ISLAMABAD: Pakistan currently holds sufficient petroleum reserves and faces no immediate threat of supply disruptions, the finance ministry said on Monday, even as escalating tensions between Israel and Iran inject fresh volatility into global oil markets.
Economy
Senate panel rejects FBR’s tax fraud arrest powers
ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee on Sunday shot down a Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) proposal that would have let tax officials arrest suspected fraudsters during investigations without court approval.
Pakistan raises fuel prices as Middle East conflict roils oil markets
ISLAMABAD: The government increased fuel prices sharply on late Sunday, with petrol climbing by Rs4.80 per liter and diesel by Rs7.95 per liter, effective immediately.
India’s bid to downgrade Pakistan at FATF fails, Islamabad retains reporting status
ISLAMABAD: India’s latest attempt to tarnish Pakistan’s financial reputation has fallen flat, as the global money laundering watchdog chose to keep Islamabad under a reporting mechanism rather than relegating it to a more punitive status, despite New Delhi’s concerted push, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday.
Middle East tensions delay Pakistan UN visit, US tariffs talks
ISLAMABAD: Escalating conflict in the Middle East has forced the postponement of two significant Pakistani visits to the United States, disrupting diplomatic and economic plans, Dawn newspaper reported on Sunday.
Lawmakers push back on tax powers in Finance Bill 2025
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Saturday pressed the government to abandon proposed provisions in the Finance Bill 2025 that would empower tax officials to arrest individuals and issue money laundering notices, cautioning that such authority risks misuse and could stifle businesses.
Pakistan targets housing finance boost with foreclosure laws
ISLAMABAD: The government will roll out foreclosure laws to spur bank lending in the housing sector and clamp down on tax evasion to formalise its cash-reliant economy, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Friday.
IFC boosts Reko Diq mine with $400 million loan, total financing hits $700 million
ISLAMABAD: The International Finance Corporation will provide a $400 million subordinated loan for Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper-gold mine, according to an IFC disclosure on Friday, boosting its total financing for the project to $700 million and signaling strong support for the country’s natural resources sector.
SBP seen holding policy rate as Israel-Iran tensions fuel inflation risks
KARACHI: The central bank is expected to keep its policy rate unchanged on Monday as escalating tensions between Israel and Iran stoke fears of rising commodity prices, threatening a resurgence of inflation in the financially strained country
Enforcement or heavier taxes
The latest budget is a reckless bet that the government can muscle through enforcement measures no one believes are feasible. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has staked the country’s fiscal future on a Rs14.1 trillion revenue target, a 19% jump from Rs11.9 trillion, underpinned by a crackdown on tax dodgers and IMF-mandated austerity. The problem? This plan assumes a level of political backbone and economic resilience that Islamabad has rarely shown. It’s less a strategy than a prayer, and the odds are stacked against it.