Pakistan

The Lahore High Court on Monday issued a stay order against the proposed auction of several commercial shops in Jaranwala, following a writ petition filed by 40 long-time tenants opposing the move.

Incarcerated PTI leader Yasmin Rashid’s health deteriorated again in jail on Monday after she was discharged from a hospital, according to her lawyer Rana Mudassar. Rashid has been in prison for almost a year now in connection with multiple cases against her regarding the events of May 9, 2023, when countrywide protests and riots broke out after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. Last week, she was moved to a hospital in Lahore after her health deteriorated in Kot Lakhpat Jail. She was hospitalised in May and July of last year as well. Mudassar, Rashid’s advocate, told Dawn.com that Rashid had a severe infection in her stomach and was also having difficulty breathing. “Rashid was forcibly discharged from the hospital on Saturday. She underwent various tests, but she was not fully treated in light of the reports.” He added Rashid was “transferred to jail without informing her family and lawyers” upon being discharged. “Yasmin Rashid has a fundamental right to health and medical facilities,” Mudassar said. M...

China’s Premier Li Qiang has announced that construction had begun on what would be the world’s largest hydropower dam on the eastern rim of the Tibetan Plateau, the country’s official Xinhua news agency reported — sending stock prices and bond yields higher on Monday. The commencement of the hydropower project at an estimated cost of at least $170 billion, China’s most ambitious since the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, was seized by Chinese markets as proof of economic stimulus. Made up of five cascade hydropower stations with the capacity to produce 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, equal to the amount of electricity consumed by Britain last year, the dam will be located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo. A section of the river tumbles 2,000 metres in a span of 50km, offering huge hydropower potential. India and Bangladesh have already raised concerns about its possible impact on the millions of people downstream. China asserts that the project has undergone rigorous scientific ...

Pakistan is set to launch its first trackless, ticketless and solar-powered metro in Lahore.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his meeting with Balochistan’s Livestock Minist Sardarzada Mir Faisal Jamali, decided to exchange superior livestock breeds and to bolster cooperation in livestock development between the two provinces.

As rain continues to pour in Islamabad, the district administration has intensified monitoring efforts across the city, and Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Irfan Nawaz Memon, has issued directives to ensure the safety of residents and maintain smooth traffic flow during the wet spell.

In a special ceremony held in Islamabad on Monday, President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the prestigious Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) on Vice Admiral Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Ghuraibi, Chief of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces.

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on Monday announced stringent new measures to clamp down on “age fraud” in junior-level (Under-21) sports events, declaring such acts a serious violation of its code of ethics and governance in sports. “The Pakistan Sports Board has declared age fraud a violation under the Pakistan Code of Ethics and Governance in Sports and any such act is liable to sanctions,” read a notification issued by the PSB, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com. “Globally, age fraud in sports, especially in junior categories, poses a serious threat to fair competition, athlete safety, and the integrity of sporting structures,” the notification added. The PSB said that youth sports worldwide are classified on the basis of chronological age to ensure equal opportunity and fair play, adding, “It is suspected that athletes are participating in age-restricted competitions with falsified or inaccurate age documentation.” The PSB continued that all athletes under the age of 21 participating in junior ev...

Rawal Dam’s spillways, which were opened early morning to release excess water following heavy rains, have been closed after a five-hour discharge.

unjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met with Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Malik Zaheer Iqbal Channar on Monday to review the province’s political landscape, ongoing development projects in South Punjab, and public welfare initiatives.

Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has reiterated that the future of Pakistani politics remains firmly tied to former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.

The Functional Committee on Devolution, National Heritage, and Culture has announced the nomination of five significant historical and cultural sites in Pakistan for inclusion in the UNESCO World Archaeological Heritage List.

Two men were arrested on Monday for injuring three people, including two children, in a shooting incident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Dir, police said. Police spokesperson, Adnan Haider, told Dawn.com, “A man — along with his son — shot his brother-in-law over a monetary dispute in Mayar Bazaar.” Haider said that during the shooting, two children who were passing by were also injured. “The children were identified as residents of Shekhanu Kaly, Lower Dir,” he said. A press release by the district police said that the two suspects had been taken into custody, and a case had been registered against them for further investigation. “An investigation is underway so that all aspects of the incident can be fully exposed.” Haider said that the injured were moved to the Mayar Hospital for medical assistance and a first information report (FIR) was registered at the police station. “The Lower Dir DPO (district police officer) appreciated the timely and successful action of the police team and made it clear that the L...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a weather alert warning of heavy rainfall across various regions of the country from July 21 to 25, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northeastern Punjab, Balochistan, and Kashmir.

Tehran on Monday accused Britain, France and Germany of failing to respect the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, after they threatened to reimpose sanctions over its atomic programme. The 2015 deal, reached between Iran and the UN Security Council’s permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — plus Germany imposed curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. But it unravelled when the United States in 2018, during Donald Trump’s first term as president, unilaterally withdrew from the accord and reimposed sweeping sanctions. The Europeans had pledged continued support for the deal, but the mechanism intended to offset US sanctions never materialised effectively, and many Western firms were forced to exit Iran, which has since faced a deepening economic crisis. “The European parties have been at fault and negligent in implementing” the nuclear agreement, said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei. The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is the only ...

The South Korea-led investigation into Jeju Air’s fatal plane crash in December has “clear evidence” that pilots shut off the less-damaged engine after a bird strike, a source with knowledge of the probe said on Monday. The source said the evidence, including the cockpit voice recorder, computer data and a physical engine switch found in the wreckage showed pilots shut off the left engine instead of the right engine when taking emergency steps after a bird strike just before it was scheduled to land. “The investigation team has clear evidence and backup data, so its finding will not change,” the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity because investigators have not released an official report including this evidence. A government source said examinations of the plane’s recovered engines found that no defects had been present before the bird strike and crash. The December 29 crash of the Boeing 737-800 jet at Muan Airport killed all but two of the 181 passengers and crew members on board and was the dead...

In a landmark move, the Pakistani government has decided to include the mother’s name alongside the father's on all newly issued and renewed passports.

The International Cricket Council has pledged more support to Afghanistan’s displaced women’s cricketers to get back to playing. Most were forced into exile when the Taliban regained power in 2021 and then effectively outlawed women from playing sport. Many fled to Australia and held a match — without their official crest — in Melbourne earlier this year. The ICC’s annual conference in Singapore at the weekend heard that progress had been made on the governing body’s Afghanistan women’s cricket initiative. “The programme aims to deliver structured support,” the ICC said in a statement late Sunday. It includes “domestic playing opportunities, and engagement at key ICC global events, including the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in India and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England,” the statement continued, without giving details. But reports said it will enable Afghanistan players the chance to speak to fellow international cricketers and attend workshops conducted by coaches at the global showpieces....

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has ordered a ruthless crackdown on human smugglers, declaring a zero-tolerance policy against the mafia involved in illegal immigration.

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, has announced a 50 percent reduction in port charges at Karachi Port as part of a broader effort to reduce the carbon footprint of trade logistics and promote sustainable development.