By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Thursday raised borrowing costs by 125 basis points to quell Asia’s second-fastest inflation and meet conditions for a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
top-economy
Composite image by Independent Pakistan
Should Pakistan replace SBP with a currency board?
By Ahmer Kureishi
June, the final month of the last fiscal year saw wholesale inflation in Pakistan rise to a historic high of 38.9 percent per annum, giving rise to fears that the flood of consumer price inflation is about to turn into a tsunami. Already at this point, the consumer price index was at 21.32 percent per annum.
Risking Bailout: Cabinet drags feet on phased power tariff hike
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet is yet to give a go-ahead to phasing in a power tariff hike of Rs7.92/unit as committed with the IMF, which might have consequences for the bailout pogramme, it is learnt.
Inflationary Shocks: KE cleared to raise power tariff by Rs9.66/unit
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The country’s power regulator on Monday allowed K-Electric (KE) to ratchet up the tariff for the load-shedding-battered consumers by Rs9.66/unit, a second such increase in a short span of time.
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and Chairman FBR Asim Ahmad addressing news conference in Islamabad Friday, July 1, 2022. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Finance.
FBR gearing to sniff out tax non-filers
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Asim Ahmad told journalists Friday in the presence of Federal Minister for Finance Miftah Ismail that the authorities had started collecting data from National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to help broaden of tax base.
Rs6,125 billion: FBR tops yearly tax target on strong imports, weak rupee
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has surpassed its annual tax collection target by topping up the government’s coffers with Rs6,125 billion in the outgoing fiscal year 2021-22 ending on June 30, 2022, latest numbers showed late on Thursday, mainly because of increase in imports and massive devaluation of the exchange rate.
25 May 2022 Islamabad. Federal Finance Minister Miftah Ismail addressing an important press conference.
Miftah defends high fuel prices, new levy
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance Miftah Ismail on Thursday said the government imposed the petroleum levy in the range of Rs5-10 per liter on petroleum to thaw the frozen IMF funding to avoid failing on international obligations.
IMF places new obstacle course before staff-level deal
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The IMF is yet to disclose the exact size of the renewed loan programme though it did mention in its Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP), handed to Pakistan early on Tuesday, about extending its time frame.
OFFICIAL SEAL: Image courtesy IMF official website
Staff level deal with IMF likely this week
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities are expecting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to share a draft Memorandum of Financial and Economic Policies (MEFP) in the next 24 hours, paving the way for a staff level agreement within this week.
SCREENSHOT: Finance Minister Miftah Ismail's official Twitter profile.
The importance of being Miftah Ismail
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: We suffer budgets annually and mostly survive them but seldom do we get a glimpse of the thought process going into the making of one in real time.