ISLAMABAD: The large-scale manufacturing sector expanded 2.69 percent year-on-year in September, accelerating from August’s near-stagnant 0.54 percent pace and pointing to a tentative stabilisation in industrial activity after flood disruptions eased, official data showed on Wednesday.
Economy
Foreign inflows jump 33% to $2.293 billion in July-October on IMF backstop
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan received $2.293 billion in total foreign economic assistance, loans plus grants, in the first four months of fiscal 2026, up 33.2% from $1.723 billion a year earlier, as International Monetary Fund disbursements provided crucial early-year support and spared the country a repeat of last year’s anaemic start.
IMF report exposes deep-rooted corruption risks in Pakistan ahead of board’s sign-off on $1.2 billion tranche
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan faces entrenched corruption vulnerabilities stemming from systemic institutional weaknesses, the International Monetary Fund said in a long-delayed diagnostic assessment that makes publication a prerequisite for the fund’s board to approve a $1.2 billion loan disbursement next month.
Karachi port begins standardised bunkering in bid to attract global shipping lines
KARACHI: Pakistan has launched its first standardised bunkering operations at Karachi Port, introducing regulated ship refuelling services that align the country’s main gateway with international maritime safety and environmental standards, Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said on Tuesday.
Trade gap jumps 39 percent as imports surge, exports slide
ISLAMABAD: The trade deficit widened by 39 percent to $12.7 billion in the July-October period of fiscal year 2025-26, as exports fell nearly across the board except for textiles and imports surged, led by a sharp rise in petroleum purchases, official data showed on Tuesday.
CPPA proposes 65-paisa/unit cut in December bills on lower fuel costs
ISLAMABAD: The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has requested a negative fuel cost adjustment of around 65 paise per unit for ex-Wapda distribution companies in December bills, citing a 3.5 percent year-on-year drop in electricity consumption in October and heavy reliance on cheaper domestic fuels.
Dar presses SCO for deeper economic, disaster-response collaboration
ISLAMABAD: Deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, told a high-level gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Tuesday that the eight-member bloc was “well-placed” to strengthen regional humanitarian cooperation in emergencies and should move quickly to modernise its structures, including by adopting English as an official working language.
ECC clears Rs50.9 billion security outlay, opens offshore block to Turkish operator
ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet ECC) on Tuesday approved technical supplementary grants totalling Rs50.94 billion for defence and security projects and cleared a new offshore oil and gas exploration consortium under Turkish operatorship, as the government seeks to bolster national security and revive foreign investment in the energy sector.
Cloudflare outage disrupts websites worldwide before being resolved
KARACHI: Cloudflare, the internet infrastructure company whose network carries roughly 20 percent of global web traffic, said on Tuesday evening that it had resolved a widespread outage that knocked thousands of websites and online services offline for more than two hours and caused cascading disruptions across the internet.
PIA, Biman sign cargo pact using Saudi hubs to ease shipments
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Monday signed an agreement to simplify air cargo movement between the two countries by routing shipments through Saudi Arabia.