Fitch on Monday kept Pakistan’s highly speculative credit rating of B negative unchanged against hopes for an upgrade and said that Islamabad’s role as a “ceasefire broker” will partly offset external account pressures despite $3.5 billion bilateral debt repayments this month. The rating agency first said that Pakistan has “repaid” $3.5 billion to the United…
PM Shehbaz warns of strict action against hoarders of petroleum products in austerity review meeting The Islamabad administration began enforcing the federal government’s directive to close shopping centres and markets at 8pm from Tuesday as part of a nationwide austerity drive aimed at conserving energy and stabilising the economy. The move followed a decision taken…
Regulatory data shows millions of suspected under-age accounts have been removed since the law came into force The changes amend India’s 2021 IT rules, which have already been a flashpoint between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and global technology companies. PHOTO: PIXABAY Problems enforcing Australia’s teen social media ban reflect social media platforms’ weak deployment…
RAWALPINDI: Residents of Rawalpindi Cantonment areas are facing increasing difficulties in accessing basic civic facilities due to the absence of elected representatives and a caretaker setup. Issues related to water supply, sanitation and damaged roads have intensified. According to a report compiled by The Express Tribune, visits to posh and densely populated areas – including…
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends a press conference in Tehran on January 18, 2026. PHOTO: AFP Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said that Tehran’s leadership “never refused to go to Islamabad” for possible peace talks that Pakistan has offered to host to bring the ongoing US-Israeli war on the Islamic republic to…
Weak enforcement measures against illegal manufacturing, smuggling fuel revenue gap LAHORE: Effective control over tax evasion in the tobacco sector can significantly reduce the revenue deficit and enable the government to better withstand internal and external economic pressures. The evolving situation in the Middle East, coupled with the failure to meet tax targets, is putting…
Petrol pumps will be equipped with digital tools, citizens will be allocated a fixed fuel quota for personal vehicles A worker fills a car’s tank at a fuel station amid concerns about rising fuel prices linked to the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Photo: Reuters (file) ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to implement a digital…
State Bank of Pakistan. Photo: File In a move that defied market expectations, the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) announced a sharp 100 basis point increase in the policy rate, raising it to 11.5%, effective April 28, 2026. The decision, revealed after the MPC meeting held earlier today, caught analysts off…
Discover why the Law and Justice Commission held a conference to raise awareness about climate change Climate change is a ‘hot’ button issue in Pakistan. Both literally and figuratively. Summer 2022’s disastrous floods submerged almost a third of the country under water, affecting 33 million people, and displacing eight million. 2024’s heatwave is currently…
“Abuse of power by police not acceptable,” reads a placard displayed by protesters at a demonstration in Peshawar. PHOTO: EXPRESS PESHAWAR: Scores were left injured on Friday as police and protesters clashed in the Tehkal area of the provincial capital as the latter demonstrated against the excesses of the former. The clashes came even as…