Pakistan

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday met Jamaat-i-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman at the party’s headquarters, Mansoora, in Lahore, where the two leaders discussed the country’s political, economic and security situation, along with recent regional developments.

PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, said on Tuesday that the government’s version of events was unacceptable after the former premier was taken to the hospital for the fifth time for the treatment of his eye ailment. In a post on X, Aleema said, “We have received reports that Imran Khan was again taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in the early hours of 15 June. We found out through a tweet by Barrister Gohar on the morning of June 15.” “We reject any medical report generated by Pims regarding Imran’s condition. The same institution has previously made questionable claims, including the assertion that Imran had recovered 90 per cent of his eyesight. Imran himself rejected these claims when his lawyer later met him at Adiala jail,” she said. “A fundamental question remains unanswered: Why does Imran require a fifth injection?” she asked. “We do not accept the government’s version of events. We demand that Imran be examined and treated by independent, qualified specialists at Shifa ...

Pakistan could improve economic projections for 2027 after the end of the Iran war, but it is still too early to revise the budget, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Reuters, hours after the US and Iran signed a deal to end the Middle East conflict. Damaged energy infrastructure meant supply chains would take time to return to normal, after the conflict pushed inflation back into double digits, Aurangzeb said. “We were looking at how we manage the second, third-order impact in case this conflict continues,” he said. “The energy infrastructure has been hit. And therefore, it will take time before we return to normalcy in terms of supply chains.” He added, “I do see upsides in what we have projected for next year,” but cautioned it would be “way too premature” to revise the budget. The budget for the upcoming financial year, presented in Parliament on Friday, targets growth of 4 per cent and inflation of 8.2pc. It raised defence spending by 18pc to Rs3 trillion, while relying on higher tax revenue to kee...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed that work on a 100 megawatt solar power project in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) be expedited and that it be completed at the earliest The directives came as the premier chaired a meeting in Islamabad reviewing the project, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The prime minister directed that the work on the project be accelerated and completed as soon as possible, adding that an independent third-party validation be conducted to ensure transparency at every stage of the project, the PMO said. According to the statement, the premier also said that the Centre would bear all the expenses for the project. During the meeting, the relevant authorities briefed participants on the federal government’s solar energy project in GB, the statement said. The meeting was told that an 18MW solarisation project for government buildings was being implemented across the region. The statement said that the 18MW solarisation project for government buildin...

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Tuesday that the government’s economic planning and fiscal assumptions had remained mindful of possible external and geopolitical risks, including potential “second-order impacts” arising from prolonged regional uncertainty. The minister made these remarks during a meeting with UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAP), Hamish Falconer MP, held at the Finance Division in Islamabad. The meeting was also attended by British High Commissioner Jane Marriott and senior officials from both sides. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, the two sides held a “comprehensive exchange” on regional developments, Pakistan’s macroeconomic outlook, ongoing structural reforms, fiscal priorities, institutional modernisation, and opportunities to further strengthen Pakistan–United Kingdom economic cooperation. “The finance minister briefed the visiting delegation on the government’s economic refor...

Fifteen-year-old cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blew his fuse in an India A game in Sri Lanka and pushed an opposition player after a heated on-field exchange. The spotlight has been on Sooryavanshi since his batting heroics in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) won him a place in India’s senior men’s team for their T20 tour of Ireland and England. But he made headlines for all the wrong reasons after he and a Sri Lanka A player confronted each other, following India’s narrow defeat in a Super Over in Dambulla on Monday. Sri Lanka’s Vishen Halambage exchanged words with departing Indian batters before Sooryavanshi responded and shoved him, according to Indian media and broadcast footage. Sri Lanka A wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella stepped in to calm tempers and separated the two players. The teams exchanged handshakes, but TV images showed Sooryavanshi visibly upset. The left-handed opener capped off a stunning IPL 2026 season for Rajasthan Royals, where he amassed 776 runs to finish as the tourna...

