Pakistan car sales surge by 61 percent YoY due to lower interest rates, newer variants— report 

Pakistan car sales surge by 61 percent YoY due to lower interest rates, newer variants— report 
This photograph taken on November 11, 2024 shows a security guard (R) standing beside a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck at a car showroom yard in Karachi. (AFP/File)
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Updated 12 February 2025
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Pakistan car sales surge by 61 percent YoY due to lower interest rates, newer variants— report 

Pakistan car sales surge by 61 percent YoY due to lower interest rates, newer variants— report 
  • Pakistan’s central bank has slashed interest rates from all-time high of 22 percent in June 2024 to 12 percent 
  • Two and three-wheelers’ sales increased by 33 percent year-on-year and 18 percent month-on-month, says brokerage house

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s car sales surged by 61 percent year-on-year (YoY) in January due to lower interest rates, increased customer confidence and newer variants entering the market, a top brokerage house said in its report this week. 

Pakistan car sales were clocked in at 17,010 units in January 2025, reflecting a 61 percent YoY surge and a 73 percent month-on-month (MoM) increase, Topline Securities said in its report on Tuesday. 

Pakistan’s central bank last month announced cutting its key interest rate by 100 basis points to 12 percent. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has slashed rates from an all-time high of 22 percent in June 2024 in one of the most aggressive moves among central banks of emerging markets. Lower interest rates charged by the SBP means commercial banks also lower the interest rates they charge on loans, including auto loans. 

“The YoY rise in car sales is driven by lowered interest rates, improved consumer confidence, and the introduction of newer variants and models,” Topline Securities said in its report. 

“MoM increase is primarily due to the low base effect, as December sales are typically low with buyers delaying purchases for new-year registrations, and SAZEW data not being released leading to an uptick in January,” it added. 

For the seven months of the current financial year, 7MFY25, auto sales have surged to 77,686 units, a 55 percent YoY rise from 49,989 units in 7MFY24.

It said all auto companies have seen a rise in YoY and MoM car sales. 

“Two and three-wheelers’ sales increased by 33 percent YoY and 18 percent MoM totaling to 139,161 units (2.5-year high) in January 2025,” the report said. 

It said the tractor industry recorded sales of 2,761 units, marking a 28 percent YoY and 61 percent MoM decrease, while truck and bus sales in Jan 2025 were up 2.57x YoY and 3.22x MoM, reaching 621 units after 3 years (last recorded in January 2022).

 “Auto sales have seen a boost and this is expected to continue as auto financing recovers amidst interest rates fall and new variants enter the market,” the report concluded. 


Pakistan slashes petrol price by Rs1 per liter for next fortnight

Pakistan slashes petrol price by Rs1 per liter for next fortnight
Updated 39 sec ago
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Pakistan slashes petrol price by Rs1 per liter for next fortnight

Pakistan slashes petrol price by Rs1 per liter for next fortnight
  • Pakistan’s Finance Division also announces reduction in the price of diesel by Rs4 per liter
  • Fuel prices in Pakistan are reviewed fortnightly based on international oil price fluctuations 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan this week announced reducing the price of petrol by Rs1 per liter and of diesel by Rs4 per liter for the next fortnight, a notification from the Finance Division said this week, attributing it to price fluctuations in the international oil market. 

The development takes place after Pakistan increased the price of petrol by Rs1 per liter on Feb. 1. After the latest decline, the price of petrol has been fixed at Rs256.13 per liter while that of diesel has been set to Rs263.95 per liter. 

“The Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has reviewed and adjusted consumer prices for petroleum products in view of recent fluctuations in the international oil market,” the notification said on Saturday. 

The Finance Division also announced reductions in the prices of other petroleum products.

The government slashed the price of kerosene oil by Rs3.20 per liter to Rs171.65, while the price of high speed diesel has been reduced by Rs5.25 per liter to Rs155.81 per liter.

Fuel prices in Pakistan are reviewed and adjusted fortnightly, based on fluctuations in international energy markets and the rupee-dollar exchange rate.

The mechanism ensures that the net impact of changes in import costs is passed on to consumers, helping to sustain the country’s fuel supply chain.

