News

Agriculture: Wheat woes and policy failure

This wheat season has turned out even more punishing for farmers than the last. Buyers are scarce, and market prices have plunged to around Rs2,200-2,300 per maund — far below production costs and nearly half the support price announced for the two crops of 2023 and 2024. Even more concerning, Punjab’s harvest — accounting for nearly 75 per cent of national production — has yet to peak. It’s a bit

Nepra under fire over rigid appeal policy

The Nati­onal Electric Power Regu­latory Authority (Nepra) has come under criticism from within and outside for charging hefty fees to consumers for appeals and reviews of regulatory decisions. This emerged after a strong dissenting note from Nepra Member (Tariff) representing Baloc­histan Mathar Niaz Rana for disallowing on technical grounds a review application from Karachi-based industrial c

China asks US to ‘completely cancel’ reciprocal tariffs

China has called on the United States to “completely cancel” its reciprocal tariffs after Washington said exemptions for consumer electronics and key chipmaking equipment may be short-lived. “We urge the US to … take a big step to correct its mistakes, completely cancel the wrong practice of ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and return to the right path of mutual respect,” a commerce ministry spokesperson s

Trump tariffs could pose ‘$1.4bn risk to Pakistan exports’

The increase in trade tariffs on Pakistani products announced by US President Donald Trump — later suspended temporarily — could have a devastating impact on Pakistan’s important exports and serves as a wake-up call for diversification, according to a state-owned think tank. “A storm may be brewing on Pakistan’s trade horizon,” said the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (Pide), adding

PSX recovers 2,036 points after tariff pause

Despite prevailing volatility triggered by the ongoing tariff war, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) staged a spectacular recovery rally on Thursday as investors indulged in value-buying, propelling the benchmark index above 117,000 intraday. Topline Securities Ltd said the upward trajectory was fuelled by a strong rebound in the US and other international equity markets, with the benchmark KSE