Pakistan’s Banking Sector Carries 54% Effective Tax Burden as Fiscal Pressures Mount
Pakistan’s banking industry paid over PKR 1.127 trillion in FY25 taxes as effective rates climbed above 54%, highlighting growing fiscal dependence on formal financial institutions amid IMF-driven revenue reforms and low financial inclusion.
Pakistan’s Economic Freedom Score Faces Structural Strain Despite Reform Signals
Pakistan’s ranking in the Heritage Institute’s 2025 Index of Economic Freedom reveals deep-rooted structural challenges despite recent reform efforts, highlighting tensions between fiscal policy, taxation, labour markets, and institutional credibility.
Pakistan’s Youth Bulge and the Jobs Imperative: Why the Next Decade Will Define Economic Stability
As Pakistan faces a surge of young entrants into the labour market, World Bank President Ajay Banga has warned that failure to create millions of jobs annually could push the economy toward prolonged instability. This article examines the scale of the challenge, the structural constraints holding back employment growth, and the policy shifts needed to turn a demographic surge into sustainable economic momentum.
Crypto’s Compliance Reckoning: How Digital Assets Are Reshaping Bank Risk Frameworks
As crypto activity shifts from the margins to the mainstream, banks face growing regulatory pressure to treat digital asset exposure as a core compliance and prudential risk. This advisory analysis examines how evolving regulations, institutional participation, and Pakistan’s move toward formal crypto oversight are reshaping compliance expectations for financial institutions.
Nikkei Asia Sheds Lights On Pakistan’s Unease of Doing Business
Nikkei Asia reports that Pakistan’s cost of doing business is 34% higher than regional peers due to elevated energy prices, taxes, interest rates, and regulatory hurdles, discouraging entrepreneurship and pushing more workers toward salaried employment.
Pakistan’s Rising Risk Profile in a Fragmented Global Economy: What the Global Risks Report 2026 Signals
The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026 highlights how geopolitical rivalry, economic volatility, misinformation, climate stress and weak institutions are reshaping Pakistan’s risk landscape, demanding deeper governance reform and long-term resilience strategies.
Pakistan 2025 in Review: Economic Stabilization, Policy Reforms, and Market Resilience
Pakistan’s 2025 was a year of measured economic stabilization, policy reforms, and market resilience. Key developments included monetary easing, structural reforms in the energy sector, strengthened international partnerships, and a 51% surge in the KSE-100 Index, setting the stage for sustainable growth in 2026.
Gold Surge 2025: How Real Assets Outpaced Interest Rate Policy
Gold delivered a record-breaking rally through 2024 and 2025 as shifting Federal Reserve policy and rising investor skepticism toward debt-based systems drove a major shift toward real assets, redefining traditional interest rate relationships.
Pakistan’s Service Exports Surge as Other Business Services Drive Digital-Led Growth
Pakistan’s services exports recorded strong growth in the first five months of FY26, with Other Business Services emerging as a major contributor alongside IT exports, signaling a shift toward knowledge-based and digital economy sectors.
Former Central Banker Shoukat Bizinjo Announces Candidacy For IBA Karachi Board Of Governors
Former State Bank of Pakistan official and Simpaisa’s Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, Shoukat Bizinjo, has announced his candidacy for the IBA Karachi Board of Governors Alumni Seat, outlining priorities around governance, digital finance education, inclusion, and alumni engagement.