ISLAMABAD: The government moved swiftly to shield flood-ravaged households from August electricity bills, a rare concession that underscores the tension between immediate disaster relief and the fiscal austerity demanded by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund bailout.
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Pakistan invites global crypto exchanges to apply for licenses under new regulator
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is throwing open its doors to the global cryptocurrency industry, inviting major exchanges and virtual asset service providers (VASPs) to apply for licenses in a bid to formalise its burgeoning digital economy.
Pakistan to launch $250 million Panda bond issue by year-end to fund infrastructure
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to issue its first-ever Panda bonds before December 2025, aiming to raise $250 million in yuan-denominated debt to finance critical infrastructure projects, according to media reports.
FM Aurangzeb pledges price stability as floods swamp farmland, stoke food inflation fears
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is scrambling to contain inflation and protect low-income households as devastating floods wreak havoc on its agricultural heartland, threatening to derail a fragile economic recovery.
SBP says banks show resilience amid lending dip
KARACHI: The banking sector expanded assets and bolstered solvency in the first half of 2025 despite a contraction in lending, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said in its Mid-Year Performance Review released on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s govt debt surges 13 percent to Rs77.9 trln in FY24 – central bank
KARACHI: The government debt surged 13% in the fiscal year ended June 30, reaching Rs77.888 trillion, as the nation leaned heavily on domestic and external borrowing to plug a widening budget deficit and cover escalating interest costs, central bank data showed on Tuesday.
Pakistan, China to share trade data electronically to curb under-invoicing
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have agreed to exchange trade documents and data electronically to curb rampant under-invoicing that’s plagued Pakistan’s economy, as the two nations seek to deepen ties in trade, defence and technology amid ongoing regional tensions.
Pakistan, China to form lenders’ consortium for $7 bln ML-1 rail project
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have agreed to establish a consortium of bilateral and multilateral lenders to finance the $7 billion Mainline-1 (ML-1) railway project and have outlined a four-year plan for the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), focusing on agriculture, industry, and security cooperation, a minister said on Monday.
Remittances rise 7 percent to $3.1 billion in August, Gulf inflows key
KARACHI: Pakistan’s workers’ remittances increased 7% year-on-year to $3.1 billion in August 2025, driven by strong inflows from Gulf countries, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Monday.
Floods to cost economy $1.4 bln, hit growth and inflation – report
KARACHI: Pakistan’s 2025 monsoon floods are expected to cause economic losses of about $1.4 billion, or 0.33% of gross domestic product, with agriculture suffering the most damage and threatening to slow growth while pushing up inflation, analysts said.