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Pakistan's Economy - News and Updates

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Al-Futtaim Group Looks to Invest $230 Million in Renault Pakistan

Al-Futtaim-Renault cars are set to hit the roads in the year 2020 and with an investment of $230 million, it looks like the automobile manufacturer will not settle for anything else. In fact, Renault has already gotten hold of Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) – one of Pakistan’s biggest industrial zones.

With about 12 car makers investing a total of $746 million so far, the Auto Development Policy (ADP) 2016-21 has come out to be quite profitable for Pakistan. Two companies have already gotten the Brown Field investment status – this is where a company buys or rents an existing industry or facility for making a new product. Meanwhile, around ten companies have been honored with Green Field investment status. This will allow the concerned companies to begin their operations in local markets from the ground up.



This investment is a good opportunity for the Pakistani automobile market – which was previously dominated for decades by Japanese car manufacturers: Honda, Toyota, and Suzuki. Moreover, the new auto policy has also attracted many key foreign players in the auto category.

Pakistan’s automobile market is being invested in at a time when the country is in dire need to direct foreign investment – considering the economy is in crippling state and falling its forex reserves.

Earlier Investments:

Ever since the ADP was announced, Pakistani market has gotten new players into the auto area and have shown great interest in the potential of the country’s market. These investors have made the following investments:

  • Regal Automobile Industries with DFSK Motor – $10.71 million
  • United Motors (Pvt) Limited with Yangste Motor Group and Luoyang Dahe New Energy Vehicle – $19.05 million
  • Khalid Mushtaq Motors (Pvt) Ltd with Changan Kuayua Automobiles – $3.50 million
  • Kia Motors with Kia Lucky Motors Pakistan Ltd – $190 million
  • Hyundai Motors with Hyundai Nishat Motors (Pvt) Limited – $163million
  • Changsha Foton Vehicle Technology with Foton JW Auto Park (Pvt) Ltd – $11.45 million
  • BAIC International Development Company with Sazgar Engineering Works Ltd – $31.01 million
  • Changan International Cooperation with Chongqing Changan Automobile, Master Motors Ltd and IVECO – $101.52 million
  • Chongqing Lifan Automobile with Pak China Motors – $24.25 million
  • Mianyang Huarui Automotive, T Dev Group, Chongqing Big S with Topsun Motors and Engineering Services – $5.43
  • Ssang, Kia and Kolao Group with Dewan Farooq Motors – $145 million
  • Nissan Motor Cooperation Japan with Ghandhara Nissan – $41.3 million
The entry of investors into the auto market is a sign that we might see a number of newly improved, advanced cars which can competing with the existing Japanese auto giants in Pakistan.

https://enews.hamariweb.com/autos/al-futtaim-group-to-invest-230-million-in-renault-pakistan/
 
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Well worth reading:

https://www.economist.com/asia/2018/10/11/pakistans-new-prime-minister-turns-to-the-imf

Imran can’t
Pakistan’s new prime minister turns to the IMF

Imran Khan had hoped for hand-outs from “friendly countries” instead

Print edition | Asia
Oct 11th 2018| ISLAMABAD

ON THE campaign trail, Imran Khan, Pakistan’s new prime minister, presented himself as the man to break the country’s addiction to hand-outs from the West. Whereas previous governments used to go begging to the IMF for funds, he said, his Pakistan Movement for Justice (PTI) would focus instead on recouping billions of dollars hidden from the taxman abroad. But after less than two months in office, Mr Khan reversed himself on October 8th. His finance minister announced that the government would, after all, be seeking a big loan from the IMF.

The economy’s troubles are not Mr Khan’s fault. The previous government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), lifted annual GDP growth to a ten-year high of more than 5%. But it did so on the back of expensive imports of fuel and machinery, even as its determination to prop up the Pakistani rupee hurt export industries such as textiles. The result has been dramatic growth in the current-account deficit since early 2016 (see left-hand chart). Foreign-exchange reserves have fallen sharply as a result (see right-hand chart). They currently stand at $8bn, which is not enough to cover the expected bill for imports and foreign-debt repayments until the end of the year. To keep the lights on (literally—many of Pakistan’s power plants run on imported coal), the government needs to find around $10bn in short order.