Fuel price increases typically push consumer prices higher across sectors, causing economic strain and fueling popular resentment among the masses. 
 


Pakistan and Saudi naval forces conclude maritime exercise with live weapons firing

Pakistan and Saudi naval forces conclude maritime exercise with live weapons firing
Updated 14 min 51 sec ago
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Pakistan and Saudi naval forces conclude maritime exercise with live weapons firing

Pakistan and Saudi naval forces conclude maritime exercise with live weapons firing
  • Naseem Al Bahr-XV followed the Aman exercise that brought together navies from several states
  • Both navies executed complex scenarios, including joint maneuvers and anti-submarine warfare

KARACHI: The Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) on Saturday concluded a bilateral maritime exercise with a live weapons firing display in the North Arabian Sea, demonstrating combat readiness, according to a statement from Pakistan’s Naval Headquarters in Islamabad.
The Naseem Al Bahr-XV followed the larger multinational Aman exercise, which brought together navies from several countries to promote regional maritime cooperation.
However, unlike Aman, which focuses on soft power, multinational coordination and humanitarian operations, Naseem Al Bahr is a biennial exercise designed to enhance operational preparedness and joint warfare capabilities between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
This year’s edition involved four naval vessels — Pakistan’s PNS Zulfiquar and Saudi Arabia’s HMS Jazan, HMS Al Yarmook and HMS Hail.
“Exercise NASEEM AL BAHR-XV featured advanced maritime operations, and the participating assets of both navies executed a diverse range of complex scenarios, including joint maneuvers, Anti-Surface Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare and integrated Maritime Security Operations,” the official statement said.
“The exercise provided an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation, enhance interoperability and demonstrate a shared commitment to ensuring maritime security,” it added.
The exercise concluded with a live weapons firing demonstration, with the participating ships successfully launching a variety of surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles.
The statement said all the ships engaged their designated targets with precision, reflecting their combat preparedness and war-fighting capability.
Senior officials, including the commander Royal Saudi Naval Forces and Pakistan’s chief of naval staff, attended the event.
 


Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa calls for talks with Afghanistan to address militancy

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa calls for talks with Afghanistan to address militancy
Updated 15 February 2025
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Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa calls for talks with Afghanistan to address militancy

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa calls for talks with Afghanistan to address militancy
  • The provincial administration held a meeting with religious and political leaders to discuss the issue
  • Chief Minister Gandapur says a jirga will be formed for result-oriented negotiations with Afghanistan

PESHAWAR: The administration of Pakistan’s militancy-hit northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Saturday called for government-level negotiations with Afghanistan, announcing that it would constitute a jirga, or a traditional tribal council, to engage with authorities in Kabul, according to an official statement.

The statement followed a consultative meeting convened by the KP administration under the title “National Unity Against Terrorism,” bringing together representatives from various religious and political parties. The discussions come amid a sharp rise in militancy in the region, including suicide bombings, attacks on civilians and security forces and kidnappings of local businessmen and government functionaries.

Pakistan’s top military and political leadership has blamed the surge in violence on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants launching cross-border attacks from Afghanistan, accusing Kabul’s administration of harboring and facilitating them, though the allegation is denied by the Afghan authorities.

The country’s security forces have also conducted intelligence-based operations against militant hideouts in KP and has reportedly launched airstrikes inside Afghanistan to target TTP militants. However, the consultative session in KP called for a more peaceful approach, seeking the government to engage in constructive talks with Afghan authorities.

“The security situation in our province is directly linked to developments in neighboring Afghanistan,” Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said, according to an official statement circulated after the meeting.

“To find a lasting solution to the issue of terrorism in the country, there is a need for government-level negotiations with Afghanistan,” he added.

“A jirga will be formed to hold meaningful and result-oriented negotiations with Afghanistan,” Gandapur said, referring to the traditional tribal assembly system used for conflict resolution and decision-making in Pashtun-majority areas.

KP’s administration is run by former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which has historically advocated negotiations with TTP to resolve militant violence.

The federal government in Islamabad, however, argues that past talks with militants only allowed them to regroup and launch more deadly attacks against Pakistan’s security interests.

