610 stories · Page 7 of 21
Pakistan and China have agreed to explore cooperation in battery cell manufacturing, in a development that could deepen bilateral industrial engagement under the broader framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The agreement signals growing interest in expanding CPEC's footprint beyond traditional infrastructure into advanced manufacturing and clean energy supply chains.
A new report has found that Pakistan is experiencing a rapid and decentralised solar energy revolution driven not by government mandate but by grassroots consumer and business adoption. The study describes a bottom-up transformation in which households, small enterprises, and commercial installations are independently deploying solar panels at a scale that is fundamentally reshaping the country's energy consumption patterns.
Nvidia has confirmed that its forecast for a $200 billion central processing unit market explicitly includes China, signalling the chipmaker's continued ambition in one of the world's most contested semiconductor markets. The projection comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions over chip export controls and restrictions that have periodically limited American semiconductor firms' access to Chinese customers.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has launched an artificial intelligence-powered export facilitation platform for Pakistani small and medium enterprises at a summit held in Sialkot, one of the country's most export-intensive industrial cities. The platform aims to lower the barrier to entry for SMEs seeking to access international markets through digital trade channels.
Azerbaijan has expressed formal readiness to invest in clean energy projects in Punjab, according to a statement from a Pakistani ministerial official. The expression of interest marks an expansion of bilateral economic engagement between the two countries beyond their existing diplomatic relationship.
K-Electric's sales tax registration has been formally restored by tax authorities following the resolution of the compliance dispute that led to its suspension. The reinstatement removes a significant operational and commercial constraint that had affected the utility's ability to conduct routine procurement and billing transactions under the standard tax framework.
Following earlier reports, the Oil and Gas Development Company has now formally secured eight offshore exploration blocks, expanding Pakistan's upstream hydrocarbon search into deepwater and near-shore zones. The newly awarded blocks represent a significant expansion of OGDC's exploration footprint and signal the government's intent to unlock offshore hydrocarbon potential that has remained largely unexplored.
The Federal Board of Revenue is set to introduce electronic surveillance of production processes at factories manufacturing packaged milk, iron and steel, and edible oil and ghee, as part of a broader push to curb under-reporting and improve tax compliance across key industrial sectors. The move involves the installation of real-time monitoring equipment directly within factory premises, enabling FBR to track output volumes against declared tax liabilities.
Lucky Motors has announced a partnership with China's Guangzhou Automobile Corporation, known as GAC, positioning the venture as a strategic bet that rising fuel costs will accelerate consumer migration toward electric vehicles in Pakistan. The deal represents one of the more significant EV-related commercial tie-ups in the domestic automotive sector.
Pakistan Petroleum Limited has signed petroleum sharing agreements and exploration licences for eight offshore blocks, in a move that significantly expands the state-owned company's deepwater and shallow marine exploration portfolio. The signing marks one of the most substantive rounds of offshore oil and gas exploration commitments in Pakistan's recent energy history.
Pakistan's Mecom Gas Private Limited is reportedly eyeing a $20 million initial public offering to finance the construction and expansion of liquefied petroleum gas storage infrastructure, a move that would place the company among the growing number of energy sector firms tapping capital markets for growth financing. The planned IPO would represent a notable development in Pakistan's LPG sector, which has seen increasing demand as the country grapples with natural gas shortages and consumers in under-served areas turn to LPG as a substitute fuel.
Lucky Motors Corporation has formally introduced electric vehicles from China's GAC Motor brand into the Pakistani market, marking a significant expansion of the country's nascent electric vehicle ecosystem and deepening automobile sector ties with Chinese manufacturers. The entry of GAC Motor EVs through Lucky Motors represents one of the more prominent Chinese EV introductions in Pakistan to date, as the country gradually moves to diversify its automotive offerings beyond conventional combustion engines.
Driven by growing Chinese pharmaceutical investment, Pakistan is emerging as the fifth largest medical manufacturing hub in the region, according to industry data reported by Brecorder. The influx of Chinese capital into Pakistan's pharmaceutical sector is transforming the country's production capacity and positioning it as a significant exporter of generic medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The government has reviewed the progress of the first closing stage in the privatisation transaction of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited, as the complex and high-stakes divestiture process moves through its procedural milestones. The first closing in a privatisation transaction typically marks the point at which initial legal and financial conditions precedent have been satisfied and the transaction framework becomes binding.
Following earlier reports on the international expansion of Pakistani cinema, The Legend of Maula Jatt has achieved a landmark milestone by becoming the first Pakistani film to enter China's highly competitive quota-based cinema market. China's film import quota system strictly limits the number of foreign titles permitted commercial theatrical release each year, making this an unprecedented breakthrough for Pakistan's entertainment industry.
OpenAI has announced plans to open its first applied artificial intelligence laboratory outside the United States in Singapore, marking a significant expansion of the company's global research and commercial footprint. The Singapore facility will focus on applied AI development, positioning the city-state as a key node in OpenAI's international strategy.