Even Mr Khan could see that Pakistan was going to need a loan. But for the past few weeks he has desperately been seeking alternatives to an IMF bail-out. In a televised address, he asked all Pakistanis living abroad to donate $1,000 apiece to the government, ostensibly to help pay for a big dam. To show that government funds would no longer be wasted, he has engaged in public displays of austerity. The government has auctioned off eight buffaloes kept to provide milk for the prime minister’s residence, along with 61 luxury cars.

running out.jpg

As recently as October 7th Mr Khan held out hope that “friendly countries” would stump up loans, sparing him the embarrassment of turning to the IMF. Mr Khan has courted Saudi Arabia, in particular, visiting it on his first official trip abroad. Yet the Saudis did not offer a bail-out (it was “awful to beg”, sighed the commerce adviser, Abdul Razzak Dawood). Instead, they volunteered to invest in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $60bn infrastructure scheme financed mainly by China. That seemed to upset China, Pakistan’s “iron brother”, oldest ally and another potential donor, so was dropped. Some observers had imagined that China might increase its lending to Pakistan rather than have the IMF pore over the details of the contracts behind CPEC, which have not been made public and are thought to be unfavourable to Pakistan. But even the prospect of a row over CPEC does not seem to have been enough to persuade China to become Pakistan’s lender of last resort.

As Mr Khan hunted for benefactors, investors panicked. The stockmarket had its biggest daily drop in a decade on October 8th, doubtless spurring the government’s reluctant reversal the same day. The delay, says Khurram Hussain, a journalist, has weakened Mr Khan’s hand in negotiations with the IMF over the terms of any loan. In addition to demanding a good look at CPEC contracts to make sure Pakistan can afford them, the fund is likely to push for further devaluation of the rupee, increased tax collection and higher interest rates. None of these readily aligns with Mr Khan’s promise to create an “Islamic welfare state”. But if Mr Khan was unsure of it before he assumed power, he must surely now realise that Pakistan’s problems run deeper than corrupt leadership. And if voters were unsure of it before they cast their ballots, they are quickly discovering that Mr Khan, for all his self-assurance and star power, cannot fix things quite as quickly or easily as he promised.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline "Imran can’t"
 
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Well worth reading:

https://www.economist.com/asia/2018/10/11/pakistans-new-prime-minister-turns-to-the-imf

Imran can’t
Pakistan’s new prime minister turns to the IMF

Imran Khan had hoped for hand-outs from “friendly countries” instead

Print edition | Asia
Oct 11th 2018| ISLAMABAD

ON THE campaign trail, Imran Khan, Pakistan’s new prime minister, presented himself as the man to break the country’s addiction to hand-outs from the West. Whereas previous governments used to go begging to the IMF for funds, he said, his Pakistan Movement for Justice (PTI) would focus instead on recouping billions of dollars hidden from the taxman abroad. But after less than two months in office, Mr Khan reversed himself on October 8th. His finance minister announced that the government would, after all, be seeking a big loan from the IMF.

The economy’s troubles are not Mr Khan’s fault. The previous government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), lifted annual GDP growth to a ten-year high of more than 5%. But it did so on the back of expensive imports of fuel and machinery, even as its determination to prop up the Pakistani rupee hurt export industries such as textiles. The result has been dramatic growth in the current-account deficit since early 2016 (see left-hand chart). Foreign-exchange reserves have fallen sharply as a result (see right-hand chart). They currently stand at $8bn, which is not enough to cover the expected bill for imports and foreign-debt repayments until the end of the year. To keep the lights on (literally—many of Pakistan’s power plants run on imported coal), the government needs to find around $10bn in short order.

