Category: bussines

LAHORE: The industrial community of Punjab, particularly the value-added textile export sector, has condemned the proposed increase in base tariffs sought by power distribution companies (DISCOs), including Islamabad, Faisalabad and Lahore electricity supplying companies, describing the move as unjustified and disastrous for an already struggling manufacturing base. Industrial associations questioned why the government continues to allow DISCOs to demand further tariff escalation when electricity prices have already risen, and power consumption is visibly declining due to the closure of industrial units. Reacting to the public hearing conducted by the National…

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ISLAMABAD: With the imminent entry of private-sector investors in the gas market, the government will restructure public utilities by ending the fixed asset return formula to run them on a commercial basis. The government has already increased the allocation of gas from 10% to 35% to the private sector from the new gas fields. So far, only two state-owned gas utilities have been functioning, but the entry of private-sector suppliers will spark competition in the gas market. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has conducted hearings to grant licences…

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KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened the week on a strong note as bullish sentiment dominated trading throughout the session. Investor confidence was buoyed by expectations that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board would approve the long-awaited $1 billion disbursement for Pakistan later in the day. The benchmark KSE-100 index touched the day’s peak at 168,755 and the low at 167,386, ultimately settling at 168,303, up 1,218 points, or 0.73%. The rally reflected optimism across key sectors, particularly cement, banking, fertiliser and energy. The anticipated IMF’s approval reduced…

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s lifeline – the Indus Basin Water System – is facing mounting threats from upstream water controls and deep-rooted infrastructure challenges, while over 80% of the population lacks access to safe drinking water, leading to widespread waterborne diseases, according to a new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Asian Water Development Outlook report says Pakistan remains a severely water-stressed country, with per capita water availability standing 35% below the international benchmark due to rapid population growth. The report, which assessed 50 Asian countries, evaluated performance across rural,…

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KARACHI: Gold prices in Pakistan increased on Monday, mirroring gains in the international market as investors awaited the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting. Expectations of an interest rate cut kept the dollar subdued, helping drive bullion demand. Domestically, gold per tola rose by Rs1,600 to Rs443,762, while the 10-gram rate reached Rs380,454, up Rs1,372, according to the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APGJSA). The uptick follows a recent dip, when gold fell to Rs442,162 on Saturday. Internationally, spot gold gained 0.4% to $4,214.41 per ounce, while US gold…

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ISLAMABAD: As the federal IT minister is all set to present the new Cybersecurity Act 2025 for establishing an independent National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), fundamental questions remain unanswered regarding funding, institutional coherence, and the inherent tension between security and telecom companies. The government has stated that new secure digital infrastructure will be built under the World Bank-backed Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP). This strategic choice prompts a key question: why is a World Bank-funded project (DEEP), focused on digital public services, being positioned as the backbone for a national security…

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KARACHI: The global economy is undergoing a seismic technological shift. Robotics, automation, and AI are no longer futuristic ideas, they are now mainstream drivers of productivity, competitiveness, and innovation. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the industries worldwide deployed over 553,000 new industrial robots in 2023, marking a historic peak in automation demand. Meanwhile, global AI investment is projected to exceed $300 billion by 2026, as estimated by the International Data Corporation (IDC). The world is accelerating rapidly, but Pakistan risks being left behind unless decisive and strategic…

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LAHORE: The post-war Bretton Woods system was based on exchange rate stability, where the Official Development Assistance (ODA) was used to provide necessary development finance to the developing countries. The system ran successfully during the 1950s and 1960s, when developing economies achieved high rates of capital accumulation. However, the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in the early 1970s brought a turn in development finance, where private international finance started to take a driving seat. The private turn in international development finance has changed the international financial architecture. Under the…

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ISLAMABAD: Was the launch of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government about a decade ago a blunder? This question arises when we look at the current situation. Pakistan and Qatar have recently reached an understanding to divert 24 LNG cargoes, meant for Pakistan in 2026, to other destinations. The government claims it will save Rs1,000 billion. The same stories had been heard in 2015 when the PML-N struck an LNG import deal with Qatar. It was claimed that the country would save $1 billion…

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KARACHI: “Only Pakistan’s stock market is booming.” This is the line echoing across business circles still recovering from a decade of painful economic stabilisation. And yet, the KSE-100’s rise from the low 40,000s to nearly 170,000 – over 300% return in just a few years – cannot be dismissed as a coincidence or speculation. It is fuelled by a combination of deep liquidity, capital market reforms, resilient corporate profitability, strong dividends, and a valuation base so low that blue chips were trading at 3x price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios. But this naturally…

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