the ASWJ was shot dead on the main University Road in Karachi, while in a separate attack in March, a local leader of the party was shot. “A religious scholar-cum-shopkeeper and his employee were shot dead in a suspected targeted attack at Nagan Chowrangi on Monday evening,” SSP Central Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi told Dawn.com. The incident occurred near an ASWJ office, he said. “Armed pillion riders resorted to direct fire on the shopkeeper and his employee and fled,” said Siddiqi, adding that the incident “appeared to be a targeted killing” but the exact motive has not yet been ascertained. “They sustained critical bullet injuries and were transported to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead on arrival,” added the police official. “The deceased have been identifie... -
Dawn - 16:44 Oct 20, 2025
The Lahore High Court (LHC) was informed on Monday that the computerised national identity card (CNIC) of social media personality Arshad Khan, who rose to fame as ‘chaiwala’, was restored by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) after verification. Khan, who hails from Mardan, rose to fame back in 2016 when a photographer shared a photo of him pouring tea on Instagram, which went viral. He approached the LHC in April against the blocking of his identity documents by Nadra and the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports. An order issued today by LHC Justice Justice Jawad Hassan noted that the petitioner informed the court his grievance was redressed. “Learned counsel for the petitioner … submits that after this court had taken cognizance of the matter, the competent authority called the petitioner to appear before the verification board constituted at the concerned office of Nadra and after due verification, his CNIC has been unblocked, thereby redressing his grievance,” the order ... -
Dawn - 15:03 Oct 20, 2025
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday claimed that the resurgence of terrorism being witnessed in the province was due to the “flawed policy” of the federal government. The PTI, which has been in power in KP since 2013, opposes military operations, which are also resisted by tribal people as they often lead to displacements. Although the federal government in August ruled out a new offensive, it continues counterterrorism operations under the National Action Plan. A military operation looms over the Kurram district, where people have started leaving their homes, while a targeted action is planned in Bajaur’s War Mamund tehsil. In his first official high-level meeting since he assumed the role of the KP CM on October 15, Afridi presented “important policy directives and announcements”, a post on his office’s X account said. “Terrorism has returned to the province due to the federal government’s wrong policy,” the post quoted CM Afridi as saying. He further claimed that the federal governmen... -
Dawn - 14:56 Oct 20, 2025
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar on Monday observed that no Supreme Court benches besides the Constitutional Bench (CB) could hear constitutional matters as he and seven other judges heard petitions against the 26th Amendment. The Amendment was passed by Parliament during an overnight session in October last year, with the PTI claiming 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 Special Parliamentary Committee for the appointment of the CJP from among the three most senior SC judge... -
Dawn - 14:53 Oct 20, 2025
Popular video-sharing platform Tiktok removed more than 25 million videos over community guidelines violations in Pakistan, in the second quarter of 2025 (April-June), its Community Guidelines Enforcement Report said on Monday. Tiktok has repeatedly been banned in the country by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) over complaints about indecent and immoral content. The first such ban came in October 2020, but was lifted 10 days later, after the company assured the telecom regulator that it would block accounts “spreading obscenity.” According to a press release, the popular video-sharing platform said, “TikTok removed a total of 25,448,992 videos in Pakistan for Community Guidelines violations.” “TikTok proactively removed 99.7 per cent of the videos, with 96.2pc of these videos removed within 24 hours,” added the platform. “The report, which covers data from April to June 2025, details the proactive steps TikTok has taken to identify and remove content that violates its Community Guidelines, ensur... -
Dawn - 14:11 Oct 20, 2025
An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi on Monday again issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanum, in a case pertaining to the November 26, 2024 protests by the PTI. The warrant was reissued due to Aleema’s continued absence from case proceedings. On November 26 last year, more than 10,000 PTI supporters surged into the federal capital, defying a ban on public gatherings and a lockdown to skirmish with 20,000 security forces enlisted to turn them back. As the demonstrators inched towards the heavily barricaded D-Chowk, the police and security troops employed intense teargas shelling to disperse them. Earlier this month, the ATC had issued a bailable arrest warrant for Aleema over non-appearance in the court in the same case, registered at Sadiqabad Police Station, adjourning the hearing to October 11. Later, on Oct 14, the court issued a non-bailable warrant due to her continued absence, noting that she had now failed to appear twice. During today’s hearing, presided over by AT... -
Dawn - 14:08 Oct 20, 2025
Pakistan punished poor catching from South Africa to accumulate 259-5 on the opening day of the second and final Test in Rawalpindi on Monday. Had the tourists not dropped five catches on a turning pitch they would have been in a better position after Pakistan won the toss and batted. Skipper Shan Masood, dropped on 71 off a luckless Keshav Maharaj, top-scored with 87 while Abdullah Shafique — dropped four times — made 57. Saud Shakeel and Salman Agha will resume on Tuesday unbeaten on 42 and 10 respectively, with the home team seeking a 2-0 series win against the world Test champions. South African pacer Kagiso Rabada trapped Mohammad Rizwan with the fifth delivery with the second new ball for 19 to give some respite to his team. Maharaj, who missed the first Test in Lahore through injury, took 2-63 and fellow spinner Simon Harmer 2-75. With the bulk of the bowling done by Maharaj and Harmer, spinner Senuran Muthusamy — who took 11 wickets in the first Test — was surprisingly used for just four overs. The fi... -
Dawn - 13:01 Oct 20, 2025
