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CORPORATE WINDOW: Patience wearing thin

Pakistanis deserve better. It is imperative for an elected government to strive to enable people to live lives free from want, fear and indignity. Securing the next International Monetary Fund (IMF) tranche and striving for another longer, larger programme is important. However, history unequivocally demonstrates that a government’s success hinges on recognising its citizens as the purpose and

The resolve to reform is needed

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb says his singular agenda is to focus on the implementation of much-needed reforms and to negotiate a new larger deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to pull the economy out of the crisis. “No debates, no waste of time — just a steadfast commitment to implementation,” the former Habib Bank chief told Dawn soon after being sworn in as the federal fin

SBP keeps policy rate unchanged at 22pc for sixth consecutive session

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday chose to maintain the status quo by upholding the key policy rate at 22 per cent for the sixth policy meeting in a row. The decision was the first under the newly elected government. It also comes ahead of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s last review due on March 14 -18 for the $1.1 billion disbursement under the current Stand-By Arrangement (SB

Oil climbs 2pc on tight supplies

Oil prices climbed about two per cent to a four-month high on Monday on lower crude exports from Iraq and Saudi Arabia and signs of stronger demand and economic growth in China and the US. Brent futures rose $1.45, or 1.7pc, to $86.79 a barrel by 1:50pm EDT (1750 GMT), while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $1.54, or 1.9pc, to $82.58. That pushed both benchmarks into technically o

Minister assures sugar industry of resolving issues

ISLAMABAD: Commerce Minister Jam Kamal on Monday met separately with sugar millers and ethanol manufacturers with the former seeking unrestricted molasses exports and the latter requesting that it be converted into a value addition before being shipped out of the country. The meetings held at the commerce ministry aimed at fostering dialogue and finding feasible solutions to the challenges face