ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Friday announced an increase of around 20 percent in the uniform power tariff to generate Rs3.8 trillion in funds for 10 power distribution companies (discos) during the fiscal year 2024-25, amid Pakistan’s talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new bailout program.
The Rs5.72 per unit increase, which will take effect from July 1 after the government issues a formal notification, will provide Rs485 billion in additional revenue to discos and strengthen the government’s position in securing an IMF bailout in July.
Islamabad is currently locked in talks with the IMF for a longer-term bailout of around $8 billion after the last $3 billion helped Pakistan avert a sovereign default in June last year. Pakistan is expected to formally request for the program in the coming weeks.
NEPRA said the total Power Purchase Price (PPP) of ex-WAPDA distribution companies (XWDISCOs) for FY 2024-25 worked out as Rs3,277 billion, which includes Rs1,161 billion for fuel & variable cost and Rs2,116 billion as capacity charges.
“The capacity charges translate into Rs.6,957/kW/month, based on projected average monthly MDI of 25,348 MW. Thus, the capacity charges works out as around 65 percent of the total projected PPP of XWDISCOs, whereas energy cost is around 35 percent of the total projected PPP,” it said in a circular.
“In terms of average per unit PPP of XWDISCOs on unit purchased basis i.e. before adjustment of allowed T&D losses of XWDISCOs, capacity charges works out as Rs. 17.66/kWh, whereas energy charges are Rs.9.69/kWh, totaling to Rs.27.35IkWh for the FY 2024-25.”
The national average power purchase price works out as Rs.27.00/kWh, according to NEPRA. The generation cost is transferred to the DISCOs as per the prescribed mechanism.
Under the last IMF bailout, Pakistan was told to prevent further accumulation of circular debt in its power sector, arising from subsidies and unpaid bills. For a new program, the South Asian nation will need to implement reforms to reduce costs by improving electricity transmission and distribution, moving captive power into the grid, improving governance, and combating theft.
It will also have to maintain power and gas tariffs at levels that ensure cost recovery, with adjustments made to safeguard the financially vulnerable, through existing progressive tariff structures.
The government has the authority to make adjustments with different rates of increases for various consumer categories without affecting the overall revenue requirement determined by NEPRA.
Pakistan regulator increases power tariff by 20 percent amid new bailout talks with IMF
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Pakistan regulator increases power tariff by 20 percent amid new bailout talks with IMF
- The Rs5.72 per unit increase, which will take effect from July 1, will provide Rs485 billion in additional revenue to distribution companies
- Under last bailout, IMF told Pakistan to prevent further accumulation of circular debt in power sector, arising from subsidies and unpaid bills
$170 million raised in Pakistan’s largest-ever IPO for Lucky Islamic Money Market Fund
- Lucky Investments says investors demonstrated “overwhelming confidence” in its first Shariah-compliant offering
- State Bank of Pakistan has set the target to increase the share of Islamic banking system to 35 percent by 2025
ISLAMABAD: Lucky Investments Limited said on Wednesday it had successfully raised Rs50 billion ($170 million) during the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of its debut fund, the Lucky Islamic Money Market Fund, the largest ever mutual fund launch in Pakistan.
The Fund had declared the launch of its IPO for April 9, inviting all interested investors to become part of a historic interest-free, Shariah-compliant Pakistan initiative, as per a notice issued by the company.
“This landmark achievement marks an extraordinary milestone in Pakistan’s financial sector, where investors nationwide demonstrated overwhelming confidence in the company’s first Shariah-compliant offering,” Lucky Investments said in a statement.
“The record-breaking subscription underscores robust demand for Islamic financial products and firmly positions Lucky Investments’ place as a promising new player in Pakistan’s Asset Management Industry.”
Lucky Investments, a subsidiary of Pakistan’s Lucky Group, focuses on investment and portfolio management across sectors like energy, real estate and manufacturing. Originally known as Interloop Asset Management Limited, the company was acquired by Yunus Brothers Group in December 2024 and rebranded as Lucky Investments Limited.
The company listed Lucky Islamic Money Market Fund as the first in a planned series of Shariah-compliant mutual funds set to be introduced by the company.
“We are profoundly grateful for the extraordinary trust placed in us by investors across Pakistan,” Lucky Investments Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Shoaib was quoted as saying in the statement.
“Breaking the national record with a Rs50 billion subscription in a single day is not just a milestone for Lucky Investments, but a testament to the growing strength of Islamic finance in our market.”
Shariah-compliant investments are gaining traction in Pakistan as investors seek ethical, faith-based financial solutions. Supported by a growing Islamic finance sector and regulatory backing from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and the State Bank, the market continues to expand through mutual funds, sukuk, and Islamic banking products.
