Clarifies that measures for which no specific period has been defined will remain applicable until further notice Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Photo: Radio Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday extended several austerity measures aimed at reducing fuel consumption till June 13 to cope with the ongoing fuel crisis amid the US-Iran conflict. According to a notification…
Stocks flatlined, while the dollar strengthened on Monday as investors fretted that talks between the United States and Iran were at a stalemate, leaving the vital Strait of Hormuz virtually closed, which sent oil prices higher. US President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected Iran’s response to a US proposal for peace talks to end the…
Says despite difficult geographical and regional situation, maximum relief should be provided to the people A meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday. — PID President Asif Ali Zardari directed the use of all possible measures to reduce the impact of inflation on the populace in a…
Gulf crisis is not just another external shock, it is a warning that our economic model is unsustainable Iran renewed attacks on the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, causing oil loading at the port of Fujairah to be at least partly halted after the third attack in four days. FILE IMAGE: PIXABAY KARACHI: The renewed…
Trucks drive past cargo shipping containers at the Evergreen shipping terminal at the Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California on September 13, 2025. The US Supreme Court ruled on February 20 that Donald Trump exceeded his authority in imposing a swath of tariffs that upended global trade, blocking a key tool the president…
SEZs become critical, yet despite years of policy focus, most of these zones have not reached meaningful operational s ISLAMABAD: Why Pakistan’s next economic test lies in turning strategic partnership into industrial performance? Pakistan’s economic engagement with China is among the most stable and strategically significant pillars of its external relations. As the largest trading…
A picture showing $100 bills. SOURCE: REUTERS ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s external sector has once again sounded a loud alarm. The country’s trade deficit surged to $31.988 billion in the first 10 months of FY2026 and $4.074 billion in April 2026, a massive increase of 43.5% month-on-month and 20.28% year-on-year. Pakistan recorded goods imports of $6.553 billion,…
KARACHI: The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication (MoITT) has planned to launch 20,000 online training programmes in artificial intelligence (AI) across the country for fresh graduates, government officials, professionals from various sectors, teachers and freelancers through an advanced learning management system (LMS). The training programmes, spanning six to twelve months, will be introduced under the…
The government has agreed to the need for a mini-budget if revenues fall short of expectations by end-December 2025, according to the IMF. Photo: file ISLAMABAD: Talks between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure approval for next year’s budget before its presentation in the National Assembly are set to begin on Wednesday,…
Container cranes lie non-operational at the Chittagong Port in Chittagong on June 29, 2025, as export and import activities remained suspended due to an ongoing protest by employees of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) over reform issues by Bangladesh’s interim government. Photo: AFP LAHORE: Pakistan must focus on exports, industrial growth and economic reforms…