We can characterise the FY26 budget as well-intentioned fiscal austerity, but overall, it does little to expand the tax base and isn’t very plausible (4.2 per cent GDP growth with full austerity is an extreme goal). It imposes fiscal responsibility on the provinces and targets a consolidated fiscal deficit of 3.9pc of GDP, which is more ambitious than even the International Monetary Fund. While
While the government may tout improved economic stewardship, for ordinary Pakistanis, life remains extremely difficult. Besides the challenge of making ends meet, basic public services — such as dependable water supply, affordable gas and electricity, and decent job opportunities — are either inadequate or out of reach. The situation has been harsh, and the budget presented last week offers lit
After reaching an unprecedented peak above 126,500 in early trade on Thursday, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) suffered marginal losses as investors opted to take profits at inflated levels towards the end of the session, forcing the benchmark KSE 100 index to close in the red. Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading Arif Habib Ltd, said the market witnessed a dramatic session on Thursday, wit
Sales of cars, sport utility vehicles, pickups and vans clocked in at 14,762 units in May, reflecting a rise of 35 per cent year-on-year and 39pc month-on-month. This takes 11MFY25 sales to 126,226 units, showing a 39pc increase over 90,545 units in the same period last year, Myesha Sohail of Topline Securities said, quoting data released by the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PA
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday repeatedly warned that the government would be compelled to impose a further Rs400 to 500 billion in taxes if parliamentarians failed to approve the sweeping enforcement measures proposed in the 2025-26 budget — as they were already cleared by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “I now request my colleagues in both houses of parliament to get