In 2024, Islamic banking in Pakistan held a significant market share, with assets and deposits accounting for approximately 19 percent and 24 percent of the overall banking industry, respectively, by the end of September.
The State Bank has set the target to increase the share of the Islamic banking system to 35 percent by 2025.
Pakistanis divided as Afghan migrants face expulsion under new policy
- Pakistan has asked all “illegal foreigners” and Afghan Citizen Card holders to leave or face deportation from April 1
- Move is part of larger deportation drive that began in November 2023 and has seen over 900,000 Afghans expelled
ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan intensifies its campaign to expel thousands of Afghan migrants, opinions in Islamabad remain divided, according to interviews with residents.
Earlier this year, Pakistan’s interior ministry asked all “illegal foreigners” and holders of Afghan Citizen Cards — a document launched in 2017 to grant temporary legal status to Afghan refugees — to leave the country before Mar. 31, warning that they would otherwise be deported from April 1. The move is part of a larger repatriation drive of foreign citizens that began in November 2023, with over 900,000 Afghans expelled from Pakistan since.
While 19-year-old student Rubab Iffat called the deportations “not right,” others like teacher Pervaiz Akhtar supported the government’s decision, saying Afghans were against Pakistan and were behind terror attacks in the country. The government in Kabul denies Afghanistan is to blame for Pakistan’s security problems.
“Even on social media, they [Afghans] are against Pakistan ... They make their living here, but they are against us,” Akhtar said.
“If you look overall, even locally, if you ask someone what Afghans say about us, they are against our country. Terrorism is also being carried out from there [Afghanistan] so it is justified that they leave. And they should go by all means, their country is Afghanistan.”
But Iffat said the government was not “doing the right thing” by expelling Afghans:
“Because they have been living here [Pakistan] for a long time and their home is here now, their children are studying here, so this is their country too. They should be given the same rights as us.”
Meanwhile, Afghanistan-bound trucks have been piling up outside Pakistan migrant camps as pressure to leave mounts.
In a migrant camp in the southwestern border town of Chaman, Afghan migrant Ismail prepared to return to his home country, leaving behind an “unfinished” life after a decade in Pakistan.
“I had a stable job, I had found stability,” he said, standing in front of rows of loaded trucks bound for Afghanistan. “Then the government told us we had to leave.”
Ghulam Hazrat said he had to leave behind his house and business and in the days leading up to leaving Karachi where he has lived for years, he had faced harassment from police.
“We were harassed every day. They didn’t even spare us on the streets and threw us straight into jail,” Hazrat added.
“Because of all this, we became very desperate and decided to leave Karachi [for Afghanistan].”
KFC, Domino’s Pizza outlets attacked in Pakistan over Gaza war — police
- Mobs have attacked KFC and Domino’s Pizza outlets in Pakistan’s commercial capital of Karachi in three separate assaults since Monday
- Attacks widely blamed on TLP religious-political party which denies involvement and says using peaceful means to force boycotts
KARACHI: Three Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants and one Domino’s Pizza outlet were attacked in the Pakistani city of Karachi over the past three days, causing some damage but no injuries, police said, describing the assaults as being motivated by anger over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Boycott campaigns have hit Western brands in many Muslim countries since the start of Israel’s latest war on Gaza in October 2023, spearheaded by the BDS Movement, a global, Palestinian-led campaign advocating for non-violent pressure on Israel to respect Palestinian rights under international law. The movement calls for the boycott of certain companies and organizations that it says have invested in Israel or donate to its military and are directly profiting from its economy.
While not officially on the BDS boycott list, KFC has faced backlash from pro-Palestinian advocates in many countries who believe the brand’s operations in Israel contribute to the conflict. KFC, owned by Yum! Brands, has faced boycotts in many Arab nations and accusations of supporting Israel due to Yum! Brands’ investments in Israeli-based startups, but the company maintains it is non-political and denies supporting the Israeli military or government. Dominos is on the boycott list of the BDS, which says it donates to the Israeli military, an accusation the company denies. There is, however, an Israeli subsidiary of Domino’s Pizza.
“A mob of about 100 to 150 people attempted to ransack a multinational food chain outlet and block the main highway,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in the Malir area, Kashif Abbasi, to Arab News, confirming that the outlet was a local branch of KFC.
He said police acted promptly, dispersed the crowd and prevented damage to the building while arresting nine suspects.
On Tuesday, a mob of around 35 people attacked KFC and Domino’s Pizza restaurants in Karachi, with ten suspects arrested.
