Dawn

Source: https://www.dawn.com

Found 12400 news

  • ECP warns KP, Islamabad again over delays in local govt polls
    Dawn - 11:20 Jul 07, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday again warned the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the federal authorities against delaying local government (LG) elections, directing them to submit all pending delimitation notifications ahead of the next hearing on July 28. The tenure of LGs in KP ended on March 15 this year. According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013, local representatives are elected for a four-year term. The term of the last local government in Islamabad expired in February 2021, and since then, elections have been delayed under various pretexts. As a result, around 2.5 million residents of Islamabad continue to face issues ranging from water shortages to unpaved streets. The ECP took up separate cases regarding the conduct of LG polls in KP and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). In the KP case, the KP chief secretary and LG secretary appeared before a four-member bench headed by Member Sindh Nisar Ahmed Durrani. In the Islamabad case, the Islamabad ...
    Tags: Islamabad
  • Syria says 18 wounded in Damascus blasts during French President Macron's visit
    Dawn - 10:10 Jul 07, 2026
    Two bombs exploded near the hotel in Damascus where Emmanuel Macron held meetings on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, but the French president’s office said he did not hear the explosions and he met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa soon afterwards. The blasts underscore the major security challenges in Syria, where Macron is the first head of state of a European Union country to visit since rebels led by Sharaa toppled Bashar al-Assad in 2024. The explosions struck a busy area between the Syrian tourism ministry and the national museum across the street from the Four Seasons, where Macron was meeting civil society groups. Syria’s state news agency reported that 18 people were injured in the explosions, including four police officers. The first blast hit soon after Macron’s motorcade left for the presidential palace. Reuters footage showed flames and smoke billowing from a trash can when a second explosion was caught on camera a few metres away. The second blast went off next to an ambulance parked at the sce...
    Tags: Damascus Syria
  • One killed, 4 injured in quadcopter attack in KP's Bannu: police
    Dawn - 09:39 Jul 07, 2026
    PESHAWAR: One person was killed and four others were injured in a quadcopter attack in the Bakakhel area of Bannu district, police said on Tuesday. According to Bannu’s District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Furqan Bilal, terrorists dropped an explosive device from a quadcopter within the jurisdiction of Baka Khel Police Station. As a result, one person was killed on the spot, while four others sustained injuries, including a teenager, he said. The injured were immediately taken to the District Headquarters Hospital, where they are receiving medical treatment, he added. Assistant Commissioner Sajjad Hussain and former provincial minister Malik Shah Muhammad Khan visited the hospital to enquire about the condition of the injured and expressed solidarity with the affected families. The DPO stated that the deployment of anti-drone guns and enhanced security measures at police stations, checkpoints, and other sensitive locations had recently foiled several quadcopter attacks targeting police and security forces. ...
    Tags: Bannu
  • Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan reaffirm commitment to boosting bilateral ties, stress importance of deepening trade
    Dawn - 09:27 Jul 07, 2026
    President Asif Ali Zardari and Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Zhaparov on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to boosting bilateral ties between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, particularly deepening trade, economic and investment cooperation. President Zardari arrived in Kyrgyzstan a day earlier for a four-day official visit, from July 6-9. According to a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the two expressed satisfaction over the “development of Kyrgyz-Pakistani relations”. The two reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation and urged the “consistent implementation” of the agreements reached during the Kyrgyz president’s visit to Pakistan in December. As per the statement, the two leaders stressed the need for maintaining “active political dialogue, further expand contacts at the highest and high levels, and strengthen interaction between the parliaments, governments and foreign ministries of the two countries”. They also expressed readiness to establish “a strategic partnership” between Kyrgyzstan an...
    Tags: Pakistan Kyrgyzstan
  • IHC grants final adjournment to Imran's counsel in £190m corruption case
    Dawn - 08:35 Jul 07, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted a final adjournment to the counsel for former prime minister Imran Khan in the £190 million corruption case. The court warned that no further delay would be tolerated and the appeal would be decided on the available record if arguments were not presented at the next hearing. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif issued a written order on a criminal appeal filed by Imran against his conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case, commonly referred to as the £190m corruption reference, by an accountability court in January 2025. When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, Sardar Latif Khosa, Imran’s counsel, sought a two-week adjournment. The court accepted the request after Khosa gave an unequivocal undertaking that he would not seek any further adjournment on any ground whatsoever and would argue the appeal on its merits at the next hearing. “The request for adjournment is acceded to. It is, however, made abun...
