Business

Minister calls for sensible taxation to boost rural economy in Pakistan

Published

5 months ago

June 3, 2026

Bilal

Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Minister for National Food Security and Research, stated on Tuesday that Pakistan required intelligent taxes in order to encourage innovation, rural economy, and nutrition.

The minister was speaking at a high-level consultation that was organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). The purpose of the consultation was to discuss the rationalisation of the Federal Excise Duty (FED) on beverages and juice products in Pakistan. The consultation was attended by key stakeholders from the government, academia, industry, and development partners.

The economic, nutritional, industrial, and agricultural aspects of the current tax structure were the primary topics of debate, as were the broader implications that this structure has for the food and beverage industry in the country.

The minister emphasised that taxation is not only a fiscal instrument but also a policy tool that impacts consumer patterns, public health outcomes, and industrial growth. He said this in a statement.

He made the observation that the existing universal FED regime does not effectively reflect the major disparities in sugar content, nutritional value, and economic benefit across the many categories of beverages. As a result, he advocates for a taxation strategy that is more nuanced and evidence-based.

In his speech, Rana Tanveer Hussain emphasised that Pakistan’s policy framework needs to carefully balance several objectives. These objectives include the protection of public health, the sustainability of domestic agriculture, the competitiveness of industry, and the stability of government revenues.

He pointed out that these objectives are not in conflict with one another and that they can be achieved simultaneously through the establishment of policies that are calibrated and sensible.

The minister emphasised the connection between the beverage industry and agriculture, pointing out that the formal juice industry plays a significant role in the strengthening of agro-based value chains. This is accomplished by the industry’s acquisition of substantial quantities of locally produced fruits, which in turn creates opportunities for income for farmers, transporters, processors, packaging suppliers, and rural workers.

Specifically, he emphasised the significance of maintaining policy stability in this sector in order to foster investment, value creation, and sustained economic expansion.

During the same time, he brought attention to the rising problem of undocumented and unregulated markets, and he cautioned that undue pressure on documented sectors can unintentionally drive consumers towards alternatives that are cheaper and of lesser quality.

According to him, such transitions give rise to significant concerns surrounding food safety, consumer protection, and revenue leakage, and as a result, they necessitate careful policy calibration.

Additionally, the minister brought attention to the worldwide movement towards differentiated pricing based on sugar content and nutritional composition. He stated that Pakistan ought to proceed in a similar direction by supporting healthier product formulations and innovation within the business.

Business

Dollar steady ahead of Fed decision, kiwi slumps after RBNZ holds

Published

18 hours ago

October 28, 2026

Bilal

– The U.S. dollar was steady at a two-week high on Wednesday ahead of central bank policy decisions, with the Federal Reserve widely expected to maintain its policy interest rate unchanged but signal the likelihood of any December rise.

Most dollar counterparts were flat ahead of the Fed decision. The euro was barely changed at $1.1129 and the British pound was also barely changed at $1.3307. The dollar last traded 0.1% weaker at 157.81 yen, having swung between gains and losses.

The kiwi dollar fell as much as 1.7% to $0.5585 as the Reserve Bank of New Zealand surprised the market by keeping rates at 2.75%. A Reuters poll found 22 out of 27 experts expected the central bank to boost rates.“The market just got that wrong,” said Mike Houlahan, a director at Electus Financial Ltd in Auckland. “Only 10 days left until the election,” he said. “It’s good manners not to get involved in politics.”

The Australian dollar was 0.1% firmer at $0.7035 after inflation figures of 1.3% in the third quarter of the year, after 0.6% the previous quarter. The trimmed mean measure of core inflation came in at 1% as expected by the market, putting the annualised rate at an above-target 3.6%.

Governor Michele Bullock told lawmakers on Wednesday that the Reserve Bank of Australia will debate whether four rate rises this year will be adequate to return inflation to goal at a policy meeting next week.

For US traders, mostly looking for no change in central bank policy. The CME Group’s FedWatch tool indicated fed funds futures are pricing ⁠a 91% chance the Federal Open Market Committee would maintain its policy interest rate on hold.”The Fed doesn’t have to hike today to move markets,” said Chris Weston, chief research officer at Pepperstone Group in Melbourne. It just needs to alter the estimated probability of trekking in December.

The US dollar index, which measures the greenback against six currencies, climbed 0.3% to 102.40, its best since October 14. The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note was flat at 4.9967%.

In the cryptocurrency market bitcoin was unchanged at $80,736.07 while ether edged up 0.1% to $2,345.25.

Business

PSX maintains positive momentum as KSE-100 reaches 164,633 points

Published

18 hours ago

October 28, 2026

Bilal

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday continued its bullish trend with purchasing trend.

In early trade, the benchmark KSE-100 Index added 166.25 points, or 0.10 percent, to 164,633.45 points.

The index entered the morning on a bullish note after a solid performance in the previous trading session where it gained 1,428.73 points or 0.88 per cent to close at 164,467.20, reported Business Recorder.

In the recent session, the benchmark index swung between an intraday high of 164,918.95 and a low of 164,502.45. It exchanged 19.23 million shares of stock. The reported trade value was 1.48 billion.

The market’s newest rally came after two straight days of advances and reflected ongoing purchasing enthusiasm in a broad range of large sectors.

The benchmark moved higher on Tuesday as investors bought into oil and gas marketing companies, commercial banks, refineries and cement industries, as well as technology and communication sectors. The index climbed 663.59 points on Monday after a chaotic trading session.

Business

Pakistan destroys Afghan Taliban posts after civilians targeted in S Waziristan

Published

19 hours ago

October 28, 2026

Bilal

Several installations of Afghan Taliban were demolished by Pakistan’s armed forces after they targeted civilian population, martyring one and injured five along Pak-Afghan border in Angoor Adda South Waziristan (Lower) on Tuesday nite.

Firing and shelling along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border hit a residential area in Angoor Adda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security sources said, killed a civilian and injuring five members of a family.

Read More: Afghan border fire in South Waziristan: One civilian dead, five injured

The tragedy came amid reported cross-border clashes, with a shell hitting a house in the region and killing residents, the sources added.

Security sources held the Afghan Taliban regime responsible for the incident noting that civilian areas were targeted during the exchange of fire. The incident, which resulted in deaths and injuries from the shelling, provoked indignation among local residents.

The Pakistan Army replied immediately to the aggression from the Afghan side. In the tit-for-tat operation, insiders added, Pakistan’s armed forces destroyed many Afghan security checkpoints.

Security sources said the Pakistani troops deployed near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border were fully prepared to respond to any possible invasion.