Category: Latest News

Islamabad – May 24, 2025: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on Saturday that discussions with Pakistan on the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26 budget will continue in the coming days, following the conclusion of its latest mission visit. High-level policy talks between Pakistan and the IMF began on May 19 in Islamabad but ended without a conclusive agreement. As a result, the government has postponed its federal budget announcement to June 10. In a statement, IMF Mission Chief Nathan Porter described the talks as “constructive” and said negotiations would continue…

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to comprehensive *power sector reforms, emphasizing that curbing *circular debt and ensuring long-term energy sustainability remain high priorities. Chairing a high-level meeting on *gas supply and consumption, the prime minister was briefed on a *long-term strategy for stabilizing the gas sector. He expressed optimism that ongoing reforms, particularly in the natural gas domain, would play a critical role in gradually reducing and ultimately eliminating the sector’s persistent circular debt. Sharif welcomed the establishment of new exploration blocks aimed at…

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ISLAMABAD: Business sentiment in Pakistan has turned positive, with the Business Confidence Index (BCI) rising 16 percentage points to *+11%, up from *-5%* in the previous wave, according to the latest survey by the *Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI). The *Wave 27 BCI Survey, conducted in **March-April 2025, reflects growing optimism across the country’s key sectors. The *manufacturing sector led the rebound, improving from *-3% to +15%, followed by the **retail/wholesale sector, which climbed from *-18% to +2%*, while the *services sector rose from +2% to +10%.…

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Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik was called on by the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Pakistan, H.E Khazar Farhadov, at the Ministry of Petroleum today. The discussions centered on strengthening bilateral relations particularly in the energy sector and exploring new avenues for economic cooperation. Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan’s steadfast support to Pakistan in recent conflict with India, reaffirming the deep-rooted brotherly ties between the two nations. He underscored that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif greatly values the Azerbaijan’s solidarity with Pakistan. Azerbaijan has always stood behind…

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A high-level delegation from Deloitte Advisory US, led by Richard Longstaff , met with the Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, at the Ministry of Petroleum in Islamabad today. The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration and exploring avenues of cooperation to benefit from the strategic advisory services for Pakistan’s energy sector. The discussions centered on key challenges and opportunities within Pakistan’s oil, gas, minerals and gemstone industries, with an emphasis on enhancing operational efficiency, mitigating risks, and fostering sustainable growth. The Deloitte delegation shared insights on global best practices…

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