Pakistan

Outlines steps taken by govt to cushion impact on public, including targeted relief measures.

KARACHI: Aurat March organisers in Karachi said on Sunday that they had not been issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) yet for holding the annual march in the city, scheduled for May 10. The organisers said they had sent a letter to PPP’s Aseefa Bhutto Zardari “after receiving no positive response from the authorities” on the matter. “Seven days to the march, and we still have no NOC! We really hope that Aseefa Bhutt-Zardari will stand with Aurat March in the spirit of Sindh’s history of women in political life, and ensure that an NOC is promptly issued!” they said in a post on X. The march is planned to be held at Sea View on Mother’s Day, which is observed on the second Sunday of every May. Dawn reached out to the relevant authorities regarding the matter, among whom South Deputy Inspector General Asad Raza said police would provide “maximum security to the organisers of the Aurat March” like they did every year. But as far as the issuance of an NOC is concerned, that was to be “dealt with by the district...

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Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, on Sunday, acknowledged the media’s crucial role in shaping Pakistan’s global narrative, reaffirming the government’s commitment to a “free, responsible, and vibrant media” in the country.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has alleged that India is conducting a proxy war against Pakistan through Afghanistan, intensifying already strained regional security rhetoric.

Patients across major cities struggle as drug prices surge under weak oversight and global supply pressures

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An Israeli court on Sunday extended for two days the detention of two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla, who were brought to Israel for questioning, a rights group representing them said. The flotilla of more than 50 vessels had set sail from France, Spain and Italy to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and bring supplies to the devastated Palestinian territory. They were intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off Greece early on Thursday, with Israel saying it had removed some 175 activists — two of whom were taken to Israel for questioning. Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila appeared before a court in the southern city of Ashkelon on Sunday. AFP footage showed the pair being escorted into the courtroom, with Avila walking with his hands behind his back and Abu Keshek’s feet in shackles. “The court extended their detention by two days,” Miriam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at the rights group Adalah, told AFP. Adalah said the state attorney had prese...

Hafiz Naeem slams governance, urges system change

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Ordinance aims to fulfil legal requirements for PIA assets transfer

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May, 2025 judgment explicitly directed govt and Parliament to address this deficiency

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Governor Kundi calls for national unity

Says those controlling jail meetings hold key to easing tensions

Will take up petition for Bushra's treatment under personal physician

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced on Sunday a $70 billion initiative on Sunday to expand energy and digital infrastructure across the ​Asia-Pacific region by 2035, aiming to strengthen power grid ‌links, boost cross-border electricity trade and increase broadband access. The plan includes $50bn for a new Pan‑Asia Power Grid Initiative and $20bn for the Asia-Pacific Digital Highway project. At the inaugural session of its May 3-6 annual meeting in Samarkand, the Manila-based lending agency said it “will back $70bn in new energy and digital infrastructure initiatives by 2035, aiming to connect power grids, expand cross-border electricity trade, and improve broadband access across Asia and the Pacific”. “Energy and digital access will define the region’s future,” said ADB President Masato Kanda. “These two initiatives build the systems Asia and the Pacific need to grow, compete, and connect. By linking power grids and digital networks across borders, we can lower costs, expand opportunity, an...

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