ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again rejected a proposal to significantly increase fuel prices, opting instead to keep rates unchanged and protect consumers from the impact of rising global oil prices. Read More: Government releases Rs27bn to keep petrol prices lower In a televised address on Friday, the premier said the government would bear […]
economic policy
Senate surrender Rs265 million to support austerity drive
ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday approved the surrender of Rs265 million to the national exchequer as part of efforts to support the government’s ongoing austerity drive amid economic pressures. Read More: 25 vehicles of PA grounded as part of austerity drive The move follows austerity measures announced earlier this month by Prime Minister […]
Pakistan risks falling behind in the AI driven global economy
Over the past decade, the global economy has undergone a structural shift, with artificial intelligence (AI) emerging as a core industrial infrastructure. While countries like the United States, India, Vietnam, and China invested heavily in AI compute clusters, industrial automation, and digital ecosystems, Pakistan has lagged, focusing predominantly on political disputes and short-term macroeconomic stabilisation. […]
Emerging economies urged to lead global economic decisions
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has urged emerging and developing economies to take a stronger role in global economic governance, reflecting their growing share of global GDP and influence. Moreover, he emphasized that their rising economic contribution must translate into meaningful participation in international policymaking. Speaking at the second edition of […]
US India interim trade agreement reshapes regional economic landscape
ISLAMABAD: Last week’s interim trade agreement between the United States (US) and India marks a significant shift in global trade dynamics, with potential repercussions extending beyond the two countries. Read More: US, India unveil interim trade framework to cut tariffs and deepen ties Under the joint statement issued on February 6, 2026, the United States agreed to reduce […]
Privatisation Commission seeks experts to speed up sell-offs
ISLAMABAD: Following the successful privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the Privatisation Commission has proposed hiring market-based experts to strengthen its institutional capacity and accelerate the government’s privatisation agenda over the next year. Read More: Open bidding for PIA privatisation today The proposal was shared during a briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Privatisation on Friday, […]
Why Pakistan cannot depend on IMF support indefinitely
Pakistan repeated reliance on the International Monetary Fund has reignited debate over the country’s long-term economic direction, with analysts warning that stabilisation programmes alone cannot deliver sustainable growth. While IMF support has helped avert financial crises, critics argue that continued dependence reflects deeper structural and policy failures. Economists note that IMF programmes are designed to […]
China targets balanced trade in 2026 with export, import boost
China plans to expand both exports and imports next year to promote “sustainable” trade, a senior economic official said on Saturday. The announcement comes amid concerns over Beijing’s trillion-dollar trade surplus and global criticism of its export-led growth model. Han Wenxiu, deputy director of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, said China must “adhere […]
Incentive: The Engine of Urban Renewal
#Zohran_Mamdani’s election as New York City’s new mayor marks the boldest socialist experiment the city has seen in a century. His platform—built around rent freezes, tax hikes on high earners, union-mandated public construction, and redistributive property-tax reform—is presented as economic justice. In reality, these are the very levers that once nearly destroyed New York. I […]
Finance Minister Aurangzeb: Pakistan Not Dictated by IMF
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has rejected suggestions that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) dictates Islamabad’s policy decisions, asserting that the government acts solely in the national interest. Speaking at a press conference in Washington, Aurangzeb said Pakistan’s economic stability is tied to national security, adding that unrest or border tensions directly impact the economy. […]