Security concerns amid an inordinate delay in the IMF executive board’s approval for the much-awaited first tranche under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility kept the market sentiments depressed, forcing the benchmark index to close the outgoing week on a bearish note. However, a rating upgrade by Moody’s and the Ministry of Finance’s projection of Consumer Price Index-based inflation is like
THE government’s efforts to bring the wholesale and retail sectors into the tax net are intensifying, as officials remain determined to implement the Tajir Dost Scheme (Trader-Friendly Scheme) despite ongoing protests, strikes and resistance from traders. The situation has reached a critical juncture, with the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio still languishing below 8.5 per cent. The wholesale and r
The first unit of the Suki Kinari Hydropower project, one of the many power projects being built by China in Mansehra, was connected to the national grid in the middle of last month, marking yet another milestone in the bilateral economic cooperation under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The project is expected to provide more than one million Pakistani households
Pakistan’s economy has long been in the grips of financial instability, characterised by a rising debt burden and frequent recourse to external financing. The recent statement by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb underscores the urgency of the situation, as he highlighted the anticipated rollover of loans from friendly countries and ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) has recommended the privatisation of power distribution companies (Discos) in a phased manner to analyse the regulatory framework and identify potential obstacles before scaling up the divestment of other companies. This plan should begin with the most financially viable Discos and gradually include others, ensuring that the process is managea