ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is under pressure from the International Monetary Fund to include agriculture income tax in provincial budgets by September 2025 and ditch a federal plan to boost power consumption, local media reported on Thursday.
Economy
NEC greenlights Rs4.22 trln development budget amid IMF pressure
ISLAMABAD: The National Economic Council (NEC) on Wednesday approved a record Rs4.22 trillion national development outlay for the next fiscal year, fueled by a 22% increase in provincial allocations.
Crypto minister Saqib meets US digital assets chief at White House
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Crypto & Blockchain, Bilal Bin Saqib, met Robert “Bo” Hines, Executive Director of US President Donald Trump’s Council on Digital Assets, at the White House on Wednesday to hash out a strategic alignment on digital assets, a government statement said on Wednesday.
ADB approves $800mln program to bolster Pakistan’s fiscal reforms
ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday approved an $800 million program to strengthen fiscal sustainability and enhance public financial management in Pakistan, as the country pushes forward with economic reforms.
PM Sharif announces committee to review KP’s financial share in NFC award
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday his government will setup a committee to review Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s share in the 2010 National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, a move aimed at addressing long-standing financial concerns raised by the province’s leadership.
Pakistan prioritises strategic projects in Rs880bn development budget under IMF curbs
ISLAMABAD: The government will channel Rs880 billion into high-priority development projects in its 2025-26 budget, adhering to financial constraints and austerity measures tied to a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Monday.
Inflation quickens to 3.5pc in May, beats forecast
ISLAMABAD: Inflation climbed to 3.5% in May from a year earlier, outpacing government projections and and casting doubt on the impact of recent monetary easing.
Pakistan to tax cash transactions in bold push for digital economy
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to launch a sweeping initiative in its upcoming budget to discourage cash usage and propel the nation toward a digital economy, targeting the fuel sector as its starting point, Dawn newspaper reported on Monday.
Pakistan’s consumer confidence hits six-year high
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s consumer confidence has surged to its highest level in six years, according to the Ipsos Consumer Confidence Survey for the second quarter of 2025, released on Sunday.
FBR revenue gap nears Rs1 trillion in 11 months as economy falters
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) fell short of its revenue target by nearly Rs1 trillion in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2025, hampered by a faltering economy and plunging imports that gutted domestic sales tax receipts.