ISLAMABAD, March 17: In Pakistan fertilizer sector, for sales the sluggish trend continues, though the analysts believe sector players would pass on the impact of hike in gas prices along with any inflationary pressures which would keep profitability intact. With the Rabi season ending and no major sowing being done, fertilizer offtake continues its sluggish trend. In February 2025, Urea sales recorded a decline of 36 month on month and 22% year on year to 347,000 tons. Company wise analysis reveals that FATIMA urea offtake improved 42/24% YoY/MoM to 69KT in Feb’25, whereas FFC/EFERT recorded a decline of 35/52% YoY to…
Author: Ahmad Mukhtar
ISLAMABAD/London March 17: The establishment of a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” by the United States has sparked both support and concern, with some praising it as a step toward legitimizing the cryptocurrency sector. While others express unease, particularly regarding the handling of bitcoins seized from hacks. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating the reserve, which White House crypto chief David Sacks described as “a digital Fort Knox,” drawing parallels to how gold is stored at the U.S. military base. Just as gold has been held in reserves globally as a safe-haven asset to shield against financial…
ISLAMABAD, March 17: National Highway Authority (NHA) is grappling with severe financial challenges, as its net deficit for the fiscal year 2024-25 has surged past Rs318 billion. This has pushed the authority’s total losses and loans to alarming levels, with the combined figure for both now exceeding Rs1.82 trillion and Rs3.1 trillion, respectively. Meanwhile, its annual revenues are a modest Rs54.15 billion. NHA’s total assets, valued at Rs5.8 trillion, have been on a downward trajectory for the past two years. In FY22, the value stood at Rs5.9 trillion, while it decreased further to Rs5.84 trillion in FY23. Communications Minister Abdul…
ISLAMABAD March 15: Despite a stable monetary policy, the Rupee weakened due to few key factors like historically, volatility has been observed during IMF reviews. Secondly, foreign exchange reserves remain under pressure, though they are stable around $16 billion. Lastly, regional currencies are weakening, with the Indian Rupee briefly touching 87/$. Market Situation: Remittance inflows have surged due to Ramadan and are expected to continue until Eid, improving dollar liquidity and boosting forward premiums. Import pressure has also eased, thanks to lower oil prices and reduced cotton imports. Outlook: Analysts expect the IMF Staff-Level Agreement (SLA) to be finalized by the…
ISLAMABAD, March 15: A comprehensive global study has highlighted the severe and wide-reaching negative impacts of pesticides on biodiversity, contributing significantly to the ongoing biodiversity crisis. The study suggests that pesticides are not only harmful to target pests but also have pervasive negative impacts across all organisms, threatening ecosystem integrity and biodiversity. This is a chief cause of the killing the natural biodiversity in biological circle of all livelihood, from insects to the cattle, animals and humans. The study shows around 800 small and large species are hit by the huge use of pesticides on farm productions. There were 471…
Lahore, March 15: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered government to make sure installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging points at all petrol pumps and fuel stations as part of its campaign against smog. During a case hearing on climate issues and environmental pollution, Justice Shahid Karim conveyed displeasure over the shortage of proper policy steps to limit smog and wasting water. The High Court also stressed on the need to start an motivational package to switch transfer petrol-powered rickshaws to electric ones. The recent developments surrounding electric vehicles (EVs) in Pakistan reflect the government’s growing commitment to sustainable…
ISLAMABAD, March 15: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has taken a significant step to enhance the development of Islamic finance in Pakistan by introducing a concept paper for an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism. This initiative is designed to foster out-of-court settlements through tools like mediation, arbitration, and neutral evaluation, with a focus on ensuring that the dispute resolution process aligns with Shariah principles. Key Highlights of the SECP’s Concept Paper: Purpose and Objective: The primary goal of the concept paper is to propose a specialized ADR mechanism that would be in line with Islamic law (Shariah),…
Islamabad, March 16: Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. is contemplating to implement a set of new visa restrictions and travel bans targeting several countries, primarily based on national security concerns. Pakistan is taken into yellow category with “Visa Sharply Restricted”, from the new US administration. These restrictions were divided into various categories, sometimes associated with color-coding, but the categorization of countries as “red,” “orange,” and “yellow” isn’t a formal, official classification in the context of U.S. travel or visa bans. However, the terms were sometimes used informally or in news reports to describe the severity or nature of…
ISLAMABAD, March 15: The government of Pakistan, along with commercial banks, is reportedly moving toward a potential agreement on a Rs 1.23 trillion loan aimed at resolving the power sector circular debt (CD). This loan will consist of Rs 523 billion in fresh exposure, while the remaining Rs 700 billion will be restructured at a lower interest rate. The deal is seen as a crucial step in addressing the current power sector debt, which stands at around Rs 2.3 trillion. Key Details of the Deal: Loan Structure: Fresh Exposure: Rs 5.23 billion. Restructuring of Existing Loan: Rs 700 billion to…
ISLAMABAD, March 15: The official launch of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) marks a significant milestone in Pakistan’s efforts to regulate and integrate blockchain technology and digital assets into its financial sector. This new council is poised to play a key role in shaping policies, fostering innovation, and ensuring a secure approach to the adoption of cryptocurrencies in the country. Key Leadership and Structure The Finance Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Aurangzeb, will serve as the chair of the PCC, underscoring the government’s commitment to advancing the digital economy. Bilal Bin Saqib, the Chief Advisor to the Finance Minister on the…
