Pakistan

The 10th day of the war began with a development that may shape the trajectory of the conflict more than any exchange on the battlefield. Early on Monday, Iran’s Assembly of Experts selected Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader. The transition that happened without any disruption signalled both institutional continuity and a consolidation of authority at a time when Iran remains under sustained military pressure. Within Iran, the appointment was immediately endorsed by the revolutionary core and the political and military elite that publicly pledged allegiance, while state media framed the succession as a stabilising step that ensured the continuity of the political system despite the wartime environment, and there were no signs of unrest in cities, suggesting public acceptance as well. The acceptance of the new supreme leader extended beyond Iran’s borders as well, particularly among actors aligned with Tehran’s regional network of allies in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen who moved quickly...

Federal Minister for Information Ataullah Tarar has stated that Pakistan’s recent operations inside Afghanistan were strictly aimed at militant hideouts and did not involve attacks on civilian locations.

Sri Lanka and India are providing sanctuary to 434 sailors from three Iranian naval vessels targeted or threatened by the United States, a diplomatic conundrum as the US-Israel attack on Iran and the subsequent war spills into the Indian Ocean. The ships had taken part in a naval exercise organised by India off the coast of Visakhapatnam, when the US and Israel began bombing Iran. For Sri Lanka and India, wary of a US response, the dilemma of what to do with the ships and crew has sent legal officials scouring conventions and the laws of the sea. What happened? IRIS Dena, a frigate, was sunk with a torpedo fired by a US submarine on Wednesday, just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters. Between 130 and 180 sailors were on board, and at least 84 were killed. Sri Lanka rescued 32 survivors, many since discharged from hospital to be hosted at the Koggala air force base in the island’s south. IRIS Lavan, an amphibious landing ship, docked in India’s southern port of Kochi on Wednesday. It had 183 sailors aboard,...

Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi, on Monday, was given separate departmental briefings at the Governor's House regarding gas supply infrastructure in the province and the performance of the provincial women's ombudsperson office.

Qatari authorities have arrested more than 300 people for sharing images and what they described as “misleading information” during days of attacks by Iran, the interior ministry said on Monday. The arrests echo measures across the Gulf as Iran targets airports, military bases, energy installations and residential areas with daily drones and missiles. Those arrested “filmed and circulated video clips and published misleading information and rumours that could stir public opinion”, a statement said. The people of “various nationalities” were held by the Department for Combating Economic and Cyber Crimes at the ministry’s General Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The announcement follows a spate of arrests elsewhere in the region. In Bahrain, four people were arrested for “filming and broadcasting clips about the effects of Iranian attacks and spreading false news”, the interior ministry said on Friday. And in Kuwait, authorities on Saturday said three people had been arrested over a video showing them mo...

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday maintained its key policy rate at 10.5 per cent. The announcement was posted on the central bank’s X account. A detailed statement by the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was issued later in the day. In its statement, the MPC said that while the incoming data was largely consistent with the macroeconomic projections shared after the January meeting, it was observed that the macroeconomic outlook had become “quite uncertain following the outbreak of the war in the Middle East”. It noted that the conflict had led to a sharp increase in global fuel prices as well as freight and insurance costs, while also affecting cross-border trade and travel. “Given the evolving nature of events, the MPC observed that the intensity and duration of the conflict will both be important determinants of the impact on the domestic economy,” the statement said. The MPC also acknowledged the “important role of the prudent monetary and fiscal policies in increasing the economy’s...

Pakistan’s benchmark KSE-100 index plummeted 11,015.96 points on Monday, closing deep in the red. The decline of 6.99 per cent from the previous close of 157,496.10 points dragged the index down to 146,480.14 points by the closing bell. At close, trading volume stood at 378,012,095 shares, with a total value of Rs33,004,278,586. The market’s heaviest movers were led by K-Electric Limited, which tumbled 7.81pc to Rs7.20 on 127,469,387 shares. First National Equities Limited saw a sharper drop, plunging 12.21pc to Rs1.15 on 33,608,420 shares, while The Bank of Punjab slumped 10.01pc to Rs25.45 on 33,386,862 shares. Trading was temporarily halted around 9:20am after the index dropped 9,780.15 points, prompting a market suspension. A notice from the Pakistan Stock Exchange said the halt was triggered when the KSE-30 index fell 5pc from the previous day’s close. In accordance with PSX regulations, all equity-based markets were suspended. When trading resumed, the index fell further, recording a decline of 13,157.6...

Muhammad Mudassir Tipu has urged Pakistani nationals in Iran who wish to return home to register with the embassy immediately.

The war in the Middle East has formally landed on Pakistan’s shores. The government’s announcement of an emergency Rs55 per litre oil price adjustment on Friday night could well be the first of more to come. More so, the sheer availability of fuel is now an open question, despite the 28 days of stocks that we were assured the country maintains. Dawn spoke to oil industry executives who say oil markets are now roiled with an uncertainty never seen before. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has taken an estimated 20 million barrels per day (mbd) cumulative off global oil markets in what is being called “the largest oil supply disruption in history”. There is no precedent in the past when a quantity of this magnitude was suddenly removed from the market, not even in the oil embargo of 1973. The impact, according to a note by Goldman Sachs circulated on Friday, is that “oil prices, especially for refined products, would exceed the 2008 and 2022 peaks, if Strait of Hormuz flows were to remain depressed throughout...

