Tue, 21-Oct-2025

ECC allows barter trade with Iran and Afghanistan

ECC

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has allowed barter trade with Iran and Afghanistan and extended subsidies on five essential commodities till March. Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, presided over the meeting of the ECC on Thursday, where the Ministry of Commerce presented a summary for grant of regulatory … Read more

SBP unveils incentive scheme for exchange companies

SBP

KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has introduced a new incentive scheme for the exchange companies with the approval of the federal government. Under the scheme, the exchange companies would be required to surrender 100 per cent of the home remittances mobilised in the interbank market and in return, they will receive Re1 against … Read more

Date to exchange old banknotes extended

Rupee

KARACHI: The federal government has extended the last date to exchange old banknotes of Rs10, 50, 100 and 1,000 till December 31, 2022, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said. The government had decided to extend the date on the recommendations of the SBP to facilitate the public. Previously, the last date to exchange old … Read more

Fed, Punjab govts, State Life sign MoU for universal health coverage

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday oversaw the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the federal, Punjab governments and State Life Insurance for implementation of Universal Health Coverage of Sehat Sahulat Programme in Punjab and Islamabad. In a series of tweets, the premier’s office said that the MoU was signed by National Health … Read more

Gas shortage issue to be taken up with Centre, Punjab minister assures Textile industry

LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Javan Bakht has assured the Textile Mills Association that the problem of gas shortage would be taken up with the federal government and the issue would be brought to a logical conclusion soon. He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of the association at his camp office, … Read more

Roundup: Omicron cases above 60 in India as daily COVID-19 infections fall steadily

Omicron cases

NEW DELHI, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) — Cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been gradually rising in India though the daily number of coronavirus infections has been on the decline in the country over the past few days. On Tuesday, 5,784 new cases were registered across India, the lowest daily tally in 571 days. … Read more

German police stage raids after threats to pro-vaccine politician

German police

BERLIN, Dec 15, 2021 (AFP) – German police and special forces on Wednesday launched an operation in the eastern city of Dresden after death threats were issued against a top politician who backs coronavirus vaccines, authorities said. The security forces in Saxony staged raids following the threats from an anti-vaccine group against state premier Michael Kretschmer. … Read more

Pakistan’s total debt rises 13.5% to Rs40.28 trillion

Pakistan debt

KARACHI: The total debt of the country has increased 13.5 per cent, or Rs4.78 trillion, to Rs40.28 trillion by the end of October 2021, compared with Rs35.5 trillion a year ago. According to the statistics released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday, of the total debt, the federal government’s domestic debt increased … Read more

Federal govt focusing on 14 Sindh districts under uplift plan: PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the federal government is focusing on 14 districts of Sindh under the Sindh Development Plan. Chairing a high-level meeting to review the implementation of Rs444 billion Sindh Development Plan, the prime minister said, the objective is to improve the socioeconomic status of the residents of Sindh. He … Read more

Punjab Energy Department hosts seminar on energy potential in Dubai expo

Punjab Energy Department hosts seminar on energy potential in Dubai expo

LAHORE: The Punjab Energy Department, in collaboration with the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT), hosted a seminar on the energy potential of Punjab at the Pakistan Pavilion Expo 2020 Dubai, a statement said. The seminar presented a groundbreaking achievement for the Energy Department of Punjab, as a memorandum of understanding was signed between … Read more

Indian top court says women’s entry into defence academy cannot be deferred

India

NEW DELHI: India’s top court on Wednesday turned down the federal government’s request to postpone until May next year the entry of women into the National Defence Academy (NDA). “No, it has to be from this session only. We find it difficult to postpone everything by a year. After we have given a hope (to … Read more

Several Airlines starting to ban fabric face masks

Several Airlines starting to ban Fabric face masks

The federal government has prolonged the mask mandate until January 2022, adding a new wrinkle. Wearing a mask is no longer a question on some airlines, but an appropriate face mask. Fabric face masks are apparently prohibited on several airlines. Finnair was the most recent to do so, tweeting its new policy earlier this week. … Read more

Federal government to offer booster shots to people going abroad

Federal Govt

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has devised a system for administering COVID vaccination booster shots to people going abroad. Booster shots will be given to tourists from this month, according to sources. “The service would be provided to travelers in designated vaccination centres in major cities of the country,” they said. The sources also revealed that separate counters … Read more

Pakistan’s economy heading in right direction: Tarin

China's worst performance since 1990: The second-largest economy is losing steam!

KARACHI: The economy of the country is heading in the right direction, a senior official said on Friday. In a meeting with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail at the Governor House, Finance and Revenue Minister Shaukat Tarin said that the international organisations were acknowledging Pakistan’s economic development. Enhancing the exports of the country was the top … Read more

Ogra achieves milestone by issuing licences for LNG pipeline

Ogra

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has achieved a milestone by issuing licences for the construction and operation of a pipeline, being the last leg of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply chain, to Energas Terminal (Pvt) Limited and Tabeer Energy (Pvt) Limited, a statement said on Friday. The licences were issued under … Read more

Govt reduces levy on petrol to zero: official

levy on petrol

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has reduced levy on petrol to zero to lessen the burden of the rising global prices of the commodity on consumers, an official said on Saturday. In a tweet, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said that the government has brought down the sales tax on petrol to … Read more

Eidul Adha 2021 holidays: Fake notification on social media

fake notification

A fake notification is circulating on social media and it’s being constantly shared on WhatsApp groups concerning Eidul Adha holidays. Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat tweeted and shared the image of the notification of the interior ministry and said it is “fake”. Fake ⛔⛔ pic.twitter.com/yzEf6NgJLp — Thinking out of the box (@beyondfiles) July 13, … Read more

