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No respite: Rupee continues to weaken against dollar, closes at 236.84

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  • Rupee has been under renewed pressure against US dollar this month.
  • It has lost 8.66 against the greenback during the week.
  • Market experts believe this is primarily due to strengthening US dollar index.

KARACHI: The Pakistani rupee continued to weaken against the US dollar on Friday as high demand for the greenback kept the local unit under pressure.

The local currency registered a decline for the 11th consecutive session, closing the week at 236.84 against the greenback after losing nearly Re1 or 0.41%. The dollar now stands only Rs3.1 short of the all-time high level of Rs239.94 on July 28, 2022.

The rupee has been under renewed pressure against the US dollar this month. Market experts believe this is primarily due to the strengthening US dollar index, alongside a rise in the import of food-related items.

The rupee — which has been continuously losing its value despite the revival of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme — weakening streak can be attributed to a host of reasons including low dollar inflows amid pressure for import and debt servicing.

Moreover, political uncertainty is also impacting the rupee value. Pakistan has not been able to receive financing from multilateral financial institutions, despite securing the funding from IMF last month, which has been putting pressure on the country’s forex reserves — which dipped $176 million, clocking in at $8.62 billion as of September 9, 2022.

However, it is not just the rupee, leading currencies of the world have also lost value against the US dollar in recent times, which was also affecting the Pakistani currency.

Foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) dipped by $176 million.

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Irfan Siddiqui meets with the PM and informs him about the Senate performance of the parliamentary party.

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The head of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Standing Committee and the PML-N’s parliamentary leader paid Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif a visit in Islamabad.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Parliamentary Party’s Senate performance.

Additionally, Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs’ performance.

He complimented the Prime Minister on his outstanding efforts to bring Pakistan’s economy back on track and meet its economic objectives.

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SIFC Increases Direct Foreign Investment: Investment in the Energy Sector Rises by 120%

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The Special Investment Facilitation Council is intended to help Pakistan’s energy sector attract $585.6 million in direct foreign investment in 2024–2025. The amount invested at the same time previous year was $266.3 million.

This is a notable 120% rise, mostly due to investments in gas exploration, oil, and power. Such expansion indicates heightened investor confidence and emphasizes the development potential in important areas.

The State Bank reports that foreign investment in other vital industries has increased by 48% to $771 million.

This advancement is a blatant testament to SIFC’s efficient investment procedure and quick project execution.

The purpose of the Special Investment Facilitation Council is to establish Pakistan as an investment hub by aggressively promoting regional trade and investment in the energy sector and other critical industries.

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Discos report losses of Rs239 billion.

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When compared to the same period last year, the data indicates that discos have decreased their losses in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

The distribution businesses recorded losses of Rs239 billion in the first three months of the current fiscal year, a substantial decrease from the Rs308 billion losses sustained during the same period the previous year.

Additionally, the distribution businesses’ rate of recovery has improved. It has increased to 91% in the first quarter of this year from 84% in the same period last year, indicating success in revenue collection.

Regarding circular debt, the Power division observed a notable change. Last year, between July and October, the circular debt grew by Rs301 billion. Nonetheless, this year’s first four months saw a relatively modest increase in circular debt, totaling about Rs11 billion.

These enhancements show promising developments in the electricity sector’s financial health in Pakistan, where initiatives are being made to accelerate recovery rates and slow the expansion of circular debt.

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