The foreign ministers of Iran and Pakistan will hold crucial talks here on Monday (today) as part of efforts to repair their ties damaged by tit-for-tat missile strikes a fortnight ago. Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian arrived in Islamabad late on Sunday. As the two countries were reeling from the missile exchanges, killing of 9 Pakistani labourers in Sistan-Blauchistan province of Iran
The rupee’s depreciation is unlikely during the remaining period of the current fiscal year as inflation has left no space for its decline, experts said on Saturday. The exchange rate looks stable since the rupee is valued below Rs280 against the US dollar, though some analysts believe it might end up at Rs310 with the completion of current fiscal year. “The fiscal year started with USD/PKR
Like previous polls, slogans and manifestos of contesting political parties have emerged to bring about a revolution in people’s lives after their win in the February 2024 general elections. However, massive food inflation and unbearable utility bills before the new election compared to previous 2018 polls expose the rosy promises of elected candidates that nothing has been done to bring down c
Digital financial services (DFS) have gained momentum in Pakistan since the Covid pandemic. Mobile app and internet banking have grown phenomenally, and branchless banking accounts have surged to 103.1 million. The State Bank (SBP) has launched Pakistan’s first fully interoperable instant payment gateway — RAAST — and recently introduced a merchant payment module. Thus, the country’s digital fi
The real estate sector holds eminent status in Pakistan. From an investment viewpoint, it has offered lucrative returns primarily due to appreciation in land value, while rental yields remained subdued, mostly below the country’s risk-free rate. On the economic level, the sector is linked to a number of ancillary industries like steel, cement, brick, sanitary, timber, and marble and has a sizable