Rising gas and electricity tariffs threaten to shutter industries, drive up unemployment, and worsen inflation, lamented distressed industrialists. Speaking to The Express Tribune, President of the Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI), Syed Raza Hussain highlighted the impact of the gas tariff increase on small and medium-sized entrepreneurs already grappling with production
Islamabad has engaged Tehran by committing to complete the first phase of the 80-kilometer Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project within Pakistan’s territory to avoid a looming $18 billion penalty. According to reports, Iran has granted an extension in the deadline of the IP gas pipeline project by 180 days until September 2024. Tehran has granted this extension in a bid to avoid litigation in
Pakistan’s balance of the current account failed to stay in surplus for the second successive month, hitting a six-month high deficit of $269 million in the wake of a month-on-month increase in the import of goods and services in January 2024. Besides, foreign investors – mainly China – aggressively pulled out investments from some power projects running in Pakistan, resulting in an outflow of
DEMOCRACY in Pakistan has yet to yield significant improvements in living standards and provide a stable environment for businesses to thrive. Despite this, the recent elections saw 60.5 million Pakistanis using ballots, more than ever before in the nation’s history. It indicates people’s profound trust in democracy and a belief, perhaps perceived irrational by many observers, that an elected g
TAX evasion significantly impedes human development in Pakistan, hindering the provision of essential public services, addressing socio-economic disparities, and ensuring a sustainable future. Despite efforts to strengthen the tax system, evasion persists, depriving the government of revenue and hindering investment in critical sectors of education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social welfare.