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Dawn - 13:40 May 01, 2026
The US war on Iran has boosted prices of globally traded natural gas by throttling exports from the Gulf. In West Texas, gas is so abundant that some producers must pay to have it taken away. The war and Iran’s attacks on Gulf energy producers have halted 20 per cent of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply. Qatari LNG facilities have been damaged, and tankers have been unable to sail through the Strait of Hormuz waterway at the Gulf’s entry because of Iranian threats to fire on them. The crisis has exposed a major split in the global gas market: Import-dependent countries across Europe and Asia are scrambling for scarce supplies, but the US — the world’s largest gas producer, consumer and exporter — remains awash in fuel, with prices near 17-month lows. But US pipelines are full and LNG export plants are at capacity, so that cheap US gas cannot reach overseas buyers, creating a bifurcation much more stark than in the oil markets. Since the war began on February 28, gas futures at the US Henry Hub benchma... -
Dawn - 13:37 May 01, 2026
India raised on Friday the prices of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and jet fuel for international airlines, according to a state-run energy firm, as supply pressures from the Middle East war mount. The South Asian nation is heavily dependent on imported energy, including for roughly 60 per cent of its LPG, the fuel used for cooking by a vast section of its population, the largest in the world. As imports have been disrupted since the Middle East war began in late February, New Delhi has moved to ensure households and essential sectors remain adequately supplied, leaving many restaurants, manufacturers and power plants in the lurch. The government has maintained that India faces no overall fuel shortage. “Prices of bulk and commercial LPG cylinders have been revised,” the state-run Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), the country’s leading energy marketing company, said. IOCL’s price chart shows an increase of 993 rupees ($10.50) in the price of a 19 kilogramme LPG cylinder meant for commercial us... -
Dawn - 13:07 May 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A private citizen has approached the Federal Constitution Court (FCC), seeking relief against the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices, it emerged on Friday. The government on Thursday raised petrol and diesel prices while simultaneously extending fuel subsidies for motorcyclists and the transport sector, seeking to cushion the impact of rising global oil costs on vulnerable consumers. Moved under Article 175(E) of the Constitution, the petitioner, Advocate Zulfikar Ahmed Bhutta, called on the court to direct the government to withdraw the recent price hike in the petroleum products. The petition requested that directions be issued to the government to provide petrol and diesel at the rate of Rs200 per litre. It said that the government should also ensure the import of petroleum products from Iran through all available sources, including pipelines, on an urgent basis. The petition also contended that the government should request Middle East countries to provide petroleum products on special... -
Dawn - 12:45 May 01, 2026
Pakistan recorded a second consecutive month of improving security indicators in April 2026, with militant attacks and related casualties declining markedly, according to a report released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). The Islamabad-based think tank documented 85 verified militant attacks in April, down from 146 in March, a 42 per cent decrease. As per the data, fatalities resulting from militant attacks fell from 106 in March to 60 in April, continuing a downward trend that began the previous month, when overall combat-related deaths dropped by 35pc. The report said that the improvement follows Pakistan’s cross-border military campaign targeting militant groups and Taliban positions between February 26 and March 18, which concluded with a suspension and subsequent talks in Urumqi, China. Pakistan had launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq on the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. According to the PICSS report, tota... -
Dawn - 11:16 May 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Power Minister Awais Leghari on Friday declared the end of a month-long loadshedding period after a shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) arrived in Pakistan a day earlier. The power minister made the announcement in a recorded televised message, saying that the recent power outages were caused by a gas shortage linked to the war between the US and Iran, and were not the result of “incompetence or system failure”. He recalled that on “April 13 and 14, consumers faced power outages of up to five hours, while on April 15–16, they lasted around seven hours”. Leghari added that in the following days, outages were “brought down to zero,” and until April 29, the loadshedding duration was reduced to 2–2.5 hours. He also recalled that the ministry held a press conference to clarify the government’s stance on the matter. “Loadshedding had not been experienced for six to seven years, having been eliminated during the tenure of Nawaz Sharif,” he said. “Using diesel or furnace oil would have made electricity... -
