News

Correcting West\'s narrative on Pakistan

Pakistan's economy is poised to enter a sustainable growth phase after achieving recent stability. This is evident as renowned global credit rating agencies, including Fitch and Moody's, upgraded Islamabad's credit rating in July and August. These upgrades acknowledge that Pakistan has navigated out of economic and financial dangers, averting a major risk of default on foreign debt repayments betw

Strengthening Pakistan\'s service exports

Pakistan exported approximately $38 billion worth of goods and services in FY24, an increase from around $35 billion in FY23, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. While service exports remained relatively stable, rising from $7.6 billion to $7.8 billion, the export of goods grew by $3 billion. The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, often lauded as the second-largest

PIA buyers seek investment protection

Local prospective buyers of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have demanded protection that is currently available to foreign investors under an Act of parliament and have also sought complete exemption from taxes applicable to air travel, fuel and the lease of aircraft. Privatisation Commission sources told The Express Tribune that some of the shortlisted parties had placed their demands b

Leveraging recent successes to accelerate reforms and growth

The recent decline in Pakistan's inflation rate to 9.6% is a significant achievement, marking the lowest level in three years. This represents a 65% drop compared to August 2023. Hopefully, this should result in several economic benefits, such as enhanced consumer purchasing power, stabilised business costs, and improved government finances. It is time for the State Bank to consider a substanti

Stocks close week in green amid external funding worries

Although the stock market ended the outgoing week with gains due to hopes of an interest rate cut, uncertainty on the external financing front turned investors cautious about the economic outlook. AKD Securities Ltd said the market remained rangebound during the outgoing week as investors waited for key events, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board’s approval and the r