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Gallup Pakistan's latest business confidence survey shows a sharp fall in private-sector sentiment in the first quarter of 2026 as firms faced higher energy costs, inflation and spillover from regional tensions. Businesses reported weaker current conditions, darker expectations and growing concern over governance, power outages and rising operating expenses.
The NDMA has warned that an intense heatwave could affect large parts of Pakistan until May 5, with Sindh, southern Punjab and parts of Balochistan expected to face the harshest conditions. Authorities have told departments to activate response plans as concerns grow over heat-related illness, water stress and pressure on public services.
Pakistan has received its first Kyrgyz shipment through a China-linked route via the Khunjerab Pass, with the cargo reaching Sost dry port in Gilgit-Baltistan. The move opens an alternative trade corridor for Central Asia and strengthens Pakistan’s push to become a regional transit hub connected to Karachi’s ports.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed officials to accelerate local battery production, expand EV charging infrastructure and make storage more accessible for surplus solar electricity. The move signals a broader shift toward linking transport electrification with energy security, domestic manufacturing and grid modernization in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s revised customs values for used imported phones have pushed up the expected PTA-related cost of the iPhone 15 lineup, with the Pro Max seeing the steepest impact. The change is likely to raise final retail prices for commercially imported used units and tighten affordability in Pakistan’s premium smartphone market.
Punjab has made registration mandatory for private security companies and guards, linking the process to the Punjab Safe Cities Authority through a digital system. The move is intended to improve background verification, accountability and public safety in a sector that operates across many of the province’s most sensitive public and commercial spaces.
A Gallup Pakistan survey released on April 23 found that 81pc of businesses say regional tensions are hurting them, mainly through rising fuel and energy costs. The findings show weakening business confidence, worsening expectations and growing concern that external shocks are deepening economic pressure across Pakistan.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s meeting with US envoy Natalie Baker has kept Pakistan at the centre of efforts to revive a delayed second round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad. The development highlights Islamabad’s growing role as a regional mediator at a time when Gulf tensions continue to threaten diplomacy and economic stability.
Pakistan has issued its first spot LNG tender since December 2023, seeking three cargoes to shore up electricity generation as summer demand rises and regional supply risks persist. The move underlines Islamabad’s continued dependence on imported gas despite efforts to lean more heavily on solar and domestic energy sources.
Attock Refinery has resumed operations after road links for crude and fuel transport were restored, easing fears of a wider supply disruption in northern Pakistan. The brief shutdown highlighted how security-related road closures can quickly affect fuel distribution, airport supplies and broader energy logistics.
Sindh has recorded its first Congo fever death of 2026 after a 17-year-old cattle farm worker from Tando Adam died following treatment in Karachi. The case comes as Pakistani health authorities remain on alert over higher CCHF risk ahead of Eidul Azha because of increased human-animal contact.
Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank have signed a Rs365 billion agreement linked to the long-stalled M6 motorway, the final major gap in the country’s north-south motorway network. Officials say the project could transform freight movement from Karachi’s ports to inland Pakistan if financing, procurement and execution stay on schedule.