“The attack on the food outlets was motivated by anger over the situation in Gaza,” said Syed Asad Raza, Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
“There is a similar pattern across the Muslim World, especially Bangladesh and other countries, mostly incited through social media.”
In a third attack on Monday over a dozen men hurled stones at a KFC outlet and broke its windows.
“They were unable to enter the outlet and fled due to the prompt response of the police. No arrests have been made, but we have registered a case against the unidentified attackers,” Dr. Farrukh Raza, Senior Superintendent of Police for East Karachi, told Arab News.
On Wednesday, media also reported attacks on a KFC branch in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore.
The attacks have been widely blamed on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) religious-political party, known to lead violent protests in the country, most prominently in support of blasphemy laws.
However, TLP spokesperson Rehan Mohsin Khan distanced the party from the attacks on the KFC and Domino’s Pizza restaurants and told Arab News that while TLP’s stance on the Palestine issue was “clear,” violent protests were “not part of our policy.”
“If one or two members of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan were present among the protesters out of their love for Gaza, it does not mean that it was the policy of the party or we support violence,” he said.
“We are in favor of peaceful protests, and we are trying to pressure the Pakistani government to officially boycott all these products.”
Pakistanis eligible for five-year visa to UAE — officials
- There have been widespread reports in recent months of a decline in visa approvals for Pakistanis by the UAE
- Problems with documents, criminal records and lack of respect for local laws among reasons for refusals to Pakistanis
KARACHI: A provincial governor in Pakistan and the UAE consulate in Karachi said this week visa issues between the two countries had been resolved and Pakistanis could now apply for five-year visas to the Emirates.
There have been widespread reports in recent months of a decline in visa approvals by the UAE for Pakistanis and a decrease in overall employment opportunities for the South Asian country’s nationals, allegedly due to their lack of respect for local laws and customs, as well as their participation in political activities and sloganeering while abroad.
News that visa issues had been resolved first came on Monday from the office of the governor of Pakistan’s Sindh province after he met UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi in Karachi.
“In a meeting with Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori, UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Al-Zaabi said that visa issues have been resolved, Pakistanis can get five-year visas,” Tessori’s office said in a statement.
On Tuesday, the UAE’s consulate in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, also released a statement about the meeting between Al-Zaabi and Tessori, quoting the governor as saying Pakistanis could avail the five-year visa facility.
“We love Pakistanis very much,” the statement added, quoting Consul General Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumaithi. “Every person can apply for a UAE visa … Pakistani citizens can also apply for a UAE visa for work, medical treatment and other needs.”
In February, Pakistani Ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, had said several factors were contributing to Pakistanis’ inability to obtain visas, including problems with documentation and criminal records of applicants.
There are approximately 1.5 to 2 million Pakistanis living in the UAE, making them the second-largest expatriate group after Indians. The Gulf nation is also the second largest source of foreign remittances to Pakistan after Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan stocks remain under pressure on uncertainty over US tariffs
- Benchmark KSE-100 index experienced significant intraday pressure on Wednesday, plunging as much as 2,640 points during the session
- Global markets took a pummeling on Wednesday as President Donald Trump’s eye-watering 104% tariffs on China came into effect
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s benchmark KSE-100 index experienced significant intraday pressure on Wednesday, shedding as much as 2,640 points during the session before settling at 114,153 points on uncertainty over US tariff measures.
Global markets took a pummeling on Wednesday as President Donald Trump’s eye-watering 104% tariffs on China came into effect, and a savage selloff in US bonds sparked fears that foreign funds were fleeing US assets.
This week has brought crisis-era volatility to markets, wiping off trillions of dollars in value from stocks and hitting commodities and emerging markets with force.
“The Pakistan Stock Exchange remained under significant pressure today, as mounting uncertainty over potential US tariff measures reverberated across global financial markets,” Pakistani brokerage house Topline Securities said in its daily market review.
“In line with the negative trend witnessed in international equities, the local bourse experienced heightened volatility throughout the session.”
After plunging as much as 2,640 points during intraday trading on Wednesday, some recovery was seen in the latter half of the day and the index closed at 114,153 points, marking a net decline of 1,379 points or 1.19%.
On Tuesday, Pakistan stocks had closed at 118,938, gaining 623 points (0.54%), a day after the exchange fell to an intraday low of 8,687 points, the largest intraday point-wise drop in PSX history.
Major stock indexes plunged on Monday after Trump announced tariffs on goods imported from the rest of the world, saying a 10% tariff on all nations and much higher rates of up to 50% on individual countries will boost the US economy and protect jobs.
The Trump administration has also imposed a 29% tariff on Pakistan.
