KARACHI: The central government’s total debt increased by 11.5 per cent in August this year from August 2020 while the external debt (in terms of rupees) increased by 8pc in the first two months of 2021-22. The State Bank of Pakistan’s latest report on government’s total debts showed the external debts also increased significantly by Rs1.3 trillion in a year’s …

Tazah, a B2B agriculture marketplace in Pakistan, has raised $2 million in a pre-seed round led by Global Founders Capital and co-led by Zayn Capital. Other investors included Ratio Ventures, Walled City Co, i2i Ventures, Suya Ventures, Globivest, Afropreneur Syndicate, +92 Ventures, Sunu Capital and Musha Investments. The round also witnessed participation from local business groups, including Mezan Foods and …

When her two-year-old started feeling sick early last week, Tiffany Jackson didn’t think it might be COVID-19. No one else in the family was sick. Adrian James just had a bit of a cough. She gave him cough syrup and put a humidifier in his room. But by Friday he was sweaty and his breathing was labored. Jackson took him …

LAHORE: The Central Depository Company (CDC) of Pakistan has further reduced the base tariff for its major depository services to facilitate capital market participants. The company has slashed processing charges by 50 per cent for the induction of physical share certificates and to promote digitisation. It has also waived transaction fee on corporate action by 100pc and reduced certain tariff …

KARACHI: In a bearish session caused by high international commodity prices, the benchmark index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed on Tuesday at 44,666 points, down 377.93 points, or 0.84 per cent, from a day ago. According to Topline Securities, a rally in coal prices caused a further drop in the cement sector. Cement stocks took away 170 points …

ISLAMABAD: The Sen­a­te Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue on Tuesday decided to seek reasons from the federal government for not including its over 62 recommendations in the Finance Act 2022. The meeting, chaired by committee chairman Senator Talha Mahmood, also deci­ded to take up issuance of tax notices to traders with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The committee …

President Dr Arif Alvi is to launch a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme for higher secondary school students in the country on Wednesday. According to a report by Radio Pakistan, the programme, which will train students in STEM subjects, will be launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 50 government-run higher secondary schools across the country. Students of …

The funeral prayers of legendary comedian Umer Sharif were offered at a park in Clifton with hundreds of people in attendance. He will be buried next to the grave of Shireen Jinnah, sister of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah & Fatima Jinnah, at the Abdullah Shah Ghazi graveyard. Earlier in the day, his body was brought to Karachi from Istanbul for …

ISLAMABAD: As many as 86 cases of dengue fever were reported in different parts of the federal capital on Tuesday. District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Zaeem Zia said 66 of the cases were reported from the rural areas and 20 from the urban areas of the capital. He said 31 patients were admitted to the Federal General Hospital, 17 to …