Pakistan

Authorities launch culling after public outrage

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif briefed President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday about his upcoming visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkiye “for further engagement to promote peace efforts” and took him into confidence on “all aspects of the dialogue” between Iran and the United States, a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat said. Pakistan hosted direct Iran-US talks in Islamabad over the weekend, marking the highest engagement between the two sides since 1979, seeking a resolution to the US-Israeli war on Iran. However, both delegations departed the capital on Sunday after the talks ended without an agreement, but also without a breakdown. It is now being reported that negotiating teams from the US and Iran could return to Islamabad later this week. On Monday, PM Shehbaz also told a meeting of the federal cabinet that “full efforts” were ongoing to resolve the conflict. The President Secretariat’s statement said PM Shehbaz called Zardari at the Aiwan-i-Sadr today, and the latter “appreciated the untiring ef...

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ISLAMABAD: Two policemen were injured as the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) anti-encroachment operation in the capital’s Noorpur Shahan area was met with strong protest from residents. As the anti-encroachment drive began, enraged individuals torched two of the CDA’s vehicles in protest, with authorities resorting to tear-gas shelling to disperse the people. More police deployment was also sought to control the law and order situation. The development comes a day after a protest staged by the slum dwellers of Allama Iqbal Colony at G-7 forced the CDA to postpone its operation. When the enforcement wing started the operation, the residents resisted and created a law and order situation, forcing the team to leave after sealing two structures. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) raised concerns over the CDA’s encroachment drives. Recalling a meeting it had convened, the HRCP said on X that activists, lawyers and citizens had urged superior court judges to “uphold the Supreme Court’s ...

The Power Division has announced scheduled load shedding of around two hours and 15 minutes during peak electricity consumption hours.

The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark index rallied over 5,000 points on Tuesday, a day after shedding more than 6,000 points. The KSE-100 index surged by 5,043.51 points, or 3.14 per cent, to close at 165,634.84 points, from the previous close of 160,591.33 points. The index recorded an intraday low of 165,763.81 points at around 9:30am. However, it then rose to an intraday high of 165,763.81 points at around 3pm, before settling at 165,634.84. A day ago, the market shed 6,600 points in a turbulent session, as fears of supply disruptions returned after inconclusive Iran-US peace talks, triggering panic-selling at the PSX. However, another round of Iran-US dialogue was being acti­vely pursued as Pakistan and others have step­ped up efforts to prevent the fragile process from sliding back into confrontation, diplomats said. On the macroeconomic front, Fitch Ratings reaffirmed Pakistan’s long-term foreign-currency rating at “B-”, providing some underlying support for investor confidence. Market sentimen...

On Andy Corriher’s farm in North Carolina, planting and preparations are underway for his corn and soybean crops — but fertiliser costs have surged on war in the Middle East, and orders he placed weeks ago have yet to arrive. The 47-year-old is among US farmers facing a double whammy of soaring fertiliser and diesel prices after US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered Tehran’s blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for such shipments. “This time of year is when the majority of fertiliser is put out in this country,” Corriher told AFP. “We got hit at the worst possible time, because we’re trying to buy fertiliser when it skyrockets and when the supply also gets cut.” Andy Corriher examines his wheat crop at his farm in China Grove, North Carolina, on April 10, 2026. — AFP The cost hikes strike at a major support base for US President Donald Trump, who won 78 per cent of the 2024 vote in farming-dependent counties, said news service Investigate Midwest. Trump blamed “price gouging from the fertilise...

Wisden has criticised Indian political interference in global cricket administration, labelling the current situation “increasingly Orwellian”. The UK-based Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, which dates back to 1864, is an annual record of all major cricket worldwide and is regarded as the sport’s “Bible”. In its 163rd annual edition, to be published on Thursday, editor Lawrence Booth highlighted what he sees as an unhealthy and politicised Indian dominance of the global game. The International Cricket Council has an Indian chief executive, Sanjog Gupta, and an Indian chairman, Jay Shah, who is the son of Amit Shah, India’s minister of home affairs and a longstanding ally of the prime minister, Narendra Modi. Wisden describes the Board of Control for Cricket in India, which Shah led before taking over at the International Cricket Council (ICC), as “the sporting adjunct of India’s ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)”. Booth also highlighted how politics intruded upon the 2025 Asia Cup, which took place against a ba...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday barred Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani from participating in the next two editions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). In a statement, the cricket board said that after a thorough disciplinary review, Muzarabani was declared ineligible to participate in the next two editions of the tournament, effective immediately. “This decision stems from a fundamental failure to honour agreed-upon commitments, an action that undermines the professional framework of the league,” it said. Although the press release did not make specific mention of the agreement, ESPNcricinfo reported last month that Muzarabani, who was slated to play for Islamabad United, would not be doing so after securing a deal in the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders. “The PCB maintains that professional cricket operates on the bedrock of trust and the certainty of agreements. In this instance, despite a clear offer and an unequivocal acceptance of essential terms, the player chose to di...

