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Dawn - 17:32 Oct 22, 2025
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Wednesday that unchecked population growth and climate change are hindering Pakistan from becoming a $3 trillion economy. Pakistan is home to a vast population of over 251 million, according to World Bank figures. In 2023, the population growth rate was reported to have reached around 2.55 per cent. However, almost 45pc of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line, according to a World Bank report. At the same time, Pakistan has been ranked as the most vulnerable country to climate change in 2022, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2025. “I have been clear right from the beginning that we have two existential issues because if we don’t tackle them correctly … there are two reasons that could derail us from becoming a $3tr economy and those are climate change and population growth,” said the finance minister in an interview on Geo News show ‘Capital Talk’. Aurangzeb said the former was no longer merely “an academic discussion” but something “we are l... -
Dawn - 17:18 Oct 22, 2025
The Pakistan Hockey Federation on Wednesday finalised its decision to not send its team to India for next month’s Junior World Cup, slated to held from Nov 28 to Dec 10. The decision came after a high-profile meeting in Islamabad where the security issues and India’s hostile approach towards Pakistan in the sports sector, particularly the conduct of its cricket team during the recent Asia Cup, came under discussion. “The PHF will convey its decision to Hockey India soon,” a PHF official told Dawn.com. “The PHF and the government don’t want to compromise on security of players, therefore we decided not to send our team.” International Cricket Council, the sports global body, has arranged for neutral venues for both Pakistan and India during tournaments held in either country. Hockey’s governing body, the FIH, however, hasn’t made any such hybrid arrangement. Pakistan skipped the Asia Cup in India last month despite the tournament being a qualifier for next year’s World Cup. Meanwhile, the issue of PHF election... -
Dawn - 16:38 Oct 22, 2025
The United Nations’ top legal body, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), on Wednesday said Israel has an obligation to ensure the basic needs of the civilian population in Gaza are met. The panel of 11 judges added that Israel is forced to support the relief efforts provided by the United Nations in the Gaza strip and its entities, including the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Israel has not substantiated its claims that a significant number of UNRWA’s employees are members of Hamas, the judges said. The ICJ said that Israel was obliged to ease the passage of aid into Gaza, stressing it had to provide Palestinians with “basic needs” essential to survival. The wide-ranging ICJ ruling came as aid groups are scrambling to scale up much-needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza, seizing upon a fragile ceasefire agreed earlier this month. The ICJ’s “Advisory Opinion” is not legally binding but the court believes it carries “great legal weight and moral authority”. Is... -
Dawn - 16:29 Oct 22, 2025
A new United Nations secretary-general will be elected next year for a five-year term starting on January 1, 2027. Here are the potential candidates so far and how the successor to current UN chief Antonio Guterres will be chosen: When does the process start? The race will formally start when the 15-member Security Council and the president of the 193-member General Assembly send a joint letter soliciting nominations. That letter is due to be sent by the end of the year. A candidate has to be nominated by a UN member state. The job traditionally rotates among regions, but when Guterres — who is from Portugal — was elected in 2016, it was supposed to be Eastern Europe’s turn. Next on the list is Latin America; however, some diplomats expect candidates from other regions. Who wants to be the next secretary-general? While the race doesn’t formally begin until the letter is sent by the presidents of the Security Council and the General Assembly, there are already several publicly declared candidates: Michelle Bac... -
Dawn - 14:05 Oct 22, 2025
The PTI announced on Wednesday that a “massive public rally” would be held in Karachi during the month of November to kick off a nationwide public engagement campaign. A press release issued today said the decision was taken during PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja’s visit to Karachi. During his visit, he met party leaders, including PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh, PTI Parliamentary Leader Shabbir Qureshi and Jamal Siddiqui. Raja held detailed discussions on the prevailing political situation, strategy for party founder Imran Khan’s release and organisational matters. Addressing the media after the meetings, Raja announced that a “massive public rally will be held in Karachi” in November, followed by similar gatherings in Hyderabad and other major cities as part of a nationwide public engagement campaign. The senior PTI leader added that the party was united and mobilised for Imran’s release. He informed those present that Mahmood Khan Achakzai had been nominated as opposition leader i... -
