ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit widened sharply by nearly 46% year-on-year in September 2025, hitting $3.34 billion as imports surged and exports contracted, raising fresh concerns over external sector stability. According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data, imports climbed 14% to $5.85 billion, while exports fell 11.7% to $2.5 billion compared with the same month last year. On a monthly basis, the deficit expanded 16.3% versus August. For the first quarter of FY26 (July–September), the trade gap rose 32.9% to $9.37 billion. Imports during the three months stood at $16.97…
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PESCO Fires Suspended Chief Engineer Over DoB Tampering Allegations
ISLAMABAD: The Board of Directors of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) has dismissed suspended Chief Engineer Tahir Moeen from service after an inquiry found him guilty of tampering with his date of birth records to unlawfully extend his service tenure. According to official documents, Moeen was issued a charge sheet under Rule 6 of the Pakistan WAPDA Employees E&D Rules, 1978, in July 2025. A Special Inquiry Committee was formed in August to investigate the charges, but despite repeated notices, the officer refused to appear before the panel. The committee…
Read MoreKE Refutes Subsidy Claims, Defends Efficiency in Tariff Review Hearing
ISLAMABAD: K-Electric (KE), Pakistan’s only privatised power utility, has rejected claims that it receives operational subsidies, insisting instead that the payments it receives are tariff differential claims under the government’s uniform tariff policy. Appearing before the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) during a hearing on a review motion filed by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), KE’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Aamir Ghaziani argued that the company’s generation cost is actually lower than the national grid if nuclear and hydropower are excluded. He explained that NEPRA determines…
Read MoreIMF Brings Reko Diq Mining Project Under Its Review Amid Bailout Talks
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expanded the scope of its ongoing discussions with Pakistan to include the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq mining project, signaling a rare move by the lender to scrutinize a commercial venture beyond its traditional balance-of-payments oversight. Sources confirmed that the IMF has asked the government to provide a detailed briefing on the project’s latest status. Initially scheduled for this week, the session has now been shifted to next week. The IMF mission, in Islamabad since September 25, is conducting the second review of Pakistan’s $7…
Read MoreAurangzeb Flags Population Growth, Climate Change as Major Threats to Pakistan’s Economy
PESHAWAR: Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb on Thursday identified population growth and climate change as two of the most pressing challenges confronting Pakistan, warning that they directly impact long-term productivity, poverty reduction, and global competitiveness. Speaking at the Pakistan Business Summit—hosted under the patronage of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and co-organised by Nutshell Group and Al Baraka Bank with the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) as strategic partner—the minister stressed the government’s resolve to create an enabling environment for private-sector-led growth. He underlined that the state’s…
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