Barring foreign investors, local business leaders have expressed concern over the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) decision to keep the policy interest rate unchanged at 11 per cent, arguing that the move could stifle investment, raise production costs, and delay economic recovery. While foreign investors largely supported the decision, domestic business groups criticised it as overly cautious, p
The Public Accounts Committee of the Balochistan Assembly on Monday uncovered billions of rupees in financial irregularities, including unsurrendered savings and funds improperly held in private bank accounts by government officials, according to a review of recent audit reports. The commitee’s meeting, presided over by Chairman Asghar Ali Tareen, identified what it called serious lapses in f
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Monday imposed a Rs100 million fine on Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) for continuing excessive loadshedding on commercial grounds, violating laws and regulations. Nepra had earlier fined Hesco Rs50m in April 2024 for loadshedding based on aggregate technical and commercial (ATC) losses despite no shortfall in power generatio
The government has decided to establish a centralised customs assessment centre in Islamabad to process Goods Declarations (GDs) from across Pakistan under the faceless assessment framework. The move aims to reduce corruption and ensure fair treatment of genuine importers by replacing the current assessment unit based in Karachi. Member Customs Operations Shakeel Shah announced the plan duri
The federal government on Monday increased the high-speed diesel price by Rs2.78 per litre for the next fortnight. A notification from the Finance Division said the new HSD price was Rs272.77 per litre. Meanwhile, the petrol price was kept unchanged at Rs264.61. Previously, the government had kept the petrol price unchanged, while the price of HSD was reduced by Rs3 per litre. Petrol,