The Pakistan Army is carrying out coordinated ground and air operations against militants belonging to the Afghan Taliban and extremist groups referred to as Fitna al-Khawarij along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, according to security sources.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav said gold in 2028 on cricket’s return to the Olympics was the country’s next big aim after extending their T20 domination with back-to-back World Cup titles. Co-hosts India hammered New Zealand by 96 runs in the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday to be the first team to retain the T20 World crown and first to win it three times. It was also the first time a team have won the title on home soil, and they did it with a brand of fearless, attacking cricket. “It has been very special,” Suryakumar told reporters at a celebratory midnight press conference, as fans across the country flooded into the streets. “And definitely the next goal is Olympics, Olympic gold, and also the T20 World Cup that year.” Los Angeles 2028 will see cricket return to the Olympics for the first time since 1900. Led by then-captain Rohit Sharma, India won the T20 World Cup two years ago in Barbados for their first major title since the 2013 Champions Trophy. Rohit and fellow stalwart Virat Kohli retired from the s...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a reward of Rs1.5 million for each player of the national hockey team following the team’s performance in the FIH Hockey World Cup qualifier, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. The announcement comes after the team secured a place in the upcoming hockey World Cup, marking their return to the tournament after an eight-year absence. It will be hosted jointly by Belgium and the Netherlands in August this year. Quoting a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Radio Pakistan said the team’s performance represented a “significant step towards promoting hockey in Pakistan”. The premier also “acknowledged the team’s hard work and dedication to the sport,” the statement added. As per the statement, the prime minister maintained that the participation of the team in the World Cup qualifiers — held in Egypt — had “generated excitement and enthusiasm among hockey fans”. The premier stressed the monetary reward was a “clear testament” to the team’s “steadfastnes...

TEHRAN: A massive fireball erupts after an oil depot was targeted by US-Israeli bombing. The destruction of refineries and storage facilities in Iran’s capital precipitated a toxic ‘oil rain’ over the city, with skies darkened by thick black smoke.—AFP • Capital plunges into darkness; residents warned of chemical burns, acrid fumes • Lebanon terrorised as Israeli strike targets Beirut hotel • Israel, Trump vow to pursue, kill any successor to Khamenei • Iran unleashes missiles on Gulf neighbours; Pezeshkian says they were ‘forced to respond’ • Arab League condemns ‘reckless’ Iranian attacks as diplomacy falters • Bahrain blames Tehran for attack on water plant TEHRAN: Residents of Iran’s capital awoke on Sunday to a darkened, apocalyptic sky as a black, oily rain fell, a day after Israeli airstrikes targeted refineries and fuel depots, plunging the sprawling metropolis into a toxic gloom. The nine-day-old war launched by a US-Israeli coalition against Iran has now engulfed much of the Middle East, with strike...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a cash reward of PKR 1.

WASHINGTON: Tehran has confirmed the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, a decision that has drawn contrasting reactions from Washington and Jerusalem, reflecting differing strategies in responding to Iran’s evolving leadership. US response: calculated and cautious So far, President Donald Trump has avoided direct criticism of Mojtaba Khamenei’s succession, instead framing the development in terms of energy markets and US strategic influence. In a post on Truth Social, an hour after the announcement, he highlighted that temporary oil price increases were a minor cost compared with global stability and security. But in an interview with ABC News earlier on Sunday, Trump repeated his suggestion that Iran’s next leader would need “approval” from Washington, implying that the US has a role in shaping acceptable leadership outcomes. While he described Khamenei’s expected appointment as problematic, he refrained from threatening direct military action. This approach underscores the US balanc...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called an important meeting today at the Prime Minister House to address the country’s administrative and economic situation amid regional and global challenges.

Oil prices surged around 25 per cent on Monday to their highest since mid-2022, with Brent on track ‌for a record one-day gain, while gold fell 2pc as an escalating Iran war squeezed world energy supplies, boosted the dollar and dampened hopes of interest-rate cuts. Agriculture markets, led by edible oils, rose as they took their cue from oil prices due to the extensive use ​of vegetable oils in making biofuels. Aluminium firmed on supply worries even as other metals faced headwinds from ​a stronger dollar. “The violent reaction stems from the markets seeing no obvious offramp in the escalating ⁠Middle East conflict, now a high-stakes standoff where neither side appears willing to blink first,” Tony Sycamore, IG market ​analyst, said in a note. “The risk of more lasting economic damage continues to build by the day.” Iran on Monday named Mojtaba Khamenei ​to succeed his father, Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader. Soaring oil lift vegoils, grains Brent was on track for its biggest one-day gain ever in both percent...

PESHAWAR: The district administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan has imposed Section 144 in view of the prevailing law and order situation, restricting movement on several roads and in sensitive areas, according to an official notification on Monday. Deputy Commissioner Abdul Nasir Khan said the restrictions would remain in force from 6am to 6pm, during which the movement of passenger vehicles, cargo transport and motorcycles would be completely prohibited in designated areas. According to the notification, Dera-Tank Road from Tariq Shaheed to Bhugowal will remain closed, while several other roads, including Kulachi-Hathala Road, Kot Attal Road and Garah Abdullah Road will also remain shut to traffic. Authorities said a number of link roads, including Tikwarah-Hathala Road, Pota Badh, Kanori-Garah Mohabbat, Chehkan village to Darbari and the Pota–Kot Isa Khan link road, will remain closed during the restriction period. The administration has also ordered the closure of Pota Hathala Bazaar from 6...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has established a provincial Economic Transformation Committee aimed at driving sector-wise development and strengthening the economy of Punjab.

ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has said that women are central to the strength and progress of Pakistan and, despite numerous challenges, they continue to contribute across every sphere of economic, social and civic life with resilience and determination.