Pakistan's State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reserves increased by $730 million, reaching $15.8 billion, following a Eurobond issuance. Gold also gained value amidst a softer dollar.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced an increase in its policy rate, raising it to 11.5%. This decision reflects the central bank's latest monetary policy adjustments.

The oil industry in Pakistan has requested the State Bank of Pakistan to extend the permission for importing petroleum products on a cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) basis for two months or until market conditions stabilize, aiming to ensure continuous supplies.

Microfinance institutions in Pakistan are pivoting towards risk-protected lending, exemplified by a partnership between ASA Bank and Turaco to embed insurance into loans, as the State Bank of Pakistan promotes financial inclusion.

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has signed an agreement to extend a $3 billion deposit with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), witnessed by the Finance Minister in Washington, DC.

The State Bank of Pakistan injected over Rs2 trillion through open market operations, as the gold price rose by Rs3,000 per tola and the rupee slightly strengthened against the dollar.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has simplified export rules for IT freelancers, allowing banks one day to process receipts and removing the requirement for Form R for every transaction.

A Pakistani Senate panel has questioned banks regarding SMS charges, after the State Bank of Pakistan revealed that Rs18.7 billion is collected from consumers annually through these fees.

Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves have shown a slight increase, reaching $21.74 billion, with State Bank of Pakistan holdings rising by $22 million to $16.37 billion.

The State Bank of Pakistan reports that while mobile banking users have reached 126 million, ATM withdrawals continue to dominate transaction values, indicating a persistent reliance on cash despite the surge in digital financial services.

KARACHI: The country’s current account has recorded a surplus of $479 million in February, leading to a substantial decrease in the current account deficit for the ongoing fiscal year. According to details shared by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday, the country’s current account has posted a surplus in the first two months of the calendar year 2026, after recording a deficit of $244m in December 2025. In the first two quarters of FY26, the current account ...

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission has started technical-level discussions with the State Bank of Pakistan in Karachi for the third review of the $7 billion Extended Financing Facility.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced a bank holiday on May 1 in observance of Labour Day.

The government has approved Rs4.4 billion for retirees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Additionally, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) cleared a policy for importing old cars, while also issuing a contradictory statement to the State Bank of Pakistan.

The KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange experienced a decline as investors adopted a wait-and-see approach ahead of the State Bank of Pakistan's crucial monetary policy decision.

Pakistan's State Bank has received a $1 billion tranche from Saudi Arabia, providing a significant boost to the country's foreign exchange reserves.

Pakistan's current account balance recorded a substantial surplus of $1.07 billion in March, as announced by the State Bank of Pakistan.

Pakistan received 17 percent higher remittances in March compared to February, totaling $3.8 billion, despite the ongoing Middle East conflict. This inflow was the highest recorded so far, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.

Pakistan's economic growth for the second quarter has reportedly increased to 3.9%, though the State Bank of Pakistan raised concerns about missing wheat data during a National Accounts Committee meeting.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has introduced a framework allowing teenagers to securely save and transact, aiming to foster responsible financial habits among the youth.

An article reflects on the historical significance of Pakistan's founding, featuring Quaid-i-Azam and the first Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Zahid Hussain, and discussing the Lahore Resolution of March 23, 1940.

Pakistan's exchange rate has remained stable for 19 days despite the ongoing war in the Middle East, a development that has encouraged stakeholders including the State Bank of Pakistan and the government.

On March 9, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) decided to keep the policy interest rate unchanged at 10.5pc, a decision that arrived as the macroeconomic outlook became “quite uncertain following the outbreak of the war in the Middle East”. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the escalation compounded war-related worries for oil-import-dependent Pakistan. War-risk premiums have reportedly risen manifold since the conflict began, while obtaining insurance coverage for import cargoes ha...

KARACHI: Robust demand further pushed outstanding auto loans for the 14th consecutive month to Rs328 billion in January, up from Rs319bn in December 2025. The State Bank of Pakistan data revealed that consumers opted for more loans in January due to the change of model year and registration, as the growth in December 2025 was slightly slower than in November 2025. Auto financing has been struggling to beat the peak of Rs368bn recorded in June 2022 when annual car sales volumes were around 240,000 units. Auto sector expert Mashood Ali Khan said that the current trend shows consumers are increasingly leveraging bank financing to purchase vehicles, contributing to a gradual recovery in automobile sales despite prevailing economic challenges. This is a strong indicator that consumer demand still exists, and it only needs supportive policy to accelerate further. The growth momentum comes primarily under the State Bank’s existing Rs3 million auto financing cap, enabling a large segment of middle-income consumers to access vehicle ownership. “I believe that the auto sector holds significantly greater potential if financing limits are revised upward to Rs6 to Rs7m.” By doing this, the auto market will witness a substantial expansion, particularly in the sedan and mid-range vehicle segment, which remains largely inaccessible to financing-dependent consumers under current limits, he added. “If financing ceilings are increased and interest rates continue to ease, Pakistan’s annual auto sales could potentially cross 200,000 units a year again,” he emphasised. He said the small-car segment remains the primary beneficiary of financing due to its alignment with the SBP financing cap. A segment of consumers is also seeking to access sedans through partial financing combined with personal savings, highlighting the demand gap created by the current financing ceiling. Banks are offering more flexible financing options, including comparatively lower markup rates, reduced down-payment requirements, and easier repayment structures. “This has supported recovery, but policy alignment is essential to unlock the sector’s full potential,” he said. Raising financing limits, while supporting consumers, would also generate broader economic benefits, including industrial production growth, employment generation, vendor development, and increased government revenues through taxes and duties, he said. He said continued interest rate moderation could further strengthen financing activity in the coming months. “I stress that revising financing limits remains the single most impactful policy intervention to accelerate growth,” Khan said. Sales are likely to remain upbeat in view of a 137pc increase in imports of semi- and completely knocked-down kits by the local assemblers to $1.144bn in 7MFY26 from $706m in the same period last fiscal year. Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2026

