In a bid to preempt countrywide unrest, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday constituted a high-level committee to hold consultations with traders on budgetary measures aimed at documenting the economy. The multi-stakeholder committee will conduct a 30-day consultation process to develop a consensual and actionable proposal, which will be submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday urged the leading US rating agency — Moody’s — to improve Pakistan’s credit rating and help its return to international capital markets at favourable conditions. Pakistan has been postponing the launch of international bonds since July 2021 due to challenging macroeconomic conditions and resultant poor credit rating and relying mostly on time deposits
The federal government on Tuesday hiked the price of petrol by Rs5.36 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs11.37 for the next fortnight. A press release from the Finance Division said the revised prices were based on recommendations by Ogra and concerned ministries. The new petrol price is Rs272.15 per litre and Rs284.35 for HSD. The press release did not mention any changes
Pakistan’s banking sector has reverted to its traditional model as the advance-to-deposit ratio (ADR) dropped to 38.1pc in June 2025, down from 50pc in December 2024, reflecting a significant slowdown in lending activity. The surge in lending last year was driven by a government policy announced in the FY25 budget, which imposed an incremental tax of up to 15pc on banks that failed to maintain
Talks between the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) and Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain on Tuesday ended without a clear decision on the retail price of sugar, as market rates remain elevated. Sources familiar with the meeting said a final decision on the retail price is expected in the next few days. However, it was emphasised during the meeting that