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Netherland’s envoys pays farewell call on finance minister

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ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP): Ms. Henny de Vries, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on Monday paid a farewell call on Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, at the Finance Division.
The Finance Minister commended Ambassador de Vries for her efforts in furthering and strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations between Pakistan and the Netherlands, said a press release issued here.
He especially acknowledged her contribution to enhancing cooperation across diverse fields, including trade and commerce.
Senator Aurangzeb also appreciated the positive role and contributions of Dutch companies operating in Pakistan, recognizing their efforts in advancing the country’s socio-economic development.
During the meeting, both sides discussed matters of mutual interest.
The Finance Minister briefed the Ambassador on recent economic developments in Pakistan, including improvements in sovereign credit ratings, a strengthened security environment, and enhanced investor confidence — all supported by stability across key sectors.
He outlined the government’s economic vision centered on durable, inclusive, and export-led growth.
He further elaborated on the fiscal policy framework embedded in the recently announced federal budget, highlighting the careful balancing of increased social protection and defence spending with significant reductions in subsidies and debt servicing costs. This prudent approach has limited the overall budgetary expansion to just 1.9 percent this year, a marked contrast to the 9 to 10 percent annual increases seen in previous years.
Ambassador de Vries expressed appreciation for the progress made in achieving macroeconomic stability and welcomed the country’s current direction. She expressed hope that Pakistan would continue its trajectory towards long-term economic growth and prosperity.
The meeting concluded with the Finance Minister extending best wishes to Ambassador de Vries for her future endeavours.

PFA lodges FIR against unit for repackaging used cooking oil

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LAHORE, Jul 28 (APP): An enforcement team of Punjab Food Authority (PFA) lodged an FIR and arrested a suspect in a raid on an illegal oil repackaging unit in Hasan Town here on Monday.
Following the directions of PFA Director General Muhammad Asim Javaid, the food safety team seized 2,000 litres of used cooking oil that was being repackaged for resale without authorisation or a valid food licence. Premises were found in extremely unhygienic conditions with rusty drums, insect infestation and poor storage practices.
The DG said that the action was taken after a tip-off received by the vigilance wing and the repackaged oil was meant for distribution across various markets in Lahore. He added that the consumption of reused and substandard oil can lead to severe health issues including damage to the stomach, liver and intestines. He added that those who play with public health in the name of food are a serious threat to society and such fraudulent practices will not be tolerated. “We are actively dismantling these illegal networks to ensure safe food reaches the public,” he said.
He requested the public to inspect food products before purchase and report violations or suspicious activities to PFA helpline 1223.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar addressing during the launching ceremony of Dr. Furqan Hameed’s book ‘Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: The Tiger of the Islamic World – A Leader of Vision, Resolve & Reform’ held at the National Language Promotion Department.

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Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar addressing during the launching ceremony of Dr. Furqan Hameed’s book 'Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: The Tiger of the Islamic World – A Leader of Vision, Resolve & Reform' held at the National Language Promotion Department.
APP19-280725
ISLAMABAD: July 28 – Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar addressing during the launching ceremony of Dr. Furqan Hameed’s book 'Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: The Tiger of the Islamic World – A Leader of Vision, Resolve & Reform' held at the National Language Promotion Department.

APP20-280725
ISLAMABAD: July 28 – Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar addressing during the launching ceremony of Dr. Furqan Hameed’s book ‘Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: The Tiger of the Islamic World – A Leader of Vision, Resolve & Reform’ held at the National Language Promotion Department. APP/ADZ/MAF/TZD/FHA

FPCCI Advisor Meets Sindh CM to Discuss Date Palm Market Development

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SUKKUR, Jul 28 (APP):Gurdas Wadhwani, Advisor to the President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), on Monday met with Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah to discuss the development and revitalization of Date Palm Market in Sukkur.
During the meeting, Wadhwani highlighted the significance of Chohar Market, which is not only the largest wholesale market for dates in Pakistan but also plays a crucial role in the country’s export industry, contributing over 70% of the nation’s date exports.
Wadhwani presented several proposals to modernize the market, improve its infrastructure and provide basic facilities to make it a world-class trading hub. The proposals included constructing modern facilities, enhancing basic amenities, and upgrading the market’s infrastructure to meet international standards.
The CM acknowledged the importance of Chohar Market and assured Wadhwani of full cooperation in promoting and developing the market. He directed the relevant authorities to review Wadhwani’s proposals and take practical steps to make the market more vibrant and effective at the national and international levels.
The meeting underscored the government’s commitment to supporting key industries and trading centers in Sindh, with a focus on enhancing their competitiveness and contribution to the national economy.

