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ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Thursday issued arrest warrants for 50 PTI leaders, including former president Arif Alvi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, for failing to appear in a case related to protests held on Nov 26 last year. Judge Abual Hasanat Mohammad Zulqarnain expressed displeasure over the continued non-appearance of the accused despite repeated summons, expanding the list of warrants in a case registered at the Karachi Company Police Station on Nov 26, 2024. The order added 41 PTI leaders to nine others already facing similar orders. Among the prominent figures now liable to be arrested are KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur; Senators Shibli Faraz, Azam Khan Swati and Faisal Javed; and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. The list also includes senior lawyers Salman Akram Raja and Shoaib Shaheen; PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hassan; former federal ministers Murad Saeed and...

• Senators ask why LLM development initiative was not open to other stakeholders from industry, academia • Committee discusses bill to establish legal, ethical framework for AI regulation ISLAMABAD: A Senate standing committee on on Thursday questioned the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication over its apparent collaboration with a mobile service provider and a public sector university in a project that aims to develop an indigenous Large Language Model (LLM). LLMs are trained on immense amount of data to make them capable of generating responses based on the input prompt. They are at the back of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek. The IT ministry has collaborated with Jazz and the National University of Sciences and Technology to produce Pakistan’s first LLM. Chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication expressed concern that the ministry had apparently excluded other capable ...

A girl was rescued by locals while two were still missing after falling into the Indus River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Shangla district on Thursday, according to the police. Puran Circle Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Usman Munir told Dawn.com : “The young girls had gone to the river to fetch water for domestic use, but suddenly, due to the fast flow of the river, the sand and mud collapsed and swept them away,” adding that the incident occurred in the Kamach area. He said one of the girls was rescued by some residents present at the river’s bank in the area. The SDPO said a search operation was launched in the area by Rescue 1122, but the flow of water in the river was too high. Ibadullah Khan, a local activist, said that there was no Rescue 1122 outpost in the area. “Locals had no alternative source of potable water but to fetch it from the river and such accidents were common in the area”, he said. On Wednesday, at least four people drowned , and one child went missing afte...

GILGIT: A cloudburst-induced flood swept through the Ishkoman valley of Ghi­zer district on Wedne­sday, damaging dozens of homes, shops and critical infrastructure, including a power station, the Gilgit-Baltistan Disa­ster Manage­ment Aut­h­ority (GBDMA) said. According to the GBDMA, flash floods occurred in eight various places in Faizabad and Dadaabad villages. The authority reported the flash flood completely destroyed 22 homes and 18 shops, while 42 homes were partially damaged and floodwaters entered another 65. Thousands of kanals of agr­i­cultural land, orcha­rds, and forests suffered da­m­a­ge, alongside two timber factories, a pair of gar­ages, a Jamaat Khana, and the DJ High School building. Additionally, a two-kilometer stretch of the main road and a three-kilometer water channel serving a powerhouse were affected, as well as numerous livestock, cattle sheds, and 18 irrigation channels. The floodwaters also struck eight motorcycles and six cars. The flood also damage...

• 70pc quota for govt, 30pc for private operators allocated in new Haj policy • AI policy aims to train 1m professionals by 2030 • New building codes for all new structures with more than 4 floors; rainwater systems mandatory for residential, commercial & industrial structures • Ex-mill sugar rate fixed at Rs165/kg, retail price at Rs173/kg ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Wednesday took several key decisions, including the approval of Haj Policy for 2026, National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy and the Green Building Code of Pakistan. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif fixed ex-mill rate and retail price of sugar at Rs165 and Rs173 per kilogram, respectively, amid the nationwide shortage of the commodity. Presided over by PM Shehbaz, the cabinet approved the Haj Policy for the next year, allocating a 70 per cent quota to the government and 30pc to private operators. Notably, private companies that failed to fulfill their responsibilities in the previous year wil...

A formidable new radar satellite jointly developed by the United States and India launched on Wednesday, designed to track subtle changes in Earth’s land and ice surfaces and help predict both natural and human-caused hazards. Dubbed NISAR (Nasa-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), the pickup truck-sized spacecraft blasted off around 5:40pm (5:10pm PKT) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s southeastern coast, riding an ISRO Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket. A livestream of the event showed excited schoolchildren brought to watch the launch and mission teams erupting in cheers and hugging. Highly anticipated by scientists, the mission has also been hailed by US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a milestone in growing cooperation between the two countries. “Congratulations India!” Dr Jitendra Singh, India’s science and technology minister, wrote on X, calling the mission a “game changer”. “Our planet’s surface undergoes constan...

KARACHI: The government seems willing to fast-track the adoption of crypto currencies for banks, foreign exchange comp­anies and gold trading, sources told Dawn after a high-level meeting on Tuesday. A day earlier, representatives from the State Bank of Pakistan, finance min­istry, commercial banks and exchange companies met with senior security officials to discuss steps to bring down the dollar price, stabilise the exch­ange rate and stop the smuggling of US currency to Afghanistan and Iran. Another meeting, held on Tuesday, was dominated by the crypto agenda and saw Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) CEO Bilal Bin Saqib gave a presentation on the usage of virtual currencies in Pakistan. In May, Mr Saqib was appointed the PM’s special assistant on blockchain and cryptocurrency, with the status of a minister of state. “We were told that the cryptos are the future currency for the changed economic world,” said a banker, on condition of anonymity. He said the presentation and subs...