An ex-student opened fire at his former high school in Turkiye on Tuesday, where school shootings are rare, wounding 16 people, including students, before killing himself, officials said. Special security forces were deployed to the school in southeastern Turkiye’s Sanliurfa province, where students were evacuated, the local governor, Hasan Sildak, told reporters. The former student, 19, used a rifle during the attack, after which those wounded were rushed to a hospital in the Siverek district, Sildak said. Twelve of the wounded were still in the hospital. Local media reported that most of the wounded were students. Television footage showed ambulances standing by outside the school as students fled the building in panic. “He took his own life when cornered by police,” the governor said. “We have evacuated the school and will carry out a thorough investigation into this tragic incident,” he added.

The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) has expressed its appreciation for the professionalism of Pakistan’s air traffic controllers. The remarks came in a letter by IFATCA Asia-Pacific Region Executive Vice President Cheryl Chen, which was shared by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Tuesday. According to IFATCA’s website, the apolitical federation provides guidance, representation, training, and other services to advance the status and professionalism of air traffic control. It has member associations in more than 130 countries from all corners of the globe. “I wish to express our sincere appreciation for the dedication and professionalism demonstrated by the air traffic controllers of Pakistan in recent weeks,” Chen said in the letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn. “Amid evolving geopolitical developments impacting regional airspace, Pakistan’s strategic position as a key corridor between Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe has resulted in a si...

Sherry Rehman has described Pakistan’s role in facilitating a fragile ceasefire and bringing parties to the negotiating table as a major diplomatic achievement.

A large number of tax-related cases remain pending in courts and appellate tribunals across Pakistan, involving disputed revenue exceeding Rs 5,457 billion, raising serious concerns over delayed recoveries.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf on Tuesday said that Pakistan’s armed forces stood ready to “deter any aggression” vowing to deliver a “befitting response” to any such act. He made the assertion while addressing the passing out ceremony of cadets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in Risalpur. The naval chief, in his address congratulated the graduating cadets, expressing hope that they will “uphold PAF’s vision” with “commitment and dedication”. In his speech, he recalled the four-day conflict with India in May 2025 —Marka-i-Haq — and stressed that Pakistan stood “ever ready, vigilant, and capable to deter any aggression and give a befitting response”. The Pakistan Army had named the period of conflict with India, from the Pahalgam attack to the conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, as Marka-i-Haq in May, 2025. He further stated that the armed forces, including the navy, stood ready to “enhance our capabilities and keep up with the evolving geopolitical developments”. “Pakistan’s outstanding...

Dozens of protesters were detained by police in New York City on Monday during demonstrations calling for the blocking of arms sales to Israel and an end to US military support for its ally. Demonstrators included the anti-war group Jewish Voice for Peace, which said around 90 people were detained. Among those detained was whistleblower Chelsea Manning, a former US Army soldier and WikiLeaks source. The New York City Police Department said there were “multiple” arrests but did not provide a number. Clips from the protests showed a crowd gathering near the offices of US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Democratic colleague, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Protesters chanted slogans like “stop the bombs”, “end the killings”, and “free Palestine” while expressing opposition to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Israel’s attacks in Lebanon and Israel’s assault on Gaza. The protesters also chanted “let Gaza live”, “let Iran live” and “let Lebanon live”. The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran res...

A man who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s luxury California home was trying to kill the boss of artificial intelligence giant OpenAI and in possession of an anti-AI document, US officials said on Monday. The claims came as prosecutors levied federal charges against Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, over the attack on Friday in San Francisco. The Department of Justice said Moreno-Gama had travelled from his home in Texas to carry out the attack on Altman, whose company is behind the popular ChatGPT chatbot. “Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These alleged actions — which damaged property and could well have taken lives — will be aggressively prosecuted.” Prosecutors say that after lobbing a firebomb at the gates of Altman’s home, Moreno-Gama fled on foot to the San Francisco headquarters of OpenAI, where he tried to smash the glass doors of the building with a chair. He “stated ...

Pakistan is considering Eurobonds, loans from other countries and commercial debt to replace a $3.5 billion facility from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and manage its foreign reserves, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said. Aurangzeb also told Reuters the shock from the ongoing war in the Middle East meant that Pakistan must consider a strategic petroleum reserve and a faster switch to renewable energy. “All options are on the table,” Aurangzeb said when asked if the government was in talks with Saudi Arabia for a loan that could replace the UAE facility. Pakistan will reportedly return a $3.5bn loan to the UAE this month, putting pressure on its reserves and risking breaches of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme targets. The country has been thrust into the international spotlight as it plays the role of a mediator between the United States and Iran to end the war in the Middle East. Aurangzeb, speaking on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank annual spring meetings, said the country could man...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a special meeting to review the road sector and approved several major infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity across the province.