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Dawn - 09:10 Apr 30, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Counsel for former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday urged the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to consider his client’s release on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, citing prolonged solitary confinement and an eye infection. Defence counsel Salman Safdar’s request came as the IHC took up appeals filed by Imran and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, against their conviction in the £190 million corruption reference. During the hearing, Safdar requested the court to suspend the sentence, arguing that the case had remained pending for over 16 months and had already faced 17 hearings in the appeal. Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar questioned whether the petitioner was willing to settle the matter conclusively through a final decision on the appeal, observing that suspension of sentence could be decided without a final relief, but the appeal itself should be concluded expeditiously. Safdar maintained that despite the passage of over a year, the defence had not received any relief. He highlighted th... -
Dawn - 09:01 Apr 30, 2026
The commissioning ceremony of the first Hangor-class attack submarine, PNS Hangor, was held in China’s Sanya city, with President Asif Ali Zardari and the naval chief attending the event. President Zardari, who is on a visit to China, participated as the chief guest, while Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf was also present, according to a press release by the Pakistan Navy. President Zardari described the commissioning of Hangor as a historic milestone in the navy’s modernisation, affirming Pakistan’s resolve to maintain a “robust, balanced and credible defence posture”. He affirmed that Pakistan was fully capable of defending its sovereignty, protecting its maritime interests and ensuring the security of its economic lifelines. “The advanced submarine strengthens Pakistan’s maritime defence, protects economic lifelines and reflects strategic partnership with China,” a statement by the Presidency said. The submarine class, named after the PNS Hangor, is a diesel-electric attack submarine with air... -
Dawn - 08:41 Apr 30, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) announced on Thursday that admissions for the 2025–2026 academic session have been closed, and students admitted after April 15 will not be registered. A notification issued by the council said all recognised medical and dental colleges have been directed not to grant admissions after the closing date. PMDC further clarified that any admission granted beyond the stipulated deadline would constitute a violation of the PMDC Act, 2022, and the relevant regulations governing undergraduate medical and dental education. Consequently, such students will not be issued registration numbers, rendering their admissions invalid. The directive has been issued with the approval of the competent authority and is binding on all institutions and admitting universities across the country. The council also urged all stakeholders to ensure strict compliance with the regulations to maintain transparency, merit, and standardisation in medical and dental education. On April ... -
Dawn - 08:22 Apr 30, 2026
PESHAWAR: Police arrested two armed suspects, one in an injured condition, after a patrolling party came under fire in the Tor Dhand area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district. The district police officer’s (DPO) spokesman, Shaukatullah, said that the attack took place within the limits of the City police station, while the police party was on routine patrol duty. “When the cops signalled two suspects travelling on a motorcycle to stop, they instead opened fire in a bid to escape,” he said. According to the spokesperson, the law enforcers returned the attack, triggering a gun battle. The official said that DPO Imran Khan also dispatched reinforcements when he learned about the attack on the police party. “When the exchange of fire stopped, police launched a search and clearance operation and captured two suspects, one in injured condition, and disarmed them,” he said. He added that the police seized arms and ammunition from them and took the injured suspect to a nearby hospital. The DPO, along with Superinte... -
Dawn - 05:20 Apr 30, 2026
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for King Charles to “return” the prized Koh-i-Noor diamond, which the British Empire took from the Indian subcontinent in the 1800s, on the third day of the monarch’s state visit on Wednesday. Before greeting Charles and Queen Camilla at a 9/11 memorial event, Mamdani was asked what he would discuss with the king if he had the chance. “If I was to speak to the king, separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,” the leftist mayor said, adding that his focus would be honoring those killed in the terror attacks. It’s unclear whether Mamdani followed through and brought up the contentious subject with Charles when the two met. The monarch was seen laughing with Mamdani and having a brief conversation after they shook hands. Housed in the Tower of London, the massive 106 carat stone is the star of Britain’s crown jewels, adorning the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The ownership of the jewel has been contested over the c... -
