News

Inaugural NFC session put off amid flood threat

The Centre on Thursday postponed the inaugural session of the newly constituted National Finance Commission (NFC) on the request of the Sindh government “due to the impending flood situation”. A notification issued to all official and private members, as well as provincial and federal finance secretaries, said the date and time of the rescheduled meeting would be communicated later. The 11th

Lahore High Court nixes plea against PIA sale

The Lah­ore High Court’s Rawal­pindi bench has dismissed a pro bono petition, challenging the ongoing privatisation of Pakistan Inter­national Airlines Corpor­ation Limited (PIACL), ruling that the Privat­isation Commission has complied with the statutory requirements under the Privatisation Comm­ission Ordinance, 2000. The court ruling paved the way for smooth selling of the national flag carr

Pakistan seeks Asian Development Bank’s support for reforms

Paki­stan on Wednesday sought deeper collaboration and fresh support for policy-based lending from the Asian Development Bank for vast sectors of the economy, from climate to infrastructure to resource mobilisation, thro­ugh global capital instruments, like green bonds and debt-for-nature swaps, under the new 10-year partnership. The wish-list for future direct financial support and collaborati

Tax overhaul, faster privatisation on government agenda

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday unveiled a drastically simplified income tax return form for salaried individuals — reducing the number of required fields from 800 to just 40 — as part of the government’s push for a predictable tax regime and accelerated privatisation under its broader structural reform agenda. Speaking at a conference on “Building a Resilient Public Financial

Public Accounts Committee scrutinises cabinet division over Toshakhana irregularities

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday reviewed audit objections involving the Cabinet Division’s management of the Toshakhana, the state gift repository, highlighting improper amendments to its rules and the disappearance of records dating back before 1997. The committee, chaired by Syed Naveed Qamar, was told by audit officials that the original Toshakhana rules from 1973 had been a