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Dawn - 15:45 Jun 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Members of the Senate from both sides of the aisle on Monday raised alarm over the burgeoning debt of Pakistan, sans a roadmap for economic stability. On June 12, the government presented the budget for FY27, allocating Rs8,054bn for interest payments. Speaking on the floor, PPP vice president and parliamentary leader in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman, pointed out that approximately 42.8 per cent of the federal budget was being absorbed by debt servicing, including both interest and principal repayments. “When nearly half of the federal budget is consumed by debt obligations, the space available for development, social protection and public investment becomes severely constrained,” she noted during the budget discussion. She said that state-owned enterprises continue to place a heavy burden on public finances. “Losses of state-owned enterprises reached Rs832.848 billion in FY2025, with cumulative losses now standing at Rs6.563 trillion. Yet another Rs451 billion has been allocated to SOEs in thi... -
Dawn - 15:11 Jun 15, 2026
The British government’s decision to ban the pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation is lawful because of its support for violence, London’s Court of Appeal ruled on Monday. Palestine Action, which had increasingly targeted Israel-linked defence companies in Britain, with a particular focus on Israel’s largest defence firm Elbit Systems, was proscribed under terrorism laws last year. London’s High Court ruled in February, after a legal challenge by the group’s co-founder, that the ban unlawfully interfered with freedom of expression, although it remained proscribed pending the government’s appeal. People attend a demonstration opposing the government’s decision to ban Palestine Action as a terror organisation, following a Court of Appeal ruling on the lawfulness of proscribing the pro-Palestinian group under terrorism laws, outside the Royal Courts of Justice, in London, Britain, June 15, 2026. —Reuters Judges rule ban is proportionate Huda Ammori, who co-founded Palestine ... -
Dawn - 14:29 Jun 15, 2026
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 index gained over 4,000 points on Monday as the US and Iran reached a preliminary agreement aimed at ending a war that began over three months ago and upended the global economy. The KSE-100 index rose by 4,639.92 points (2.69 per cent) to close at 177,039.82 from the previous close of 172,399.90. The market marked an intraday low of 175,085 at 11am, eventually reaching an intraday high of 177,176.72 at 3:25pm. Yousuf M. Farooq, director of research at Chase Securities, said the market opened higher today as sentiment improved following the announcement of a deal between the US and Iran, along with expectations that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open. Oil prices also opened lower, easing concerns over inflationary pressures going forward, he noted. He said that investors were awaiting today’s monetary policy announcement. Later in the day, the State Bank of Pakistan announced that it would keep the policy rate unchanged at 11.5pc. The market continues ... -
Dawn - 14:07 Jun 15, 2026
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday called for a transparent inquiry into the shooting of Hania Ahmad by the Punjab Crime Control Department (CCD) earlier this week, according to The Guardian. Adeel Ahmed, 39, his wife Dr Sidra Khan, their daughter Hania Ahmed, 9, and son Aafan Ahmed, 10, were shot at during a robbery when CCD personnel opened fire on their vehicle, mistaking it for that of robbers. As a result, Hania died on the spot, while Adeel and Aafan were critically injured. Dr Khan remained unhurt. Australian media have reported on the case, as the family were Australian nationals based in Perth. The incident was covered by ABC, The Guardian, and SBS, which highlighted that the family was on holiday in Pakistan at the time of the incident. In its report, The Guardian quoted Albanese as saying that the incident needed to be properly examined by authorities. “These circumstances do need to be examined. They need to be examined in a transparent way, so that everyone can know, the family,... -
Dawn - 13:55 Jun 15, 2026
GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan on Monday announced the postponement of local bodies polls in the region — scheduled for August 2 — to September 27. Earlier this month, the GB Election Commission had announced conducting the local bodies elections across the region on August 02. Addressing a press conference, the GB chief election commissioner said several religious organisations had approached the election commission, requesting that the local bodies elections not be held during Muharram and the Chehlum of Imam Hussain (RA). “Today (Monday) was the last day for filing nomination papers; however, in view of Muharram, the scrutiny date for nomination papers has been extended to August 10, 2026,” he stated. He further said polling for the local body elections would be held on September 27, 2026, and that a total of 1,343 wards would be covered in the elections. Khan emphasised that local government elections were a long-standing demand of the people and that their holding ... -
Dawn - 12:28 Jun 15, 2026
