With the ink still fresh on US President Donald Trump’s latest batch of tariffs, some are already bracing for what may come next in his effort to strong-arm trading partners into doing his bidding. As the epicentre of the financial world and the issuer of the global reserve currency, the United States has several levers that Trump can pull to coerce other countries, from credit cards to the ver
Construction activity remained subdued during the first nine months of the current fiscal year, with local cement sales dropping by 6.6 per cent to 27.46 million tonnes, compared to 29.4m tonnes in the same period last year. However, exports showed a significant improvement, rising by 28pc to 6.53m tonnes from 5.1m tonnes year-on-year, according to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manuf
Only three countries withdrew nearly $1 billion from Pakistan’s treasury bills during the current financial year, with outflows almost matching total inflows. The near-parity between incoming and outgoing investment highlights growing investor caution despite relatively attractive returns. Efforts by the government to attract foreign investment have yielded limited results. Despite offering hig
A US delegation headed by Eric Meyer, the senior official overseeing the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the State Department, will visit Islamabad from April 8-10, 2025, to advance US interests in the critical minerals sector at an investment forum. The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan and strategic partners, is set t
The power supply to all three districts of Makran, including Gwadar, Turbat and Panjgur, was restored on Sunday after 24 hours of blackout. The power breakdown plunged the entire division into complete darkness after power supply from Iran via two 132kV transmission lines was suspended. Pakistan imports electricity from Iran under long-term contracts to meet electricity demand in the coastal