Author name: Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: As winter sets in, dry fruit prices have skyrocketed in Pakistan including Rawalpindi and Islamabad amid tensions with Afghanistan, leaving consumers frustrated over unchecked profiteering and weak enforcement by district price control authorities. Residents report that shopkeepers are arbitrarily inflating rates, exploiting the seasonal surge in demand, particularly in colder and hilly regions. Common complaints highlight the absence of official price lists at most outlets, allowing traders to charge whatever they deem fit. Current market rates show peanuts at Rs450-650 per kg, pine nuts Rs7,000-14,000, almonds and cashews Rs3,000-4,000 each, walnuts Rs800-2,000, pistachios Rs3,000-4,000, raisins Rs700-1,000, and sesame sweets Rs600-800 per kg. Citizens allege many items are smuggled from Afghanistan and Iran, bypassing quality checks and enabling sale of substandard stock at premium prices. Major markets in Rawalpindi (Narnkari Bazaar, Canning Road, Bank Road) and Islamabad (Aabpara, Jinnah Super, F-10, Bara Kahu) remain hotspots for overpricing. Consumers Shakil Sheikh, Zahid Khan, and Rizwan Abbasi urged immediate activation of price control committees to curb exploitation. Despite earning $100 million annually by exporting just 10,000 tons against global demand of 1.05 million tons, domestic consumers continue to bear the brunt of unregulated pricing and poor oversight this winter.

ISLAMABAD: With devastating monsoon floods now an annual reality, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed federal and provincial authorities to immediately begin preparations for the 2026 monsoon season, approving the Ministry of Climate Change’s short-term resilience plan for instant rollout.Chairing a high-level review meeting as winter grips the country, the premier warned that Pakistan cannot endure another cycle of avoidable catastrophe. He ordered seamless integration of planning, data-sharing, and response systems across all institutions and stressed coordinated efforts between the Ministry of Climate Change, Ministry of Planning, NDMA, and provincial governments.PM Shehbaz also instructed preparations for an early meeting of the National Water Council to formulate comprehensive national water management strategies.Highlighting the economic toll, he lamented that Pakistan, despite contributing less than 1% to global emissions, is forced to divert significant GDP portions toward climate damage control instead of development. “We face severe consequences of climate change we did not create,” he said.Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Musadik Malik, Attaullah Tarar, and senior officials were briefed on global weather forecasts and short-, medium-, and long-term preparedness measures. The prime minister demanded visible progress before the next monsoon to protect lives and infrastructure nationwide.

Islamabad – November 19, 2025: Corporate giving in Pakistan reached a record PKR 25.44 billion in 2023, according to the latest Corporate Philanthropy Report released by the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP). The findings were unveiled at the Corporate Philanthropy Awards 2025, held at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, where Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb was the Chief Guest. Addressing the ceremony, the Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue, praised the corporate sector for sustaining its social contributions despite economic instability, saying business leaders continue to play a “progressive and vital role” in national development. He noted, “Corporate philanthropy is no longer a peripheral activity; it has become a meaningful pillar of Pakistan’s development agenda. This generosity forms part of the moral economy of our country. Even in periods of fiscal pressure and shifting economic cycles, corporate giving has remained on an upward path, showing how responsibly the business community continues to support national progress. The award winners today are leading the way, and their contributions reflect a culture that values human development, social protection, and wider opportunity.” The minister further acknowledged the integrity of the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy and its role in promoting a structured culture of giving nationwide. He encouraged organisations that donate quietly to share their contributions more openly, noting that visibility builds confidence across the ecosystem and reduces the need for directive measures when the corporate sector chooses to lead voluntarily. PCP shared that Public Listed Companies led donations with PKR 18.23bn, followed by Public Unlisted Companies (PKR 3.28bn) and Private Limited Companies (PKR 3.93bn). Companies listed on the KSE-100 index donated PKR 15.24bn, while KSE-30 firms gave PKR 8.80bn, reflecting strong alignment with national priorities. The Glass & Ceramics sector recorded the highest giving ratio, contributing 7.80% of total profits. A total of 18 leading companies were honored for high-volume donations and strong giving relative to profits. Award recipients included OGDCL, Mari Energies, Bank Alfalah, Yunus Textile Mills, Novatex, Fast Cables, Barrett Hodgson, U.S. Denim Mills, KSB Pumps, Unity Foods, Searle, Y.B. Pakistan, Ghani Ceramics, among others. The event also featured a panel discussion titled “Philanthropy Ecosystem in Pakistan: Opportunities and Challenges,” chaired by Badaruddin F. Vellani, with participation from Mehnaz Akbar Aziz, Ahmer Bilal Soofi, Asif Rasool, Dr. Faisal Sultan, and Zia Akhter Abbas. The panel examined policy gaps, taxation issues, and the need for stronger regulatory support to expand organized giving. Concluding the event, PCP Chairman Zaffar A. Khan reaffirmed the importance of corporate philanthropy in complementing public-sector development efforts, noting that the 20th edition of the survey reflects the private sector’s sustained commitment to social progress.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is all set to unveil its inaugural National Women Entrepreneurship Policy (WEP), a landmark framework designed to accelerate women’s economic empowerment through targeted financing, enhanced export opportunities, and expanded business support services.Announced by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan during Women’s Entrepreneurship Day celebrations organised by SMEDA and FPCCI, the policy places women at the heart of national economic development, as directed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.The policy sets ambitious targets: raising women’s employment in enterprises from 2% to 5%, increasing registered women exporters from 2,500 to achieve 50% representation, allocating 15% of the SME Fund and 5% of the Export Development Fund exclusively for women, expanding co-working spaces by 20%, and providing 100,000 women entrepreneurs with critical business information. It also aims to support 20% of BISP beneficiaries in disaster-prone areas.A flagship component is the AI-powered Women Entrepreneurship Portal, developed with UK’s FCDO, which will connect women to mentors, regulators, and support organisations. Backed by a $2.2 million ADB programme, initiatives include digital training via basic phones, multilingual content, and dedicated efforts to formalise informal women-led businesses.The policy further introduces green financing, export-readiness programmes, and a design cell at SMEDA in collaboration with top textile universities.

ISLAMABAD: Large-scale manufacturing (LSM) in Pakistan grew by a modest 4.1% during the first quarter (July-September) of FY2025-26, down from an initial 4.5% pace in the first two months, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Despite crossing the 4% mark, the LSM index stood at just 114.7 in September, still below the three-year-high of 132.5.An internal assessment by the Ministry of Industries has revealed that several key sectors face severe cost disadvantages ranging from 22% to 67% due to skewed economic policies, high energy prices, taxation, and regulatory burdens. The ceramic tiles and glass sectors suffer the highest handicap of over two-thirds, followed by steel (one-third) and paper & board (one-fourth). These distortions have caused the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP to shrink from 26% to 18% over the past three decades.The ministry has urged immediate policy corrections, including abolition of the super tax, gradual reduction of corporate tax from 29% to 26%, a 5% cut in interest rates, and market-driven exchange rate adjustments. It warned that without addressing structural high costs, tariff liberalization alone will deplete foreign exchange reserves and fail to boost competitiveness.Growth was mainly driven by food, tobacco, textile, and paper sectors, while overall industrial activity remains constrained by political uncertainty and anti-export biases.