Even Mr Khan could see that Pakistan was going to need a loan. But for the past few weeks he has desperately been seeking alternatives to an IMF bail-out. In a televised address, he asked all Pakistanis living abroad to donate $1,000 apiece to the government, ostensibly to help pay for a big dam. To show that government funds would no longer be wasted, he has engaged in public displays of austerity. The government has auctioned off eight buffaloes kept to provide milk for the prime minister’s residence, along with 61 luxury cars.

View attachment 505451
As recently as October 7th Mr Khan held out hope that “friendly countries” would stump up loans, sparing him the embarrassment of turning to the IMF. Mr Khan has courted Saudi Arabia, in particular, visiting it on his first official trip abroad. Yet the Saudis did not offer a bail-out (it was “awful to beg”, sighed the commerce adviser, Abdul Razzak Dawood). Instead, they volunteered to invest in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $60bn infrastructure scheme financed mainly by China. That seemed to upset China, Pakistan’s “iron brother”, oldest ally and another potential donor, so was dropped. Some observers had imagined that China might increase its lending to Pakistan rather than have the IMF pore over the details of the contracts behind CPEC, which have not been made public and are thought to be unfavourable to Pakistan. But even the prospect of a row over CPEC does not seem to have been enough to persuade China to become Pakistan’s lender of last resort.

As Mr Khan hunted for benefactors, investors panicked. The stockmarket had its biggest daily drop in a decade on October 8th, doubtless spurring the government’s reluctant reversal the same day. The delay, says Khurram Hussain, a journalist, has weakened Mr Khan’s hand in negotiations with the IMF over the terms of any loan. In addition to demanding a good look at CPEC contracts to make sure Pakistan can afford them, the fund is likely to push for further devaluation of the rupee, increased tax collection and higher interest rates. None of these readily aligns with Mr Khan’s promise to create an “Islamic welfare state”. But if Mr Khan was unsure of it before he assumed power, he must surely now realise that Pakistan’s problems run deeper than corrupt leadership. And if voters were unsure of it before they cast their ballots, they are quickly discovering that Mr Khan, for all his self-assurance and star power, cannot fix things quite as quickly or easily as he promised.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline "Imran can’t"
Most of the supporters knew about this and leadership said this many times..
Problem is opposition, media who just lost 40 billion rupees of money...
 
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Most of the supporters knew about this and leadership said this many times..
Problem is opposition, media who just lost 40 billion rupees of money...

All I can say for now is that the next five years will surely be interesting for Pakistan.
 
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Iran wants barter trade with Pakistan

Iran wants stronger trade and economic ties with Pakistan, therefore, barter trade should be encouraged as it will be equally beneficial for both the countries.

These views were expressed by Iran Consul General Reza Nazeri while addressing business community at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Friday.

The consul general highlighted that Pakistan and Iran shared common borders and cultural bonds and Iran had always tried to strengthen bilateral relations with neighbouring countries. “Pakistan is its first preference in this regard.”

He extended full support of the Iranian consulate to prospective trade delegations, adding Iran would organise an exhibition of its products in Punjab.

“Oil, chemical, gas and other sectors of the economy should be focused for mutual trade,” he emphasised. “Pakistan has a distinguished status in milk production and Iran’s experience in dairy sector can be beneficial in this regard.”

He pointed out that Iran had a massive construction potential and could cooperate with Pakistan in that area. He underlined that both countries should join hands for the promotion of tourism as the two had an immense potential in that sector.

Answering a query, Nazeri lamented that lack of banking channels between the two countries was quite troublesome. “Last year, Iran signed an agreement with the previous Pakistan government in this regard,” he recalled. “I will contact the current Punjab government to reactivate this agreement.”

Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Almas Hyder pointed out that over the years, the chamber and Iran consulate had worked hand in hand. He appreciated efforts of the Iranian consul general in aiding the ease of doing business through frequent direct flights between the two countries.

“Both the countries have huge domestic markets and a unique geostrategic competitive advantage,” he emphasised. “In order to utilise each other’s strength, Pakistan and Iran will have to work jointly.”

