News

Pak-Afghan trade talks begin after year-long hiatus

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday resumed high-level trade and investment talks after a year-long gap to facilitate cargo movement at border stations to maintain unfettered bilateral and transit trade. The last high-level meeting took place between both countries in March 2024, when Commerce Secretary Mohammad Khurrum Agha visited Kabul and met Afghan Acting Minister for Industry and Commerc

Petroleum supply hit as refineries face crisis

The sub-optimal capacity utilisation of oil refineries has started affecting the supply of critical petroleum products, including jet fuel, at important installations. Sources at the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) told Dawn that an important defence organisation had asked the regulator to ensure that its regulated entities, particularly local refineries, honour their commitments to sup

Index loses 755 points on LSM contraction

The continued contraction in big industry output shattered investor confidence, causing the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) to snap its northward journey on Wednesday despite an overnight rating upgrade by Fitch. Ahsan Mehanti of Arif Habib Corporation said the PSX closed sharply lower in the earning season amid a 3.5pc year-on-year contraction in Large-Scale Manufacturing in February and investo

Kicking away the ladder

THE ‘Liberation Day’ import tariffs announced by President Donald Trump on April 2 mark a tectonic shift in the global economic as well as geopolitical order. The ‘Trump tariffs’ are far more than just about re-balancing trade or an effort to contain a geopolitical rival. It is the manifestation of a nativist, anti-globalisation and thinly veiled xenophobic mindset that is unlikely to roll back

Senate panel defers income tax bill

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue has delayed finalising the Income Tax Amendment Bill 2025 and summoned the FBR chairman for the next meeting. The understanding was reached during the committee meeting on Wednesday, chaired by Saleem Mandviwalla, at Parliament House. The session began with the presentation of the committee’s Annual Report covering the period from June 2024 t