FDI dips 29pc in April

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) plunged by almost 29 per cent year-on-year to $121.6 million in April and 23pc in the first 10 months of the current fiscal year. At a time when Pakistan is facing a default-like situation due to falling foreign exchange reserves posing a serious risk to meeting its external obligations, the inflows (remittances) from overseas Pakistanis also shrank by 13pc during July-April 2022-23. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported on Tuesday that the FDI in April was $121.6m against $170.6m in the same period of last year, a decline of 28.8pc. However, the foreign invement dipped by 23pc to $1,170m in FDI during July-April 2022-23 compared to $1,523m it attracted in the same period of last fiscal year. Financial sector experts see the persistent political instability has shaken up the confidence of foreign investors in Pakistan amid a year-long crisis year which crippled the economy and there is no chance of any improvement any sooner.