QUETTA: Dozens of students enrolled in different religious schools in Iran have been stranded at the Gabd border for two days, waiting to cross over. Some of them returned to the country during Muha­­rram, others had fled the Iran-Israel war a month ago; and nearly all of them possess valid travel documents issued by the Iranian government. But the border crossing, located almost 70km from the port city of Gwadar, has remained closed since the Iran-Israel conflict broke out. The stranded individuals have been staying in hotels and other lodgings, while immigration officials await ‘fresh orders’ to process their exit. The recent bar on travelling to Iraq and Iran by road has only complicated matters. An official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), posted at the Gabd border, said the students had valid travel documents, but they could not be allowed to cross, as the border was still closed. “No fresh order has been issued by the Pakistani authorities concerned for opening th...

The Bajaur administration imposed a three-day curfew at 16 places of the district on Tuesday and initiated an operation against militants in the areas. Bajaur District Police Officer Waqas Rafiq confirmed the development to Dawn.com . A notification in this regard issued by Bajaur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shahid Ali Khan said there was a need to impose restrictions on all kinds of movement on the main roads and outside houses at Badi Siah, Tarkho, Irab, Gat, Agra, Khurchai, Dawagai, Kalan, Legharai, Kitkot, Gillai, Nakhtar, Zarai, Dambarai, Amanata and Zagai area of Tehsil Loe Mamund to prevent any untoward incidents as recommended by the Bajaur District Intelligence Coordination Committee to ensure public safety during targeted actions against militants. The DC imposed a ban on all kinds of movement of individuals outside houses, on roads, vehicles and all forms of traffic on all roads at the above villages with effect from 5am today till 5pm on July 31 (Thursday) under Section 144...

KHYBER/KARACHI: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has claimed that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was “in contact” with the “relevant administration” over the shooting of protesters in Tirah. Seven people were fired at after a demonstration outside the Brigade Headquarters in Bagh-Maidan Markaz on Sunday against the death of a minor girl in a mortar strike. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had condemned the “firing on peaceful citizens by khawarij” — the state’s terminology for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Paki­stan (TTP). However, sources and eyewitnesses said security personnel guarding the installation had reportedly opened fire to control the crowd after the demonstration took a violent turn. Bar Qambarkhel tribesmen march against militant presence in restive valley A number of those who lost their lives on Sunday were laid to rest in the Bagh Markaz and Peer Mela localities of Tirah. Besides the seven deaths, at least 16 people sustained gunshot wounds. There has been no ...

The Punjab Assembly session on Monday was thrown into chaos when two brawls erupted between lawmakers, leading to the suspension of a Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), according to a Dawn.com correspondent present at the scene. Earlier today, opposition member Khalid Nisar Dogar struck ruling PML-N’s Hasan Riaz during the session, before the two were separated by other lawmakers. Footage of the incident has since gone viral. View this post on Instagram Acting speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar called the altercation “highly inappropriate”. According to the correspondent, the session was adjourned until 2pm on Tuesday by Channar, who summoned government and opposition MPAs to his chambers. He suspended Dogar for 15 sessions under Rule 210 (power to order withdrawal of members or suspend sitting) of the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, 1997. Speaking to reporters following the fracas, Riaz called it “a dark ...

Series leader Oscar Piastri grabbed an early lead and extended his title advantage on Sunday when he drove to a perfectly-controlled triumph ahead of McLaren team-mate and title rival Lando Norris at a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix. The 24-year-old Australian managed his tyres expertly to remain out of reach in the closing laps as the Briton, 25, who had started on pole, closed in on a harder-wearing compound, finishing 3.415 seconds clear as McLaren reeled off their sixth 1-2 in a dominant season. It was Piastri’s first win at the classic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, his sixth this season and the eighth of his career, extending his lead in the drivers’ championship to 16 points after 13 of this season’s 24 races. For McLaren, it was a 10th win this year. Charles Leclerc came a solid third for Ferrari ahead of four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, under the race leadership of new team boss Laurent Mekies for the first time, and Mercedes’ George Russell. Alex Albon clung on...

Godzilla has morphed over the years, but one constant is the devotion of its fans, who celebrated the Japanese monster’s 70th anniversary at the pop culture convention Comic-Con. The Japanese studio Toho, which created Godzilla, maintains a calendar of events to celebrate the beast often called the king of monsters, and Comic-Con is on the agenda. Godzilla was born on November 3, 1954 with the launch of the first movie about it, directed by Ishiro Honda. “I am a very big fan of Godzilla,” said Angela Hill, a teacher who travelled from Arizona to take part in Comic-Con, which this year featured events and displays celebrating Godzilla. One of the world’s largest celebrations of pop culture, Comic-Con brings together 130,000 people, many of whom come dressed as wizards, princesses or characters from movies, games or TV series. As the story of Godzilla goes, a prehistoric amphibious beast is awakened and mutated by nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific. It emerges from the sea and atta...

