Pakistan’s central bank rules out 'sudden and higher' interest rate changes in foreseeable future

This undated file photo shows premises of the State Bank of Pakistan. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 02 March 2021
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Pakistan’s central bank rules out 'sudden and higher' interest rate changes in foreseeable future

  • The State Bank of Pakistan has given forward guidance on monetary policy for the first time to address concerns of investors
  • The central bank maintains policy rate at 7 percent for the next two months as domestic recovery gains traction

KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank on Friday ruled out any “sudden and higher” interest rate movements in the foreseeable future amid speculations that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was likely to resume its $6 billion loan program for the country. 

The bank decided to maintain the policy rate at 7 percent for the next two months, saying that domestic economic recovery had gained further traction. 

“In the absence of unforeseen developments, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) expects monetary policy settings to remain unchanged in the near term,” Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Dr Reza Baqir told a news conference in Karachi. 

“As the recovery becomes more durable and the economy returns to full capacity, the MPC expects any adjustments in the policy rate to be ‘measured and gradual’ to achieve mildly positive real interest rates,” he said while reading a document, adding that the MPC considered it appropriate to provide some forward guidance on monetary policy to facilitate policy predictability and decision-making by economic agents. 

Last week, Baqir said the country was hoping for good news following talks with the IMF on the revival of fiscal stabilization program where concerns about future interest rates were also raised. The central bank’s forward guidance is meant to assuage such concerns of investors and business community. 

Pakistan signed $6 billion, three-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with the IMF and has so far secured $1.44 billion under the loan program since July 2019. The country was expecting another tranche of about $450 million before the second review was put on hold about a year ago. 

“We were in touch with the IMF at the technical level and the IMF also wanted fast economic recovery,” the SBP governor said, adding: “Now talks are going on with the IMF and when announcement would be made that our agreement on the review has been done its basic purpose would be to maintain the economic growth so that recovery could be stabilized.” 

Despite recent electricity tariff hikes, the central bank said that inflation was expected to fall within the previously announced range of 7-9 percent during FY21, hoping that the trend would move toward the 5-7 percent target range over the medium-term. 

Pakistan on Thursday increased the electricity tariff by Rs1.95 per unit, or 15 percent, which will also affect the base tariff for lifeline consumers using up to 50 units per month for the first time in almost two decades.

The SBP governor said, however, that the impact of these measures on inflation would be temporary. 

“The rates have been increased in the past as well,” he added, “but we witnessed that their impact was temporary.” 

He said the country had come out of the difficult stabilization phase and the economic activity data and indicators of consumer and business sentiment were reflecting continued improvement. 

However, the MPC stressed in its report that considerable uncertainty remained part of the general economic outlook. 

“The trajectory of the COVID pandemic is difficult to predict, given still-elevated global cases, the emergence of new strains, and lingering uncertainties about the roll out of vaccines worldwide,” the SBP statement read. “Such external shocks could slow the recovery.” 


Pakistan says resolved over 30,000 Hajj pilgrims’ complaints 

Updated 17 min 43 sec ago
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Pakistan says resolved over 30,000 Hajj pilgrims’ complaints 

  • Pakistani pilgrims were assisted in travel, lost tickets, accommodation, food and other issues, says religion ministry
  • Multiple channels were provided to pilgrims for complaints, including call center, WhatsApp and toll-free numbers

ISLAMABAD: A facilitation center set up by the Pakistani government in Makkah for this year’s Hajj resolved over 30,000 complaints filed by pilgrims, the religion ministry said on Tuesday. 

This year’s Hajj took place from June 4 to June 9, drawing millions of pilgrims to the holy cities in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan sent over 115,000 pilgrims under both the government and private schemes.

Ayesha Ijaz, the person in charge of the facilitation center in Makkah, told Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry that the center has been specially set up to help Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. 

“The facilitation center established by the Government of Pakistan in Makkah to provide exemplary facilities to Pakistani pilgrims during and after Hajj 2025 has successfully resolved over 30,000 complaints,” the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) said. 