Dawn - 04:23 Apr 30, 2026
White supremacist killer Brenton Tarrant lost on Thursday an appeal seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence for shooting dead 51 people at two New Zealand mosques in 2019, court documents showed. The 35-year-old admitted to carrying out New Zealand’s deadliest modern day mass shooting before being sentenced to life in prison in August 2020. He appealed to the Court of Appeal in February, saying “torturous and inhumane” detention conditions during his trial made him incapable of making rational decisions when he pleaded guilty. “I did not have the mind frame or mental health required to be making informed decisions at that time,” Tarrant said at the time. The panel of three judges said the court “does not accept Mr Tarrant’s evidence about his mental state.” “There were inconsistencies in Mr Tarrant’s own evidence, and his evidence is at odds with the detailed observations of prison authorities and the assessments of mental health professionals at the time of him entering his pleas.” The judges found T... -
Dawn - 02:41 Apr 30, 2026
• Insiders say move is part of wider internal review, not country-specific, as evidenced by UAE’s decision to quit Opec bloc • PTCL says it is not aware of any change in shareholders’ plan ISLAMABAD: A leading business group from the Middle East is said to be in the process of reviewing its exposure to Pakistan’s telecom sector, as part of a broader portfolio optimisation exercise that could potentially lead to its exit from the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL). Background discussions with sources in the diplomatic and financial sectors suggest that Etisalat’s plans are still at the preliminary assessment stage, with no final decision taken as yet. Insiders say the UAE-based telecom giant had indicated that the review is driven by a combination of global macroeconomic uncertainty, regional geopolitical tensions, and evolving capital allocation strategies among sovereign-linked investors. “This is part of a wider internal review being undertaken by Gulf investors across multiple jurisdictions. I... -
Dawn - 20:57 Apr 29, 2026
The Cambridge International Education (CIE) said on Wednesday it was “aware of news about a reported paper leak of a question paper”, as several users on social media expressed ire. “We investigate such reports thoroughly and will provide more information to centres, if required, during or after the end of timetabled exams for the June 2026 series,” the CIE said in its official statement. The CIE, part of Cambridge University Press and Assessment, offers internationally recognised exams to over scores of schools in 160-plus countries. In Pakistan, O Levels (grades 9–10) cover a broad subject range, while A and AS Levels (grades 11–12) are more specialised and advanced, providing pathways to higher education in Pakistan and abroad. According to reports, the leaked paper was of AS mathematics. As reports circulated on social media, irked users pointed out the high examination fees and that Cambridge question papers had leaked in the previous years as well. In June last year, question papers of three AS and A Le... -
Dawn - 19:05 Apr 29, 2026
Oil prices shot higher Wednesday on concerns of an extended blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while Wall Street stocks mostly slid as investors awaited a US Fed rate decision and a slew of tech firm earnings. Both main oil contracts jumped nearly six per cent after President Donald Trump warned Tehran on Wednesday that it should “get smart soon” and capitulate to Washington’s demands for tight controls on its nuclear programme, as a US naval blockade turned the screws on Iran’s economy. Meanwhile, the United States could extend its naval blockade of Iran for months more, oil executives were told in a meeting with Trump, an administration official said. Analysts warned that such a move would prompt Iran to maintain its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the vital oil shipping route at a near standstill. The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged later in the day, with markets closely watching its guidance on inflation as energy costs soar. The dollar drifted higher ag... -
Dawn - 18:03 Apr 29, 2026
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN LOWER: Mortar shells fired from across the Pak-Afghan border injured five people — four children and a woman — in the Angoor Adda village of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district on Wednesday, according to security sources. The sources said that the shells struck the homes of two residents of the village and that the injured children were between the ages of three and 13. All the injured were take to the district headquarters hospital in Wana, they added. They said that the Afghan Taliban and affiliated elements had repeatedly targeted civilians across the border, adding that after Wednesday’s attack, the Pakistan Army promptly retaliated by targeting their firing positions along the border. As a result, the Afghan Taliban abandoned their posts and fled, the sources said. The attack came three days after the Afghan Taliban opened unprovoked firing at civilians in South Waziristan, leaving three injured. Security sources said at the time that the Afghan Taliban’s posts were destroyed ... -
