The government on Monday decided to keep three federal entities — Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) and Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) — in the public sector by declaring them as “essential state-owned enterprises (SOEs)”. The decision was made at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises pr
The sharp decline in inflation during August has opened the door for a potential interest rate cut of up to 200 basis points, researchers and analysts said after Monday’s release of the latest inflation figures. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures main inflation, dropped to 9.6pc in August from 11.1 per cent in July, creating an opportunity for the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to low
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has received five proposals from international consultants to oversee the 5G spectrum auction in the country, with the process expected to be completed within the ongoing fiscal year. However, industry players have expressed concerns about the timing of the auction, questioning whether it is the right moment to proceed with the 5G rollout. In
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