The SBP awarded the first digital retail bank licence to Easypaisa Bank on Tuesday. In a ceremony held at the central bank, Governor Jameel Ahmad awarded the licence to Easypaisa Bank Ltd, formerly Telenor Microfinance Bank Ltd, authorising it to commence commercial operations. The SBP chief expects the bank to promote innovation, enhance financial inclusion, and ensure the availability of acce
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday announced that Pakistan will have a green taxonomy framework by April. Virtually speaking at the first day of the Pakistan Climate Conference, organised by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), the minister said a green taxonomy framework would provide a rulebook for businesses to understand the classification system that
A question is doing the rounds these days about the ownership of research centres belonging to the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) after the federal government’s decision to transfer the organisation’s control to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The board possesses properties spread over 484 kanals in KP, 654 kanals in Punjab and 160 kanals in Balochistan. It has no assets in Sindh. In KP, the PTB has a sprawl
The Senate on Tuesday okayed highly contested changes to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), without allowing any amendments to be moved, amid protests by the opposition and a walkout by journalists from the press gallery. The controversial legislation is all set to become law and, since it has already been passed by the National Assembly, only requires the assent of President Asif
Pakistan will present three high-impact projects worth $580 million in hydropower and communication sectors to secure funding at the fourth international conference on financing for development in Spain in June. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has completed feasibility studies of the three SDG-aligned projects, which include $38.4m for a 10.96MW Mehar hydropower project in Kasur