• New York meeting to be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia next week • Israel and US to skip conference; 11 more Palestinians killed • UK plans to airdrop aid, evacuate injured children from Gaza UNITED NATIONS: Fired by France’s imminent recognition of Palestinian statehood, UN members meet next week to breathe life into the push for a two-state solution as Israel, expected to be absent, presses its war in Gaza. Days before the July 28-30 conference on fostering Israeli and Palestinian states living peacefully side-by-side to be co-chaired by Riyadh and Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would formally recognise the State of Palestine in September. His declaration “will breathe new life into a conference that seemed destined to irrelevance,” said Richard Gowan, an analyst at International Crisis Group. “Macron’s announcement changes the game. Other participants will be scrabbling to decide if they should also declare an intent to recognise Palesti...

enter image description here • CM Gulbar says region lacks funds to tackle flood damage • Seven districts affected; Diamer worst hit by daily flash floods • Villagers flee Rajanpur, Bhakkar, Layyah, Muzaffargarh as low-lying districts in Punjab submerged GILGIT / LAHORE / DERA GHAZI KHAN: Gilgit-Balti­stan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan on Saturday appe­aled to the federal government for Rs7 billion in emergency funds to deal with climate-induced disasters that have caused damages exceeding Rs20bn across the region. Speaking at a press conference at the CM House in Gilgit, the chief minister said the GB government lacks the financial capacity to handle the unprecedented disasters. CM Khan was accompanied by GB Home Minister Shams Lone, GB Assembly member Jamil Ahmed, Special Assi­stant on Infor­mation Eman Shah and Special Assistant on GB Disaster Management Auth­ority Muhammad Ali Quaid. He said unprecedented floods had impacted seven districts, with Diamer being the worst...

SWAT/KO­HAT/LAKKI MAR­WAT: Three key militants were killed on Friday evening during an intelligence-based joint operation by Swat police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), while one militant each was killed in separate encounters in Kohat and Karak, officials said on Saturday. According to Swat police, the operation was launched following credible intelligence regarding the presence of high-profile militants in the area. When law enforcement personnel moved in, the suspects opened fire, prompting a retaliatory response. All three militants were killed in the ensuing exchange. Among the deceased was Ajmal alias Waqas, a resident of Malook Abad, wanted in at least nine terrorism-related cases. The second was identified as Matiullah alias Ishaq and Junaid, son of Ibrat Shah from Dabb Sar Martung in Shangla district, wanted in two cases. The third, Rahimullah Rehmani alias Rohullah, son of Amanullah and a resident of Sheray, Nuristan, in Afghanistan, was also wanted in two sepa...

United States President Donald Trump’s superpowers as a public figure have long included the ability to redirect, evade and deny. But the Republican’s well-worn methods of changing the subject when a tough topic stings politically are not working as his White House fends off persistent unrest from his usually loyal base about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associates. Trump has scolded reporters, claimed ignorance and offered distractions in an effort to quash questions about Epstein and the suspicions still swirling around the disgraced financier’s case years after his 2019 death in prison. The demand for answers has only grown. “For a president and an administration that’s very good at controlling a narrative, this is one that’s been harder,” said Republican strategist Erin Maguire, a former Trump campaign spokeswoman. Unlike political crises that dogged Trump’s first term, including two impeachments and a probe into alleged campaign collusion with Russia, the...

• Describes lower courts as ‘most valuable component’ of Pakistan’s judicial system • Emphasises institutional support for judges while expecting district judiciary to uphold diligence, humility, empathy, and discipline • Terms ethical integration of AI in court systems top priority ISLAMABAD: Describing the district judiciary as the most precious jewel in the crown of Pakistan’s judicial system, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on Friday unveiled a road map for safeguarding the judges from external influences by empowering, protecting and providing institutional support to ensure independent discharge of their duties. “It is my dream to see an aggrieved citizen walk confidently into the court of magistrate or a civil court in his own local town instead of being burdened to appr­oach the high court or the Supreme Court for seeking redressal of his grievances,” CJP observed while speaking at a symposium marking the International Day for Judicial Wellbeing under the theme...

PM Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting to review matters related to the Public-Private Partnership Authority.—INP • Calls institutional reform ‘top priority’; 15 technical experts appointed, 47 additional positions to be filled • Approves Skill Impact Bond project to provide funds to educational and skill development institutes ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government is fully committed to implementing the agenda of economic digitisation, rightsizing public institutions, and ensuring merit-based appointments of experts in government departments. The premier expressed this resolve while presiding over a mee­ting to assess progress on the appoi­ntment of technical experts across federal ministries and departments, and to discuss measures for enhancing foreign investment. At the meeting, the Publ­ic-Private Part­nership Authority presented a detailed briefing on current initiatives and future plans aimed at streamlining exp­ert appointments and increasing inve...