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The week of May 6 - May 10 marks the first anniversary of the brief military conflict between Pakistan and India.

The conflict was sparked by the April 22 Pahalgam attack on tourists in India-occupied Kashmir, which New Delhi, without evidence, linked to Pakistan.

In a dangerous escalation, New Delhi launched deadly air strikes in Punjab and Azad Kashmir on May 7. Pakistan retaliated by downing five Indian planes in air-to-air combat, later raising the tally to seven.

Following tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, and the launch of Pakistan Army’s Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, both sides agreed to a ceasefire on May 10 after American intervention.

The Pakistan Army named the period of conflict from April 22-May 10 “Marka-i-Haq”.

Throughout the week, Dawn will be sharing daily headlines from the brief conflict when tensions between both countries reached a boiling point.

Here’s a look at Dawn’s front page published on May 8, 2025.

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ISLAMABAD: PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja on Wednesday maintained that the formation of the Punjab Coordination and Monitoring Committee would not be discussed, as the party leadership planned to raise the issue in the upcoming party meeting.

The composition of the aforementioned committee has been a subject of internal rift within the party, with leaders opposing the nomination of Amjad Khan Niazi as the convenor of the body, as he had parted ways with the party in the wake of May 9, 2023, protests.

A senior PTI leader, on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that a number of party leaders believe that the newly formed body was nothing but an attempt to “occupy” the party in Punjab.

His claim referred to the committee’s terms of reference, which include the task of coordinating organisational matters between Punjab’s four regions through engagement with their presidents and general secretaries. PTI’s Punjab chapter comprises four regions — Central, West, North and South — each led by its respective president and secretary.

“However, it has been decided that the matter will be discussed in PTI’s upcoming political committee meeting. Participants will express their views on whether the committee should be abolished,” he added.

Meanwhile, talking to Dawn, Raja said the matter was going nowhere and would not be discussed in the political committee meeting.

Earlier this week, Raja constituted a five-member body under the convenership of Niazi to “coordinate organisational matters between the four regions of Punjab through engagement with the presidents and general secretaries of those regions”.

PTI leaders Naeem Haider Panjotha, Shaukat Mahmood Basra, Ali Ijaz Buttar and Mehr Abdul Sattar were also named as members.

Raja had also affirmed that his decision regarding the composition of the committee, saying that no existing member would be excluded and no new name would be added to the body.

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Ted Turner, the flamboyant US entrepreneur who transformed television news with the creation of CNN in 1980, died at the age of 87, the network said on Wednesday.

The moustached southerner, yachting enthusiast and philanthropist, whose empire also included sports clubs, had been suffering from the degenerative disease Lewy Body Dementia.

Cable News Network upended established broadcasting with its dedication to around-the-clock breaking news and shot to global recognition with its coverage of the Gulf War in 1990-91.

The 24-hour network was the first in the United States to run non-stop news and quickly built a worldwide footprint.

Correspondents brought live coverage from major events ranging from the collapse of the Soviet Union to the Chinese crackdown on the Tiananmen Square protests.

CNN’s decision to keep reporters in Baghdad amid US bombing on the Iraqi capital cemented the network’s reputation as an indispensable source of breaking news.

“Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognise him and his impact on our lives and the world,” Mark Thompson, chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, said in a statement.

“He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN.”

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in November 1938, Robert Edward “Ted” Turner III went to a military boarding school in Tennessee and then attended Brown University but was expelled before graduating.

Turner took over a faltering family advertising business after his father, despondent over financial problems, died by suicide.

After buying several radio stations, Turner’s purchase of a struggling Atlanta station in 1970 was his first move into television.

Ten years later, that became the flagship of his nationwide Turner Broadcasting System, the profits from which he parlayed into the launch of CNN.

CNN’s success inspired the creation of other 24-hour news channels, including Fox News by longtime Turner rival Rupert Murdoch, MSNBC and countless networks worldwide.

Turner’s television empire expanded beyond CNN and included TBS and TNT channels for sports and entertainment, Turner Classic Movies and Cartoon Network, among others.

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A YEAR since India launched unprovoked attacks against Pakistan using the Pahalgam tragedy as an excuse, and this country defended itself with full vigour, the stalemate in South Asia continues.

The principal reason for this remains India’s obduracy and its unwillingness for a peaceful settlement with Pakistan. As conflict engulfs the rest of the region, New Delhi should be thinking of ways to bring down the temperature bilaterally. But unfortunately, the Indian leadership remains wedded to bellicosity, with senior figures in the BJP-led government continuing to threaten Pakistan.

Last May’s brief Pakistan-India war brought several truths to the fore, and offered lessons for those willing to learn. For one, Pakistan retained the moral high ground by only hitting military targets in India. New Delhi’s forces, on the other hand, had no compunctions about hitting mosques, madressahs and civilian water projects in Pakistan.

