News

Banks pump Rs1tr into non-bank financial institutions

Banks have pumped a record over Rs1 trillion into non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) to avoid incremental tax in case of failure to take the advance-to-deposit ratio (ADR) at 50 per cent by the end of 2024. The State Bank’s latest report showed that the influx of huge liquidity exceeded the total stock of credits to NBFIs by 130 per cent. NBFIs are financial institutions that provide se

PIA hopes to resume Europe flights soon after regulator lifts ban

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Sunday it expects to resume European routes soon and is eyeing several UK destinations after the EU aviation regulator lifted its bar on the flag carrier. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended PIA’s authorisation to operate in the EU in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Aut

Islamic climate finance — a sustainable solution

Climate change stands as one of the most critical challenges of our era, demanding united efforts and creative solutions. As the world confronts its escalating risks, the urgency to develop innovative and inclusive financial systems has never been greater. Islamic finance, known for its global reach and its focus on supporting the real economy and sustainable initiatives, presents a distinctive

CORPORATE WINDOW: Enhancing financial investment

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s COP 29, dubbed the “Finance COP,” emphasised the critical need for mobilising climate finance to support the transition to a low-carbon economy, adapt to climate changes, and build resilience against future climate shocks. Recognising climate risk as a priority, the international investment community requires robust climate data to foc

Agriculture: Investing in agricultural human capital

Pakistan has the world’s highest number of out-of-school children, exceeding 26 million — one-third of the total child population aged five to 16. The overwhelming majority of these children, who remain completely illiterate and unskilled, belong to rural areas. Consequently, they are likely to end up in the agriculture sector (crops and livestock) as smallholders, farm workers, or labourers in mi