ISLAMABAD: The government opted to hold fuel prices steady for the next two weeks, even as it hiked a key levy on gasoline and diesel, effectively pocketing gains from falling global oil prices rather than passing relief to consumers.
top-economy
Pakistan signs deal with Trump-linked crypto firm to explore stablecoin payments
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has struck a deal with a company tied to the Trump family’s main cryptocurrency venture to study the use of a dollar-pegged stablecoin for cross-border payments, marking one of the first public tie-ups between the platform and a sovereign government.
Fuel prices seen falling for second straight fortnight on crude dip
KARACHI: Pakistan is set to slash fuel prices by as much as 2.2% starting Thursday, offering a measure of relief to consumers and the transport sector amid volatile global oil markets.
Pakistan weighs ‘export emergency’ to cut IMF reliance, targeting 40 percent growth
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is gearing up to declare an export emergency as part of a sweeping push to revamp its economy, with officials aiming to ramp up shipments by 40% over the next four years and nearly triple them by 2035 to break free from reliance on IMF bailouts and foreign aid.
ADB warns $360 million Pakistan highway loan may lapse on bidding delays
ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank has warned Pakistan that a $360 million loan for a key highway project risks going unspent and expiring next year amid persistent delays tied to a contentious bidding process.
IMF applauds PIA sale, urges faster exit from loss-making state firms
KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund has welcomed Pakistan’s successful privatisation of its national airline, calling the December sale of Pakistan International Airlines a milestone in the government’s broader push to shed loss-making state-owned enterprises.
SOEs losses triple to Rs123 billion in FY25 on oil, power strains
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s state-owned enterprises racked up a net loss of Rs122.9 billion in the fiscal year through June 2025, more than tripling the previous year’s deficit, as plunging oil prices hammered revenues and power distributors bled cash, according to the Ministry of Finance.
Remittances rise 16 percent to $3.6 billion in December
KARACHI: Pakistan’s workers’ remittances surged to a monthly high of $3.6 billion in December, providing a vital boost to the country’s foreign-exchange reserves amid efforts to stabilize the economy under an International Monetary Fund bailout.
Direct flights between Bangladesh and Pakistan return after decade-long hiatus
KARACHI: Bangladesh’s national airline will resume direct flights to Pakistan this month after more than a decade, marking a key milestone in the warming of ties between the two South Asian nations following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Pakistan in talks to swap Saudi loans for JF-17 jets, report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are negotiating to convert roughly $2 billion in Saudi loans into a deal for JF-17 fighter jets, according to two Pakistani sources with knowledge of the matter, a move that would further cement military ties between the allies just months after they sealed a mutual defence pact, Reuter reported on Wednesday.