A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed on takeoff on Monday at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California’s Mojave Desert, bursting into flames and killing all eight crew members aboard, Air Force officials said. The eight-engine, jet-powered aircraft, built to carry a wide array of nuclear and conventional bombs, was on a routine test mission when it crashed on the runway at Edwards just after leaving the ground, Air Force Colonel James Hayes said at a press conference hours later. A towering pall of black smoke billowing from the crash site was visible for miles immediately after the accident. He said the “mixed crew” aboard the aircraft consisted of government civilians, government contractors and uniformed military personnel. Aerospace giant Boeing, which designed and built the plane, said two of its employees were among the dead. The flight was intended to support a radar modernisation programme, Hayes told reporters. The cause of the crash was unknown and under investigation, he added. Air...

Iran twice battled back for a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday in their frenetic opening match of a World Cup campaign that has been overshadowed by war, politics and protests. The Iranian team’s very presence at the Los Angeles Stadium had long felt uncertain, after months of military conflict between their nation and the United States. At last able to focus on the football, the Iran players twice found themselves trailing to the tournament’s lowest-ranked team, thanks to goals from New Zealand striker Elijah Just. But with a vocally pro-Iran crowd drowning out planned protests by anti-government demonstrators, equalisers from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi spared Team Melli any further blushes. The Iran team have dealt with a gamut of obstacles before even arriving at this World Cup, from delayed and refused US visas, to moving their training camp to Mexico at the last minute. Hundreds of protesters against Iran’s ruling regime demonstrated outside the venue on Monday, saying the team does not repres...

LAHORE: A BS-18 police officer, Kamran Hamid, was ‘removed’ from the post of Hafizabad district police officer (DPO), allegedly following an altercation with a local MPA of the ruling party, who is also close to the politically influential Tarar family, after he was held guilty in an inquiry conducted by Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdul Kareem on the orders of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The CM had directed the Punjab police chief to hear both parties and find out who was responsible for the “dispute over the use of the DPO office’s toilet by the PML-N MPA’s son”. Giving details, a senior police officer told Dawn on the condition of anonymity that the dispute erupted when PML-N MPA Shahid Bhatti visited the Hafizabad DPO’s office, along with his young son and some complainants from his constituency. He says that the MPA had visited the office of (now former) DPO Kamran Hamid as the CM had issued instructions to ruling party parliamentarians to get locals’ police-related matters resolved in the ...

KARACHI: The investigating officer (IO) of a case against alleged cocaine dealer Anmol Pinky on Monday filed an interim charge sheet, stating that the accused had been involved in drug trafficking for the last 16 years and she used to supply narcotic substances in posh areas, as well as among university and school students. The charge sheet was submitted before the judicial magistrate (South). The IO also sought time to submit the final report, stating that he was awaiting forensic reports and responses from the concerned departments regarding the suspects’ travel history and assistance in the investigation. However, due to the absence of defence counsel, the court adjourned the matter till June 20. In the interim charge sheet, the IO has placed three suspects — Humaira, Sabra and Aina — in Column-II with red ink, while three suspects, Humza, Aqib and Aizaz, have been placed in Column-II with blue ink as their whereabouts are not known. Meanwhile, four others, including Anmol, are in jail on judicial remand. ...

• Curfew-like restrictions eased • Commercial activity takes a hit as internet outages affect ATMs • AJK Legislative Assembly to meet today MUZAFFARABAD: The standoff between law enforcement personnel and supporters of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Rawalakot seemed to be winding down, with officials claiming on Monday that the days-long protest had visibly shrink. According to officials, who spo­ke to Dawn on condition of anony­mity, the central gathering at the Eidgah Ground is steadily shrinking, with most participants from other areas having quietly left. The majority of those still present are residents of nearby localities who arrive in the afternoon and return home late at night, an official said. The official maintained that law enforcement personnel had only engaged armed activists, and ruled out the possibility of negotiations with the proscribed group, stating that its members would either have to surrender or face strict legal action. Authorities have relaxed curfew-like res...

ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan has the right under inte­rnational law to defend itself against atta­cks originating from Afgh­anistan, British Parlia­mentary Under-Secretary for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer said on Monday, while stressing the need for dialogue and regional stability. Speaking during a visit to Islamabad to discuss security concerns with senior Pakistani officials, the British official noted that any country facing cross-border threats was entitled to protect its citizens within the framework of international law. The remarks came amid rising tensions and recent incidents of violence that Pakistani authorities say were linked to terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory. Talking to Dawn, the visiting dignitary expre­ssed condolences over the recent loss of life in Pakistan, describing the security situation as deeply concerning. ‘Sustainable solutions’ “No one wants to see civilian casualties anywhere, whether in Pakistan or Afghanistan,” the official said, adding tha...

• Govt signals gradual end to super tax • State minister says target of bringing 3.5m retailers into tax net in one year ‘unrealistic’ • NA panel seeks detailed estimates of revenue generation, relief measures to assess their overall economic impact ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Monday approved a five per cent tax on earnings generated through social media platforms by both local and foreign digital content creators, as lawmakers continued their review of proposals under the Finance Bill 2026. The move reflects the growing significance of social media as a source of income, with digital platforms increasingly serving as lucrative business avenues rather than merely communication tools. Content creators, influencers and online entrepreneurs are now generating millions of rupees annually through platform monetisation, advertising revenue and audience engagement. The Senate Standing Commi­ttee on Finance, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, reviewed the proposed taxation framework and endorsed the m...

• Call for a cut in next MPC meeting to support industrial recovery • OICCI, PBC term SBP decision ‘balanced, prudent’ KARACHI: The business community on Monday expressed disappointment over the State Bank’s decision to keep the policy rate unchanged at 11.5pc, urging monetary easing to support growth, exports and investment amid easing inflation expectations. Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Atif Ikram Sheikh said that a static policy rate in double digits is highly detrimental to the country’s economic survival, adding that failure to ease borrowing costs would accelerate de-industrialisation and severely undermine export targets, which are critical for earning foreign exchange. Expressing concern over what he termed a disconnect between the central bank and the challenges faced by trade and industry, he said the decision to hold the policy rate was unfortunate despite expectations of a downward trend in inflation following the announcement of a US-Iran peace deal f...

ISLAMABAD: Despite the government’s claims of austerity and tight fiscal discipline, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has actually asked the parliament to give post-facto approval for a record Rs3.684 trillion supplementary grants for expenditure overruns and re-appropriation. Budget documents suggest that parliament would be required to approve more than four times higher supplementary grants later this month when compared to Rs895bn it regularised last year. This put a question mark on the processes leading to budget estimates and expenditures. Documents placed before parliament by the finance ministry indicate that debt servicing, subsidies, power sector, water division, defence services, health related expenditures, civil armed forces and related agencies stand out in exceeding budgetary allocations. The ministry said the amounts that it was seeking approval as a fait accompli pertained to May 17 to June 30 of 2024-25 and from July 1 to May 15 for 2025-26 after the conclusion of budgetary processes for...

ISLAMABAD - Muharram-ul-Haram moon was not sighted anywhere in the country today; therefore, 1st of Muharram-ul-Haram 1448 AH will fall on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD - The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) Monday dismissed the appeal of Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against the Peshawar High Court (PHC) decision to reinstate the contract employees in KP health department.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday directed the implementation of a comprehensive three-tier security plan across the province for Muharram-ul-Haram and urged organisers of religious gatherings to activate QR-coded panic buttons installed at 4,700 Imambargahs to ensure swift emergency response.

ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday welcomed the announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran, which he hoped would pave the way for a final agreement and lay the foundation for durable and comprehensive peace in the region.

LAKKI MARWAT - Four persons were killed in a firing incident in the Jabbar Khail area of Lakki Marwat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Monday, according to police sources cited by local television channels.