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The district administrations of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper South Waziristan and Lower South Waziristan imposed Section 144 in several areas on Monday due to security concerns and the movement of security forces, officials said. According to separate notifications issued by the deputy commissioners of both districts, restrictions have been enforced on public movement in designated areas, while several key roads have been temporarily closed to ensure the smooth movement of security personnel and logistical convoys. Lower South Waziristan Deputy Commissioner Musarrat Zaman said Section 144 would remain in force from 6am to 6pm on Monday. The restrictions were imposed as a precautionary measure in view of prevailing security concerns in and around Wana and adjoining localities. The district administration announced the temporary closure of several key routes, including Wana-Tiarza Road, Karab Kot, Azizabad Chowk, Dargai and the route leading to Toi Khula Gul Kach. Authorities said all forms of m... -
Dawn - 11:52 Jun 15, 2026
A trainer aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force crashed near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan city on Monday, resulting in the martyrdom of both pilots onboard the aircraft, the military’s media affairs wing said. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that the aircraft was on a routine training sortie when it crashed. As a result, Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah from the PAF and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi from the Pakistan Navy embraced martyrdom. It added that “a board of inquiry has been constituted by Air Headquarters to ascertain the cause of the accident.” The statement said Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, other services chiefs and “all ranks of the Pakistan Armed Forces express deep grief over the tragic loss of precious lives and extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families”. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his grief over the pilots’ martyrdom and said, “The nation will always remember the sacrifices of its brave sons who la... -
Dawn - 11:36 Jun 15, 2026
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday extended its forecast of below-normal rainfall and higher-than-normal temperatures across most parts of the country from July to September. The PMD said in its three-month outlook, available with Dawn, that the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is currently in a neutral phase and is expected to gradually transition into a positive phase during the season. Meanwhile, sea surface temperatures over the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are currently exhibiting a warming trend, indicating the development of El Niño conditions, which are generally associated with suppressed rainfall anomalies over Pakistan. “Current projections suggest that these warming conditions are likely to persist throughout the July–September 2026 period, with a tendency to strengthen further as the season progresses,” the PMD report said. The report noted that a positive IOD phase is generally associated with slightly above-normal monsoon rainfall over Pakistan. “However, owing to the... -
Dawn - 11:30 Jun 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since 2023, was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad for eye treatment on Monday, the hospital said in a statement. The statement said the PTI founder was brought to the hospital for follow-up eye treatment, which included the administration of a fifth anti-VEGF intravitreal injection to him. “Prior to the procedure, he was examined by the ophthalmologists and was found to be clinically stable. His optical coherence tomography was performed, which showed clinical improvement,” it added. It said that after “obtaining informed consent and under standard monitoring, adopting all standard precautionary measures and protocols in the operating theatre, he was injected with a fifth dose of intravitreal injection under the guidance of microscopy by the surgeons”. “During the course of his stay, he remained vitally stable before, during and after the procedure and was discharged along with instructions for further c... -
Dawn - 11:06 Jun 15, 2026
In the early hours of Monday, the US and Iran agreed on a framework to end the more than three-month-long war, renewing hopes for a permanent end to the conflict that has engulfed much of the region. In a post on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a deal had been struck, which was later confirmed by US President Donald Trump, with an “official signing ceremony” expected on Friday, June 19, in Switzerland. Here’s how politicians reacted to the development, particularly to the role of Pakistan, a key mediator in the peace process. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari hailed the peace deal, stressing that the “breakthrough” had shown that “diplomacy can succeed where confrontation cannot”. He commended the roles played in the peace process by President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as well as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. “This is an important first step t... -
Dawn - 09:49 Jun 15, 2026