Moreover, Pakistan’s armed forces, particularly the PAF, replied to the call of duty ably, repelling the aggression with skill. In fact, the PAF’s combat performance was lauded by military experts globally. The Pakistan military used technology adeptly, and capabilities in the cyber realm were deployed with precision. Political differences were largely put aside when it came to the country’s defence, while the people showed exemplary solidarity.

And though war is a serious business, there were indeed ‘light’ moments, as large sections of the Indian media outdid themselves in ‘breaking’ the most preposterous fake news stories. These ludicrous ‘scoops’ included the startling ‘news’ that India had ‘destroyed’ Karachi port, and that Lahore had ‘fallen’ to enemy troops. The tragicomic antics of a number of news outlets in India have provided meme material for generations to come.

While Pakistan has proved itself on the battlefield, a situation of constant tension in South Asia suits no one. Yet sadly, the war hawks in India are unwilling to turn the page and make peace. Pakistan still faces considerable challenges to its legitimate water rights with India’s unilateral ‘suspension’ of the Indus Waters Treaty, while continuous threats from New Delhi create a toxic atmosphere in the region.

It should be remembered that India’s narrative of alleged cross-border militancy originating from Pakistan has not found many takers in the international community. Even some of India’s close foreign allies, while expressing sympathy for the lives lost in Pahalgam, refused to blame Pakistan for the atrocity, without any solid proof. Rationality demands that both states come to the table and discuss their grievances, and their solutions in a mature manner.

But when Indian politicians and generals say that the so-called Operation Sindoor has only been ‘paused’, the chances of peace seem remote. It is hoped that saner minds in New Delhi reconsider these pugnacious stances, and take up Pakistan’s offer of dialogue.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2026

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Players would ​boycott the French Open if their prize money at the claycourt Grand Slam is not increased, women’s world number ‌one Aryna Sabalenka said on Tuesday, with Coco Gauff also voicing support for the drastic step.

The threat deepens a dispute between players and Roland Garros organisers over prize money distribution, even though this year’s tournament offers a 9.5 per cent increase to 61.7 million euros ($72.19 million).

Several top players released a statement on Monday saying they were set to receive prize money ​that would likely still be less than 15pc of tournament revenue, well short of the 22pc they demanded to match the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) ​and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) combined 1000 events.

When asked how far players might push their demands, Sabalenka told reporters at the ⁠Italian Open: “I think at some point we will boycott it (the tournament), yeah. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to ​fight for our rights.

“Let’s see how far we can get, if it’s going to take players for boycott… Some of the things, I feel ​like it’s really unfair to the players. I think at some point it’s going to get to this.”

However, the world number one struck a hopeful note about ongoing negotiations.

“I just really hope that all of the negotiation that we are having, we at some point are going to get to the right decision, to the ​conclusion that everyone will be happy with,” she added.

Reuters has contacted the French Tennis Federation for comment.

The prize money boost of 5.4 million euros ​compared to 2025 still leaves Roland Garros trailing its Grand Slam rivals.

The US Open offered $90 million last year, while Wimbledon paid out 53.5 million pounds ($72.51 million) ‌and the ⁠Australian Open a record Australian $111.5 million ($80.06 million) this year.

Gauff says players must form union

World number four Gauff said she could “100pc see” players boycotting a Grand Slam if they took the decision together as one.

“It’s not about me. It’s about the future of our sport and also the current players who aren’t getting as much benefits, maybe, as even some of the top players are getting when it comes to sponsorship and things ​like that,” Gauff said.

“We’re making money ​off court. When you look at ⁠the (players ranked) 50 to 100, 50 to 200, how much money each Slam makes, it’s kind of unfortunate where the 200 best tennis players are living paycheck to paycheck.”

Gauff also suggested the players must form a ​union, highlighting how the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) basketball players’ union reached a tentative agreement on a collective bargaining deal earlier ​this year after ⁠nearly 17 months of negotiations.

“Just taking what the WNBA accomplished. They also have a union, so I think that helps,” she added.

“From the things I’ve seen with other sports, usually to make massive progress and things like this, it takes a union.”

Sabalenka said the players deserved more prize money.

“When you see ⁠the number ​and you see the amount the players are receiving… I feel like the show ​is on us. I feel like without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment,” Sabalenka added.

“I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more ​percentage. What can I say?”

($1 = 0.8547 euros)($1 = 1.3928 Australian dollars)($1 = 0.7378 pounds)

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LAHORE: A woman and her three children were murdered in their house in Multan, police said on Tuesday, adding that the crime scene was staged as a suicide.

City Police Officer (CPO) Multan Sadiq Ali Dogar confirmed to the media that the woman and her children were murdered, and it was staged as a suicide.

“Certainly, this is not a suicide; this leans more towards murder,” he said. “It was a staged suicide.”

