Category: Featured

ISLAMABAD: Stand on II Chundrigar Road in Karachi, the financial heart of Pakistan, in December 2025, and the mood is almost jubilant. The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has had a banner year, with the benchmark KSE-100 index surging nearly 40%, outperforming most regional markets. Yet, travel a few hundred kilometres north to the industrial hubs of Faisalabad or Gujranwala, and the silence is deafening. It is the silence of idle looms, shuttered factory gates, and industrial estates operating at ghosts of their former capacity. In late 2025, Pakistan presents a…

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan continues to face serious challenges posed by illicit trade and unlawful activities in the tobacco sector. The unchecked movement, storage and use of non-duty-paid un-manufactured tobacco remain a major source of Federal Excise Duty evasion. According to an official statement issued on Saturday, the prime minister has issued categorical directions to curb illicit practices in the tobacco and cigarette sector and ensure strict enforcement of tax laws across the supply chain. In line with these instructions, the FBR implemented a multi-layered enforcement strategy, under which the RTO Peshawar…

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KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday made sizeable liquidity injections through both conventional and Shariah-compliant open market operations (OMOs), providing more than Rs10.48 trillion in short-term funds to indirectly meet the government’s needs. According to the central bank’s Domestic Markets and Monetary Management Department, the SBP accepted a total of Rs10.27 trillion in its conventional reverse repo (injection) operation. The central bank saw significant participation from market players across two tenors, which reflected persistent demand for short-term liquidity in the banking system. In the seven-day tenor, banks…

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LAHORE: Federal Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Saturday said that sustained, meaningful dialogue between the government and the business community is essential for finding workable economic solutions, stressing that engagement limited only to the annual budget cycle cannot address structural problems. Addressing the All Pakistan Chambers Conference hosted by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), he said constructive discussions have recently taken place between the federation and the provinces on the NFC Award, leading to the formation of eight working groups, with progress expected by January 15.…

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LAHORE: Calls are growing for the government to establish dedicated value-addition zones and marble parks to transform Pakistan’s gemstone and marble industry, which remains largely informal despite its significant natural wealth. Industry representatives warn that without modern processing facilities, freight relief, and long-term export-focused reforms, Pakistan will continue to lose billions in potential revenue to regional competitors. The appeal comes at a time when the global gemstone and related products market is expanding rapidly. According to local industry estimates, the global market for precious and semi-precious stones was valued at…

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ISLAMABAD: The circular debt has deteriorated the financial position of oil and gas exploration companies, leaving them unable to invest in exploration activities. Additionally, the companies have been facing cash flow problems as gas is curtailed due to LNG imports that have flooded into the country. The exploration companies have repeatedly raised the issue of circular debt in the gas sector, arguing that it has compromised their financial health and restricted their ability to move ahead on their investment plan. The government has recently awarded 23 offshore licences to oil…

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The Federal Board of Revenue has decided to tighten the noose around private-practice doctors, clinics and private hospitals allegedly involved in tax evasion amounting to billions of rupees. The decision has been taken in light of the latest statistics obtained during FBR’s data analysis, which revealed large-scale alleged tax evasion by doctors across the country. Despite having taxable income, more than 73,000 registered doctors were found to have not filed income tax returns. According to FBR officials, the latest data shows that there are 130,243 registered doctors nationwide. However, during…

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