Trade and industry leaders in Pakistan have criticized the State Bank of Pakistan's decision to raise the interest rate by 100 basis points to 11.5 percent. They warn that this move is ill-timed and will negatively impact the country's exports and overall economic growth.

The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) announced that all agreements and pilot programs involving virtual assets now require prior authorization, following a recent policy announcement by the State Bank of Pakistan.

Gold prices in Pakistan have fallen by Rs2,900, despite a global increase in gold value, while the State Bank of Pakistan has repaid $1 billion to the Abu Dhabi Fund and the rupee has slightly strengthened.

State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad stated that the country's macroeconomic indicators improved faster than expected, asserting the economy's ability to withstand potential risks from an Iran war.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has replaced its 2018 cryptocurrency ban with new Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) rules, allowing banks to open accounts for licensed virtual asset firms under strict AML compliance.

Pakistan's Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), and various banks are coordinating efforts to expand credit, urging provinces to take the lead in financing small and medium-sized enterprises.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reported an increase in its foreign exchange reserves by $6 million, bringing the total to $16.38 billion, while total forex stands at $21.79 billion.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has purchased $12.4 billion to bolster its foreign exchange reserves, including $1.024 billion in December 2025 alone, contributing to a slight appreciation of the rupee to 279.15 against the dollar.

According to the State Bank of Pakistan, digital channels accounted for 92% of retail transactions during the second quarter of FY26, significantly changing the country's banking landscape.

LAHORE: The Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with finance ministry, on Tuesday, announced launching a massive crackdown on money-laundering and hawala/hundi networks across the country. A joint working group comprising the officials of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will be formed to regularly review the progress made in this regard. A meeting held under the joint chairmanship of Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Federal Minister f...

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday maintained its key policy rate at 10.5 per cent. Pakistan has begun to feel the economic fallout of the escalating conflict between the US-Israel against Iran, which has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and triggered a sharp rise in global fuel prices. In international markets, Brent crude is on track for a record one-day gain, as mounting geopolitical tensions place severe pressure on global energy supplies. Mean...

KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has launched ‘Cyber Shield’, a comprehensive cyber resilience strategy, to counter growing global and domestic cyber threats to the financial ecosystem, aligning with international best practices. As part of its Vision 2028 agenda, the SBP launched Cyber Shield, a major initiative aimed at strengthening the safety and robustness of the country’s banking and financial system. The banks have been facing increasing incidents of cyber crimes, while the international organisations believe that every second Pakistani is facing the cybersecurity problem. With the rapid digitisation and very high growth of online payments, cyber threats have also increased. Bankers said the situation is not alarming, but there is a need to implement quick remedies to control it, which would help strengthen the banking system in Pakistan. Outlines key priorities to counter growing threats by 2030 “The milestones laid down in the strategy will be implemented in a phased manner by 2030. All regulated entities are required to align their internal cybersecurity programs with the strategy to ensure compliance,” said the SBP. The central bank said the strategy has been designed to better protect banks and financial institutions from cyber threats, thus ensuring that people and businesses can continue to access financial services safely. The SBP said it set out a clear roadmap to help financial institutions strengthen their systems and controls, prevent cyber incidents, respond quickly when cyber threats materialise, and recover effectively from them. “As the banking ecosystem faces increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, the strategy aims to enhance cyber defences of the regulated entities through a holistic, forward-looking and collaborative approach,” said the SBP. Bankers said cybersecurity experts are not available to meet the growing demand in financial institutions, as many young Pakistani experts prefer jobs abroad with higher pay. There is no attractive policy to retain cybersecurity experts in the country. The SBP said the Cyber Shield focuses on five key priorities: strengthening the ability of banks to withstand cyber incidents, improving governance and accountability for cybersecurity, encouraging cooperation and information-sharing across the financial sector, building skilled cyber talent, and continuously updating security practices to keep pace with new risks. “The SBP will closely monitor both global and domestic cyber developments and will update the strategy as needed to address emerging threats,” said the SBP. By strengthening cyber resilience across the banking sector, SBP aims to safeguard customers, support digital innovation in a secure environment and ensure financial stability, it added. About 90 per cent of bankers believe that cybercrime is the biggest challenge confronting the banking industry in the country, according to a previous survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Pakistan. Seventy per cent list fraud as their major concern, and 60 per cent believe terrorism financing is the biggest threat, the survey showed. “Banks in Pakistan operate within an evolving financial crime compliance ecosystem,” said the survey report. Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026