News

No more sugar exports; cane crushing to start from 21st

The Sugar Advisory Board (SAB) has turned down the request for additional exports and warned that the export permits of mills that do not pay farmers’ dues would be revoked. The decision was made during a board meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Industries and Produc­tion Rana Tanveer Hussain. The meeting was attended by Comme­rce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and representatives from the Pakist

Opposition leader flays govt over ‘mini-budget’ plans

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan has said the government plans to introduce a mini-budget due to its failure to meet IMF targets, which the opposition will strongly condemn as the masses endure worsening economic conditions and continuous price hikes. Speaking to the media outside the Peshawar High Court on Thursday, the PTI leader criticised the government’s han

FBR receives 76pc more tax returns

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) received 5.215 million returns for the tax year 2024 until Nov 6, an increase of 76 per cent over the 2.959m received during the same period last year. The FBR received 86,035 returns last week, with pen­alty payments submitted beyond the Oct 31 deadline. The tax payment with returns for tax year 2024 reached Rs132.259 billion until Nov 6, compared to Rs77.

Falling credit profile blamed for foreign banks’ exit

Foreign banks are gradually withdrawing from Pakistan due to the country’s declining credit profile, while local banks, having grown significantly post-privatisation, are outcompeting their foreign counterparts, according to bankers. Speaking at the two-day Future Summit 2024, which concluded on Thursday, Ahmed Khan from Citi Pakistan explained that local banks have expanded since privatisation

Ministries asked to comply with cost-cutting plans

In an effort to expedite the elimination of contingency posts, the Ministry of Finance has instructed all federal ministries, divisions and their subordinate offices to adhere to a federal cabinet directive on cost-cutting. According to sources, only 15-16 of over 40 ministries and divisions have started the process more than two months after the cabinet made a decision in this regard, while ot