PAKISTAN’S total foreign exchange reserves rose to $16.04 billion by the end of January 2025 from $13.99bn in June 2024, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). This means that during the first seven months of this fiscal year, $2.05bn has been added to the reserves. However, the $11.42bn held by the SBP is still insufficient to cover three months of import bills. The remaining reserves,
CLIMATE change is a pressing reality for Pakistan, directly impacting millions of lives. Ranked as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change despite contributing just 0.88 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan faces a dire crisis with severe implications. The far-reaching effects of climate change in Pakistan underscore the urgency of the issue. Rising temperatures, er
THE water requirements of Pakistan’s agriculture sector, which consumes nearly 90 per cent of the nation’s water, continue to rise due to multiple factors. The sector is striving to meet the food demand of a growing population by increasing crop yields, improving cropping intensity, and expanding cultivated land by reclaiming barren areas like Cholistan. All of these rely, in varying degrees, on w
The government on Sunday said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was scrutinising the judicial and regulatory system as part of the ongoing $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to address governance and corruption vulnerabilities. A technical mission of the IMF is in town for a week-long examination of six key governance-related sectors and institutions, the Ministry of Finance said in a
Heavy selling swept through the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday as investor confidence took a beating in the face of concerns about foreign debt repayments and potential changes to the European Union (EU) Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) Plus status. In the morning, trading opened on a positive note after a day's closure on account of Kashmir Solidarity Day and with modest buyi