Islamabad has repeatedly pressed Kabul to eliminate TTP sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, while the Afghan Taliban have called for dialogue instead of military action.


England opening batsman Ben Duckett fit for Champions Trophy

England opening batsman Ben Duckett fit for Champions Trophy
Updated 15 February 2025
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England opening batsman Ben Duckett fit for Champions Trophy

England opening batsman Ben Duckett fit for Champions Trophy
  • Duckett suffered a problem in his left groin during England’s 142-run loss to India on Wednesday
  • The injury placed a question mark over the 30-year-old’s availability for the Champions Trophy

LONDON: England’s prospects for the Champions Trophy received a boost on Saturday when opening batsman Ben Duckett was passed fit for the one-day international tournament.
Duckett suffered a problem in his left groin during England’s crushing 142-run loss to India in the third ODI in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
His injury placed a question mark over the 30-year-old’s availability for the Champions Trophy, which starts in Pakistan next week and features the eight top-ranked ODI teams qualified from the 2023 50-over World Cup.
But the dashing left-hander has now been given the all clear following a scan, with an England and Wales Cricket Board statement saying: “Scans on a left groin injury have confirmed that England Men’s batter Ben Duckett is fit and available for the ICC Champions Trophy.
“Duckett sustained the injury while fielding during the first innings of England’s third ODI defeat to India in Ahmedabad last Wednesday.”
England are set to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday before they begin their Champions Trophy campaign against oldest rivals Australia in Lahore on Saturday, with all-rounder Jacob Bethell ruled out because of a hamstring injury and replaced by Tom Banton.
Since winning the 2019 World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup, England have struggled in white-ball cricket with Wednesday’s thumping defeat condemning them to a 3-0 series loss against India in what was Test coach Brendon McCullum’s first ODI campaign since he also took charge of the limited-overs side.


Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference

Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference
Updated 15 February 2025
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Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference

Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference
  • Muhammad Aurangzeb brings up enhanced bilateral trade, investments and collaboration with his counterpart
  • The ministers emphasize the need for continued economic dialogue, increased cooperation through joint initiatives

KARACHI: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Saturday discussed unlocking the full potential of their strategic relationship, as the finance chiefs of both countries met ahead of the Emerging Markets Conference in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, according to an official statement.
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb arrived in the Kingdom to attend the two-day conference, which begins on Sunday, at the invitation of his Saudi counterpart Mohammed Al-Jadaan.
The annual economic policy forum is organized by the Saudi finance ministry in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regional office in Riyadh. The event will bring together emerging market finance ministers, central bank governors, policymakers, public and private sector leaders, international institutions and academics.
“The meeting [between the two finance chiefs] underscored a shared commitment to build bridges of economic cooperation and advance mutual prosperity,” Pakistan’s finance ministry said in a statement after Aurangzeb’s interaction with Al-Jadaan.
“The discussions highlighted opportunities for enhancing bilateral trade, investments and financial collaboration, with both ministers expressing their dedication to unlocking the full potential of their countries’ strategic partnership,” it added.
Pakistan is navigating a fragile economic recovery under a $7 billion IMF loan program secured in September 2024, after implementing austerity measures and policy reforms to avert a sovereign default in 2023.
To facilitate Pakistan’s economic recovery, Saudi Arabia signed 34 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth $2.8 billion last October to boost private sector investment in key areas, including energy, infrastructure and technology.
During their meeting, the two ministers explored avenues for collaboration in infrastructure, energy, technology and finance, emphasizing the need for continued dialogue and joint initiatives to facilitate investment flows and economic opportunities that could benefit the broader region.
According to an earlier statement by Pakistan’s finance ministry, Aurangzeb is scheduled to participate in a high-level panel discussion titled “The Path to Emergent Markets,” hosted by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
The conference will feature nine sessions, with 200 participants and 36 speakers, focusing on economic resilience, financial policies for emerging markets and global economic challenges.
The discussions come at a time when the world economy is facing persistent shocks, trade tensions between major world powers, geopolitical instability and tight financial conditions.
“The conference will provide a unique platform for world leaders to discuss and analyze domestic, regional and global economic conditions and developments and to exchange ideas on solutions to global challenges,” the Pakistani finance ministry added.