The CPO added that evidence was still being collected and that all aspects of the case are under investigation.

Initially, Rescue 1122 and police received a call on their helplines reporting that a woman had allegedly hanged herself along with her children in an informal settlement near Mumtazabad Phatak in Multan.

However, investigators expressed doubts about the nature of the deaths.

A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that initial findings suggested that the case appeared to be a suspected homicide staged as suicide.

He added that evidence collected from the scene indicated that the victims might have been strangled with a rope before being hanged to mislead investigators.

“The condition of the bodies and the crime scene do not support a straightforward suicide. It seems the children were killed first and then hanged from a ceiling fan, while the scene was arranged to create an impression of suicide,” the officer said.

Police further added that there were no clear signs indicating that the woman had taken her own life.

The situation was complicated by the fact that the bodies had been taken down before police and Rescue 1122 reached the scene, raising concerns of possible evidence tampering.

The officer said that an initial investigation revealed that a domestic dispute had taken place earlier in the day, and the woman had reportedly informed her parents about it. The incident occurred before they could arrive.

They added that post-mortem examinations would determine the exact cause and time of death.

Police said the victims were identified as children aged six, four and three, and that the woman was also pregnant.

Meanwhile, police took the deceased’s husband and his brother into custody for investigation.

On Saturday, a woman, her two minor sons and a man were found dead, while the woman’s two daughters were injured under mysterious circumstances in a flat at Safanwala Chowk in Mozang.

According to police and Edhi, Ayesha, 42, her 10-year-old son Muneeb and 14-year-old son Safeer were found shot dead, while her two daughters, 11-year-old Manahil and 19-year-old Samra, were injured in the flat. A property dealer, Shahid Jatt, was also found shot dead in the flat.

Police shifted the injured girls to the Mayo Hospital for treatment and bodies to the morgue for an autopsy. A case was registered on the complaint of their heirs.

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WASHINGTON: Public opinion within parts of the American-Jewish community on the US-led war against Iran has shown a noticeable shift, with support easing and opposition rising over time, according to a recent survey.

While different polls focus on different segments of the community, both point to growing reservations about the campaign as it has progressed.

The Jewish People Policy Institute’s “Voice of the Jewish People Index” survey, which tracks attitudes among a more connected segment of American Jews engaged with organised communal life, records a steady decline in support over the course of the conflict.

Backing fell from 68 per cent in the war’s first week to 62pc in the third week, and further to 60pc in the week following the ceasefire, while opposition rose from 26pc to 34pc over the same period, the survey shows.

A separate nationwide survey conducted by GBAO Strategies for the advocacy group J Street, which reflects a broader sample of American Jewish voters, suggests that scepticism is even more widespread, finding that about 60 per cent opposed the war in March.

A breakdown of respondents in the “Voice of the Jewish People Index” survey by ideological orientation points to strong political polarisation in perceptions of the campaign.

Among self-identified “strong liberals,” opposition to the move was overwhelming, with 71pc against it. The “leaning liberal” group appeared the most divided and uncertain, with opinion almost evenly split between support and opposition (42pc and 44pc respectively), while a relatively high 15pc remained undecided or expressed no clear view.

In contrast, there is near-total support for the decision among conservative respondents, with approval reaching 96pc among “strong conservatives” and 94pc among “leaning conservatives.”

Centrist respondents also showed substantial backing, with 83pc expressing support for the war.

In the first week after the ceasefire came into effect, broad support for the war remained high among Jewish respondents in Canada (81pc) and the United Kingdom (75pc), while opposition stayed relatively limited, ranging between roughly one-sixth and one-quarter.

Alongside the gradual decline in support for the Iran war, there was also a noticeable shift in how respondents perceived the mood within their own social circles.

At the outset of the war, a majority (53pc) believed that most of their Jewish acquaintances supported the campaign. This perception fell to 43pc within a month. Over the same period, the share reporting that opposition was present within their social environment increased from 20pc to 28pc.

A breakdown by ideological orientation highlights sharp differences in how respondents perceive their social environments. At the liberal end of the spectrum, a majority (56pc) report that opposition to the war is more common within their social circles, compared with 21pc who say they observe support.

This pattern reverses moving rightward: among centrists and conservative respondents, perceived support within social environments rises to between 59pc and 63pc, while reported opposition falls to 14pc or lower.

Notably, a relatively high share of respondents selected “don’t know,” suggesting possible reluctance or avoidance in discussing the issue within social settings.

In parallel, assessments among US respondents show a clear decline in perceived success of the war compared with the previous month. The share describing the campaign as a “major success” fell from 24pc to 14pc, while those viewing it as a “failure” doubled from 14pc to 25pc.

Overall, the proportion who regarded the war as successful (combining “major” and “somewhat successful”) declined from 66pc in March to 56pc in April, while negative assessments rose from 26pc to 40pc.

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