US and Iranian officials have agreed on a framework deal to end the war, halt hostilities on all fronts, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with the future of Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions relief to be settled in later negotiations. US President Donald Trump announced that the agreement was “complete” and ordered an end to the US blockade of Iranian ports, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that a peace agreement had been reached after intensive talks, adding that the official signing ceremony would take place on June 19 in Switzerland. Iran also confirmed the framework understanding and ceasefire, saying the fighting would stop immediately, though key issues such as uranium enrichment and the release of frozen assets would be decided in subsequent discussions. Below is a timeline of the key events that led up to the agreement. February 28 The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran via air and sea: a series of explosions in Tehran, including near the residence of the supreme leader. A US-I... -
Dawn - 07:17 Jun 15, 2026
US and Iranian officials said they had agreed on a framework to end the war, halt the US blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a preliminary pact that sent oil prices falling but leaves the fate of Iran’s nuclear programme to further negotiations. “The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform around 5:30pm ET local time in Washington (2130 GMT) on Sunday. His post came shortly after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a deal had been struck early on Monday local time. PM Shehbaz said in a post on X that “following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED. Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”. He added that the “official signing ceremony” would be on Friday, June 19, in Switzerland. “We would like to thank the United States of A... -
Dawn - 06:14 Jun 15, 2026
Oil prices slip to their lowest since March as US, Iran reach preliminary agreement to reopen Hormuz
Oil prices slipped to their lowest since March on Monday after US President Donald Trump and Iran’s deputy foreign minister said they had reached an initial deal to end the war and to resume traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures fell $4.08, or 4.7 per cent, to $83.25 a barrel by 0415 GMT and US West Texas Intermediate was at $80.53, down $4.35, or 5.1pc. Both contracts fell to their lowest levels since March 10 on Monday after tumbling more than 3pc on Friday. The US and Iran will sign a memorandum of understanding in Switzerland on Friday, said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who first announced the agreement. Trump said on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would be open “toll free” and that a US naval blockade of Iranian ports would also end. Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency said the draft deal called for reopening the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days under Iranian arrangements. “The geopolitical risk premium that had been built into crude is now being unwound quite aggressively as tra... -
Dawn - 05:38 Jun 15, 2026
LAHORE: The Lahore Heritage Areas Revival Board (LHAR) has denied reports that the historical Ewing Hall near Neela Gumbad would be demolished following the government’s takeover of the property, saying the structure would be preserved and restored. On the other hand, the Forman Christian College University (FCCU) issued another statement, saying that it has been unfairly asked to pay rent for the period from 1975 till 2003 when the FC College was nationalised and it was in the government control. It says that it had replied to the show-cause notices properly. The controversy emerged after activists and alumni raised concerns over the government’s repossession of Ewing Hall, arguing that the move could jeopardise an important part of the college’s historical legacy. The Punjab government, however, has maintained that the lease had expired years ago and that substantial dues remained unpaid. The LAHR new statement comes after the Forman Christian College University (FCCU) and activists protested against “forci... -
Dawn - 04:55 Jun 15, 2026
• Muttahida chief says Karachi’s growing population and economic importance require a new administrative framework • Politicians, experts and civil society members call for urgent governance reforms in capital of Sindh KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan Chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has stressed the need of carving out a new urban province in Sindh, saying “it has become an unavoidable necessity”. He said this while speaking to a programme titled ‘The Dialogue Karachi’, organised by his party here at a local hotel on Sunday. The event brought together politicians, intellectuals, journalists, urban development specialists and governance experts, who agreed that Karachi continues to suffer from chronic injustice, poor governance and a weak local government (LG) system, warning that the country’s economic hub cannot prosper without genuine devolution of powers and administrative reforms. The participants highlighted decades of neglect, flawed governance structures, inadequate representation and the... -
