Business

Pakistan to exceed revenue target in FY22: Shaukat Tarin

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

Tarin says revenue will hit Rs6.1tr, compared to a target of Rs5.8tr.
He is confident of defending PM’s subsidy package during IMF review.
“IMF shouldn’t have any objections on this,” finance minister says.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will exceed the revenue target set in the annual budget for the current financial year, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said on Wednesday.

Tarin said revenue would hit Rs6.1 trillion ($34.2 billion), compared to a target of Rs5.8 trillion.

“Despite that, I gave the target of 5.8 trillion, I’m going to hit at 6.1 trillion, and I’m tracking,” he told a news conference in Islamabad.

He said a recent fuel and electricity subsidy package announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan would be partially financed by the extra revenue, which may cause the fiscal deficit to slightly rise or fall.

“If due to that the deficit may go a bit 0.5% up or down, that may be,” he said.

Read more: Shaukat Tarin opposes PM Imran Khan’s public outburst against EU envoys

Embattled PM Imran Khan, facing a no-confidence move to oust him from office by opposition parties, announced a cut in petrol and electricity prices on Monday despite a steep rise in the global oil market, pledging to freeze the new rates until the next budget in June.

The subsidy will cost around $1.5 billion, a big number for Pakistan to defend during the International Monetary Fund (IMF) 7th review, which already has started, of a $6 billion rescue package agreed in 2019.

The south Asian country had to undertake fiscal tightening measures to pass its last IMF review, which was delayed by months as the government struggled to complete prior action required by the lender to release $1 billion in February.

The finance ministry has said that Pakistan was confident it will be able to defend its subsidy package during the IMF review, which Tarin also reiterated.

“We are doing it with our own revenues, which has improved. We have a space for that,” he said. “So, IMF shouldn’t have any objections on this.”

Business

Pakistan’s gold prices continue to decline.

Published

8 hours ago

Farwa

The price of ten grams of 24 carat gold dropped by Rs 1,201 to Rs 205,418 from Rs 206,619, while the price of ten grams of 22 carat gold dropped to Rs 188,300 from Rs 189,400, according to the All Sindh Sarafa Jewellers Association.

Silver, priced at Rs. 2,620 per tola and Rs. 2,254.80 per ten grams, stayed at that level. As reported by the organization, the price of gold dropped by $11 on the global market, to $2,297 from $2,308.

Business

Price of LPG “slashed” by Rs. 20 per kilogram

Published

8 hours ago

Farwa

Sources claim that LPG rates have been lowered by Rs 20, making the cost per kilogram drop from Rs 280 to Rs 260.

It is noteworthy to remark that the costs of LPG were reduced by Rs 20 per kilogram earlier, resulting in a total reduction of Rs 40 per kilogram within a few weeks.

The price of liquefied petroleum gas for the month of May 2024 was lowered by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on April 30.

The LPG tariffs were lowered by Rs 11.88 to Rs 238.46 per kilogram in accordance with the OGRA’s notice. On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, the new rates will go into effect.

In April of last year, the price per kilogram of LPG was Rs 250.34. pricing reduction of Rs 140.18 has resulted in a new pricing for home LPG cylinders set for May 2024 of Rs 2813.85.

The OGRA reported a drop in liquefied petroleum gas pricing in April. The price of LPG is now Rs 250.34 per kg instead of Rs 256.78 due to a reduction of Rs 6.44 per kg.

The price of the household cylinder was fixed at Rs 2954.03 for the month of April, down from Rs 3030.12, a decrease of Rs 76.9.

Business

ADB delegation stops by FBR headquarters

Published

8 hours ago

Farwa

Senior Director ADB Tariq Niazi oversaw the expedition, which also involved Sana Masood, Farzana Noshab, and Senior Public Sector Management Specialist Laisiasa Tora. The meeting included presentations from economists as well, according to an FBR press release.

The officers focused on structural and policy adjustments as they discussed the Domestic Resource Mobilization Program’s implementation at the meeting.

$300 million was given to the Pakistani government by ADB in December 2023 as a result of the hard work and dedication of FBR. Better laws, regulations, and institutional capability for the FBR were established by Sub-Program I.

With the $300 million in funding provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to the Government of Pakistan in December 2023, the delegation conveyed satisfaction with the program’s effective launch.

The FBR also underlined how crucial digitization is to recording the economy and boosting productivity in a sustainable way.

In order to promote the Government of Pakistan’s Digital Tax Administration Project, both parties decided to look into measures to improve their cooperation.