News

ECC bans baggage car imports, approves circular debt management plan

The government on Tuesday banned the import of used cars under the baggage scheme and tightened restrictions for the other two schemes, including a minimum three-year stay abroad, restricting competition for foreign firms in breach of commitments made to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, which tightened the conditions for car imports,

Nepra approves flat Rs22.98 rate for industrial, agricultural electricity consumers

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) approved on Tuesday the government announced reduction in electricity charges for the industrial and agricultural sectors “to ease the cost of doing business and support economic growth”. In October 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that industries and the agricultural sector would be provided additional electricity at subsidi

Mobile phones can no longer be treated as luxury goods

Mobile phones could no longer be treated as luxury goods, nor considered comparable to high-value imported items such as luxury vehicles, the Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue chairman Syed Naveed Qamar said on Tuesday. Qamar passed these remarks in the committee’s 21st meeting at the Parliament House, Islamabad. The lawmaker expressed deep concern over what he described as the “unre

NayaPay launches QR payments in collaboration with Alipay+

NayaPay, one of Pakistan’s fastest growing fintech platforms, has launched global QR payments in collaboration with Alipay+, Ant International’s global wallet gateway. The partnership enables millions of NayaPay users to scan-and-pay at Alipay+ merchants initially across more than 50 countries, connecting Pakistani consumers to an extensive global ecosystem spanning retail, dining, transport, h

Microsoft unveils USD23bn in new AI investments with big focus on India

Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled USD23 billion in new artificial intelligence investments, with the bulk earmarked for India as the US tech giant deepens its bet on one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets. CEO Satya Nadella said Microsoft would spend USD17.5 billion in India in its largest investment in Asia, building on a USD3 billion commitment announced earlier this year. The four-ye