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Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Chinese officials in Washington that Beijing’s support remains vital for Pakistan’s IMF programme, external financing plans and investor outreach. The meetings signal Islamabad’s push to pair economic reforms with new funding avenues, including a Panda bond, as it manages regional and market pressures.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement in Washington to extend a $3 billion Saudi deposit with the State Bank, giving Islamabad timely support as it navigates reserve pressure, energy-related risks and upcoming external repayments. The move improves short-term external stability while the government pursues IMF-backed reforms and plans a return to global debt markets.
Pakistan’s power minister says peak-hour load-shedding will continue until LNG supplies normalize, blaming fuel disruptions, lower hydropower output and rising demand. The government says emergency steps are under way, but a full improvement now depends on restored gas availability and better generation conditions.
Pakistan is preparing to transfer management control of PIA to the Arif Habib Group-led consortium by the end of April, advancing one of the country’s biggest privatisation deals in recent years. The move could become a defining test of Pakistan’s wider reform agenda as officials try to turn a financially troubled national carrier over to private management.
Pakistan’s current account surplus has shrunk to just $8 million in the first nine months of FY26, down from $1.674 billion a year earlier, according to SBP data. Although March posted a stronger monthly surplus, the broader fiscal-year picture shows Pakistan’s external account remains under significant pressure.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has credited Pakistan’s implementation of its IMF programme with helping maintain macroeconomic stability, giving Islamabad a significant vote of confidence during the Spring Meetings in Washington. The endorsement supports Pakistan’s reform narrative, but it also comes with a clear warning that deeper structural changes are still needed to turn short-term stabilisation into lasting growth.
The State Bank has confirmed that Pakistan received $2 billion from Saudi Arabia, giving immediate support to foreign exchange reserves as debt repayments and regional energy pressures test the external account. The inflow offers short-term relief, but Pakistan still faces a broader challenge of turning temporary support into lasting financial stability.
The State Bank of Pakistan has allowed banks to open accounts for licensed virtual asset service providers under a new legal and regulatory framework. The move brings crypto-related businesses into formal banking channels while keeping strict licensing, client-fund segregation and anti-money-laundering controls in place.
Pakistan has started commercial production from Baragzai X-01, the biggest single-well oil and gas development in its history, in Kohat's Nashpa Block. The project is expected to raise domestic supply, generate major revenue and cut the country's fuel import bill at a time of regional energy disruption.
Pakistan’s government apologised after consumers faced electricity cuts beyond the announced plan, blaming a sharp nighttime drop in hydropower generation. The episode has exposed how LNG shortages, fuel costs and weak low-cost generation are combining to strain supply and force tighter power management across the country.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange surged more than 5,000 points as hopes of renewed US-Iran talks improved investor sentiment and helped push the KSE-100 to around 170,640. Falling oil prices added to the rally, with traders seeing possible relief for Pakistan’s inflation, energy costs and broader economic outlook.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told Chinese officials in Karachi that Pakistan would address the concerns of Chinese investors on a priority basis and announced plans for a dedicated conference in Islamabad. The move is aimed at strengthening investor confidence, improving facilitation and reinforcing Pakistan’s commitment to security and bilateral economic cooperation.