It said thousands of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims were provided immediate assistance related to travel issues, lost tickets, accommodation, food and other important matters. 

“The center operates round the clock and has various special departments, including the Departure Cell, Zong Desk, Maktab Desk, Madinah Departure Cell, Complaints Cell and 24/7 Call Center,” Ijaz said. 

Hafiz Obaidullah Zakaria, who is in charge of the Complaints Cell, said 30,147 complaints have been registered so far related to Hajj 2025.

“Of these, 2,446 complaints were resolved within 24 hours, 113 are under process, while 580 complaints were declared inauthentic,” he was quoted as saying by the religion ministry. 

The religion ministry said this year, multiple channels were provided to pilgrims for registering complaints, including a 24-hour call center, WhatsApp, toll-free numbers and other platforms.

It said the number of complaints had been reduced significantly, which reflected impressive arrangements undertaken by the government. 

“The timely actions of the facilitation center and effective complaint management have set a new precedent for Hajj operations, which has been appreciated not only by the authorities but also by the pilgrims,” the ministry said. 

The last Pakistani flight carrying Hajj pilgrims back to the country is scheduled to arrive on July 10. 


Pakistan court delivers first-ever conviction for insider trading 

Updated 17 June 2025
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Pakistan court delivers first-ever conviction for insider trading 

  • SECP says bank official misused insider information related to investment, disinvestment decisions for “personal gain“
  • Financial regulator says court slaps $30,380 penalty on convict, with the amount to be deposited within seven days

KARACHI: A Pakistani court recently handed its first-ever conviction for insider trading, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) said on Tuesday, hailing the judgment as one which will boost investors’ confidence in the country’s capital markets. 

Insider trading refers to the practice of buying or selling a publicly traded company’s securities while in possession of material information that is not yet public information. The SECP said it had filed a case against Zakir Hussain Somji, assistant vice president of investments at Habib Metropolitan Bank (HMB) Limited, after inspecting suspicious trading activity from Jan. 1, 2014, to Feb. 2, 2016.

The regulator said it was suspected that the accused, through his position at HMB, misused insider information related to the bank’s investment and disinvestment decisions for personal gain. The SECP said a probe revealed Somji bought 11,795,100 shares of various companies, including 1,230,900 shares (10.43 percent) acquired from HMB. He sold 11,836,600 shares — 4,915,200 (41.52 percent) of which were sold back to HMB, earning an “unlawful profit” of Rs2,866,646 [$10,116.39]. 

“Sindh Special Court (Offences in Banks) handed out first ever conviction for insider trading in the history of Pakistan in a case filed by The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP),” the regulator said. 

It said Somji had been convicted by the court on June 14 for violating provisions of Section 128 of the Securities Act, 2015, which related to insider trading. 

The regulator said the court slapped Somji with a penalty of Rs 8,599,938 [$30,380] which was three times the “unlawful gain.”

“The amount is to be deposited within seven days, failing which the convict will be remanded to jail until full payment is made,” the SECP said. 

The regulator said the judgment reaffirms SECP’s mandate to ensure market integrity and investor protection.

“It sets a strong precedent for future enforcement actions and sends a clear message that market abuse and regulatory violations shall not be tolerated,” it added. 
 


Pakistan’s militancy-hit Balochistan unveils ‘largest’ $3.6 billion annual budget

Updated 17 June 2025
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Pakistan’s militancy-hit Balochistan unveils ‘largest’ $3.6 billion annual budget

  • Province earmarks $2.26 billion for non-development spending, $307 million for health and $423.5 million for schools
  • Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by land yet its poorest by almost all social and economic indicators

ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s militancy-hit Balochistan on Tuesday unveiled its $3.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-26, which provincial Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani described as the “largest” one in the province’s history.

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by land size but its poorest by almost all social and economic indicators. The province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has been the scene of a low-lying insurgency for decades where ethnic separatist militants demand a greater share of the province’s mineral resources for locals. 

Nosherwani presented the budget for the upcoming fiscal year in the Balochistan Assembly in Quetta, with Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai chairing the session.

