Islamabad, April 01: U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he plans to introduce new tariffs later this week, asserting that he will approach the matter with fairness while addressing what he sees as long-standing trade disparities. However, analysts believe because of lower trade volume and lower tech products of export with textile the key portion, the impact on Pakistan seems to be negligible. The impact on region like Asia and Europe could be higher and that indirect impact could lightly affect the Pakistani exports, but negligible in every aspect. Trump, who has exercised his presidential authority extensively since…
Author: Ahmad Mukhtar
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Islamabad, April 01: Pakistan’s investments in Malaysia have expanded to approximately $397 million, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated on Monday. Following a phone conversation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Anwar shared in a Facebook post that he welcomed further investments from Pakistan, particularly in agriculture, petrochemicals, and the biomass sector. He stated that both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. “Our friendship continues to flourish, opening new opportunities for cooperation, especially after my visit to Pakistan last October,” Anwar wrote. The Malaysian prime minister also confirmed that Shehbaz is scheduled to visit Malaysia for the first…
Islamabad, April 01: Rescue teams successfully freed a woman trapped beneath the debris of a collapsed hotel in Myanmar, offering a rare moment of hope amid the devastation caused by a powerful earthquake that has claimed nearly 2,000 lives. Officials confirmed on Monday that search operations in Myanmar and Thailand continue in a desperate race against time to locate more survivors. According to a post by Chinese authorities on Facebook, the woman was rescued from the wreckage of the Great Wall Hotel in Mandalay, a city close to the epicenter of Friday’s 7.7-magnitude quake. The tremor caused widespread destruction across Myanmar…
Islamabad, April 01: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has instructed ministries to take necessary actions on proposals submitted by the business community during recent meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During a session on March 10, 2025, the Prime Minister highlighted the government’s progress in achieving broad-based economic recovery, as reflected in macroeconomic indicators. He emphasized that the benefits of stability were becoming visible and reiterated his commitment to fostering sustainable growth rather than repeating past cycles of economic booms and busts. He assured the participants that he highly values consultation in shaping economic reforms. Economy Poised for Growth The…
Islamabad/Lahore: March 31: Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated across the country with great religious enthusiasm and fervor on Monday. The occasion saw Eid congregations held in open spaces, mosques, and Eidgahs across villages, towns, and cities, where special prayers were offered for the development and prosperity of the nation. In the prayers, were also remembered the liberation of Muslim territories, including Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine. In Islamabad, the main Eid congregation took place at Faisal Mosque, where government dignitaries, foreign diplomats, and the general public gathered to offer their Eid prayers. President Asif Ali Zardari attended the prayer at a…
London/Washington, March 31: Millions of Muslims have observed Eid ul Fitar across the World, especially in USA and Europe after performing prayers together at main city gathering places. Saudi Arabia haa also celebrated Eid ul Fitar by offering huge gathherings across country especillay at two Holy Mosques in Makka Mokkaram and Madina Munawara. Linking their moon sighting with the Saudi Arabia, Muslims worldwide have shown their religious celebrations with the next morning prayer after dawn at large gathering places of their respective towns and metropolitans. Eid al-Fitr, the celebration that marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, was…
ISLAMABAD, March 29: In a groundbreaking development for Pakistan’s automotive sector, Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan (HACPL) has officially commenced exports of completely built-up (CBU) units for the first time. The landmark event took place at the company’s premises and was attended by key industry figures, with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) for Industries and Production, Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan, serving as the chief guest. The ceremony saw the presence of several high-ranking officials, including Mr. Saif Anjum, Secretary of the Ministry of Industries and Production, and Mr. Khuda Baksh Ali, CEO of the Engineering Development Board. Pakistan’s Entry…
Islamabad, March 29: The Sindh government has voiced strong objections to the federal government’s decision to allocate Rs436 billion for a Punjab-centric motorway while neglecting the long-delayed Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway, which had been declared a top priority. The Lahore-Sahiwal-Bahawalnagar motorway project, recently approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), also violates the National Fiscal Pact—a commitment signed by the federal and provincial governments under the $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. This pact mandates that sectors such as higher education, healthcare, social protection, and regional infrastructure be managed at the provincial level. Sindh’s Minister for Local Government,…
Islamabad, March 29: The agricultural income tax will be applicable retrospectively from January 1, 2025, as all provinces have legislated and notified their respective laws. Tax collection will begin from July 1, 2025, with provisions aligning provincial agricultural tax regimes with federal income tax structures. Key Highlights: 🔹 Retrospective Enforcement: Effective date for collection: January 1, 2025 Tax collection begins: July 1, 2025 🔹 Provincial Legislation Timelines: Sindh: Law passed on Feb 3, 2025, assented on Feb 11, 2025 Punjab: Law passed on Nov 14, 2024, assented on Nov 27, 2024 KP: Law passed on Jan 27, 2025, assented on…
ISLAMABAD, March 29: Despite a 10% increase in total public debt, reaching Rs74.103 trillion by December 2024, the government has asserted that debt risks are declining and economic indicators are improving. In its latest Debt Bulletin released on Friday, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) reported that total public debt had risen by Rs6.683 trillion from Rs67.330 trillion in the same period last year. Economic Stability & Debt Sustainability The MoF attributed the improved debt outlook to economic stabilization and fiscal consolidation during the first half of the 2024-25 fiscal year (1HFY25). It highlighted that the public debt stock had grown…
