ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has formally begun negotiations with the United States to tackle newly imposed reciprocal tariffs, with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer launching the process via a conference call on Friday, a senior official said.
Macro
Budget set for June 10 despite Eid holiday overlap
ISLAMABAD: The federal budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 will stick to its June 10 unveiling, shrugging off speculation of a delay tied to the Eidul Azha holidays, a top finance official said on Thursday.
FM Aurangzeb promises bold budget reforms
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Monday the government has planned a “strategic” budget for fiscal year 2025-2026, promising bold steps to reshape an economy battered by import reliance and fiscal instability.
Pakistan plans US firms mining concessions to sidestep looming tariffs
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is offering mining concessions to US companies as it negotiates with Washington to sidestep steep tariffs, Reuters reported on Friday.
Pakistan’s $16.1bn foreign aid relies heavily on $8bn allied rollovers
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan secured $16.08 billion in foreign loans and grants in the first 10 months of fiscal 2024-25, falling short of its $19.2 billion target for the year ending June 30.
Pakistan pushes budget to June 10, IMF to continue talks post-visit
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has postponed the presentation of its 2025-26 federal budget to June 10, a week later than the previously announced June 2, as the government grapples with unresolved fiscal negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, officials said on Friday.
Economy grows 2.4pc in Q3 amid mixed sector performance
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy expanded by 2.4% in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024-25, bolstered by gains in agriculture and services, even as the industrial sector shrank, data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Tuesday.
IMF says Pakistan’s $7bn bailout fully financed with $6bn inflows ahead
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund confirmed Pakistan’s $7 billion bailout program is fully financed, projecting $6 billion in external inflows for the next fiscal year as key allies pledge to roll over debt.
Trade deficit jumps 57pc in April to $3.4bn as exports slump
ISLAMABAD: The trade deficit ballooned 57 percent month-on-month to $3.4 billion in April as exports contracted sharply and imports surged, signaling mounting pressure on the country’s external accounts ahead of critical IMF budget talks.
Current account surplus shrinks 96pc in April as imports surge
KARACHI: The current account posted a slight surplus of $12 million in April 2025, a steep fall from the $1.2 billion recorded in the previous month and a 96 percent decline from the $315 million in the same month last year, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data showed on Friday.