Pakistan’s economy shows signs of recovery, growing resilience in FY 2025.

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ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP): The Federal Minister of Finance and Revenue informed on Monday that Pakistan’s economy has demonstrated clear signs of recovery and growing resilience in the Previous Fiscal Year, 2025.
Pakistan’s economy sustained growth momentum at 2.68%, while inflation fell sharply to 4.5%, supported by a lower policy rate, exchange rate stability, and prudent macroeconomic management, according to “Monthly Economic Update and Outlook, July 2025, issued by the Ministry of Finance and Revenue here.
According to the report, social protection and climate resilience will also remain integral to aligning near-term economic actions with Pakistan’s long-term development goals.
Accordingly, real GDP is expected to grow by 4.2% in FY2026, alongside continued price stabilization.
The current account recorded a surplus of $2.1 billion, marking the first annual surplus in 14 years and the largest in 22 years, reflecting improved external balances, stronger exports and remittances, and rising foreign exchange reserves.
 The fiscal deficit has been contained at 3.1% of GDP for July–May FY2025, showing improved fiscal discipline and resource management, the report said.
These improvements have strengthened market confidence, eased currency pressures, and created space for monetary easing to support growth.
Building on this momentum, FY2026 begins with a renewed focus on sustainable and inclusive growth and Policy priorities include continued fiscal consolidation, enhanced revenue mobilization, modernization of the agriculture and industrial sectors, and improvements in the business climate and human capital development, the report said.
According to the data, the Large-Scale Manufacturing (LSM) sector registered a 7.9 percent month-on-month (MoM) growth while a 2.3 percent year-on-year (YoY) increase in May 2025.
The report revealed that the decline in Perishable food prices is moderating Inflation and CPI averages 4.5% for FY2025, a substantial drop from 23.4% during the same period last year.
The CPI inflation recorded at 3.2 percent YoY in June 2025, compared to 12.6 percent in June 2024. MoM, it increases by 0.2 percent, following a 0.2 percent decrease in May 2025.
A key factor behind this moderation is the significant decline in perishable food prices, which fell by 10.6 percent YoY, easing pressure on the overall food basket.
During Jul-May FY2025, the fiscal deficit reduced significantly to 3.7 percent of GDP from 5.0 percent recorded last year.
Similarly, primary surplus increased to 3.1 percent of GDP (Rs.3,594.6 billion) during Jul-May FY2025 from 1.5 percent (Rs.1,620.5 billion) last year due to contained growth in non-markup spending.
On stability in monetary indicators and Capital market optimism, the report said that during July 1 -June 27, FY2025, Pakistan’s broad money supply (M2) grew by 13.7 percent compared to 15.0 percent growth observed last year.
In which, the Net Foreign Assets (NFA) increased sharply by Rs.1,757 billion, compared to Rs.675.2 billion increase recorded in the corresponding period.
Net Domestic Assets (NDA) rose by Rs.3,164.9 billion, compared to Rs.3,976.8 billion last year.
According to the agriculture sector during July–May FY2025, agricultural credit disbursement rose to Rs 2,300.4 billion, marking a 16.6 percent increase from Rs 1,972.8 billion in the same period last year.
The data report also shown optimism for current FY 2025-26 and said that Pakistan’s economy is expected to sustain its recovery in early FY2026, supported by improved macroeconomic fundamentals and rising investor confidence.
Large-Scale Manufacturing (LSM) is likely to maintain momentum in June 2025, driven by increased private sector credit off take and expanding production activity.
The rebound is expected to boost imports of raw materials and intermediate goods while supporting exports of value-added products.
Strengthening domestic demand, a stable exchange rate, steady global commodity prices, and improved foreign demand are likely to enhance exports, remittances, and imports in July 2025, reinforcing external sector stability. Inflation is projected to remain within 3.5 to 4.5 percent, though risks from recent heavy rains may affect agricultural yields and supply chains, the report said.