  • Major terrorist plot in Karachi thwarted as 2 BLA terrorists arrested: Sindh CTD
    Dawn - 07:35 Jul 07, 2026
    The Sindh Counter-terrorism Department (CTD) on Monday said it had thwarted a major terrorist plot in Karachi by arresting two members of the proscribed group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). In a statement, it said that “in view of the recent wave of terrorism in the country, especially Karachi, the CTD and federal intelligence agencies conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) on July 6 and arrested two trained BLA terrorists”. It added that “bomb-making material” was recovered from the two, who had planned to “target sensitive installations and the offices of law enforcement agencies”. It identified the terrorists as Mujahid Baloch and Farid Baloch. The CTD said the two terrorists were trained in a BLA camp in “recce and communication”. “They were living in Karachi under the direction of their commanders, Sajid Baloch and Bashir Zaib,” it said. It said teams recovered four kilogrammes of explosive material, a detonator, a prama card, and a ball ring from them. The department said cases had been reg...
    Tags: Karachi
  • PM Shehbaz calls for comprehensive strategy to boost SMEs’ access to financing
    Dawn - 07:15 Jul 07, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed that a comprehensive strategy be formulated to improve small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) access to financing. He made these remarks while chairing a review meeting of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) in Islamabad. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the premier directed the authority to formulate a comprehensive strategy, in coordination with the State Bank of Pakistan and commercial banks, to improve SMEs’ access to financing. He stressed that greater facilitation should be provided for extending loans to SMEs to boost the country’s exports. He also directed that they be supported in enhancing their productive capacity, particularly by providing awareness and access to financing for farmers processing agricultural produce. The prime minister further directed that commercial banks be encouraged to develop dedicated financial products tailored to the needs of SMEs. PM Shehbaz instructed that SMEs sho...
    Tags: Shehbaz SMEs
  • Indonesia to buy BrahMos missiles, Indian govt official says as Modi kicks off 2-day Jakarta visit
    Dawn - 07:08 Jul 07, 2026
    India will supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Astra air-to-air missiles to Indonesia, an Indian government official said on Tuesday, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi started a two-day visit to Jakarta. Indian sources earlier told Reuters that the deal, worth around $630 million, would likely be signed during Modi’s visit. Indonesia would be the third country to sign an agreement to buy the missiles, which are manufactured by BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited. The deal would mark a major expansion of India’s defence exports and deepen strategic ties with Southeast Asia’s largest economy at a time of growing competition with China for influence in the Indo-Pacific. BrahMos missiles, jointly developed by India and Russia, are among the world’s fastest cruise missiles and can be launched from land, sea and air platforms. The Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles can be integrated on Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jets in the Indonesian Air Force. The Indian government did not respond to earl...
    Tags: BrahMos Modi Jakarta Indian Indonesia
  • 9 cops martyred in terrorist attack on police post in Ziarat
    Dawn - 05:59 Jul 07, 2026
    QUETTA: At least nine policemen, including two senior officers, were martyred in a terrorist attack on a police post in Balochistan’s Ziarat district on Tuesday, officials said. Ziarat Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abdul Qudoos Achakzai confirmed that it was a terrorist incident, adding that it occurred in the Mangi Dam area. He added that nine policemen, including two senior officers, had been martyred. The DC said the whereabouts of five policemen were still unknown, adding that additional personnel had been dispatched to the area. More to follow
    Tags: Ziarat
  • Oil tanker hit by 'unknown projectile' in Strait of Hormuz region, says maritime agency
    Dawn - 05:33 Jul 07, 2026
    An “unknown projectile” struck and caused a fire on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, British maritime security agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. The incident occurred near one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, despite a ceasefire between the United States and Iran and ongoing efforts to secure a lasting peace agreement. The maritime agency said the incident took place eight nautical miles east of Limah, Oman. “A tanker has reported being hit by an unknown projectile on the port side causing a fire, whilst travelling southbound,” UKMTO said in a post on X. The agency said there were no reports of casualties or environmental damage. “Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” the agency added, saying authorities were investigating. US news outlet Axios reported late on Monday that Iran had “fired at least two missiles at commercial ships”, citing two unnamed US officials. One of...