“For the upcoming fiscal year, the total budget is estimated at Rs1,028 billion [$3.63 billion]— the largest in the province’s history,” Nosherwani told lawmakers during the budget session.

“Out of this, the non-development budget is Rs642 billion [$2.26 billion] while the overall provincial development (PSDP) budget is Rs249.5 billion [$878 million],” he added. 

The finance minister pointed out that the budget includes a Rs42 billion [$148.3 million] surplus, describing it as a “historic milestone” for the province. 

Nosherwani said the government has earmarked over Rs120 billion [$423.5 million] for the schools sector and Rs29.1 billion [$102.7 million] for the higher education sector. 

The provincial government has also allocated Rs87 billion [$307 million] for the health sector, ₨26 billion [$91.8 million] for the agriculture sector and Rs1 billion [$3.53 million] for food, he said. 

He said the government had decided not to purchase new vehicles, except for the ones required by law enforcement personnel. 

“To create employment opportunities in 2025–26, the provincial government plans to introduce 4,188 contract positions and 1,958 regular jobs across departments,” Nosherwani said. 

He credited the provincial government for not overlooking any segment of society in the annual budget.

“These measures cover government employees, women, pensioners, youth, migrants, laborers— people from every walk of life,” the finance minister said. 


Pakistani journalists protest Israel’s bombing of Iranian state TV

Updated 18 min 57 sec ago
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Pakistani journalists protest Israel’s bombing of Iranian state TV

  • Israel bombed state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting’s building on Monday as its conflict with Iran escalates
  • Charged Pakistani journalists in Karachi accuse Israel of targeting journalists deliberately to silence their voices

KARACHI: Dozens of Pakistani journalists protested in Karachi on Tuesday against Israel’s move to bomb Iran’s state-run television channel this week, accusing Tel Aviv of deliberately targeting journalists to silence their voices. 

Footage of anchor Sahar Emami went viral on Monday in which she can be seen denouncing Israel at the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building before the live broadcast was interrupted by a huge blast. Shortly after, smoke and debris filled the screen.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) confirmed that Israel’s strike on the IRIB building killed Nima Rajabpour, editor-in-chief of Khabar TV, and Masoumeh Azimi, a secretary at the state-run television channel. Israel and Iran have been targeting each other with missiles since Friday, when the Jewish state attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leadership.

 Dozens of Pakistani journalists protested the move outside the Karachi Press Club. The protest was organized by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ). Journalists carried placards inscribed with messages condemning Israel, shouting slogans expressing support for the people of Gaza and Iran. 

“It [Israel] has assassinated anyone across the world who tried to unmask its true face, anyone who tried to speak the truth,” PFUJ Secretary-General A.H. Khanzada told Arab News, accusing the Jewish state of killing journalists from Gaza to Iran.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has counted 178 journalists killed in Gaza by Israel since October 2023, making it the deadliest conflict for media workers ever recorded.

Khanzada urged the IFJ to redefine its global parameters of press freedom.

“If these are not corrected, many problems will arise — and these problems will affect the entire world,” he said, calling the response from global media organizations to the attack as “insufficient.”

Aamir Latif, a former Karachi Press Club secretary, agreed that Israel was systematically silencing journalists.

“Israel is not in a business to tell the truth,” Latif said. “In fact, it is in a business to block the truth. That is why it is targeting journalists whether it is Gaza or whether it is Iran,” he added.

Latif lamented Israel’s moves to target hospitals, media workers and other protected entities in the Middle East, saying they were directly violating international laws. 

Veteran journalist and former PFUJ secretary-general Mazhar Abbas called the Iranian TV bombardment a “direct assault on freedom of expression.”

“The figure [of journalists being killed in Palestine] is nearly around 150, which is even far bigger than the journalists killed in the Second World War,” Abbas told Arab News.

KUJ President Nasrullah Chaudhry said Pakistani journalists stood in solidarity with their Iranian counterparts.

“Since October, we have documented Israeli war crimes against media in Gaza,” Chaudhry said. “This is part of the same pattern.

“The media of Pakistan in general and Karachi in particular firmly stands against Israel aggression and assaults on journalists,” he told protesters. 