Dawn - 13:23 Oct 22, 2025
Saudi Arabia has banned employers from charging any fees to their domestic workers, including for recruitment and work permits, setting maximum penalties of a fine worth 20,000 riyals (SR) and a three-year ban on hiring, according to Saudi Gazette. The Saudi outlet reported on Monday that employers were banned from “charging any fees from their domestic workers”, including those “related to recruitment, change of professions, transfer of services, residency permit (iqama) and work permits”. Saudi Gazette said the provisions were included in the “Guide to the Rights and Obligations of Domestic Workers”, issued by the Saudi human resources ministry. It added that the new regulations “include a package of rights that guarantee the domestic worker a decent life and a stable work environment”. According to a guide available on the Saudi human resources ministry’s website, professions/jobs permitted by law in the domestic worker sector include “domestic worker, private driver, educator, home nurse, home cook, home ... -
Dawn - 13:23 Oct 22, 2025
Anxious to bolster its air power, Turkiye has proposed to European partners and the US ways it could swiftly obtain advanced fighter jets as it seeks to make up ground on regional rivals such as Israel, sources familiar with the talks say. NATO-member Turkiye, which has the alliance’s second-largest military, aims to leverage its best relations with the West in years to add to its ageing fleet 40 Eurofighter Typhoons, for which it inked a preliminary agreement in July, and later also US-made F-35 jets, despite Washington sanctions that currently block any deal. Strikes by Israel — the Middle East’s most advanced military with hundreds of US-supplied F-15, F-16 and F-35 fighters — on Turkiye’s neighbours Iran and Syria, as well as on Lebanon and Qatar, unnerved Ankara in the last year. They laid bare key vulnerabilities, prompting its push for rapid air power reinforcement to counter any potential threats and not be left exposed, officials say. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has sharply criticised Israel’s a... -
Dawn - 13:17 Oct 22, 2025
GUJRAT: A youth allegedly killed his aunt by slitting her throat at her house in People’s Colony, Gujranwala, on Tuesday, later claiming that she had “committed blasphemy” three months back. Reports say that the suspect, Ghulam Murslaeen of Multan, arrived at the house of victim Farah (30) (sister of his father) when her two children were at school and her husband Shahzad was at work. The suspect allegedly slit Farha’s throat with a sharp knife, leaving her dead on spot. He then came out of the house carrying the blood-stained knife and started shouting that he punished his aunt for “committing blasphemy”. Meanwhile, locals gathered at the scene and some of them started beating the suspect with cricket bats and kicks, leaving him injured. On being called by some area residents, police reached the spot and arrested the suspect. A team of the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) also reached the spot and collected evidence from the crime scene. The victim’s dead body was shifted to the district headquarters ho... -
Dawn - 13:12 Oct 22, 2025
Simon Harmer grabbed three early wickets to push South Africa closer to a series-levelling victory over a faltering Pakistan in the second Test in Rawalpindi on Wednesday. Harmer took 3-26 as Pakistan ended the third day on a precarious 94-4 — just 23 runs ahead with six wickets and two days remaining on a spin-spiced Rawalpindi stadium pitch. Pakistan’s last hopes rest on Babar Azam, unbeaten on 49, and Mohammad Rizwan, 16 not out, as they strive to win the two-match series, having won the first Test by 93 runs in Lahore. South Africa piled up 404 runs after Senuran Muthusamy scored a career-best 89 not out and Kagiso Rabada posted his highest Test score of 71, giving the visitors a crucial 71-run lead. The home team scored 333 in their first innings. With their backs to the wall, Pakistan’s second innings started disastrously as opener Imam-ul-Haq (nine) and skipper Shan Masood (nought) fell to Harmer with the score at 16. It became 16-3 when Rabada had Abdullah Shafique caught in the slips for six. Harmer ... -
Dawn - 12:53 Oct 22, 2025
Pakistan on Wednesday condemned Israel’s renewed hostilities in Gaza, following a US-backed ceasefire agreement, calling on the international community to take “urgent and effective” measures against the violation. Israeli forces have killed at least 87 Palestinians, among them civilians, since the ceasefire began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and two Israeli soldiers were killed by Palestinian freedom fighters in southern Gaza over the weekend, Reuters reported. On Sunday, more than 100 air strikes were reported in Rafah and Khan Younis in the south, Jabalia in the north, and other parts of central Gaza. While Israel accuses Hamas of initiating the hostilities with an attack on its forces in Rafah, the group has denied any knowledge or connection to the incident. “Pakistan strongly condemns the renewed attacks by the Israeli occupying forces in Gaza, resulting in the loss of numerous civilian lives,” said a statement released by the Foreign Office (FO) today. It noted that Israeli actions “run cont... -
