News

Turkish investor to buy power firm

A Turkish investor announced on Thursday its intention to buy more than 51 per cent shares and control of Tri-Star Power Ltd, a publicly listed electricity producer. Aykut Çalikuu is a diversified investor with core expertise in e-commerce and the sale of locally sourced products in the Gulf countries. Its other areas of interest include clean energy and healthcare. As for Tri-Star Power, th

Naveed for boosting trade with UAE

Comm­erce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar on Thursday stressed the need to exploit the potential for boosting trade volume between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In a meeting with UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, the commerce minister highlighted the huge potential for cooperation between the two countries in the field of renewable energy, agriculture, tex

Rupee falls despite rise in SBP forex reserves

Foreign exchange reserves of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) have increased to $4.3 billion after the inflows of $500 million from China, but the currency market reacted negatively as the dollar appreciated by more than Rs3 in the interbank on Thursday. The SBP reported that its reserves increased by $487m during the week ended on March 3 to $4.301bn. The total liquid foreign reserves held by

Pakistani bikes rev up their way to Afghan market

Afghan businessmen are importing Pakistan-assembled motorcycles in large numbers daily through the Chaman border amid booming demand for the two-wheelers in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Honda CG-125 bikes are unavailable at showrooms in Karachi as the market is facing price hikes and a shortage of motorcycles across the country, including Quetta and other cities of Balochistan. “Customs departmen

Dar blames ‘trust deficit’ with IMF for delayed deal

Finance Minis­ter Ishaq Dar on Thursday blamed a delay in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme on the previous government, whose “failure to meet commitments” created a trust deficit that has continued to bite. However, he said the current government was trying its best to put the economy back on track and complete the IMF programme at any cost. He said the country was “very close” t