Business

Pakistan’s economic outlook is showing signs of stability and improvement as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) praised the country’s recent policy efforts under a major loan program. The IMF noted that financial and external conditions have strengthened, supported by a current account surplus in the first eight months of the …

Aftab Maken In the bustling world of Pakistani telecommunications, a big story was brewing. Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, or PTCL as everyone knew it, had a mobile company under its wing called Ufone. Think of PTCL as a big, older brother and Ufone as the younger sibling, full of energy …

Aftab Maken The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has directed the Power Division to address the concerns of the industrial sector regarding inconsistent power supply. Due to frequent disruptions in grid electricity, many industries are now seriously considering reverting to Captive Power Plants (CPPs), despite their higher operational costs. …

Pakistan’s real estate sector is bracing for a major shift as the federal government considers a sharp increase in the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on property sales. Sources say the government is weighing a proposal to raise the current 15% CGT rate to as high as 40% in the upcoming …

Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: There is a strong possibility that the federal government will maintain the current slabs of tax and duty on vehicles in the upcoming Budget 2025-26. Despite several proposals under consideration, the current import duties on automobiles are likely to stay unchanged, sources familiar with the development told …

Aftab Maken After the announcement of a ceasefire between Pakistan and India, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) experienced a historic surge in trading activity of the opening day of the week. All the previous records of market gains were shattered, signaling renewed investor confidence and economic optimism. According to PSX …

National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance on Friday deliberated on the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) request for expanded powers aimed at addressing significant tax evasion in major sectors. FBR Chairman Rashid Langrial briefed the committee, pointing out that while the FBR holds monitoring authority under sales tax regulations, it …

Aftab Maken Jazz, Pakistan’s largest telecom operator, finds itself at the center of a growing controversy amid accusations of using inflated tariffs and poor services to cover its staggering Rs 50 billion spectrum debt. Despite its bold claims of championing “digital inclusion,” industry insiders and internal records paint a different …

Federal Minister for Finance, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has left for London on an official visit. The visit is aimed at engaging with British authorities, investors, financial institutions, investment banks, business firms, and other organizations. During the visit, the finance minister will also participate in various investment forums and seminars, where …

The country’s trade deficit during the period from July 2024 to April 2025 increased by 8.81%, surpassing the $21.35 billion mark, says an official data released by PBS here on Friday. The data further revealed that the trade deficit also surged in April, by 55.20% on a monthly basis to …