Dawn
Source:
https://www.dawn.com
Found 12400 news
-
Dawn - 08:29 Jul 02, 2026
LAHORE: In a case pertaining to blasphemy, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday held that the “mere creation or administration of a WhatsApp group does not, by itself, make the creator or administrator criminally liable for every post made by its members”. The court issued the directives while denying post-arrest bail to a man accused of uploading and sharing blasphemous content through WhatsApp groups. Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh passed a detailed judgment on Thursday, dismissing the bail petition filed by a man booked by the Federal Investigation Agency’s now defunct Cyber Crime Wing. The case was registered on April 5, 2024 under sections 295-A, 295-B, 295-C, 298-A (blasphemy offences) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). According to the prosecution, the petitioner was added to two WhatsApp groups where he allegedly noticed blasphemous and sacrilegious posts being shared by members. He took screenshots of some posts and ap... -
Dawn - 07:58 Jul 02, 2026
The Knesset approved a bill on Wednesday that seeks to ban the broadcasting of the call to prayer in Israel on loudspeakers, according to media reports. The Israel Hayom newspaper reported that the Knesset approved the bill in its preliminary reading to tighten law enforcement against what it described as “mosque noise”. The bill passed 50-36 in the 120-member parliament, according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. Introduced by the Otzma Yehudit party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the bill was backed by the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party of right-wing politician Avigdor Lieberman. Rawhi Fattouh, head of the Palestinian National Council, described the move as a “crime” and a “legislative terrorism”. It is “a blatant violation of freedom of worship and belief”, Fattouh said in a statement. The bill must pass three additional readings before becoming law. According to Israel’s Channel 14, the proposed legislation stipulates that no sound system may be installed or operated in any mosqu... -
Dawn - 07:52 Jul 02, 2026
LAHORE: A sessions court extended on Thursday the interim pre-arrest bail of PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar and his wife — both of whom have been facing legal proceedings for allegedly harassing television actress Momina Iqbal — till July 13. Additional District and Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqi presided over the hearing, during which Chadhar appeared before the court along with his counsel, Mian Ali Ashfaq. However, Chadhar’s wife did not attend the hearing, citing health reasons. Judge Siddiqi, concluding the hearing, extended Chadhar’s and his wife’s bail, directed them to join the investigation initiated against them and instructed the prosecution to submit a progress report of the probe at the next hearing on July 13. Case origins The case garnered attention after a social media appeal by Momina Iqbal went viral in May and drew the attention of senior PML-N leadership, especially Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. In her online post, tagged to the PML-N leadership, Iqbal alleged that she had been subjected to “on... -
Dawn - 07:38 Jul 02, 2026
The Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday that Qatari and Pakistani mediators had concluded separate meetings with negotiators from the United States and Iran in Doha. In a statement on the social media platform X, it said that “positive progress” was made on issues related to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two sides, building on the talks held in Switzerland earlier this month. “Parties have agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be set at the earliest possible time following the funeral processions of the former Iranian supreme leader,” it said. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated on the first day of the US-Israel war on Iran, is due to be buried on July 9, The same statement was also posted by Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson hours earlier. Sources familiar with the discussions said negotiators for the two countries spent two days in Doha discussing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and unfreezin... -
Dawn - 06:56 Jul 02, 2026
BAJAUR: Three people have been killed and 10 others injured in an incident that police suspect involved the use of a quadcopter drone to drop a bomb on a house in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district. Police sources told Dawn that the incident took place late on Wednesday near the Dama Dola area of Bajaur’s War Mamund tehsil. According to the sources, the deceased include a five-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy, and all 13 victims belonged to the same family. The bodies and the injured were taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar, the sources said, adding that a police team was sent to the site of the incident to collect evidence and ascertain the circumstances of the incident. Mamund Circle Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Saidur Rehman, confirming the casualties, told the media that an investigation had been launched to determine who the perpetrators were. In the recent past, multiple incidents of suspected drone attacks have been reported in Bajaur, with one having taken place as recent... -
Dawn - 06:39 Jul 02, 2026
