Business leaders term SBP move ‘anti-growth’

Barring foreign investors, Pakistan’s business community on Monday strongly criticised the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) decision to maintain the policy interest rate at 11 per cent since May, terming the move “anti-growth” and damaging for industrial competitiveness. Trade and industry leaders have been urging the central bank to bring the rate down to single digits to revive industrial activity and boost exports. However, the SBP’s Monetary Policy Committee adopted a cautious stance, citing volatile global commodity prices, trade tensions, and domestic supply chain disruptions as risks to the macroeconomic outlook. M. Abdul Aleem, Chief Executive and Secretary General of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry, supported the SBP’s decision, saying, “Imports are increasing rapidly, whereas exports remain under stress. We did not expect any room for a rate cut at this stage, and maintaining stability is a prudent choice.”