Dawn - 16:35 Apr 29, 2026
Two Jewish men were stabbed on Wednesday in north London, an attack police declared a “terrorist incident” and which follows a series of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites. King Charles III, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and London mayor Sadiq Khan led the condemnation of the “appalling” assaults in Golders Green, which is home to a large Jewish population. Police said a 45-year-old man had been arrested after having also tried to stab officers. The two victims — aged 76 and 34 — were in a stable condition in hospital. Speaking from the scene and facing heckles from some in the local community, Metropolitan police commissioner Mark Rowley said the suspect has “a history of serious violence and mental health issues”. “Let me be clear: this is an attack on one community (and) an attack on one community is an attack on all London’s communities,” Rowley added. Starmer echoed the sentiment, saying on X that “attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain” while vowing “those responsible will be brought to ... -
Dawn - 15:53 Apr 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Law and Justice on Wednesday notified the transfer of three judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to other high courts under Article 200 of the Constitution. The development comes a day after the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) approved the transfer of three judges from the IHC to other courts in a move that drew sharp criticism from lawyers’ bodies for lacking transparency and uniform criteria. A notification issued by the ministry on Wednesday stated that the president, on the recommendation of the JCP, had approved the transfer of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani to the Lahore High Court; Justice Babar Sattar to the Peshawar High Court; and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz to the Sindh High Court. A separate summary moved to the Prime Minister’s Office, dated April 29, also confirmed that the JCP, in its meeting held on April 28, had recommended the transfers by a majority of its total membership. Under clause (1) of Article 200 of the Constitution, the president may transfer a hi... -
Dawn - 15:22 Apr 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on Wednesday directed all medical and dental institutions to implement “structured mental health screening protocols” in response to “growing concerns over the increasing incidents of suicide and severe psychological distress among students”. In a statement, the council issued directives to all medical and dental institutions, emphasising the “critical importance of promoting and safeguarding the mental health of students and faculty”. It also highlighted the need for proactive measures to identify and address mental health concerns, recognising that academic environments in medical and dental colleges were intellectually rigorous and often psychologically demanding. “Keeping in view all institutions have been directed to implement structured mental health screening protocols,” the statement said, adding that regular mental health screening, along with easy-to-access and well-organised counselling services, will help improve academic performance, suppo... -
Dawn - 14:05 Apr 29, 2026
The Sri Lankan government took control of the island’s cricket board on Wednesday and appointed a nine-member interim administration to carry out “structural reforms”. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is the country’s wealthiest sporting body, but it has been plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement. World governing body International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended Sri Lanka for two months in 2023-2024, citing political interference in the running of the national board. “All administrative functions of Sri Lanka Cricket will be temporarily brought under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, effective today,” the ministry said. Shortly afterwards, the ministry appointed former investment banker and opposition politician Eran Wickramaratne to lead the board. Among the other members appointed by the government are former skipper Kumar Sangakkara and former Test players Sidath Wettimuny and Roshan Mahanama. The ministry said the interim committee will “address the current issues in cricket and implement... -
Dawn - 14:02 Apr 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday called for national consensus to shift gears from water crisis management at present to ensuring water security in view of emerging challenges, particularly the “weaponisation” of water by India. The proposed national consensus should cover building strategic water storage, including large reservoirs, medium dams, small dams, recharge dams, delay-action dams, hill torrent management, floodwater storage and urban rainwater harvesting, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said at a round table session of the newly formed Water Security Task Force in the Planning Commission. He said Pakistan’s water challenge could no longer be addressed in silos. “It is not merely an irrigation issue, an agricultural issue, a provincial issue, an infrastructure issue or a climate issue; it is a national security issue,” he said, adding that India’s attempts to use water as an instrument of pressure had highlighted a serious external dimension to Pakistan’s water security. In April 2025, I... -