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has written to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) seeking “guidance” on whether Geo News’ response to the recent suspension is adequate or requires further action, it emerged on Thursday. On June 28, Pemra suspended with “immediate effect” Geo News’ licence for 15 days over airing a special transmission that the body said was “liable to hurt the religious sentiments of viewers”. Geo News has acknowledged its mistake in airing the transmission broadcast on Muharram 10 and has also taken action against two employees. The letter, dated July 1, and addressed to the CII chairman, Pemra requested guidance on the matter, with Council of Complaints (CoC) Chairperson Lubna Zaheer stating, “The CII is requested to guide whether the suspension order already passed and the public apology as well as actions so far rendered by Geo News constitute an adequate response and if not, to what extent any further action may be warranted in light of Islamic teachings and... -
Dawn - 20:09 Jul 01, 2026
Harry Kane rescued England from a seismic World Cup shock with two late goals to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 in Atlanta and secure a place in the last 16. Aiming to end a 60-year wait to win a major tournament, Thomas Tuchel’s men escaped humiliation and one of England’s worst ever World Cup exits thanks to their talismanic captain after Brian Cipenga’s goal gave Congo an early lead. But the Three Lions will need to improve for the daunting task of facing co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in the last 16 on Sunday. Already England’s all-time top goalscorer in the competition, Kane now has 13 World Cup goals and moves onto five for the tournament to remain in the the star-studded battle for the Golden Boot. Defeat ended Congo’s fairytale run on their return to the World Cup for the first time in 52 years. The Leopards had never even won a point or scored a goal at the World Cup until a few weeks ago, but had one of the tournament favourites teetering on the brink of elimination. Tuchel made tw... -
Dawn - 20:00 Jul 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: In a significant development signaling a marked departure from the established judicial hierarchy, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has formally notified separate interview committees to vet candidates for appointment as additional judges in four high courts, with not a single Supreme Court judge included in any of the panels. The notification, issued on Wednesday and obtained by Dawn, invokes Rule 10A of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, and bears the approval of the JCP chairperson — the chief justice of Pakistan. The committees have been tasked with interviewing candidates nominated until July 4, 2026, for the Lahore High Court (LHC), Islamabad High Court (IHC), Sindh High Court (SHC), and Balochistan High Court (BHC). Interestingly, the composition of the four committees, while varying slightly in their judicial members, uniformly draws its judicial strength from either the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) or the respective high courts, conspicu... -
Dawn - 18:42 Jul 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Telenor Pakistan has been formally amalgamated into Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML) from Wednesday, as final statutory approval has been granted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Telenor Pakistan has ceased to exist as a separate legal entity, and the amalgamation marks the completion of one of the most significant transactions in the country’s telecommunications history. The merged telecom company is now a wholly owned subsidiary of PTCL and will operate as PTML. Data released by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) shows that by the end of May 2026, there were more than 206 million mobile subscribers, with Jazz remaining the largest telecom operator with 36.42pc of the total mobile subscriber base, followed by Zong with 26.62pc. The combined share of the merged entity now stands at 35.91pc. However, a senior executive of Ufone said that around 4m out of approximately 74m total subscribers of the merged telecom company could leave the network in the coming months. “This is because sub... -
Dawn - 17:58 Jul 01, 2026
LAHORE: Police have registered a case against a contractor and the owners of a tuition centre, the roof of which collapsed on Tuesday, resulting in the death of 14 children. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran also confirmed to Dawn that the owners and the contractor who constructed the house where the tuition centre was set up were nominated in the first information report (FIR). The FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was registered on Tuesday under Sections 322 (manslaughter) and 337-H (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent act) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). It was registered at the Kahna police station on the complaint of a Lahore Metropolitan Corporation official, Kashif Aslam. The complainant told police that he reached the site of the incident at around 5:15pm, where children were buried under the rubble following the roof collapse at the private tuition centre. After rescue teams were subsequently called in, 14 children were found dead and six others with injuries, ... -
Dawn - 17:43 Jul 01, 2026
Despite several high-profile attacks, Pakistan witnessed a decline in overall anti-state violence and related security incidents during June, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). According to PICSS — an Islamabad-based think tank that monitors terrorism, anti-state violence and related security trends — 184 terrorists were killed in operations by Pakistani security forces, accounting for the largest share of the total 262 fatalities. On the other hand, 52 civilians and 26 security forces personnel lost their lives during the month. The breakdown of the injured showed that 63 civilians, 50 security forces personnel, 18 pro-government peace committee members and three terrorists were wounded. Compared with May, fatalities among Pakistani security forces declined by 62 per cent, while civilian deaths dropped by 27pc. Terrorist deaths also registered a 32pc decrease. Among the injured, PICSS recorded a 43pc decline in security forces casualties, a 57pc decrease among civi...
