F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD : Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday provided a comprehensive update on the country’s economic progress, highlighting increased remittance inflows, improved confidence among investors and businessmen in government policies, and better outcomes following institutional reforms.
“The record-breaking remittance inflow for February 2025 reached an impressive $3.1 billion. We estimate an all-time high remittance inflow of $36 billion by the end of the fiscal year,” he said addressing a news conference along with Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar.
Expressing gratitude to the Pakistani diaspora, whom he described as “the lifeline of our country,” Aurangzeb acknowledged their invaluable contribution to the nation’s economy.
“On behalf of the Prime Minister, the government, and the cabinet, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all our Pakistani brethren and sisters working abroad and sending remittances back home,” he said.
The finance minister also shared the results of several independent surveys conducted in the past quarter, including those by Gallup, ICC, Overseas Shapers, Ipsos, PricewaterhouseCoopers and a recent one by the State Bank of Pakistan, all of which showed a noticeable uptick in business and consumer confidence.
“This confidence is reflected in increased business activity, and it is promising to see these positive trends taking root across various sectors,” he noted.
Despite daily fluctuations in the stock market index, Aurangzeb expressed optimism about the market’s overall direction.
Notably, he pointed out that 52,000 new investors entered the market in recent months, signaling a growing interest in Pakistan’s financial sector.
Furthermore, Aurangzeb highlighted a major milestone in the capital markets, with seven initial public offerings (IPOs) taking place on the stock exchange in the past year. This is the highest number of IPOs in recent years, significantly surpassing the average of four IPOs annually over the past decade.
“These are very encouraging signs of progress, both in terms of economic recovery and in fostering a more vibrant, investor-friendly market environment,” he said, adding that such developments suggest long-term improvements to come.
Commenting on ongoing reforms in the sugar industry, he noted that as the 2024-2025 sugarcane crushing season began, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had implemented a new, enhanced production monitoring system for sugar mills. This system includes five oversight mechanisms, such as track-and-trace stamps, automated counters, and video recording to increase transparency.
In addition to these technological measures, he mentioned that FBR personnel had been deployed at sugar mills across the country to ensure accountability and reduce malpractices. The presence of officers from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Intelligence Bureau, along with other law enforcement agencies, further strengthened the system’s enforcement.
“The result is that sugar is now being sold to genuine distributors, and profiteering and corruption within the supply chain are being significantly minimized,” Aurangzeb explained.
The finance minister also highlighted the positive impact of these reforms on government revenue, noting that the sales tax on sugar in the first two months of 2025 had risen sharply compared to the same period in 2024, reaching Rs24 billion, up from Rs15 billion the previous year. “This 54% increase is a clear indication of the success of the government’s enhanced monitoring systems.”
Elaborating on the implementation and effectiveness of the production monitoring system, he added that for the first time, this year, sugar had not been smuggled but was exported to Afghanistan. “[…] This is a very beneficial result. We need every single dollar coming in to balance our current account. This is also a very positive outcome.”
During this sugar season, the minister informed that the country would have 5.7 million tons of sugar, in addition to the stock available from the previous season. He expressed confidence that this would be sufficient to meet the country’s needs through better management.
