Dawn
Source:
https://www.dawn.com
Found 12400 news
-
Dawn - 13:16 Jun 18, 2026
The US and Iran have agreed to a basic framework. Whether this formal consensus translates into a concrete agreement is an open question. While Iran has officially declared the end of the war, Israel insists “our struggle has not yet ended”. Between these two statements lies all the space the spoilers need. The ceasefire was made possible by pragmatists. It will be threatened by apocalypticists. In Washington and Jerusalem, there are people at the helm of affairs who do not read this war as a security crisis to be resolved but a scheduled event — one that a ceasefire can delay but not, in their theology, prevent. For them, a deal is not a solution. It is an obstacle. And obstacles, in the eschatological imagination, are not negotiated around. They are removed. A changed world Whether the framework holds or collapses, one thing is clear: the West Asian security structure that existed on the morning of Feb 28, 2026, has ceased to exist. Firstly, South Asian and West Asian security complexes are no longer analyt... -
Dawn - 13:05 Jun 18, 2026
European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar exchanged words on X after Kallas reportedly compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza to South Africa’s apartheid-era policies. Saar said he was severing “all contact” with the EU official after Kallas posted that the EU remains committed to a constructive relationship with Israel. In a post on X addressed to Saar, the EU’s top diplomat said: “I value our dialogue and engagement, and I’m open to continue in that spirit, respectfully and constructively.” Kallas added that the EU remains committed to the two-state solution and has reiterated that the bloc has condemned Israeli settlements in the West Bank. In a post on social media, Saar said Kallas had reportedly “compared Israel to the racist apartheid regime” during a visit to Mexico and that as a result he was severing contact until she retracted the comments. In subsequent posts on X, the Israeli ... -
Dawn - 11:05 Jun 18, 2026
Oil prices tumbled further Thursday after US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart signed off on a deal to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to tanker and cargo traffic. European and Asian stock markets were mixed, with some major indexes retreating after steep falls on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve raised its inflation forecast and projected higher US interest rates this year, boosting the dollar. “Politics and economics are front and centre for markets,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. “The US and Iran have signed an initial deal to end the war, causing oil prices to fall further,” he said, but the Fed’s hint at a rate increase “took the market by surprise and caused a wobble” on Wall Street and elsewhere. Kevin Warsh, the new Fed chief, vowed to “deliver price stability” after chairing his first policy meeting, even though Trump has repeatedly called for lower rates. “Persistently high prices are a burden for the American people,” he said after the meeting,... -
Dawn - 09:13 Jun 18, 2026
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday restrained the Punjab government from taking further action regarding 11.5 kanal Ewing Hall belonging to Forman Christian College University (FCCU). Earlier this month, activists and alumni raised concerns over the government’s alleged 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. On Thursday, Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad issued the order reserved the other day on a petition filed by the FCCU registrar. A counsel for the petitioner argued that the Punjab government had forcibly taken possession of the land on June 11 and that the Board of Revenue’s (BoR) move to cancel the lease was illegal. The counsel informed the court that the land of Ewing Hall, situated at Neela Gumbad, New Anarkali, had been leased to the college in 1915 and the lease period was extended in 2018 u... -
Dawn - 08:48 Jun 18, 2026
LAHORE: Five senior PTI leaders, incarcerated in Kot Lakhpat Jail, have urged opposition leaders to “engage constructively” with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on a “Charter of Pakistan” — a move they deem will address the root cause of instability in the country. They made the appeal in a joint letter to National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. The letter by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Ejaz Chaudhry and Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed was shared by their counsel Rana Mudassar Umer and dated June 17. It said that Pakistan currently “stands at a critical crossroads” and referred to a recent invitation by the government to the opposition to sign a Charter of Economy. The PTI leaders noted in their letter that “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again proposed a ‘Charter of Economy’ as a means of addressing the country’s persistent economic challenges’. “While economic reform a... -
Dawn - 08:47 Jun 18, 2026
United States Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth on Thursday hailed progress by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) allies to meet defence spending vows, but said some must “do more”, as he struck a conciliatory tone at an alliance meeting. “Many countries following through, some that still need to do more, and we will be candid about that, both in private and in public,” Hegseth said ahead of talks with Nato defence ministers in Brussels. “I think that’s important — friends being honest with friends.” The warm tone will likely reassure Washington’s allies ahead of a summit with US President Donald Trump next month — after the mercurial leader lashed out at Europe over its response to his war on Iran. Nato will look to showcase increased expenditure by Europe to prove to Trump it is progressing on a pledge last year to reach five per cent of GDP on defence-related spending. “When it comes to spending, what we are seeing is staggering amounts of money coming in,” Nato chief Mark Rutte said. “Europe and Ca... -
Dawn - 08:27 Jun 18, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Muharram processions and gatherings will be monitored digitally through drones while geo-tagging of all imambargahs, majalis venues and procession routes has been completed, according to an interior ministry statement detailing security arrangements for Islamabad. The statement was issued after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired a meeting to review security arrangements for Muharram in the federal capital. The statement said a special mobile application, ‘Mehfooz Muharram’, had also been launched, using which citizens could report any suspicious activity or individual or inadequate security arrangements. It will also have live location sharing and image sharing features. It added that a central control room had been established at Safe City as part of security arrangements, and a “four-tier security cordon” would be implemented to ensure the protection of Muharram processions and gatherings. The statement said Naqvi directed that a four-tier security cordon be maintained for the protection of M... -