Hyder recalled his visit to Iran at the head of a business delegation in 2016 and said a great potential existed for Pakistani products in Iran.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1829597/2-iran-wants-barter-trade-pakistan/
 
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http://www.arabnews.com/node/1395101/world


KARACHI: It took rickshaw driver Mohammad Rasheed a year to save 300 rupees to buy his daughter a bike, so when he found three billion rupees ($22.5 million) had passed through an unused bank account in his name, he was stunned ... and scared.
“I started sweating and shivering,” said the 43-year-old — just the latest victim of a money laundering scheme that Pakistan’s new prime minister, Imran Khan, has vowed to crush.
When he got a call from the Federal Investigation Agency, Rasheed’s first inclination was to go into hiding, but friends and family members finally convinced him to cooperate with officials.
His case mirrors dozens of similar stories in recent weeks that have filled newspapers in Pakistan and riled a populace long accustomed to extravagant tales of corruption and theft.
The incidents follow a similar arc — bank accounts in poor residents’ names are flooded with cash, then suddenly emptied in a laundering scheme that has likely seen hundreds of millions of dollars moved out of the country.
Rasheed’s name was eventually cleared, but his anxiety remained.
“I stopped driving my rented rickshaw on the roads because of the fear that some other investigating agencies might pick me up,” he said.
“My wife fell sick because of the tension.”
Only weeks before the fiasco he had finally been able to buy a 300-rupee bike with worn tires for his daughter — the fruit of a year’s careful saving.

17774196196167658.jpg

Pakistani auto-rickshaw driver Mohammad Rasheed plays with his daughter Nabeeha Rasheed in their home in Qur’angi, a slum area in eastern district of Karachi on Oct. 16, 2018. (AFP/File)
The revelation of the laundering frenzy comes as the newly elected Khan has vowed to squash rampant corruption and recover billions siphoned from the country as his government scrambles to shore up Pakistan’s deteriorating finances.
“This is your stolen money,” said the former cricketer during a televised address to the nation Wednesday.
“It was stolen on public contracts... and transferred into these accounts, then laundered abroad.
“I will spare no corrupt man in this country,” he promised.
But for victims like Mohammad Qadir the damage has already been done.
“I have never even seen a bank from the inside,” said the 52-year-old ice cream vendor.
Transactions were nevertheless made in his name for 2.25 billion rupees.
Since news of the incident spread Qadir says he is regularly mocked by his neighbors and also fears being kidnapped by criminal elements who believe he has billions of rupees to spare for hefty ransoms.
“He is a penniless billionaire,” one of Qadir’s acquaintances laughed while driving past his ice cream cart in the Karachi slum of Orangi town.
“People make fun of me, but I ended up with nothing at all from this situation,” said Qadir. “It is such a tragedy.”
Sarwat Zehra, a 56-year-old official, says she has suffered from high-blood pressure after being handed a bill for 13 million rupees in back taxes.
“I was told that a company had illegally passed 14 or 15 billion rupees through my account,” she said.
Pakistan’s poor have long been used as fronts for the elite to dodge taxes and hide assets.
But the scale of the bank account scheme is unprecedented, with authorities pointing the finger at some of Karachi’s wealthiest power brokers including figures with links to former president Asif Zardari.
In September, Pakistan’s Supreme Court established a commission to investigate the scourge, finding that at least 400 million dollars had passed through “thousands of false accounts,” using the names of impoverished people.
Some 600 companies and individuals “are associated with the scandal,” the commission concluded.
It is all the more embarrassing for Khan as his administration scrambles to secure billions of dollars in foreign financial assistance, while also entering talks with the International Monetary Fund for a potential bailout amid a widening balance of payment crisis.
The brazen laundering schemes come as Pakistan was again placed on a watchlist this year by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) — an anti money-laundering monitor based in Paris — for failing to do enough to combat terror financing.

This is the problem.
 
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Very competent professional. Looking at past records :D Surely a merit based appointment.


NSA hires hackers who hacked FBI and NSA. why? Because they know their stuff.

