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Maryam Nawaz invites US investors to explore Punjab opportunities
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has extended an invitation to a high-level US corporate delegation to invest in the province, emphasizing investor-friendly policies and promising possibilities in numerous sectors.
LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif talking to the delegation in Lahore said that the provincial government is executing the Zero Time to Start policy to remove the bureaucratic hurdles and provide maximum facilitation to the investors for starting commercial operations without any loss of time.
She said the United States has been one of the long-standing economic partners of Pakistan and the presence of American investors in Punjab is a reflection of rising confidence in the business climate of the province. In future Pakistan and the US should focus their economic cooperation on investment, modern technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, minerals, energy and cooperation between private sectors, she said.
Maryam Nawaz claimed that Punjab still contributes the highest to the country’s economy with 55.7 percent of Pakistan’s GDP, 57.5 percent of agriculture, 48 percent of manufacturing and 57.4 percent of the services sector. She said Punjab is an appealing investment location due to its 130 million people, young workforce, 20 Special Economic Zones, two Export Processing Zones and a robust IT ecosystem.
She said that Punjab is the first province of Pakistan to set up an Artificial Intelligence Authority and offers investors a one-window facility, exemption from income tax for 10 years, subsidized lease rates, industrial land and other benefits. The government also intends to consolidate more than 15 regulatory authorities into a single digital platform to minimize costs and processing time for investors.
The chief minister pointed out investment prospects in projects such Ravi Urban Development Authority, Central Business District, Nawaz Sharif Medical City, agro-processing parks, electric mobility, waste management, housing, tourism, information technology and the mining industry. The province is seeking to mobilise $7.1 billion in investment over the next three years, including $3.9 billion from the public sector and $3.2 billion from private investors, she said.
Maryam Nawaz also alluded to Chiniot’s iron ore and copper reserves, pink salt, placer gold and other mineral resources as important potential for global investors. She welcomed American corporations to invest in Punjab and assured them of all government cooperation and fast implementation of investment projects.
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An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.7 occurs close to Naples, Italy, resulting in damage and disruptions.
- A magnitude 4.7 earthquake hit the Campi Flegrei area near the southern Italian city of Naples on Friday, causing power cuts, disrupting train and metro services and damaging some buildings, authorities said.
The quake was registered around 7.46 pm (1746 GMT). Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology stated the epicentre was in the Campi Flegrei area west of Naples at a depth of around 3 km (2 miles).
The Italian fire department said there had been minimal damage to buildings in and around Naples, but workers had not received immediate demands for help or rescue of occupants.
Local rail and metro services were suspended as a precaution, local officials said.
According to Italian media, it was one of the greatest earthquakes ever registered in the region, with people in some areas pouring into the street as the tremors hit.
The government has increased surveillance of the heavily populated volcanic caldera of Campi Flegrei, which spans much of western Naples and has seen growing seismic activity in the past several years.
The region is regularly hit by tiny quakes but greater ones have stoked fears of a repetition of the seismic crisis that rocked Campi Flegrei in the early 1980s, disrupting life across the region and forcing thousands of people from their homes.
Italy is a country at risk of earthquakes.
Central Italy was hit by severe quakes in 2016, destroying areas of Lazio, Umbria and the Marche provinces, killing over 300 people.
The most destructive in recent decades was a 6.9-magnitude quake that rocked the Irpinia region of southern Italy in November 1980, killing over 2,700 people and destroying hundreds of villages.
Business
For three days, Pakistan lowers the price of petrol and diesel.
For a three-day period starting on August 1, the government has announced a slight decrease in the cost of petroleum products, including gasoline and high-speed diesel (HSD).
The Petroleum Division said that the price of high-speed diesel has been lowered by Rs0.66 per litre, resulting in a new retail price of Rs392.38 per litre.
Additionally, the price of gasoline has been lowered by Rs0.12 per litre, to Rs336.03 per litre.
According to the letter, the updated pricing will go into effect between August 1 and August 3.
According to the administration, the little cut was taken after accounting for both domestic economic and budgetary factors as well as global oil costs.
In light of persistent economic pressures and swings in the world’s crude oil markets, the most recent adjustment provides customers with little respite.
The most recent update comes after the government regularly reviews fuel costs, which are decided by the currency rate, domestic tax laws, and global market trends.
Business
FBR surpasses its July revenue goal by Rs40 billion.
In July 2026, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected Rs820 billion in net revenue, exceeding the monthly target by Rs40 billion.
The July tax collection target was set at Rs780 billion, but net receipts came in at Rs820 billion, according to FBR documents.
According to the papers, gross tax collections for the month totaled Rs918 billion. Net receipts were Rs820 billion after Rs98 billion of this sum was reimbursed to taxpayers under different refund categories.
Gross collections under the income tax head was Rs343 billion. Net income tax revenues fell short of the objective of Rs323 billion, coming in at Rs308 billion after the payment of Rs35 billion in refunds.
In July, sales tax collections came to Rs413 billion, while sales tax refunds were Rs53 billion.
The Federal Excise Duty (FED) collected Rs48 billion, compared to the objective of Rs47 billion, according to the FBR.
In July 2026, customs duty receipts totaled Rs115 billion, surpassing the designated objective of Rs105 billion by Rs10 billion.
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