Dawn - 11:50 Oct 22, 2025
AS temperatures begin to drop, smog makes an unwelcome arrival in many parts of the country, particularly Lahore and urban Punjab. This health and climate crisis has been brewing for some years, while the state — nudged on by civil society and experts — has begun to take steps to combat the smog hazard. South Asian cities have some of the worst air on the planet, and many Pakistani urban centres are included in this unenviable list. For example, on Tuesday, both Lahore and Karachi were amongst the top five most polluted cities globally, as per IQAir monitoring data, with air quality described as “very unhealthy”. And as winter sets in, things will get worse. In Lahore’s case, experts say a combination of local factors and pollutants blowing in from across the border with India are responsible for the dirty air. In particular, pollution caused by firecrackers set off during the Diwali celebrations in India has aggravated matters, as that country’s supreme court relaxed a ban on fireworks, allowing ‘green firec... -
Dawn - 10:13 Oct 22, 2025
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, discussed Gaza during an phone call and also reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace and stability in the region, the Foreign Office said (FO) on Wednesday. “Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar spoke on the phone late last night with the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan,” the FO posted on X today. According to the FO, the two leaders “reviewed recent developments in the region, including [in] Gaza and Palestine”, building on previous discussions. The FO further stated that both sides “reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace and stability in the region and agreed to stay closely engaged on matters of mutual interest”. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were among the eight Muslim countries that had worked with US President Donald Trump’s administration on a plan to end Israel’s genocide and invasion in Gaza. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan both had hailed the signing ... -
Dawn - 10:07 Oct 22, 2025
Imperial College London has refuted the Punjab government’s claims that it is opening a campus at the Nawaz Sharif IT City in Lahore, saying that all of its campuses are based in the United Kingdom (UK). On October 18, the PML-N had posted on its official X account about a meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The post said that a campus of Imperial College London would open at the Nawaz Sharif IT City, adding that the foundation stone would be laid in November. “A modern 300-bed hospital will also be built within the college campus,” it said. In a separate post on X, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had also made a similar statement about the meeting chaired by the chief minister. “A campus of Imperial College London will be established in the Nawaz Sharif IT City which will also include a state-of-the-art 300-bed hospital and its foundation stone will be laid in November,” she had said. The post has since been deleted. Screenshot of post made by Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aura... -
Dawn - 09:59 Oct 22, 2025
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said he is “quite hopeful” that Pakistan could manage to achieve GDP growth of close to 3.5 per cent during the ongoing fiscal year despite the impact of recent floods. The finance czar shared this projection during an interview on CGTN America programme ‘One on One’, which was published on Tuesday. During the interview, the finance minister was asked how big a challenge the recent floods posed to economic recovery. To that, Aurangzeb began his reply by underlining that climate change was an “existential issue for Pakistan”. “We are living it day in and day out,” he said. He then went on to recall previous floods and their impact, and stated: “We grew at 3pc GDP last year. We had estimated that we would grow a little over 4pc this year, but now, given the flood situation, this will shave off a certain percentage around that. But, I am still quite hopeful that we can manage anything close to 3.5pc during this fiscal year.” At the outset of the interview, the finance mini... -
Dawn - 09:39 Oct 22, 2025
Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero believed that laws were silent amidst the clash of arms. However, the notion that rules were necessary even in times of armed conflict have ancient roots. From the ancient Vedic traditions, Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’, Roman law, the Bible, and the Qur’an, all of these texts include stipulations of what is or is not allowed in war. These norms have evolved into the contemporary law of armed conflict, which aims to spare those not directly involved in hostilities and limit the effects of violence to the amount necessary for the purpose of war. They aim to balance the need to uphold humanitarian rules even in times of armed conflict and that of military necessity, which would allow for a party to the conflict to engage in lawful conduct in order for it to win the war. Ultimately, they seek to inject some element of humanity into the awful business that is warfare. Cardinal Principles Distinction The laws of armed conflict are applied when there is a “resort to armed force ... -