Dawn - 11:15 May 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has ruled that the customary practice of nominating or recognising a chieftain/sardar by members of a tribe does not vest such an individual with the legal authority to attest local certificates, domicile certificates, or Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) applications. The observations came while rejecting a petition filed by a self-proclaimed tribal chieftain seeking his recognition as the “sardar” of the Kharoti tribe. A two-judge bench consisting of Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Rozi Khan Barrech rejected the petition of Ghulam Ali Khan, noting that the sardari system stood abolished under the law and that no individual could claim customary authority overriding statutory requirements. The petitioner, claiming to be the chieftain of the Kharoti tribe in Balochistan, had approached the interior ministry, seeking acceptance of his attestation for the issuance of local certificates, domicile certificates, CNICs, and passports for his tribesmen. He ... -
Dawn - 10:39 May 01, 2026
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the labour force of Pakistan the “backbone” of society and a “pillar of national strength” in statements commemorating International Labour Day on Friday. As the world commemorated the international holiday observed annually on May 1, the president and the premier issued separate messages to mark the occasion. PM Shehbaz paid tribute to Pakistan’s labour force as well as its overseas workers, appreciating their “dedicated service” and terming them a national pride. “On this occasion, I pay tribute to workers across the world, and especially to the hardworking labour force of Pakistan, for their selfless contributions and dedicated service,” he said in a statement on X. He termed labourers, farmers, artisans, factory workers, and professionals across all sectors the “backbone of our society”. “Their sacrifices, hard work and perseverance keep the wheels of life moving, from fields to factories, construction sites to workshops, at local level a... -
Dawn - 10:01 May 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported two polio cases on Friday from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), bringing the total number of cases for the ongoing year to three. An official of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) has confirmed two new cases of wild poliovirus — one in Bannu and another in North Waziristan. He added that access constraints in these areas continue to facilitate transmission of the virus, posing an ongoing risk to children’s health and well-being. “The two new cases were reported through the poliovirus surveillance network and confirmed by the WHO-accredited Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH).” he added. The first case of the year was reported from Sindh, while the detection of two cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has raised the polio tally to three. The official said that, with the sudden increase in heat, it seemed that the hi... -
Dawn - 09:44 May 01, 2026
MIRANSHAH: An intense exchange of fire erupted on Friday between members of the Darpa Khel tribe and militants in Miranshah, the district headquarters of North Waziristan, following the killing of tribal elder Malik Saifullah Khan Dawar, police said. According to details, unidentified gunmen shot Saifullah outside his residence, triggering a fierce clash as armed tribesmen confronted the militants. Both sides reportedly used automatic weapons, and the exchange of fire continued for several hours. Sources said that a day earlier, suspected militants had allegedly occupied a local mosque, but Saifullah, along with other tribal elders, intervened and forced them to vacate the premises. On Friday morning, a large group of militants reportedly returned to the area, called Saifullah out of his house and opened fire on him, killing him on the spot, the sources added. During the clash, four local residents — identified as Yaqoob, Fazal Karim, Mujahid, and one unidentified person — were injured. The injured were shift... -
Dawn - 09:33 May 01, 2026
Japanese police arrested a man for allegedly incinerating his dead wife at the zoo where he worked, officials and local media said Friday, following the discovery of human remains. Police arrested Tatsuya Suzuki on Thursday evening on suspicion that he “transported the victim’s body to a tourist facility” in the northern island of Hokkaido and “destroyed it through incineration there,” a local police official told AFP. The victim, 33-year-old Yui Suzuki, was identified by local media as his wife. Police have not said how she died. While held in voluntary police questioning, Suzuki said he used his zoo’s incinerator —meant to dispose of waste and dead animals —to burn the woman’s body “for a few hours,” local media reported. His confession sent police scouring the incinerator for her remains, whose partial discovery paved the way for Suzuki’s arrest, local media said. While alive, the wife once told her relatives that her husband was threatening to “burn you until no trace of you will be left”, public broadcas... -
Dawn - 08:53 May 01, 2026
