ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s large-scale manufacturing sector, a cornerstone of the country’s industrial base, posted a 4.44 percent increase in the first two months of the fiscal year, offering a tentative sign of stabilisation even as monthly production dipped in August.
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Pakistan eyes early-November close to long-delayed PIA privatization
ISLAMABAD: Four local companies have emerged as bidders in the long-awaited privatization of the debt-ridden national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, with the process set to conclude early next month, officials told a Senate committee on Friday amid assurances that the airline’s name, flag and domestic ownership would remain intact.
‘No more extensions’: PM Sharif orders sweeping purge of undocumented Afghans amid border fury
By Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday ordered the accelerated repatriation of Afghan nationals living illegally in the country, declaring that it would grant
Pakistan drone strike kills eight militants as cross-border tensions simmer
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces killed at least eight militants in an intelligence-based operation in a remote area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on Friday, part of a broader campaign that has eliminated more than 100 insurgents in recent days, according to military sources and state media.
Punjab govt moves to outlaw hardline TLP
LAHORE: The provincial Punjab government has formally requested that federal authorities impose a ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, a religious political party, following violent protests that killed several people, including police officers, and injured hundreds more in recent days.
Pakistan, Afghanistan extend fragile ceasefire as Doha talks loom
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to extend a fragile 48-hour ceasefire until the conclusion of high-level talks set to begin in Doha on Saturday, senior officials said on Friday, in an effort to halt a recent surge of border clashes that left dozens dead and heightened longstanding frictions over terrorism and sovereignty.
Pakistan says floods to dent growth as farm damage mounts
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said recent floods that ravaged farmland across the country will likely curb economic growth this fiscal year, as initial assessments point to heavy damage in key agriculture sectors like rice and cotton.
UAE’s IHC buys 83 percent stake in First Women Bank for Rs4.1b in bilateral deal
ISLAMABAD: United Arab Emirates-based International Holding Co. acquired an 82.64% stake in Pakistan’s First Women Bank Ltd. for Rs4.1 billion in a government-to-government deal, marking the South Asian nation’s first bank privatization under a bilateral framework.
Pakistan sees price stability return, growth edge up in FY25: central bank
KARACHI: The central bank said macroeconomic conditions improved in fiscal 2025 as tight monetary policy and fiscal tightening curbed inflation and bolstered stability, though risks from global trade disruptions, geopolitical strains and domestic flooding threaten the outlook.
FM Aurangzeb seeks China backing for BRICS bank membership
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb asked China for support in joining the New Development Bank established by the BRICS group, as the South Asian nation pushes for greater access to multilateral financing amid efforts to stabilise its economy.