    Tags: Strait Hormuz
  • Hunt on for attackers after 3 killed in Hanna Urak clashes
    Dawn - 03:54 Jul 07, 2026
    • Minister says seven civilians kidnapped, nine wounded in gun battle; suspects TTP involvement • Several policemen injured, four ‘terrorists’ killed in subsequent operation • CM orders joint checkposts to monitor terrorists’ movement, forms committee to placate protesters QUETTA: A violent clash between locals and armed men in Hanna Urak on the outskirts of the provincial capital resulted in the death of three people and injuries to at least nine others, prompting the provincial government to launch an operation in the area to eliminate the suspected terrorists. At least four suspected attackers were killed and several policemen had sustained injuries in the operation, which was ongoing by the time this report went to press. Officials said the clashes started after armed men attacked the Babri area on Sunday night. The locals responded by taking positions against the attackers, and a gun battle ensued. Home Minister Ziaullah Langove said three people were killed and nine sustained injuries in the incident, w...
    Tags: Hanna Urak
  • PAF officer’s alleged killer sent to jail in Islamabad
    Dawn - 03:47 Jul 07, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court on Monday sent the alleged killer of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Group Captain Asim Tariq to jail on a 14-day judicial remand for an identity parade. The order was passed by Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Abual Hasanat Mohammad Zulqarnain. The police produced the suspect, Saad Abbasi, before the court under tight security. Prosecutor Raja Naveed and the investigating officer (IO) also appeared in the court. The IO informed the court that a case had been registered against the suspect under the anti-terrorism law at the Margalla Police Station. He requested that an identity parade be conducted in accordance with the law. Accepting the request, the court remanded the suspect to jail for 14 days to facilitate the identity parade and directed the officials concerned to submit a report after completing the process. The court adjourned further proceedings until July 20 and ordered that the suspect be produced again on the next date of hearing. The suspect allegedly shot the PAF officer w...
  • Belgium thrash USA to end FIFA World Cup dream
    Dawn - 03:46 Jul 07, 2026
    Belgium brought the United States’ World Cup party to a shattering halt on Monday, thrashing the tournament co-hosts 4-1 to set up a quarter-final showdown with Spain. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice, Hans Vanaken punished a goalkeeping howler, and substitute Romelu Lukaku added a fourth to settle a last-16 clash that had been overshadowed by the pre-match uproar surrounding US striker Folarin Balogun. Balogun, named in US coach Mauricio Pochettino’s starting line-up after FIFA suspended a one-game ban following lobbying by US President Donald Trump, was largely anonymous throughout Monday’s knockout tie at Seattle’s Lumen Field. Instead, a rampant Belgium ruthlessly dismantled the USA’s hopes of reaching a first World Cup quarter-final in 24 years, in a bitterly disappointing end to a campaign that had captivated the host nation. De Ketelaere fired Belgium ahead after nine minutes, and although Malik Tillman’s deflected free-kick leveled it in the 31st-minute, the US fightback was shortlived. De Ketelaere ...
    Tags: Belgium
  • India charges alleged Pahalgam ‘mastermind’
    Dawn - 03:11 Jul 07, 2026
    NEW DELHI: India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed charges against Pakistan’s Hafiz Saeed for allegedly being behind an attack on tourists in India-held Kashmir last year. The Pahalgam incident sparked a major military escalation between the countries after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack, without evidence, and proceeded to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty and launch attacks on Pakistani territory, which were effectively responded to by the armed forces. Saeed was charged with “waging war against India and hatching a conspiracy from across the border”, according to an NIA statement. India had previously blamed a little-known group known as ‘The Resistance Front’ for the attack. Now, it has charged Saeed, alleging that the group is a proxy of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit. Pakistan has consistently denied any involvement in the attack and has repeatedly sought evidence from India regarding its claims. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif even offered an independ...
    Tags: India
  • No relief for citizens as transport fares remain high despite lower fuel prices in Karachi
    Dawn - 03:11 Jul 07, 2026
    • Buses, private transporters, ride-hailing apps still charging rates set during Iran-US war • Commuters urge Sindh govt to take action and bring transport fares to pre-conflict level KARACHI: Despite a cumulative reduction of around Rs100 per litre in petrol and diesel prices in recent weeks, commuters in Karachi say private transport operators and ride-hailing services have yet to lower fares, prompting calls for government intervention to ensure that the benefit of lower fuel prices is passed on to passengers. Speaking with Dawn, many passengers claim that transporters increased intra-city fares by around 40 per cent after the government sharply raised petroleum prices amid heightened regional tensions. At that time, the transport operators argued that it had become financially “impossible” to continue operating at the pre-conflict fare structure. However, the commuters add, the situation has since changed considerably. Successive cuts in fuel prices have brought the rates of both petrol and diesel down by...