-
Dawn - 17:41 Jul 01, 2026
SWAT: A boat carrying tourists capsized at Saifullah Lake in Kalam, Upper Swat, leaving three people dead and seven others injured. According to Rescue 1122, the control room received information about the incident and immediately launched an emergency response. Rescue teams and ambulances were dispatched to the scene without delay. Initial reports said several people were missing after the accident. However, as rescue operations continued, it was confirmed that three people had died while seven others sustained injuries. Preliminary information indicates that the tourists aboard the boat belonged to Punjab province. Rescue 1122 teams reached the remote accident site, provided first aid to the injured, and shifted them along with the deceased to Kalam Hospital via ambulances for further treatment and necessary procedures. Woman swept away by flash flood In a separate incident, a woman lost her life after being swept away by a flash flood while accompanying her daughter to a seminary in Puran tehsil of Shangla... -
Dawn - 17:29 Jul 01, 2026
PESHAWAR: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Wednesday said that his party was not holding talks with the government at the moment and that matters had not progressed beyond the offer of negotiations. Talking to reporters on the premises of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), Gohar said, “It is now the responsibility of those who hold authority to respond to PTI’s offer.” He added that the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, had shown magnanimity by shaking hands with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and offering talks with the government. “If anyone takes this offer as our weakness, they are mistaken,” he said. The PTI chairman said that the party would decide on the upcoming elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) within the next two days, adding that it had not made any decision to boycott the polls. He added that a notification circulating on social media regarding the PTI’s boycott of the elections was “fake”. Regarding differences within the party in Khyber Pakhtunk... -
Dawn - 17:14 Jul 01, 2026
President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States is “getting along well” with Iran, as the two countries began indirect talks via mediators in Doha on Wednesday, in a bid to advance negotiations and ease tensions following exchanges of fire between the two sides. “The denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well,” Trump told reporters before leaving for a trip. “They’ve had very good meetings, and we’ll see.” He added that Tehran had “come a long way” in negotiations with Washington. “We hit them very hard last week. I think they’re fine,” he said. “It’s the denuclearisation of Iran, it’s very simple, and Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.” Both the US and Iran said they would send officials to discuss the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the Middle East war, but Iran insisted direct negotiations would not take place. A diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, confirmed negotiations were underway, after earlier saying the foes woul... -
Dawn - 15:28 Jul 01, 2026
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 index sustained its positive momentum and gained over 3,700 points on Wednesday, the first day of the new fiscal year. The KSE-100 index gained 3,748.40 points (2.08 per cent) to close at 184,050.10. The benchmark index traded in green the entire session, gradually witnessing gains from an intraday low of 180,565.83 at 9:35am. The market had staged a recovery rally on Tuesday, propelling KSE-100 above the 180,000 mark and helping the market close FY25-26 with a stellar performance. Awais Ashraf, director of research at AKD Securities, and Topline Securities Ltd linked today’s investor confidence to the inflation figures for June. Pakistan’s consumer price index (CPI) rose 11.1pc year-on-year in June, easing from 11.7pc in May and coming within the government’s forecast range of 11pc-12pc, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday. On a month-on-month basis, CPI fell 0.3pc in June, compared with a 0.5pc increase in May and a 0.2pc rise in June las... -