Dawn - 08:24 Jun 18, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said early on Thursday that the ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) between the United States and Iran had been signed electronically by both sides. “The memorandum has been signed by honourable presidents of both the countries and also endorsed by me as the mediator. The signing of this agreement at the highest level of the respective governments demonstrates the commitment of both sides to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict,” he said in a post on the social media platform X. He added that the MoU shall “enter into force with immediate effect and as a first step, Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade”. US President Donald Trump put his signature to the memorandum of understanding during a candlelit dinner at the Palace of Versailles following a G7 summit, as host French President Emmanuel Macron and other guests applauded, a video posted by a Trump aide showed. ... -
Dawn - 08:22 Jun 18, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the advocate general Islamabad to arrange a meeting between former prime minister Imran Khan, his spouse Bushra Bibi and their legal counsel within seven days to facilitate the filing and prosecution of appeals against their conviction in the £190 million reference. A division bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif resumed hearing appeals challenging the conviction awarded by an accountability court in the high-profile National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference. During the proceedings, Imran’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar informed the court that despite repeated efforts he had been unable to meet his client, who remains incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. Cconsequently, he could neither obtain instructions nor secure a signed vakalatnama (power of attorney) for the appeals. The counsel submitted that jail authorities had consistently denied him access to the former prime minister. He... -
Dawn - 08:04 Jun 18, 2026
A delegation from Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD met Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and emphasised Pakistan’s growing potential as a market for new energy vehicles, according to a statement issued by the finance ministry on Thursday. The delegation was led by BYD Group Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific Auto Sales Division Liu Xueliang and Mega Motor Company (MMC) Chief Executive Officer Aly Khan. Last year it was announced that BYD planned to roll out its first car assembled in Pakistan by July or August 2026 to capture growing demand for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the region. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, the finance minister welcomed the delegation and appreciated BYD’s expanding footprint in Pakistan. He underscored the importance of strengthening business-to-business cooperation as a key pillar of Pakistan-China economic relations. “The finance minister said Pakistan attaches high priority to attracting technology-driven investments and... -
Dawn - 07:34 Jun 18, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $700 million policy-based loan to support reforms aimed at strengthening insurance in Pakistan. In an official announcement, the Manila-based lending agency said the programme seeks to expand insurance coverage and reduce protection gaps. It will also help stimulate private sector participation and support sustainable economic growth. It said the Insurance Transformation Programme will strengthen Pakistan’s financial resilience by deepening insurance markets and expanding financial protection for households, businesses, farmers and public finances against extreme weather events, disasters and life-cycle risks. The reforms are expected to reduce financial vulnerabilities, support faster recovery from shocks, and lessen pressure on public finances following disasters and other crises, it said. “This programme supports the transformation of Pakistan’s insurance sector from a legacy, rules-based framework to a modern, risk-based, and market-oriented syste... -
Dawn - 05:54 Jun 18, 2026
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there had been “significant progress” in long-running talks with Washington for a trade deal, according to a statement issued on Thursday after his meeting with United States President Donald Trump. The leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian in France on Wednesday, their first face-to-face talks since February 2025 in Washington. “The leaders noted with particular satisfaction the significant progress made in negotiations towards an interim bilateral trade agreement”, a readout of the meeting from India’s foreign ministry read. Asked if the US and India are close to a trade deal, Trump told reporters in Evian that they were “very close”. “He’s a very tough negotiator, one of the toughest, actually. So you look at this man, I’ll give you a lesson,” said the US president. “He’s the most beautiful looking man. He looks so nice. He’s like an angel, but actually he’s a killer.” The Indian statement said the leaders had ordered officials to work towards strik... -
Dawn - 02:16 Jun 18, 2026
• PPP leader likely to deliver speech today, to ‘share reservations’ on budget; lauds premier, Field Marshal Munir for Iran peace deal • PM Office says Shehbaz, Bilawal agreed on ‘sustained collaboration’ between Centre, provinces for completion of projects ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif managed to convince the head of his coalition partner, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, to join the budget session after the latter skipped earlier debates owing to his grievances with the federal government. The PPP leader was also reluctant to join the budget debate, and it took Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to convince him to come to the house so that the budget could be tabled. A source close to Bhutto-Zardari said the PPP leader still had reservations but agreed to deliver his speech in the lower house, most likely on Thursday (today), where he would share some of his concerns. In the meeting at the PM House, the premier agreed to address all the PPP concerns r... -