    Tags: Karachi
  • Looking for an Alexander
    Dawn - 02:56 Jul 07, 2026
    SCORES of public intellectuals, former diplomats and erstwhile denizens of the deep state from India and Pakistan renewed a call recently for the resumption of peace talks and friendlier relations between their strained countries. They sought restoration of full diplomatic ties and reopening of trade routes with improved transportation links. They sought to make it easier to get visas to encourage and enable people from both countries to visit each other. The statement argued that continued tension hurts millions of young people. The activists asked leaders to put the welfare of the people ahead of conflict. What could be worthier than the charter of utterly reasonable demands for a more harmonious and integrated South Asia? It’s an increasingly overdue need. However, the call for peace came at a time when Pakistan had locked up the main opposition party in the person of its charismatic leader. India on its part has preferred a similar route but by locking out the opposition from its critical role inside and ...
  • Political matters
    Dawn - 02:46 Jul 07, 2026
    A RECENT World Bank report has looked into the NFC Award post-18th Amendment and provided some interesting details. For instance, it has shown how the bulk of the money seems to have gone into expanding local bureaucracies in health and education. It notes that 80 per cent of provincial spending is recurrent spending (a fancy way of saying it goes towards salaries and similar expenditures). It also argues that higher spending hasn’t improved health and education indicators all that much. Among other issues, the report has pointed out the provinces’ failure to shape rules for the fair and institutionalised distribution of funds to the local level. Even where the rules are clear or formalised, fund distribution remains patchy and is dependent on the provincial government’s largesse. In fact, the report points out that spending at the local government level had fallen from 10pc in 2005 to 5pc by 2011; it has remained stuck at this number. For the sake of contrast, India spends 12pc at the LG level, Nepal 24pc an...
  • America at 250
    Dawn - 02:38 Jul 07, 2026
    THOUGH America’s 250th independence anniversary observed on Saturday is a significant milestone, the celebrations were overshadowed by events in Iran, as high officials from around the world, as well as millions of ordinary Iranians, gathered for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral. It was an ironic reminder that America’s merits are often eclipsed by its disastrous foreign policy choices. Despite its immense wealth and global influence, instead of acting as a first among equals, the US frequently displays imperial arrogance, using its military might to intimidate sovereign nations. Unless there is a radical foreign policy rethink — a remote possibility under President Donald Trump — America’s contributions to the world will continue to be dwarfed by the damage it regularly inflicts overseas. Domestically, the US has come a long way from its 18th-century origins. It has witnessed the dispossession of Native Americans, the cruel indignities heaped on African slaves and their descendants, as well as blatant displa...
    Tags: America
  • Govt misses deadline for notifying gas tariff
    Dawn - 02:36 Jul 07, 2026
    • Delay breaches July 1 structural benchmark under IMF $7bn EFF • Officials blame legal issues over Ogra chief’s appointment and unresolved UFG targets ISLAMABAD: Amid over Rs3.44 trillion circular debt in the gas sector, the government has missed its July 1, 2026 deadline for notifying the biannual gas tariff as required under structural benchmark of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the $7bn Extended Fund Facility (EFF). Under two new gas sector structural benchmarks, Pakistan has committed to notifying semi-annual gas tariff adjustments on July 1, 2026, and February 15, 2027, to maintain energy tariffs at cost-recovery levels. The successful third EFF review in April this year introduced 11 new structural benchmarks, including those related to the energy sector. Senior government officials said the gas tariff notification, effective from July 1, was originally delayed due to legal questions surrounding the appointment of Establishment Secretary Nabeel Ahmad Awan as the acting chairman of the Oil ...
  • Premier asks embassies to create employment opportunities for Pakistanis
    Dawn - 02:29 Jul 07, 2026
    ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday urged Pakistani embassies abroad to accelerate efforts to create employment opportunities for Pakistani workforce. Presiding over a meeting on employment opportunities for Pakistani youth, the prime minister ordered complete digitalisation of immigration system. The prime minister instructed the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, NAVTTC, and the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme to ensure skills training, language courses, and internationally-recognised certifications for the workforce, particularly young people. According to a PMO statement, PM Shehbaz said the country’s workforce was highly capable and that the government was taking every possible step to provide internationally competitive education and enhance global employment opportunities. UN Secy Gen candidate calls on PM Shehbaz UN Secy Gen candidate Meanwhile, María Fernanda Espinosa — one of the candidates for the post of United Nations secretary-general — called on the premier at the PM House on Mond...

12400 items

Popular Tags