Since April 2026 Pakistan tightened media regulations, requiring foreign journalists to register and obtain no‑objection certificates, while Al Jazeera’s website remains blocked without a published order.
Aug 9, 2026, 5:10 AM
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, a pact that treats an attack on one signatory as an attack on all. The deal was announced on a Friday and is seen as a symbolic move amid the stalemate between the United States and Iran. Dignitaries described the accord as historic and open to friendly nations.
Dawn
Poonch Medical College in Azad Jammu and Kashmir has been closed for two months amid protests at a nearby sit‑in. Deputy Commissioner Syed Mumtaz Kazmi has called on local leaders to ensure the college reopens by Aug. 10 to safeguard the education of roughly 500 students and the registration of a proposed nursing college.
Dawn
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Beneficiaries of Pakistan's Benazir Income Support Programme report that agents often cut between Rs1,500 and Rs2,000 from each stipend. In Hyderabad, deductions could reach Rs88 million in a single disbursement cycle, prompting a new social‑protection wallet to curb the abuses.
Dawn
Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled a complaint by a point‑of‑sale retailer about a blocked BISP ID was not a valid consumer protection case. The Court set aside earlier orders requiring BISP and Bank Alfalah to restore the ID.
Dawn
The Islamabad High Court has asked the federal government and the Federal Board of Revenue to explain a 7% withholding tax increase on goods transport, ruling that the hike may be discriminatory against non‑oil tanker operators.
Dawn
Authorities warn that expanding placer gold mining in Gilgit‑Baltistan is violating environmental laws and jeopardizing the Diamer‑Bhasha Dam, river infrastructure, and local communities.
Dawn
A private company operating Lahore’s Metro Bus will halt services on Aug 11 after failing to resolve fuel cost issues with the Punjab Mass Transit Authority.
Dawn
Goods carriers have parked in Karachi’s Mauripur port, stopping more than 400,000 vehicles and disrupting cargo flow to and from the city’s terminals. The nationwide strike, driven by a new daily fuel price policy and high withholding tax, threatens to halt industry production and jeopardise export commitments. Transporters demand a return to a monthly fuel price system and reduced tax.
Dawn
Spain announced temporary checks on travelers from Italy as tensions rise over migrants arriving from Ceuta.
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Rawalpindi street vendors now trade women's comb-collected hair for up to Rs14,000 per kilogram, feeding a booming Chinese wig market and expanding into global export destinations.
The Express Tribune
The previously delayed Children’s Hospital in Rawalpindi now has a firm deadline of December 31, 2026, with the project’s cost up 50 %.
The Express Tribune
The re‑postmortem of Mir Raza Ali uncovered a gunshot entry wound on his back and an exit wound on his chest, along with fractures and internal bleeding. Family lawyer Jibran Nasir says these findings contradict earlier reports of suicide and accuse police of pressuring the family. The investigation faces renewed scrutiny.
The Express Tribune
Four armed robbers stole over Rs6.5 million in cash from the Edhi Centre in Sohrab Goth on Saturday, triggering a police investigation.
The Express Tribune
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to support ASEAN’s initiatives for regional peace, stability, prosperity and sustainable development, stressing the importance of inclusive dialogue and cooperation.
The Express Tribune
Rana Sanaullah, adviser to Pakistan’s prime minister, said the PML‑N will form a government with a two‑thirds majority in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He added that the party would engage with the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee to address the refugee‑seat dispute.
The Express Tribune
Debris from a recent demolition by Pakistan Railways remains on Dhoke Ratta Road, blocking traffic and raising safety and health concerns.
The Express Tribune
The Islamist party has moved all its planned sit‑ins—originally slated for Sunday in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta— to a single nationwide event on August 16 to coincide with holiday observances.
The Express Tribune
