Bank advances sharply declined by Rs1.589 trillion during the January to April period of the current fiscal year, despite a notable reduction in interest rates, while bank investments in government securities have surged significantly over the same period. According to the latest data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), total advances dropped from Rs14.727tr in January to Rs13.138tr by April
THE planned import policy reforms to recalibrate tariffs in line with Pakistan’s industrialisation and export aims signify a major positive shift in the government’s economic and growth strategy. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a roadmap to drastically slash average customs tariffs from 19pc to 9.5pc in the next five years, besides eliminating decades-old distortive tariff protection
Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Sunday that IT exports, including earnings from freelancers and IT companies, reached over $3.5 billion during July-April, with IT services alone accounting for $3.14bn. She said the country is moving “steadily towards the vision of a Digital Pakistan, where technology supports the economy and ensures inclusiv
The overriding objective of President Donald Trump’s ‘liberation day’ tariffs — most of which remain suspended until July while the White House renegotiates trade deals with dozens of countries running trade surpluses with America — is to re-industrialise America and bring blue-collar jobs back by rebuilding its manufacturing base. But that will not be possible for him without severely impairin
The World Bank has affirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan does not permit unilateral suspension — a stance Pakistan has maintained consistently. However, how soon India will consider this affirmation and retract its announcement of holding the treaty ‘in abeyance’ remains unclear. Despite international diplomatic efforts, including Donald Trump’s attempts to mediate a