HSBC has announced a $4 billion lending commitment to support the international expansion of Chinese clean technology companies, in one of the largest single financing packages directed at scaling green industrial assets beyond Chinese borders. The facility targets sectors including solar manufacturing, electric vehicle components, battery storage systems, and green hydrogen infrastructure.
Habib Bank Limited has played a lead institutional role in Pakistan's inaugural Panda Bond issuance, a landmark capital market transaction that marks the country's first-ever bond denominated in Chinese yuan and listed in the Chinese domestic bond market. The transaction represents a significant milestone in Pakistan-China financial integration and opens a new channel for Pakistan to access Chinese capital markets directly.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has reported a 21 percent increase in new company registrations, accompanied by a notable surge in foreign investment interest, signalling an improving business climate and growing investor confidence in the Pakistani market. The SECP data represents one of the more concrete indicators of economic momentum, as new company registrations directly reflect the willingness of both domestic and foreign entrepreneurs to commit capital and establish formal business entities within the country's regulatory framework.
The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association has formally urged the Punjab government to withdraw the Punjab Industrial Development Corporation Bill 2026, warning that the proposed legislation poses serious risks to the competitiveness and operational autonomy of the textile sector in the province. APTMA's intervention signals a significant industry pushback against what manufacturers describe as an overreach by provincial authorities into industrial governance.
Global oil prices settled higher in the latest trading session, driven by escalating uncertainty in the Middle East, the ongoing Strait of Hormuz standoff, and Aramco's warning of a prolonged global energy shock extending into 2027. Brent crude and WTI futures both posted gains, reflecting market anxiety over supply route disruptions through the Hormuz chokepoint, which handles a significant share of the world's seaborne oil exports.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been briefed that Pakistan's information technology exports are on track to reach USD4.6 billion in the current fiscal year, a development that would represent a significant milestone for the country's growing digital economy sector. The projection was presented during a high-level review meeting and reflects continued growth in software development, IT-enabled services, and freelance digital exports.
The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry has formally opposed K-Electric's claims of approximately Rs59 billion under the Energy Obligation True-up Adjustment mechanism for the period FY2017 to FY2023, ahead of a public hearing scheduled at the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority. KCCI argues that the EOTA claims, if approved by NEPRA, would translate into additional financial burdens on electricity consumers in Karachi, worsening an already strained cost environment for businesses and households.
Gwadar Port has announced a significant reduction in port charges, a move aimed at boosting commercial activity and attracting greater shipping and cargo traffic to the strategically located deep-sea facility in Balochistan. The cut in port charges is expected to lower operational costs for shipping lines, importers, and exporters using Gwadar, making it more competitive against regional rivals.
In a new development, gold prices have fallen in global markets as Donald Trump's rejection of an Iranian peace proposal has heightened fears of prolonged conflict and oil-driven inflation. Traders are recalibrating positions as the combination of geopolitical risk and anticipated energy price pressure shifts the inflation outlook in ways that weigh on gold's near-term appeal as an inflation hedge.
The Lahore Stock Exchange's Special Purpose Acquisition Company, LSE SPAC-I, has announced the acquisition of a 19.04 percent stake in Ningbo Green Light Energy, a Chinese clean energy company, in a cross-border transaction that represents one of the more unconventional investment moves to emerge from Pakistan's capital markets in recent years. The acquisition marks the first notable deployment of the SPAC vehicle listed on the Lahore Stock Exchange into an overseas clean energy asset, signalling a potential new channel for Pakistani capital to access international renewable energy opportunities.
Pakistan is on the verge of securing World Health Organisation Level 3 certification for its pharmaceutical sector, a milestone that would grant the country's drug manufacturers export eligibility to approximately 150 countries. The certification represents a significant upgrade in regulatory standing for an industry that has long operated below the threshold required for access to high-value regulated markets.
Pakistan's automobile sector recorded a sharp 52 percent increase in vehicle sales during the July-to-April period of fiscal year 2026, signalling a robust recovery in consumer demand and a broader upturn in the country's economic conditions. The surge marks one of the strongest ten-month sales performances the sector has seen in recent years.
Millat Tractors Limited, one of Pakistan's leading industrial manufacturers, has announced plans to begin local assembly and production of Chinese electric bicycles, marking the company's formal entry into the electric vehicle segment and a significant diversification from its core agricultural machinery business. The initiative involves a manufacturing arrangement with a Chinese partner to produce electric bikes within Pakistan, positioning Millat to capitalise on growing domestic demand for affordable and fuel-efficient personal transport.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange continued its downward trajectory on Tuesday, shedding over 1,590 points as bearish sentiment persisted across the bourse. The decline represents an extension of selling pressure that has gripped the market over recent sessions, with investor confidence remaining subdued.