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz launched on Monday a flood rehabilitation drive, under which she said around Rs100 billion would be distributed among the affected people. “We are distributing the first cheques today”, she said while addressing the attendees at a camp set up in Dipalpur, Okara to begin the distribution of relief cards among the families and individuals affected by the recent floods. Last month, the Punjab government announced that it would be issuing relief cards for flood victims to receive aid without them having to wait in long queues. After distributing the cards today, CM Maryam said the rehabilitation drive was funded entirely by the Punjab government’s resources. “I did not ask for assistance from the rest of the world […] I did not ask anyone for help,” she remarked, adding that by limiting the funding for flood relief and rehabilitation activities to Punjab’s resources, she had been mindful of the “self-respect of the people” of the province. The chief minister elaborated that 70 p... -
Dawn - 11:04 Oct 20, 2025
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has signed an agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) — a member of the World Bank Group — to strengthen local currency financing and support private sector growth in Pakistan, according to a press release issued on Monday. According to the World Bank, borrowing in foreign currencies exposes clients to the risk that debt and debt service payments (as measured in local currency) increase when the local currency depreciates. However, by converting to local currency, clients are able to address that risk. The statement released by the central bank today said that the agreement, signed under the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) framework, would enable the IFC to “manage currency risks more effectively” and increase its investments in Pakistani rupees. “This is an important step towards unlocking financing for critical sectors of the economy and creating jobs across the country,” the SBP statement said. It also quoted SBP Governor Jameel Ahm... -
Dawn - 11:01 Oct 20, 2025
AWARENESS, action, the required funding for the said action, implementation, and, finally, the results of the said action — these are all very different things. A case in point is the air pollution in Pakistan. The air we breathe has been foul for decades. Among the earliest measurements of air pollution in Pakistan was a study conducted in Lahore in 1978, cited in the International Journal of Advances in Sustainable Development. The metric used was Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), a broader measure that predates today’s more precise focus on particulate matter. The study recorded an average SPM concentration of 332μg/m³ in Lahore’s commercial core — an extremely high level of particle pollution by any standard. And, yet, it is only in recent years that the idea of combatting the noxious air we all breathe has come into focus. For many of us, growing up, the extent of our knowledge was limited to ‘plant more trees’. So, what exactly is wrong with the air we breathe? Before financing questions can be addres... -
Dawn - 09:25 Oct 20, 2025
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday gave police a three-day ultimatum to recover the deputy director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), who was allegedly abducted earlier this month. The court issued the directives while presiding over the hearing of a plea filed by Rozina Usman for the recovery of her husband Muhammad Usman, who she has alleged was taken away by four armed individuals on October 14. IHC Justice Muhammad Azam Khan heard the petition while Advocate Raja Rizwan Abbasi appeared in court on behalf of the wife. During the hearing, the court directed that if police failed to recover the official within three days, the NCCIA central director and the Islamabad inspector general should appear in court in person. Meanwhile, Abbasi told the court that he was unaware of the whereabouts of his client. “I don’t know where the petitioner is; I fear she may have also been abducted,” Abbasi told the court. He added that the petitioner had called him saying she was being pressured t... -
Dawn - 08:35 Oct 20, 2025
This article was originally published on January 12, 2025. The present Pakistan’s targeted strikes on December 4, 2024 on the training camps of the self-styled Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Birmal area of eastern Paktika province of Afghanistan have brought Afghanistan’s irredentist policy out in the open. The strikes came after a string of terrorist attacks by the TTP on Pakistan’s security forces. The TTP, an internationally designated terrorist group, is hosted by the self-declared Afghan Interim Government on Afghanistan’s soil. The AIG — described herein as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA) — has, despite multiple requests and démarches by Pakistan, refused to rein in the TTP. The TTA’s strategy has been to alternately dismiss (a) Pakistan’s position that the TTP is using Afghanistan’s soil to mount attacks inside Pakistan, (b) claim that this is Pakistan’s internal affair and (c) ask Pakistan to talk to the TTP bilaterally. TTA’s position is bogus on all counts but it is well thought-out... -
Dawn - 08:15 Oct 20, 2025
President, PM extend greetings to Hindu community on Diwali, reiterate commitment to minority rights
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both extended greetings to the Hindu community in Pakistan to mark Diwali on Monday and reiterated their commitment to minority rights. Diwali is a colourful festival involving lighting candles, worship, celebrations and prayers. It is celebrated to mark the day when Lord Rama returned home after his 14-year exile. It is a five-day festival and during this time, houses are cleaned and windows are opened to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. According to Radio Pakistan, the president said that the festival of Diwali “reminds us of the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil”. He noted that the Constitution guaranteed equal rights and complete freedom of religion to all citizens. “Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah envisioned a Pakistan where minorities would enjoy equal rights and opportunities,” he added. Zardari also lauded the services of Hindu community in education, commerce, and public service. In his message, Prime Minister Shehba... -
Dawn - 08:02 Oct 20, 2025
There was anger on Monday in Israel after police banned the Israeli Premier League’s Tel Aviv derby amid chaotic scenes, triggering complaints from the clubs and political opposition. The crowd trouble at Sunday’s abandoned match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv comes amid tensions over a ban preventing Israeli fans from attending an upcoming Europa League away game against English side Aston Villa. The match in Tel Aviv was called off after what a police spokesman described as “disorderly conduct, riots, the hurling of objects, smoke grenades, fireworks, injured officers and damage to the stadium infrastructure”. Speaking to public broadcaster KAN, he said: “This is not a soccer game: this is severe disorder and violence.” After the police order, the Bloomfield Stadium, the home ground for both teams, was evacuated, with police on horseback intervening to control the 30,000 fans. Hapoel’s management was infuriated by the police decision and tactics. “From the preliminary discussions before the ga...
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