Author: yasir

Pakistan’s private sector confidence has deteriorated sharply in the first quarter of 2026, with a majority of businesses reporting worsening conditions amid rising energy costs and spillover effects from regional geopolitical tensions, according to a survey released by Gallup Pakistan. The 17th quarterly Gallup Business Confidence Survey, conducted in April 2026 based on responses from 510 businesses across the country, shows a broad-based decline across all key indicators — current performance, future expectations and perception of national direction. Only 41% of businesses described their current operations as “good” or “very good,” reflecting a 13 percentage point drop from the previous…

Meezan Bank has reported that its monthly card spend has exceeded Rs45 billion, signalling a significant shift in consumer payment behaviour and reinforcing the rapid growth of Pakistan’s digital payments ecosystem. The milestone comes amid a broader transition toward cashless transactions, with increasing adoption of cards, mobile applications and QR-based payments across the country. Banking industry data suggests that consumers are steadily moving away from cash, driven by convenience, security and expanding acceptance of digital payment channels. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, digital retail transactions in the country have reached 3.1 billion in a single quarter, with a…

Counterfeit company sold substandard products by registering a fake logo of the Turkish multinational company OPASFIA has stepped into action after the facts have come to light; counterfeit products are rapidly disappearing from the market.The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched a crackdown on a Lahore-based fake company, Blue Tech, over serious allegations of forgery, fraud, and blackmailing.  According to details, the Lahore-based counterfeit company, Blue Tech, allegedly registered the logo of Turkey’s well-known multinational brand “OPAS” and declared itself the ‘authorized’ representative of the Turkish multinational company OPAS. However, A.T. Electricals & Trading is the only real and authentic…

Sitara Petroleum Service Limited (SPSL) has announced its Initial Public Offering (IPO), seeking to raise up to Rs4.8 billion to finance expansion in its fuel retail network, logistics operations and storage infrastructure, according to its IPO prospectus. The company is offering a total of 279.9 million ordinary shares, representing 16.66% of its post-IPO paid-up capital. Of these, 168 million shares are being offered to the public, while 111.9 million shares have already been placed through a pre-IPO transaction. The book building process is scheduled for May 4–5, followed by public subscription on May 11–12. The IPO will be conducted through…

BingX, a leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3-AI company, today announced the listing of Asteroid Shiba (ASTEROIDETH) for both spot and futures trading, with a limited-time zero-fee promotion from April 19 to April 26. This new listing follows the successful rollout of BingX’s SpaceX Pre-IPO perpetual futures and SpaceX Xpool Airdrop campaign. With growing interest in space-themed assets among crypto traders, BingX is actively seeking to identify and list high-value assets to satisfy user demand. ASTEROIDETH is a community-driven meme coin on Ethereum Blockchain, inspired by “Asteroid,” a Shiba Inu plush toy that acted as the zero-gravity indicator during SpaceX’s Polaris…

The Modern Premier League (MPL) Season 3 will commence on 22 April at the UBL Sports Complex, bringing together 24 teams from leading hospitals for a five-day sporting event continuing through 26 April. The tournament aims to promote teamwork, wellness, and professional engagement through healthy inter-hospital competition. Defending champions Bahria International will return to protect their title in what promises to be an exciting season. Sports Manager of The Modern Hospital, Mr. Taleeque ul Karim, highlighting MPL’s growing role as a platform for collaboration and fitness among healthcare professionals. Mr. Mirza Zoheed from Public Relations provided a detailed briefing on…

ASA Microfinance Bank (Pakistan) Ltd. and Turaco Agency Ltd. (T/A Turaco) have signed a strategic partnership to introduce embedded insurance solutions for microfinance customers across Pakistan. The agreement marks a significant step toward expanding access to financial protection for underserved communities by integrating affordable insurance directly into ASA Pakistan’s lending journey. The signing ceremony was attended by senior leadership from both organizations. Under the partnership, Turaco will enable insurance coverage to be seamlessly embedded within ASA Pakistan’s loan products, allowing borrowers to access protection against unforeseen risks such as illness, accidents, or loss. “This partnership reflects our continued commitment to…

Livoltek, a global leader in smart solar and energy storage solutions and a key subsidiary of Hexing Group, successfully concluded its participation at Solar Pakistan 2026, held from April 17 to 19 at Expo Center Lahore. The event served as a strong platform for Livoltek to reinforce its commitment to delivering innovative, high-performance, and reliable energy solutions tailored to Pakistan’s rapidly evolving energy landscape. With rising electricity costs, frequent power outages, and increasing demand for sustainable alternatives, Livoltek’s advanced portfolio attracted significant attention from industry stakeholders, partners, and customers. At the forefront of Livoltek’s showcase was its advanced IP66 inverter…

Pakistan’s fast-evolving SUV market is beginning to see a new layer of competition — not just between brands, but within the same global automotive groups. A case in point is the comparison emerging between the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV and the Jaecoo J7 two different brands under the umbrella of Chery, a Chinese automobile giant. At first glance, the two vehicles appear to target similar buyers — modern SUV customers looking for electrification, performance, and technology. But a closer look reveals a more nuanced reality as both vehicles are built on closely related platforms, share core engineering, and deliver near-identical…

CEO CBD Punjab, Imran Amin, visited the CBD Walk and CBD Lake projects to review the ongoing development work and assess progress on-site. During the visit, he conducted a detailed inspection of both projects, reaffirming CBD Punjab’s commitment to timely and high-quality project delivery. CEO CBD Punjab Imran Amin was accompanied by senior officials including Director Project Management Asif Iqbal, Director Engineering Umar Hayat, Director Construction Asif Babar, Director Architecture & Planning Sameer Aftab Sial, and project contractors. During the briefing, it was shared that construction work on CBD Walk is progressing ahead of schedule, while maintenance work is underway…