Dawn - 09:35 Oct 22, 2025
Justice Ayesha Malik on Wednesday observed that there was no bar on a full Supreme Court hearing a case fixed before the Constitutional Bench under Article 191A introduced in the 26th Amendment. She made the remarks as an eight-member resumed hearing over three dozen petitions against the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which was passed by Parliament during an overnight session in October last year. At the time, the PTI claimed 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 Specia... -
Dawn - 09:26 Oct 22, 2025
After complaints by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi regarding bulletproof vehicles provided by the federal government, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday that the vehicles in question would be sent to Balochistan instead. On Monday, Afridi had blamed the “flawed policy” of the federal government for the resurgence of terrorism being witnessed in the province. He further claimed that the federal government was neither giving KP funds allocated under the country’s ongoing war against terrorism, nor “other constitutional rights”. He had also alleged that the bulletproof cars provided by Naqvi were “defective and old”, adding that they should be recalled. Late on Tuesday, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had commented on the claims and said that like KP, his province was also affected by terrorism. “It is an appeal to the interior minister that if the KP government is refusing to take the bulletproof vehicles, they should be transferred to the Balochistan government so that t... -
Dawn - 09:01 Oct 22, 2025
Pakistan Navy ship Yarmook seized narcotics worth more than $972 million from sailboats in the Arabian Sea, according to a statement issued on Wednesday from the naval network overseeing the operation. The Combined Maritime Force (CMF), a naval partnership that includes the United States, said the Pakistani naval vessel intercepted two different dhow sailing boats within 48 hours last week. It was working in “direct support of Saudi-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150” of the CMF during focused operation Al Masmak, which began on October 16. “The crew boarded the first dhow and seized over two tons of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $822,400,000 [on] October 18. Less than 48 hours later, the crew boarded a second dhow and seized 350 kilogrammes of [crystal meth] worth $140,000,000 and 50kg of cocaine worth $10,000,000,” the CMF statement said. The narcotics were transported back to the ship for testing to confirm the contents and subsequently disposed of, the statement added. The inter... -
Dawn - 07:59 Oct 22, 2025
A Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court (ATC) again issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, on Wednesday in a case pertaining to protests staged by the PTI in November last year over her absence from the hearing. This is the fourth time that the court has issued an arrest warrant for Aleema in the case. November 26 protests, as they famously came to be known as, saw more than 10,000 PTI protesters surge into Islamabad, defying a ban on public gatherings and a lockdown to skirmish with 20,000 security forces enlisted to turn them back. A day of clashes between security forces and protesters in the city’s Red Zone had ended in the PTI leadership’s hasty retreat, with the party announcing that it was calling off its planned protest sit-in “for the time being”. Subsequently, cases were registered against several PTI leaders under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Two of these cases were registered at the Taxila police stat... -
Dawn - 07:35 Oct 22, 2025
United States President Donald Trump has stated that he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a phone call where they talked about having “no wars with Pakistan”. The US president has repeatedly claimed credit for ending the conflict between Pakistan and India earlier this year in May. India has denied the claim that the US president was responsible for brokering the ceasefire via trade threats. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has praised Trump for his “leadership and proactive role” in helping the two neighbours achieve peace in the region. Participating in a Diwali celebration at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said he had a “great conversation” with Indian PM Modi over the phone. “We talked about trade — we talked about a lot of things, but mostly the world of trade, he’s very interested in that. Although we did talk a little while ago about let’s have no wars with Pakistan,” he said. “I think the fact that trade was involved, I was able to talk about that — and we have no war with Pakista...
5680 items