Business

Govt to only finance important projects for provinces: SIFC

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

PSDP listed projects to be presented before CCER for review.
Finance minister to chair CCER meeting upon return from Morocco.
“Exercise to abandon provincial projects underway,” top official says.

ISLAMABAD: The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has decided to only finance extremely important development projects in the provinces with 50% of funds allocated by the federal government and provinces each, The News reported.

The Planning Ministry has, meanwhile, identified all the Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDP) listed projects to be presented before the Cabinet Committee on Economic Revival (CCER) with its aims to scrap all such schemes and save Rs314 billion under the austerity drive.

Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar, following her return from Morocco where she is attending the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), will be chairing the CCER meeting.

“The exercise to abandon the provincial nature projects from PSDP list is underway,” a top government official said on Thursday.

It was decided in the last SIFC’s Apex Committee meeting that development projects of provincial nature would only be executed in the future through the cost-sharing of 50%:50% of funds borne by both the Centre and provinces. “If the provincial government does not bear 50% cost on an equal basis, the Centre will not provide its share of funding,” another top official source confirmed while talking to The News.

One senior official said the decision had already been taken up by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). The SIFC’s Executive Committee is scheduled to meet early next week to undertake all spadework for tabling it before the apex committee under the chairmanship of Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar in the coming weeks.

So far, the SIFC has remained unable to finalise much-awaited multi-billion dollar transactions for attracting investments but it is making all-out efforts to lure foreign investors in areas of mining, IT, agriculture, and others.

One of the future SIFC agendas for considering mechanisms for corporate farming lies on the table. Although some initial work was done during the tenure of late Gen (retd) Musharraf, still there is a need to undertake its basic framework in a detailed manner before striking pacts with international investors. However, it is critical to hire technical experts for drafting international agreements and steering the negotiations against the backdrop of several past agreements ending up in disputes due to a lack of technical capacity.

Meanwhile, different ministries/divisions have been directed to undertake steps under the austerity plans to ensure savings. The Ministry of Finance instructed all its wings and attached departments to review all the foreign visits and banned all those deemed necessary next week.

Business

With its second-largest surge ever, PSX approaches 114,000 points.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Driven by renewed activity from both private and government financial institutions, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) saw its second-largest rally in history on Monday.

The market regained many important levels in a single trading session as it rose with previously unheard-of momentum.

Intraday trading saw a top increase of 4,676 points, and the PSX’s benchmark KSE-100 Index gained 4,411 points to settle at 113,924 points. This impressive rebound demonstrated significant investor confidence by reestablishing the 100,000, 111,000, 112,000, and 113,000-point levels.

The market also saw the 114,000-point limit reestablished during the trading session.

The positive tendency was reflected when the market’s heavyweight shares touched its upper circuits. Among the most busiest trading sessions in recent memory, an astounding 85.78 billion shares worth a total of Rs55 billion were exchanged.

Experts credited the spike to heightened institutional investor activity and hope for macroeconomic recovery. Considered a major market recovery, the rally demonstrated the market’s tenacity and development potential.

Business

In interbank trade, the Pakistani rupee beats the US dollar.

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

In the international exchange market, the US dollar has continued to weaken in relation to the Pakistani rupee.

The dollar fell to Rs278.10 from Rs278.17 at the beginning of interbank trading, according to currency dealers, a seven paisa loss.

In the meantime, there was a lot of turbulence in the stock market, but it recovered and moved into the positive zone. The KSE-100 index recovered momentum and reached 116,000 points after soaring 1,300 points.

Both currency and stock market swings, according to analysts, are a reflection of ongoing market adjustments and economic uncertainty.

Business

Phase II of CPEC: China-Pakistan Partnership Enters a New Era

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

The cornerstone of economic cooperation between the two brothers and all-weather friends is still the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the initiative’s flagship project.

In contrast to reports of a slowdown, recent events indicate a renewed vigour and strategic emphasis on pushing the second phase of CPEC, known as CPEC Phase-2, according to the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives.

According to the statement, this crucial stage seeks to reshape the foundation of bilateral ties via increased cooperation, cutting-edge technology transfer, and revolutionary socioeconomic initiatives.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal is leading Pakistan’s participation in a number of high-profile gatherings in China, such as the 3rd Forum on China-Indian Ocean Region Development Cooperation in Kunming and the High-Level Seminar on CPEC-2 in Beijing.

His involvement demonstrates Pakistan’s commitment to reviving CPEC, resolving outstanding concerns, and developing a strong phase-2 roadmap that considers both countries’ long-term prosperity.

At the core of these interactions is China’s steadfast determination to turn CPEC into a strategic alliance that promotes development, progress, and connectivity.

Instead of being marginalised, CPEC is developing into a multifaceted framework with five main thematic corridors: the Opening-Up/Regional Connectivity Corridor, the Innovation Corridor, the Green Corridor, the Growth Corridor, and the Livelihood-Enhancing Corridor.

With the help of projects like these, the two countries will fortify their partnership, and CPEC phase-2 will become a model of global economic integration and collaboration that benefits not just China and Pakistan but the entire region.