The protest ended with Pakistani journalists pledging to continue highlighting what participants called the “systematic targeting of truth tellers” by Israel across multiple conflict zones.


Islamabad says will not let militants exploit Iran-Israel conflict to attack Pakistan

Updated 17 June 2025
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Islamabad says will not let militants exploit Iran-Israel conflict to attack Pakistan

  • Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal says Islamabad recently had “very good, close coordination” with Iran, Afghanistan against “terrorist” groups
  • Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, sharing borders with Afghanistan and Iran, has seen a surge in militant attacks in recent months 

ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Tuesday that Islamabad would not allow militants based in Iran and Afghanistan to take advantage of Tehran’s ongoing conflict with Israel to increase its “terrorist” attacks in neighboring Pakistan. 

Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province shares porous borders with Afghanistan to the north and Iran to the west. It has experienced a surge in militant attacks by Baloch separatists and other armed groups in recent years, who demand a greater share of Balochistan’s mineral resources for locals. 

Pakistan has remained at odds with both Afghanistan and Iran over instability at its shared, porous borders with the two countries. Islamabad blames Kabul for not taking action against Pakistani Taliban militants who it says regularly launch attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces, allegations that Afghanistan denies. 

Ties between Islamabad and Tehran have also been strained in the past, with both nations blaming each other for not rooting out militancy in their countries. 

“Pakistan leadership has recently had very good, close coordination with both the leadership in Iran and with leadership in Afghanistan ensuring that their soil is not used by the terrorist groups to carry out terrorist attacks in the country,” Iqbal told foreign media reporters during a briefing in Islamabad. 

He added that Pakistani security forces were carrying out operations against militant groups in Balochistan and were confident they could “control” them.

“They are Indian-sponsored terrorist groups and they have already taken a hit with the defeat of India in the limited war we had and won’t get any space now [in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict],” the minister said. 

Iqbal was referring to Pakistan’s days-long military confrontation with India last month in which both countries targeted each other with artillery fire, missiles, fighter jets and drone strikes before Washington brokered a ceasefire on May 10. 

Regional tensions have flared once again after Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leadership last Friday. The two countries have traded missiles since then, with world leaders calling for dialogue and restraint. 

The minister hoped Irani forces would not allow militants based in their country to carry out attacks against Pakistan. 

“We hope and are confident that the leadership in Iran will also exercise its full jurisdiction to make sure that no groups use the territory of Iran to carry out any terrorist action in Pakistan,” he said. 

He called on the international community, especially the G7 countries, to intervene and stop Iran’s conflict with Israel from escalating further. 

“This can have very serious consequences because this region supplies energy to the global economy and if there is any disruption in the supply of energy through escalation in this conflict, it will not just affect Iran, it will not just affect Israel, it will affect the entire world,” Iqbal warned. 

CPEC WORK TO CONTINUE

Iqbal said the Israel-Iran conflict will not affect the pace of development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion infrastructure network between Pakistan and China, as the military confrontation was not taking place in Pakistan. 

China has invested $65 billion in CPEC, its flagship project which is part of its Belt and Road Initiative, to build roads, railways, pipelines, and ports connecting China to the Arabian Sea. A key project is the deep-sea port at Gwadar in Balochistan, a province that faces a long-running separatist insurgency.

“So, our work in Pakistan will continue and CPEC will move forward as we are hoping and anticipating by the end of July, the 14th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting will take place for CPEC,” Iqbal said, adding that by then the roadmap for the project’s phase 2 will be approved. 

Ethnic Baloch separatist groups, most prominent among them the Baloch Liberation Army, have targeted Chinese interests in Balochistan in recent years. This has led to China expressing concerns over the safety of its nationals in Pakistan. 

Iqbal said Beijing has expressed satisfaction over the improving security situation in Pakistan. 

“Chinese are very convinced that Pakistan is fully committed to improving the security situation in the country and in the coming months and years, we will have greater cooperation because Pakistan has worked very hard to counter these elements who have been involved in actions against Chinese,” the minister said.