Dawn - 01:56 Jun 18, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said early on Thursday that the ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) between the United States and Iran had been signed electronically by both sides. “The memorandum has been signed by honourable presidents of both the countries and also endorsed by me as the mediator. The signing of this agreement at the highest level of the respective governments demonstrates the commitment of both sides to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict,” he said. He added that the MoU shall “enter into force with immediate effect and as a first step, Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade”. He offered his congratulations to US President Trump, saying his “steadfast commitment to diplomacy and preference for peaceful resolution have once again helped end a conflict that could have led to devastating consequences for the region and beyond”. He also commended the dedication and efforts of the ... -
Dawn - 22:05 Jun 17, 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-equalling sixth World Cup got off to a disappointing start as the Democratic Republic of Congo secured their first ever point at the finals, drawing 1-1 with Portugal in their Group ‘K’ match in Houston on Wednesday. Yoane Wissa’s header cancelled out Joao Neves’s early goal and the African side — appearing in their first World Cup since 1974 when it was known as Zaire — more than held their own. Ronaldo, 41, was largely a peripheral figure throughout the match — failing to make the impact his great rival Lionel Messi had done on Tuesday in scoring a hat-trick against Algeria. The DRC’s achievement was even greater given their preparations had been disrupted by the Ebola outbreak back in their country. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez acknowledged his side felt the pressure of trying to win the tournament while failing to carve out enough opportunities and keeping the ball in areas that allowed DR Congo to adjust. “We didn’t create enough chances and probably we lost that intention o... -
Dawn - 19:50 Jun 17, 2026
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, who is facing trial on rape charges in Britain, lost a court challenge on Tuesday that would have allowed him to enter Canada for his side’s World Cup opener in Toronto. Ottawa denied the Villarreal player a visa over the British charges, blocking him from playing for Ghana against Panama on Wednesday. Accra filed a request for an injunction in federal court on Tuesday seeking to set aside Ottawa’s decision. But broadcaster CBC said Judge Roger Lafreniere had dismissed the challenge. Shortly before the decision was handed down, Ghana’s veteran coach Carlos Queiroz told reporters in Toronto that his side would be ready, regardless of the court outcome. “My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me,” Queiroz said. “When the decision comes, we are ready.” Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen, also asked about Partey’s possible exclusion, said he believed Ghana would pose strong competition even if the former Arsenal player was not on the pitch. “They have a lo... -
Dawn - 19:29 Jun 17, 2026
The United States on Wednesday read out the text of the interim US-Iran agreement to halt the war in Iran and open the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Reuters report. The agreement, read to reporters by a senior US official, outlines in 14 points a high-level understanding that defers many of the most difficult issues, such as how to wind down Iran’s nuclear program, until a final deal is reached. It paves the way for a broader 60-day negotiation period due to begin in Switzerland on Friday. Here is the full document, titled “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran”, as it was read out: 1. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war, by signing this MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and ... -
Dawn - 19:12 Jun 17, 2026
CHAKWAL: The post-mortem report of nine-year-old Hania Ahmed, an Australian national who was killed in a shootout in Chakwal on Wednesday night, has confirmed that she sustained multiple gunshot wounds. 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. The report, available with Dawn, reveals that Hania sustained 10 gunshot wounds. The post-mortem examination was conducted at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Chakwal on the night of June 11. “She was hit by five bullets, which appeared to have been fired from AK-47 rifles. The five bullets caused 10 wounds, as all of them passed through her body, leaving both entry and exit wounds,” a senior doctor at DHQ Hospital told Dawn. The report states that the examination began at 4:27am after the... -
Dawn - 18:49 Jun 17, 2026
The vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane is expected to reopen on Friday after nearly four months, following the signing of a US-Iran agreement to end the Middle East war. AFP examines how the reopening could work and why a return to normal is likely to take time. Are ships ready? Once formal approval is given to reopen, stranded ships could theoretically begin to move through the strait almost immediately. Crews that have been idle for months will most likely have “performed regular onboard drills and maintained the ships’ machinery, technical installations and equipment”, Jakob Larsen, head of security at shipowners’ association Bimco, told AFP. However, some ships may require underwater hull cleaning to remove barnacles and other marine growth accumulated during the shutdown. The strait, through which roughly 20 per cent of the world’s crude oil supply normally transits, was effectively closed by Iran after it came under fire from the United States and Israel. About 500 ships and 20,000 seafarers have been... -
Dawn - 17:36 Jun 17, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended its airspace ban on Indian civilian and military aircraft for another month, until July 24, 2026, according to a Notice to Airmen (Notam) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Wednesday. The previous extension of the airspace ban was set to expire on June 24. “Pakistan has extended the air ban on Indian-registered aircraft till the morning of July 24,” the PAA Notam said. “The ban on Indian aircraft (both civil and military) will remain in effect from 5:50pm on June 16 to 4:59am on July 24,” the Notam added. The country’s airspace is divided into two flight information regions (FIRs) — Karachi and Lahore, according to a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) document from 2022. The Notam applies to both the Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) FIRs. India and Pakistan closed their airspaces to each other’s airlines since late April 2025, when tensions between them escalated in the wake of a deadly attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. On April 24, Pakistan’s...
12400 items