• Pakistani, Israeli, Cambodian leaders claim to have nominated US president; secrecy rules leave bids unconfirmed • 208 individuals, 79 organisations make up diverse list; winner to be announced on Oct 9, with award ceremony in December • Committee raises alarm over jailed Iranian laureate’s health OSLO: The Norwegian Nobel Committee is considering 287 candidates for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, with US President Donald Trump likely among those on the confidential list, the committee’s secretary said on Thursday. Of the nominations submitted by the Jan 31 deadline, 208 are for individuals and 79 are for organisations, said Kristian Berg Harpviken. He noted that the list features a significant number of new names compared to the previous year. “Since I am new in the job, one of the things that has to some extent surprised me is how much renewal there is from year to year on the list,” Harpviken, who has held the position since January 2025, said in an interview. Despite a rise in global conflicts and mounting ... -
Dawn - 08:45 May 01, 2026
El Niño conditions are likely to develop during the 2026 monsoon season in South Asia, alongside higher-than-normal minimum and maximum temperatures across most of the region, according to a statement by Pakistan’s meteorological office on Friday. El Nino is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. It brings changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns. Conditions oscillate between El Nino and its opposite La Nina, with neutral conditions in between. The last El Nino contributed to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high. The climate outlook for the 2026 southwest monsoon season (June to September) was finalised during the 34th session of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (Sascof-34) held in Malé, Maldives on Tuesday. According to the spokesperson of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Anjum Nazir Zaighum, and a statement issued by the PMD, below normal rainfall is most likel... -
Dawn - 08:42 May 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Reports of online violence against women journalists have doubled since 2020, with serious impacts on their health and well-being, according to a study published ahead of ‘World Press Freedom Day,’ which is marked annually on May 3. The report by UN Women and partners highlights how online violence targeting women in public life is becoming increasingly technologically sophisticated, invasive, and damaging in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). The survey findings indicate that these forms of abuse, which were considered relatively rare just a few years ago, now account for a significant portion of the broader ecosystem of online violence. Overall, 12 per cent of the women surveyed reported experiencing the non-consensual sharing of personal images, including sexually explicit or intimate image-based material, and 6pc reported being targeted by deepfakes or other manipulated imagery. “AI is making abuse easier and more damaging, and this is fueling the erosion of hard-won rights in a context m... -
Dawn - 07:49 May 01, 2026
Across much of India, an energy crunch caused by the Iran war has prompted long queues for cooking gas cylinders. That’s not a problem for Gauri Devi. On a stove with blue flames, she flips a chapati flatbread, burning biogas produced from cow dung — an alternative fuel helping ease pressure on supplies. This photograph taken on April 24, 2026 shows villager Gauri Devi cooking using biogas at her residence in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district. —AFP “It cooks everything,” the 25-year-old said in her courtyard kitchen in Nekpur, a village in Uttar Pradesh, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from New Delhi. “If the pressure goes down, we let it rest for half an hour and it works again.” India consumes more than 30 million tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) annually, importing over half its needs. The government insists there is no shortage of cooking gas, but supply delays, panic buying and black marketeers have created long queues for cylinders. This photograph taken on April 24, 2026 shows people waiting w... -
Dawn - 06:22 May 01, 2026
President Donald Trump faces a critical legal deadline on Friday that could determine the future of US military operations against Iran, even as his administration signals it may rely on a controversial legal interpretation to bypass congressional approval. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, a US president must terminate military action within 60 days of notifying Congress unless lawmakers authorise the operation. The Trump administration formally notified Congress on March 2 following joint US-Israeli strikes launched on February 28, setting up a May 1 deadline. But administration officials now argue that the deadline may not apply, claiming that a ceasefire with Iran — in place since April 7 — effectively ended “hostilities” under the law. A senior official told reporters the conflict had “terminated” for War Powers purposes, allowing the White House to continue operations without seeking congressional approval. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced that position during congressional testimony ... -
Dawn - 06:20 May 01, 2026