Value-added textile exporters slam 300% higher taxes

Value-added textile exporters slam 300% higher taxes

KARACHI: The Pakistan government has put exporters in a difficult position by imposing 300 per cent higher tax on the value-added textile exporters, compared with the local businesses, a statement jointly issued by the value-added textile sector said on Thursday. The value-added textile exporters said this is for the first time that exporters were burdened … Read more

Port Qasim to get three high standard terminals soon

Port-Qasim

KARACHI: The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) intends to establish new state-of-the-art port terminals, including two multipurpose cargo and one integrated container terminal at Port Qasim to augment its capacity to handle the break bulk and general cargo, an official said on Monday. “[The] Port Qasim Authority cargo handling capacity is growing at [a] steady pace … Read more

No exemptions, concessions to seafarers, newspaper employees in salary

employees in salary

KARACHI: The federal government has proposed elimination of exemptions and concessions allowed to allowances and benefits on salary income of seafarers and newspaper employees.

Through the Finance Bill, 2021 a number of amendments have been proposed to the Second Schedule of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 to withdraw exemptions and concessions.

The bill proposed to withdraw exemption on total income of a salary income of Pakistani seafarer, who is working on Pakistan flag vessel for 183 days or more during a tax year; or working on a foreign flag vessel provided that such income is remitted to Pakistan not later than two months of the relevant tax year through the normal banking channels.

It is also proposed to withdraw exemptions on any special allowance or benefit (not being entertainment or conveyance allowance) or other perquisite within the meaning of section 12 especially granted to meet the expenses wholly and necessarily incurred in the performance of the duties of an office or employment of profit.

The finance bill proposed to withdraw tax incentive to any income of a newspaper employee, representing local travelling allowance paid in accordance with the decision of the Third Wage Board for Newspaper Employees constituted under the Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1973, published in Part II of the Gazette of Pakistan, Extraordinary, dated June 28, 1980.

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Govt increases tax rate on profits from bank deposits

Govt Prepares Comprehensive Strategy To Bring More Retailers Into Tax Net

KARACHI: The federal government has increased the income tax rate to 15 percent from the existing 10 percent on the income generated from the profits on bank deposits, sources in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said on Monday. Through the Finance Bill, 2021, a major change has been made by increasing the tax rate … Read more

Government borrowed 16% more from commercial banks in 11 months

State Bank

KARACHI: The government borrowed 16 per cent more from the commercial banks during the first 11 months (July-May) 2020/21, official statistics revealed. The government borrowing from commercial banks increased to Rs2.435 trillion during July-May 2020/21, compared with Rs2.1 trillion in the same period of the last fiscal year, the data released by the State Bank … Read more

Budget that is beneficial for the business is required, urge Pakistani Merchants

Budget that is beneficial for the business is required

Budget that is beneficial for the business is required, urge Merchants. If the federal government wants to meet revenue generation targets for the next fiscal year, the country’s merchants have urged that the federal government make the budget more trade-friendly and streamline the tax collecting system. Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry, President of Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajran, has urged … Read more

Federal Govt. to increase electricity rate by Rs1.72 per unit: sources

power generation

The federal government has on Friday approved to increase the price of electricity by Rs 1.72 per unit.

Federal Cabinet approves summary through circulation told the sources of Cabinet Division.

According to sources, the government has decided to increase the price of electricity in 3 different quarterly adjustments.

Moreover, the government has decided to increase the price of electricity by 82 paisa per unit in the fourth quarter of the financial year 2020.

In the first quarter of the financial year, the government approved to increase the price of electricity by 90 paisa per unit in terms of adjustments, told the sources.

The increase in electricity prices will be implemented from October 2021, sources said.

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier in March 2021, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) had notified 89 paisa per unit increase in the electricity rates.

According to the details, the rates were increased to generate about Rs 6.9 billion additional revenue.

NEPRA held a public hearing on February 25 on the Central Power Purchase Agency’s (CCPA) request for an increase in power.

The CCPA had requested an increase of 92 paisa per unit in electricity rates in the context of January’s monthly fuel charges adjustment. NEPRA then reserved the verdict after completing the hearing.

However,  NEPRA had approved an increase of 89 paisa per unit in the price of electricity. That had only apply to March bills, but not to K-Electric consumers.

It may be recalled that in the hearing held on February 25, NEPRA officials had said that running power plants outside the merit order had imposed an additional burden of Rs 3.90 billion on consumers.

The reason for the increase in the cost of power generation was the unavailability of gas.

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Federal Govt. announces to use all legal options against LHC’s decision

Federal Govt. announces to use all legal options against LHC’s decision

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Sunday announced to use all legal options against the decision of Lahore High Court (LHC) of allowing Opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif to fly abroad for medical treatment. According to the details, while addressing a press conference along with Prime Minister’s Advisor on Interior … Read more

Bilawal Bhutto mocks Federal Government over rising inflation

Bilawal Bhutto

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said that in the current crisis, Sindh has launched Benazir Mazdoor Card under which workers would be able to avail all necessary benefits and facilities such as education, health, marriage grants, financial assistance, scholarships, and pensions. According to the details, in a recent statement, PPP … Read more

Government decides to appoint Asim Ahmed as new Chairman FBR

Asim Ahmed

On Friday, the Federal Government has decided to appoint Asim Ahmed as the new chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). According to the details, sources said that the federal cabinet has given approval for his appointment. Asim Ahmed, who is from the Inland Revenue group, is currently serving as Member Information Technology (IT). … Read more

Govt Directs To Abolish Lifetime Token Tax On 1,000 cc Vehicles

The federal government has directed the excise department to abolish the lifetime token tax on 1,000 cc vehicles. According to the details, the government has issued a directive that one thousand cc vehicles will be brought into the tax net annually. According to sources, recommendations have also been made to increase the tax on 1,000 … Read more