ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for across-the-board cuts in direct taxes in the upcoming federal budget, saying the country must prioritise growth, production, exports and investment over repeated tax increases to support businesses and restore its standing.
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IMF mission kicks off Pakistan bailout review in Karachi with $1.2 billion at stake
KARACHI: An International Monetary Fund staff mission led by Iva Petrova began technical-level discussions with the State Bank of Pakistan in Karachi on Wednesday, opening the third review of the country’s $7 billion Extended Fund Facility and the second review of its $1.1 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility.
Pakistan’s debt interest payments jump 80 percent, but not due to costly borrowing, ministry says
ISLAMABAD: The Finance Ministry rejected reports that the country pays interest rates as high as 8% on external loans, calling such assertions misleading and stressing that the bulk of its public debt comes from concessional financing.
Aurangzeb meets US commerce chief to boost investment in tech, mining
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States have voiced a shared interest in bolstering economic ties, with a focus on trade and investment, following talks between their officials in Washington, the finance ministry said on Saturday.
Pakistan sees 26 percent jump in foreign profit repatriation amid FDI slump
KARACHI: Pakistan’s foreign investors repatriated a record $1.68 billion in profits and dividends in the first seven months of the fiscal year, even as fresh direct investment into the cash-strapped South Asian economy tumbled by more than 40%.
As prices soared, incomes lagged — and poverty deepened across Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s poverty rate climbed to almost 29% in the fiscal year ending in 2025, as a string of crises from the COVID-19 pandemic to high inflation and massive floods took a toll on households, a government report showed on Friday, even as the economy began to show some recovery.
IMF sees economic stability in Pakistan before key review talks
KARACHI: Pakistan’s efforts to overhaul its economy under a $7 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund have delivered tangible gains, stabilising growth and restoring investor confidence after years of turmoil, a senior IMF official said.
Pakistan’s current account flips to surplus in January on remittance boost
KARACHI: Pakistan’s current account swung to a surplus in January as remittances from overseas workers climbed, helping offset a widening trade deficit and offering a brief respite in the South Asian nation’s efforts to stabilise its external finances.
IMF talks with Pakistan on power tariff revamp as inflation risks loom
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund is in talks with Pakistani officials over a proposed revamp of electricity tariffs that could stoke inflation even as it aims to relieve pressure on the nation’s industries, the fund said, stressing that any changes must shield middle- and lower-income households from the brunt of the burden.
Pakistan’s government debt climbs to Rs78.5 trln despite fiscal surplus
KARACHI: Pakistan’s total government debt rose to Rs78.5 trillion by the end of December, up 0.82% from mid-year levels, as the cash-strapped South Asian nation continued to rely heavily on domestic borrowing amid tight external financing, central bank data showed on Wednesday.