News

Automobile sales surge 112pc in October

Amid a continuous downturn in demand for tractors, the sales of cars, LCVs, pickups and vans clocked in at 13,108 units in October, up by 27 per cent month-on-month (MoM) and 112pc year-on-year (YoY), thus pushing up sales by 50pc during 4MFY25 to 40,693 units. This increase in sales is primarily driven by improved auto financing and a general sense of optimism and stability in the market, Myes

Trade gap with Middle East balloons 20pc

Pakistan’s trade deficit with the Middle East widened 19.16 per cent to $3.706 billion in the first quarter of 2024-25 from $3.110bn owing to the rise in petroleum imports from the region. According to data compiled by the State Bank of Pakistan, the swelling trade gap would be a source of concern for policymakers. In FY24, the imbalance with the Middle East narrowed by 20.47pc to $13.014bn

Govt proposes tax breaks for ‘expensive’ new energy vehicles

The government has started consultations for the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Policy 2025-30, aimed at revolutionising the country’s transportation sector to cut carbon emissions. In this regard, a meeting was held in the Ministry of Industries on Monday, attended by the automakers, and it was highlighted that the policy would focus on promoting local NEV manufacturing, decreasing reliance on fossi

IMF’s Pakistan mission chief meets finance minister Aurangzeb to discuss $7bn loan performance

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Pakistan mission chief Nathan Porter met with Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss the $7 billion loan performance, a statement from the Finance Ministry said. The meeting comes a day after the opening of an unplanned official visit of the IMF to the country, led by Porter. The unscheduled visit of the IMF mission chief c

Iran, Russia link bank card systems to counter sanctions

Iranian bank cards can now be used in Russia, state television reported, as the two countries linked their banking systems in the latest bid to counteract sanctions. Iranian banks have been excluded since 2018 from the SWIFT international financial messaging service, which governs the vast majority of transactions worldwide. The move is part of a raft of sanctions that were re-imposed on Ira