Tag Archives: Pakistan economy

The Pakistani government announced on Tuesday its need for Rs32 trillion in loans for the fiscal year 2024-25, relying heavily on rollovers from foreign banks and bilateral lenders. The success of this borrowing plan is contingent on the timely approval of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and continued financial support from China. Key Aspects of the Borrowing Plan The …

REER Index Update: The Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) index appreciated to 101.5 in July 2024, up from 100.1 in June 2024, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Currency Exchange Rates as of 19-Aug-2024: USD/PKR: 1-week: 279.0876 1-month: 281.3104 6-month: 289.9788 1-year: 302.2286 EUR/PKR: 1-week: 308.3095 1-month: 311.1427 6-month: 322.4834 1-year: 338.8322 GBP/PKR: 1-week: 361.9653 1-month: 364.9505 6-month: …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has recently taken a decisive step in Pakistan’s economic planning by delegating the responsibility of developing a “home-grown economic development plan” to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. This move comes after expressing dissatisfaction with the draft prepared by UK economist Stefan Dercon. Formation of Ministerial Committee A notification from the Prime Minister’s Office announced the formation …

Textile and clothing exports from Pakistan contracted by 3.09% in the first month of FY25, reflecting the sector’s struggle to compete with regional rivals amid the implementation of harsh taxation measures. This downturn signals a challenging period ahead for the industry, which is grappling with high energy costs and government policies that have sparked concerns among top textile exporters. Impact …

On Wednesday, Jameel Ahmad, the Governor of Pakistan’s central bank, addressed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance, providing a mixed outlook for the country’s economy. Ahmad projected that inflation might surge in the coming months due to recent budgetary measures, rising energy prices, and ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Despite these challenges, he assured that the foreign …

The grey currency market in Pakistan has reemerged, fueled by a surge in the smuggling of US dollars to neighboring countries. This shadowy market operates outside the official remittance channels, offering exchange rates that are significantly higher than those set by the government. According to Zafar Paracha, General Secretary of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan, the grey market is …

Introduction On Monday, the Pakistani government decided to defer the privatisation of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) due to legal hurdles, contradicting a prior commitment made to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This decision highlights ongoing challenges in Pakistan’s efforts to reform state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and align with international agreements. Legal and Policy Challenges Last month, Pakistan assured the …

Overview of the New Budget Pakistan’s economic outlook is currently marred by fiscal challenges, as detailed in the Lahore School of Economics’ recent report. For the fiscal year 2024-25, the budget has been significantly expanded, with expenditures rising from Rs14.5 trillion to Rs18.9 trillion. This increase is largely driven by the government’s ambitious target to boost tax revenue from Rs9.4 …

On Monday, Fitch Ratings upgraded Pakistan’s long-term foreign currency issuer default rating (IDR) from CCC to CCC+. This upgrade reflects an improvement in Pakistan’s external liquidity and funding conditions, buoyed by recent agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Fitch highlighted the significant progress under the previous IMF arrangement, which helped Pakistan reduce its fiscal deficits and rebuild its foreign …

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced a one percentage point reduction in its key interest rate, bringing it down to 19.5%. This decision was revealed by SBP Governor Jameel Ahmad during a media briefing following the recent monetary policy meeting. Ahmad attributed the rate cut to a gradual decrease in inflation and signs of economic recovery. The monetary …