If the above news is true and if IK think that this guy can help the government, I support IK on his decision.

IK government need at least 24 months to establize the financial situation in the country. Once the financial situation is under control then he needs to draw the plan for south Punjab provinces.
 
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Question: If Chinese are willing to invest $$$ in tourism Industry in Pakistan for Chinese tourists, where should they invest in Pakistan? Should Pakistan allow Chinese to build resorts which manage and operated by Chinese workers for Chinese tourists in Pakistan?





10 Most Breathtaking Tourist Attractions of Pakistan

1. Deosai National Park /Deosai Plateau – The land of Giants
2. Concordia (Karakoram)
3. Kel Valley
4. Kalam, Swat
5. Leepa Valley
6. Toli Pir
7. Gorakh Hil
8. Hingol National Park
9. Pir Sohawa
10. Babusar Pass

Best outdoor locations
1. Hunza Valley
2. Saiful Muluk Lake
3. Attabad Lake
4. Satapara Lake

Famous destination in Azad Kashmir
1) NEELUM VALLEY
2. RAWALAKOT
3. BANJOSA LAKE
4. JHELUM VALLEY
5. RAMKOT FORT
6. TOLI PIR
7. PIR CHINASI
8. LEEPA VALLEY
9. RED FORT
10. SHOUNTER LAKE

Most Beautiful Landmarks
1. Pakistan Monument, Islamabad
2. Mohatta Palace, Karachi
3. Anarkali Bazaar, Lahore
4. Faisal Masjid, Islamabad
5. Hiran Minar, Lahore
6. Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore
7. Lahore Fort, Lahore
8. Mazar-e-Qaid, Karachi
9. Shalimar Gardens, Lahore
10. Sheesh Mahal, Lahore
11. Badshahi Masjid, Lahore
12. Wazir Khan Mosque
13. Rohtas Fort
14. Noor Mahal, Bahawalpur
15. Tomb of Jahangir

Other Places.
Derawar Fort, Near Bahawalpur)
Khewra Salt Mine
Katas Raj Temple

All list-
Hunza Valley Hunza
Badshahi Mosque Lahore
Masjid Wazir Khan (Wazir Khan Mosque) Lahore
Faisal Mosque Islamabad
Margalla Hills Islamabad
Saif-ul-Muluk Lake Naran
Pir Sohawa Islamabad
Pakistan Monument Museum Islamabad
Dolmen Mall Clifton Karachi
Lahore Fort (Shahi Qila) Lahore
Deosai National Park Skardu
PAF Museum Karachi
Daman-e-Koh Islamabad
Altit Fort Hunza
Mohatta Palace Museum Karachi
Mazar-E-Quaid Karachi
Lahore Museum Lahore
Pakistan monument Islamabad
Army Museum Lahore
Saidpur Village Islamabad
Walled City of Lahore Authority Lahore
Frere Hall Karachi
Rawal Lake Islamabad
Baltit Fort Karimabad
Jilani Park Lahore
Lahore Guided tours Lahore
Architectural Buildings , Castles
Rohtas Fort Qila Rohtas
Tomb Shah Rukne Alam
Attabad lake Hunza
Margalla Hills
K2 Mountain
Peer Chanasi
Thandiani
 
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My prediction on dollar value compare to Pakistan rupees based on PTI government economic agenda, reforms and investment from Chinese, Saudi, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Malaysian, Turkish, Germany, USA, Russian, Norway and other European countries.
 
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My prediction on dollar value compare to Pakistan rupees based on PTI government economic agenda, reforms and investment from Chinese, Saudi, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Malaysian, Turkish, Germany, USA, Russian, Norway and other European countries.

View attachment 524623

Bhaijaan I'm a PTI supporter thru and thru but even I have to call it BS when someone predicts the economic policies will cause dollar to go half in price in just 5 years :partay:

If performance remains good then dollar will remain at same vicinity of 140-150 by this time in 5 years, or maybe appreciate to max 120-130.
 
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