Dawn - 13:36 Apr 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday fixed appeals filed by former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi against conviction in the £190 million corruption reference for tomorrow (April 30). According to the supplementary cause list issued by the registrar’s office, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif will take up Crl. Appeal 63/2025 (filed by Imran) and Crl. Appeal 64/2025 (filed by Bushra) on Thursday. Both appeals challenge the convictions under the Pakistan Penal Code with sentences exceeding seven years. The cause list mentioned that miscellaneous applications — including those seeking suspension of sentence along with objections — were also pending before the court. The development comes a day after the same bench, during the hearing of separate petitions seeking suspension of sentence in the £190m corruption reference, indicated a structured timeline for concluding arguments in the main appeals. Earlier this m... -
Dawn - 13:22 Apr 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed that the discharge of electoral duties demanded scrupulous adherence to the law, transparency in action, and an unwavering commitment to impartiality. “Any deviation from neutrality or departure from the statutory framework, during the election process, imperils not merely the outcome of a particular election, but the democratic order itself,” emphasised Justice Shakeel Ahmed. Justice Ahmed observed that “only through these principles public confidence in the electoral process is sustained and the sovereign will of the electorate is preserved”. Justice Ahmed was a member of the three-judge bench that overturned the Nov 24, 2025 Balochistan Election Tribunal’s ruling and had ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to notify Pakhtunkhwa National Awami Party’s (PNAP) Khushal Khan Kakar as the returned candidate from NA-251 (Sherani-cum-Zhob-cum-Killa Saifullah) for the February 8, 2024 general election. Headed by Justice Shahid Waheed, the court had ta... -
Dawn - 13:16 Apr 29, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Interpol has issued Red Notices against Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz and his son Ali Riaz, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Lt General (retired) Nazir Ahmed said on Wednesday. A red notice is a request to law enforcement agencies by Interpol to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. The NAB chairman made the remarks during a press briefing at the accountability watchdog’s headquarters. “Today I am giving you breaking news that Interpol has issued a red notice against Malik Riaz and Ali Riaz,” he said at the conclusion of the briefing. This could not be independently verified through Interpol. Riaz, 72, is the founder and chairman of Bahria Town, while his 48-year-old son serves as chief executive. The property tycoon is currently residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he has launched a multi-billion-dollar housing project. During the press briefing, the NAB chairman admitted that bringing Riaz back to Pakistan wou... -
Dawn - 12:51 Apr 29, 2026
European airlines are facing their biggest challenge since the Covid-19 pandemic as the US-Israel war on Iran pushes up jet fuel prices and buffets travel through the Middle East, casting a shadow over the summer holiday season. Carriers have been largely riding out the crisis with hedges that have tamed costs even as the price of jet fuel has risen nearly 84 per cent since the start of the conflict on February 28, but they could face shortages if the war does not end soon. “There is a risk that we’ll see rationing of fuel supply, particularly in Asia and Europe,” Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), told Reuters on Tuesday, while adding that supply remained robust for now. Walsh said, however, that the situation was not yet as bad as the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, which led to travel demand plummeting and hundreds of billions of dollars in losses for the aviation sector. “I think Covid was on a completely different scale,” Walsh added. “What ... -
Dawn - 12:16 Apr 29, 2026
Bangladesh recorded 227 child deaths since March in one of its worst outbreaks of measles in decades, with the number of suspected cases reaching nearly 35,000, government data showed on Wednesday. One of the hardest hit areas is Kurukpata in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, home to Indigenous communities, which border war-torn Myanmar. Children in these rural areas are often left out of vaccination coverage, and some families avoid vaccination programmes due to fear. “The most affected area of Chittagong Hill tracts is Kurukpata, one of the remotest parts of Bangladesh,” district health chief Sheikh Fazle Rabbi told AFP, saying more than 80 children had been treated for measles. Local Kurukpata council head Kratpung Mro said the cases were unusually high. “Communication from Kurukpata is difficult,” he said. “People, mostly farmers, are among the poorest and cannot afford even boat or motorcycle fares to reach the hospital.” Kratpung Mro said the government should “launch awareness programmes and bring Indigenous...
10706 items