Dawn - 03:04 Jun 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A 72-hour spell of monsoon rains and severe thunderstorms has left at least eight people dead and 33 others injured across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while rain-related accidents in Punjab killed two people dead and injured nine others. The severe weather, forecast by the Met Office for the upper parts of the country from June 11-13, has caused a rolling wave of casualties and damage. The deadly incidents were driven by sudden roof collapses, electrocutions and flash floods. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial death toll steadily climbed to eight, with 33 others injured over the multiday storm system. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority reported seven fatalities and 33 injuries on Saturday after roofs and walls collapsed in the Bannu, Shangla and Mansehra districts. The dead included four men, two children and one woman, while the injured comprised seven men, 12 women and 14 children. By Sunday, the provincial toll rose to eight after 17-year-old Mohammad Abid was electrocuted during a storm ... -
Dawn - 02:52 Jun 15, 2026
LAHORE: The tragic death of a minor girl in a police shootout in Chakwal has been widely covered in the Australian media, as the Crime Control Department (CCD) chief termed the incident a “deviation from the established” standard operating procedures.The incident was covered by ABC, The Guardian, and SBS news outlets, which highlighted that the Perth-based family was on holiday in Pakistan when they were caught in the police crossfire in Chakwal. On June 10, a nine-year-old girl was killed and her father and brother were injured after the police opened fire at their car in Chakwal, mistaking them for robbers. All of them were Australian nationals. Adil Ahmad arrived in Pakistan from Makkah with his wife Sidra Khan, 10-year-old son Aqan Ahmad and daughter Hania. He told the inquiry officers that at 9pm on June 10, he was going to attend a family function at his in-laws’ residence in Chakwal. As the car reached outside the CCD’s office, two armed men held them up at gunpoint, snatched valuables from his wi... -
Dawn - 02:20 Jun 15, 2026
• $40 price spike per oil barrel risks adding 0.8pc to deficit • Natural disasters threaten 1.5pc fiscal hit • Tax exemptions, concessions risk a 1.3pc budget hole • 10pc tax collection shortfall costs 0.7pc of GDP • Loss-making state entities drain an extra 0.4pc ISLAMABAD: The government has warned of key risks to next year’s budget outlook, such as global oil price hikes, sluggish GDP growth, revenue shortfalls, increased debt servicing costs, state-owned entities’ poor performance, and unforeseen natural disasters and climate impacts. In a written statement of fiscal risks to parliament, required under the Public Finance Management Act 2019, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Finance Secretary Imdad Ullah Bosal presented these risks in seven major categories. They quantified their possible impacts on the fiscal deficit across macroeconomic, revenue, debt, state-owned entities, climate change, natural disasters, and commodity financing areas. The risk statement proposes mitigation measures to support ... -
Dawn - 19:24 Jun 14, 2026
Germany won their first opening match at a World Cup since lifting the trophy in 2014 as they eased to a 7-1 win against debutants Curacao in their opening Group E match in Houston on Sunday. The Germans will face stiffer tests against group rivals Ecuador and Ivory Coast but the win against the tiny Caribbean nation puts them in a good position to progress to the knockout stages for the first time since 2014. An early German goal by Felix Nmecha was cancelled out by a deflected strike from Livano Comenencia which had the Curacao fans, known as the Blue Wave, out of their seats in Houston. However, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz with a double, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav scored to put to bed any possibility of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. Germany settled early, Nmecha scoring a beauty in the sixth minute, receiving the ball from Florian Wirtz and curling the ball round a Curacao defender and past goalkeeper Eloy Room. The goal had coach Julian Nagelsmann letting out a h... -
Dawn - 18:12 Jun 14, 2026
India made the perfect start to their women’s Twenty 20 World Cup campaign with a 64-run win against Pakistan on Sunday. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side dominated from start to finish in their opening group game of the tournament at Edgbaston. After India elected to bat first, opener Smriti Mandhana was the catalyst for the victory as she survived two drops to hit 68 from 44 balls. Mandhana blasted nine fours and two sixes, while Kaur notched four fours in her innings of 36. Wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh kept the pressure on Pakistan’s overwhelmed bowlers with a quick-fire 34 featuring five fours and a six. Pakistan’s run chase looked a daunting task and so it proved as they crumbled against India’s spinners. All-rounder Deepti Sharma finished with impressive figures of 5-10. She pushed Pakistan towards defeat by running out opener Muneeba Ali, who top-scored for Pakistan with 41. Sharma also dismissed Gull Feroza and Ayesha Zafar to leave Pakistan in disarray before leg-spinner Sree Charani tightened the screws with thr...
10706 items