Pakistan

Musadik Malik calls India’s move unilateral and unjustified, saying it threatens agreements and regional stability

Information ministry’s 'fact check' statement said no violations of temporary pause had occurred along western border

KARACHI: Often dubbed a safe haven in times of global crises, local gold prices for 10 grams and one tola have dropped to Rs428,208 and Rs499,462, respectively, down by Rs20,833 and Rs24,300, following a steep decline of $243 to $4,767 per ounce on international markets amid the escalating war in the Middle East. On Feb 28, when an illegal attack was launched by the US and Israel on Iran, the rates for 10 grams and one tola stood at Rs472,018 and Rs550,562, based on a global gold price of $5,278 per ounce. On Jan 29, 2026, Pakistan witnessed its highest-ever gold rates, with 10 grams priced at Rs491,135 and one tola at Rs572,862, as the global gold price reached $5,505 per ounce. “History shows that the precious metal has often lost its luster when intense conflicts escalate into full-scale wars among countries,” said Qasim Shikarpuri, president of the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA), while speaking to Dawn on Thursday. Prices slip below Rs500,000 per tola He said gold prices would...

Princess Mette-Marit says she wishes she had never met Epstein as documents reveal she stayed at his Palm Beach home

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir warned religious leaders that violence in the country, triggered by events abroad, would not be tolerated, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday. “Violence in Pakistan, on the basis of incidents occurring in another country, will not be tolerated,” the military’s media wing quoted Field Marshal Munir as saying during a meeting with Shia clerics. According to ISPR, the army chief interacted with the Shia clergy earlier this week in Rawalpindi, where “matters of national security and the role of ulema in societal harmony came under discussion”. The outreach came as the military seeks to manage the domestic environment amid the US-Israeli war against Iran. Army chief interacts with Shia clerics, calls for unity and countering sectarian narratives Protests that erupted in early March, following the start of the war and the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, led to several casualties and a security crackdown...

SADIQ Khan and journalist Saima Mohsin address the Iftar event at Trafalgar Square.—X/mayoroflondon • Badenoch defends shadow justice secretary for calling public prayer ‘an act of domination’ • Labour accuses Tories of ‘divisive politics’; Starmer says party seems to have ‘a problem with Muslims’ • Controversy centres on popular ‘Open Iftar’ event LONDON: Conservative lea­der Kemi Badenoch defen­ded her party’s shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, after he described Islamic prayers held in public spaces as “an act of domination”, triggering sharp criticism from political opponents and community leaders. The controversy erupted after Timothy shared images on social media showing prayers during a Ramazan gathering at Trafalgar Square in London. He wrote that mass public prayer was “an act of domination” and “straight from the Islamist playbook”. Amid criticism, including from Mayor Sadiq Khan, Tim­othy restated in The Daily Telegraph that expressions of non-Christian faith pose a “challenge”. Even Prime Min...

Albanese, Home Affairs minister booed in mosque visit, called genocide supporters

• Rawalpindi civil defence department gets first ‘anti-drone gun’ to intercept UAVs • Police suggest deployment of more systems to protect Chinese nationals, key installations LAHORE/RAWAL­PINDI: After multiple incidents in which drones were intercepted in the garrison city, the Punjab government on Thursday handed over an anti-drone gun to the Punjab Civil Defence Department to intercept unmanned aerial vehicles in Rawalpindi Division. Besides the garrison city, the home department plans to equip civil defence units across Punjab with similar systems to counter drones and similar aircraft, which have been described as “emerging security threats”. According to details, the home department has provided the civil defence with a modern anti-drone gun, EMG-150, which can jam and bring down drones within a range of two to three kilometres. The gun, which weighs 6kg, is equipped with eight frequency bands, enabling it to counter all types of drones and uses a high-gain directional antenna for precise targeting. The...

Markets jittery as traders scale back expectations of Fed rate cuts

Price of silver per 10 grams decreases by Rs43 in Pakistan

SMOKE rises after an Iranian retaliatory salvo damaged an Israeli oil refinery in Haifa.—Reuters • Tehran strikes Qatari LNG plant, Saudi and Kuwaiti refineries • Trump warns of ‘furious response’ if attacks on Qatar continue • Rules out troop deployment, but officials say reinforcements under review • Hegseth sets no timeline for war; White House to seek $200bn more from Congress • Global energy markets shaken; Brent jumps to $119, gas prices up 35pc • Riyadh asserts it reserves right to retaliate after refinery drone strike • Netanyahu says Israel ‘acted alone’ in striking Iran gas field • Claims Tehran no longer able to enrich uranium or build missiles DOHA: As Washington rushed to arm its Gulf allies with a $16.46 billion military package, Iran issued its starkest warning yet, vowing “zero restraint” if its energy infrastructure is targeted again, pushing the Middle East closer to a regional war. The developments came after Iranian attacks on the world’s largest LNG plant in Qatar and refineries in Saudi ...

• PM directs emergency measures, consultation with provinces; informed ample stocks available • People asked to avoid unnecessary travel, adapt in light of regional tensions • More austerity measures said to be on the cards ISLAMABAD: As the Iran war escalates into more attacks on key energy facilities, the federal government on Thursday feared a possible shortage of petroleum products in the coming days amid risks of disruptions in the supply chain, urging the public to adopt fuel-conservation measures to reduce consumption. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting to review fuel-saving efforts and austerity measures amid a worsening situation in the Gulf due to the US-Israel and Iran war, which has disrupted fuel supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting was briefed about the country’s fuel reserves and consumption and petroleum cargoes, a handout issued by the PM’s Office (PMO) said. According to the statement, the country needed to be prepared for all kinds of situations and people would h...

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Thursday launched a crackdown on transport owners charging excessive fares from passengers across the province ahead of Eidul Fitr. On the directions of Inspector General of Motorway Police Sultan Ahmad Chaudhry, a campaign is underway in the central region to curb violations. According to officials, fines exceeding Rs4.8 million were imposed on 937 vehicles for overloading, while over Rs700,000 collected as excess fare were returned to passengers of 203 buses. More than 15,000 challans were also issued for violation of prescribed speed limits. Motorway police have urged citizens to exercise caution during Eid travel, adhere to speed limits and ensure seatbelt use and lane discipline, particularly in view of ongoing rain on national highways. In Lahore, chief minister’s special assistant Zeeshan Malik and Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Ijaz visited the General Bus Stand to check transport fares. They received two complaints and fixed the issue. In Multan, Commissioner Aamir ...

Westerly wind system affecting most parts of country is expected to bring strong winds, rain to several districts

He returns with Bullah, shares his career journey, influences, and denies arrogance rumors publicly

Conflict gains attention as Nawaz shares opinions about Alizeh on Ahsan Khan’s show

Police push for enhanced protection of key installations, Chinese experts; Special Branch tasked with citywide audits

Trump has urged other world powers and NATO to help reopen the Hormuz Strait to commercial shipping

Dolphin Squad, PRU and Elite Force teams to increase patrolling around religious sites, markets, other sensitive areas

Link network to money laundering, terror financing operations