Dawn - 15:09 Jul 01, 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was thrilled to make his first flight aboard his new Air Force One plane, thanking Qatar for the controversial gift of the luxury jet. Trump said the United States “couldn’t build a plane like this” — despite the fact that the heavily modified Boeing 747-8 aircraft was originally made there. “To be honest with you, I’m excited about the first flight. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it,” Trump told journalists travelling with him, including an AFP photographer, ahead of a trip to North Dakota. The 80-year-old president is due to attend an event at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library as part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of American independence. “They just completed it. They made it appropriate for a president, that means the security and all of the different bells and whistles they put on. Very complex stuff, but it’s really quite something,” Trump said at Joint Base Andrews near Washington. Critics have raised a host of ethical, constitution... -
Dawn - 15:03 Jul 01, 2026
Encrypted communications, wives and children in the dark, and spending only in cash — the Ukrainian soldiers behind brazen long-range drone strikes on Russia live their lives almost completely in the shadows. The retaliatory attacks on Russian military sites and oil refineries they carry out have embarrassed President Vladimir Putin, who four years ago thought he could capture Kyiv in a matter of days. The price they pay, though, is almost complete secrecy. Servicemen from the 7th Battalion of the “Madyar’s Birds” brigade operate mid-range drones from an underground control room at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, on May 15, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. —AFP/File Denys, whose name has been changed, has been taking part in the strikes since 2025. But his friends and even parents have no idea, thanks to the ultra-strict rules in his unit. “Don’t draw attention to yourself, don’t brag. You’ll never be able to talk about what you’ve done, even after the war,” he told AFP in a rare interview by a... -
Dawn - 14:39 Jul 01, 2026
The United States on Wednesday signed an agreement to build a new embassy compound in Jerusalem, in a move that Israel said reflected the “unbreakable alliance” between the countries. During his first term, US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017 and ordered the relocation of Washington’s diplomatic mission from Tel Aviv. But the services were spread across several locations in Jerusalem until a single permanent site could be found. “The United States not only recognises Jerusalem as the eternal, indigenous, and forever capital of the Jewish people, but also that the United States says that we’re going to do something about it,” US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said during a signing ceremony at Israel’s foreign ministry. “We are going to plant our flag, our American flag, on the soil of Jerusalem for a permanent and a brand new embassy compound that will serve as our mothership of diplomatic activities here in Israel. “I would say God made that decision 3,800 y... -
Dawn - 14:30 Jul 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday noted the “non-assistance” of the federal government among the reasons for the delay in local government polls for Islamabad, summoning the city’s chief and deputy commissioners on July 7. The term of the last local government in Islamabad expired in February 2021, and since then, elections have been delayed under various pretexts. On Wednesday, a four-member ECP bench chaired by its Sindh member Nisar Ahmed Durrani resumed hearing the case. Appearing before the electoral watchdog, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon said the district administration has provided the maps required for the LG polls in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). In its subsequent order, the ECP said it was of the “considered view that the process of conduct of Local Government Election in ICT has been delayed on various accounts, including non-assistance of the federal government as mandated under the Constitution and law”. It expressed its “serious concern abo... -
Dawn - 13:44 Jul 01, 2026
Pakistan has made “meaningful” progress on fiscal federalism since 2010; however, deviations from “international norms” and “good practices” remain, including in the current federal–provincial transfer arrangements, the World Bank said in a report released on Tuesday. In its report titled “Strengthening Fiscal Federalism in Pakistan”, the WB highlighted four critical dimensions in which Pakistan lacked in terms of fiscal federalism. “First, expenditure assignments remain incompletely implemented and inadequately defined in some areas,” the report said and highlighted that the government continued to “operate” in constitutionally devolved areas despite the 18th Constitutional Amendment. It added that the involvement had caused waste and blurred “accountability”, while local governments lack clearly defined or adequately resourced functional mandates. It also pointed out that the 18th Amendment had caused “fragmentation” of the tax system. “While the Amendment strengthened provincial tax authority, particularly...
12400 items