Two important developments took place on the sidelines of the 28th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, late last month. They involved the world's two largest economies and reflected their contrasting approaches to global trade. China advanced its push for trade liberalisation and regional integration, upgrading its free trade agreement with th
Pakistan's debate over foreign direct investment (FDI), reignited by multinational exits and sporadic inflows, has revived an old question: why does one of the world's largest markets still struggle to inspire investor trust? The truth is; Pakistan's problem is not potential; it is predictability. Pakistan is the world's fifth-largest nation, home to over 240 million people – a vast consumer ba
The inflow of overseas workers’ remittances into Pakistan stood at $3.4 billion in October 2025, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data showed on Friday. Remittances increased by nearly 12% year-on-year (YoY), compared to $3.1 billion recorded in the same month last year. On a monthly basis, remittances were up over 7%, compared to $3.2 billion in September. During the first four months of th
In a major development for the country’s pharma sector, the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has authorised the acquisition of Novartis Pharma (Pakistan) Limited (Novartis Pakistan) by International Investment II Limited (IIL), the commission said on Saturday. The approval comes after the CCP completed its phase-I competition assessment under Section 11 of the Competition Act, 2010, and
AKD Group has joined the Arif Habib Corporation Limited (AHCL)-led consortium participating in the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL). Arif Habib Limited disclosed the development in its notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday. “We are pleased to inform you that AKD Group, through its company AKD Group Holdings (Private) Limited, has jo