PESHAWAR: A police constable was martyred on Friday when militants targeted an armoured police vehicle with a rocket and sniper attack at Kingar Jan Bahadar, within the jurisdiction of Mandan Police Station near the Fatah Khel police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district. The attack occurred while the vehicle was on a routine patrol. According to the police, the assault was sudden, causing severe damage to the vehicle and leaving driver, a constable, critically injured. He later succumbed to his injuries. A civilian present at the scene was also injured and was taken to the District Headquarters Hospital, where he is currently receiving medical treatment. Hospital sources confirmed that the injured civilian is out of danger. Following the incident, police and security agencies cordoned off the area and launched a large-scale search and combing operation. Police officials stated that all available resources are being utilised to arrest the militants, while security in the area has been placed on high ale... -
Dawn - 04:08 May 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) said on Thursday that its managing shareholder ‘e&’ (formerly Etisalat) remains closely engaged with it, with a shared focus on delivering long-term value and advancing Pakistan’s digital ecosystem. Referring to a Dawn report, titled ‘Emirati telecom giant mulling exit’, published on Apr 30, regarding a potential change in e&’s investment position in Pakistan, the company said it was not aware of the sources referenced in the reports. “PTCL’s shareholders remain fully committed to the company’s long-term strategy and growth trajectory. This is reflected in key strategic initiatives, including the acquisition of Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers, Ufone’s 5G spectrum acquisition, and the continued expansion of the company’s fibre network across the country,” it said in a statement. When contacted for response prior to the publication of the report, PTCL had simply stated that a long-term business plan had recently been approved by its board, and ... -
Dawn - 02:54 May 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday upheld the Capital Development Authority (CDA) decision, canceling lease of iconic skyscraper One Constitution Avenue owing to the multi-billion rupees default. IHC Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar announced the decision on the appeals filed by M/s BNP (Private) Limited and the occupants of flats in the skyscraper. The court in February this year had reserved its verdict in the high-profile case concerning the cancellation of the lease of Grand Hyatt building located in the Red Zone near Constitution Avenue. Counsel for the CDA Kashif Ali Malik advanced arguments on behalf of the civic agency. IHC in February this year had reserved the verdict in the high-profile case The case pertains to the controversial five-star hotel project, which was awarded to BNP Group nearly two decades ago. However, instead of functioning as a five-star hotel, it was converted into residential apartments and commercial areas. Apartments in the building were also repor... -
Dawn - 02:20 May 01, 2026
• Rs6.59 rise in petrol, Rs19.39 hike in diesel prices implemented with IMF concurrence • PM extends fuel subsidy for motorcyclists, transport sector by a month • Pakistan on track to meet Rs1.47tr petroleum levy target • May face $10-68bn fallout from ME crisis, NA panel told ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday raised petrol and diesel prices while simultaneously extending fuel subsidies for motorcyclists and the transport sector, seeking to cushion the impact of rising global oil costs on vulnerable consumers. With the concurrence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Shehbaz Sharif government has increased the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs6.51 and Rs19.39 per litre, respectively, with immediate effect for the week ending May 8. During a virtual meeting on Thursday, the IMF was informed that Pakistan was well placed to achieve its petroleum levy target of Rs1.468 trillion, as collections over 10 months had already exceeded the target for 11 months. The two sides agreed to keep the primary bala... -
Dawn - 20:41 Apr 30, 2026
Pakistan and 10 other countries condemned on Friday in “strongest terms” the Israeli assault on the Global Sumud Flotilla, which they said was as a peaceful civilian humanitarian initiative aimed at drawing the attention of the international community to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. A joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkiye, Brazil, Jordan, Spain, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Colombia, Maldives, South Africa and Libya said the Israeli attacks against the vessels and the unlawful detention of humanitarian activists in international waters constituted “flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law”. “The ministers are deeply concerned about the safety of the civilian activists and urge the Israeli authorities to take the necessary measures to ensure their immediate release. “The ministers also call on the international community to fulfil their moral and legal obligations to uphold international law, protect civilians, and ensure accountability for th...
10706 items