News

Amendments to Petroleum Act irk dealers

Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) Chairman Abdul Sami Khan has expressed serious concerns over the amendment to the Petroleum Act 1934, followed by the rising smuggling of petroleum products and a network of illegal petrol pumps. Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Saturday along with PPDA members, he said one of the main amendments relates to granting u

First power equipment dashboard unveiled to boost industry

The country has unveiled its first Power Equipment Manu­fact­uring Dash­­board, a real-time digital tool to monitor local­­­i­­sation progress, assess vendor capacity and ide­­ntify strategic investment opportunities under the Power Sector Indig­enisation Plan (PSIP). The launch took place during the National Consu­ltative Workshop on the Power Sector Indig­eni­sation Roadmap, organised by the

Sales tax ‘largest’ contributor to inequality, poverty: World Bank

A World Bank stu­dy says the General Sales Tax (GST) has the largest marginal contribution to the national poverty increase, while GST payments account for over 7 per cent of households’ pretax expenditure, which leads to further impoverishment among poor and vulnerable households. The Effects of Taxes and Transfers on Inequality and Poverty in Pakis­tan says the GST has the largest ne­­g­ative

Pakistan, IMF agree on budget blueprint

In a significant development, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistani authorities have reached a preliminary agreement on a comprehensive financial framework, paving the way for continued negotiations on the budget for fiscal year 2025-26. Officials in the finance ministry indicate that discussions are set to advance in the coming days, with the goal of finalising crucial fiscal pol

Govt allocates 2,000MW for Bitcoin mining and AI data centres

In a groundbreaking move to transform Pakistan into a global leader in digital innovation, the government has announced the allocation of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity in the first phase of a national initiative to power Bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data centres. The government recently decided to legalise cryptocurrency to lure international investment in Pakistan. The