Web Desk

Finance Ministry projects August inflation at 4–5% amid flood concerns

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance on Thursday projected inflation to remain in the range of 4–5 percent in August 2025, warning that flood-related damages could add fiscal pressures and disrupt food supplies in affected regions.

In its Monthly Economic Update and Outlook, the ministry noted that Pakistan entered Fiscal Year 2025-26 with positive momentum, building on last year’s gains and supported by a stronger external and fiscal position.

“Pakistan’s economy started FY2026 with positive developments from the sustained improvements in FY2025, setting a promising tone for the months ahead,” the report stated.

It added that government measures to facilitate investment, reforms to support private sector-led growth, easing inflationary pressures, and accommodative monetary policy are expected to reinforce business confidence going forward.

A favourable global environment, stronger demand from trading partners, and the recent trade deal of Pakistan with the U.S. are expected to boost exports, while workers’ remittances will help contain trade deficit pressures from tariff rationalization–driven imports.

However, flood-related damages may add fiscal pressures and disrupt food supplies in affected areas, the report says, adding inflation is projected to remain within the range of 4.0-5.0 percent in August, 2025.

According to the report, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation remained moderate, suggesting that inflationary expectations were well-anchored through a mix of administrative measures and policy reforms along with prudent economic management.

Read More: Weekly inflation rises amid surge in sugar, gas prices

The headline Inflation was recorded at 4.1 percent Year-on-Year basis (YoY) in July 2025, compared to 3.2 percent in June 2025 and 11.1 percent in July 2024. On Month-on-Month (MoM) basis, it increased by 2.9 percent, following a 0.2 percent increase in June 2025 and 2.1 percent increase in July 2024.

Likewise, in July FY2026, the external sector showed a favourable performance, with a narrower current account deficit and a stable exchange rate, while tax collection by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) recorded significant growth.

These trends highlight a stable macroeconomic foundation at the beginning of FY2026, it says adding the stability achieved in FY2025 and sustained improvement in macroeconomic indicators prompted international credit rating agencies to upgrade Pakistan’s sovereign outlook, reaffirming confidence in the economic direction and reinforcing the credibility of ongoing reform efforts.

The report says, agricultural credit disbursement rose by 16.3% to Rs.2,577.3 billion in FY2025, while agricultural machinery imports surged 123.9% to $14.4 million in July FY2026.

The Large-Scale Manufacturing (LSM) sector registered a year-on-year (YoY) increase of 4.1 percent in June 2025 while month-on-month (MoM), it declined by 3.7 percent. Cumulatively, LSM output declined by 0.74 percent during FY2025, compared to a marginal growth of 0.78 percent last year.

The FY2025 concluded with notable improvement, supported by strong revenue growth and prudent expenditure control. The fiscal deficit narrowed to 5.4 percent of GDP from 6.9 percent in FY2024, the lowest in eight years.

The primary surplus rose significantly to Rs. 2,719.4 billion (2.4% of GDP) from Rs. 952.9 billion (0.9%), the highest in 24 years, driven by contained non-markup expenditures.
Total expenditure grew by 18.0 percent to Rs. 24,165.5 billion, with current spending increasing by 15.9 percent to Rs. 21,528.6 billion. This moderation created space for development, as federal PSDP rose sharply by 43.3 percent.

On the revenue front, tax collection grew by 26.2 percent, while non-tax revenues surged by 65.7 percent. In July FY2026, FBR’s tax collection increased by 14.8 percent to Rs. 757.4 billion, with the 12.5 percent increase in domestic tax and 31.2 percent rise in customs duty.

In July FY2026, the current account posted a deficit of $254 million, lower than the $348 million deficit recorded in July FY2025. Goods exports increased by 16.2 percent to $2.7 billion, while imports rose by 11.8 percent to $5.4 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $2.7 billion compared to $2.5 billion last year.

On July 30, 2025, the Monetary Policy Committee kept the policy rate unchanged at 11%, citing a slight uptick in the inflation outlook due to higher-than-expected energy price adjustments, despite favorable June inflation figures.

August 28, 2025
Bruce Willis’ wife Emma reveals toughest decision after his dementia diagnosis

British model Emma Heming, the second wife of Bruce Willis, opened up on the ‘hardest decision’ she had to make, after the Hollywood veteran’s dementia diagnosis.

For the unversed, Bruce Willis, 70, was first diagnosed with aphasia back in 2022 and announced his retirement from acting due to hampered cognitive abilities. A year later, the ‘Die Hard’ star revealed his diagnosis of untreatable frontotemporal dementia (also known as FTD) – a neurodegenerative disorder.

Bruce Willis: A Deep Dive into His Iconic Career and Family Life

As his condition reportedly worsened significantly in recent times, Emma Heming and their two daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, had to make a tough decision for his well-being, i.e. to let him live with his round-the-clock caretakers, in a separate home from the family.

The veteran’s second wife revealed the development in their new documentary, saying, “It was one of the hardest decisions that I’ve had to make so far, but I knew, first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters. He would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs.”

“It’s our second home, so the girls have their things there. It is a house that is filled with love and warmth and care and laughter,” she explained. “It’s been beautiful to see that … to see how many of Bruce’s friends continue to show up for him. They bring in life and fun.”

“I felt like what we were going through as a family, what Bruce was going through, was so singular. I didn’t know if parents would feel comfortable leaving their child at our home. Not only was I isolated, I isolated our whole family,” Heming continued about Willis’ initial days of diagnosis. “The girls were isolated, too, and that was by design. I was definitely worried about sleeping and just making sure our house was secure. You have to think about your stove. You have to think about your freezer, refrigerator, the doors.”

“I was doing that. That was a hard time. That was a really hard time,” she recalled.

Bruce Willis – News and Updates

August 28, 2025
Punjab Interior Department calls Army to assist flood relief in Lodhran

LAHORE: The Punjab Interior Department has requested the deployment of the Pakistan Army in Lodhran to support ongoing flood relief efforts, ARY News reported.

The request comes as Pakistan Army troops have already been assisting in Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Narowal, Okara, Sargodha, and Hafizabad. The Pakistan Army has been deployed to aid district administrations and ensure the protection of human lives in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government continues its rescue and relief operations in flood-hit regions, with district administrations, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Civil Defence, Rescue, and Police working around the clock.

Over 9,000 Civil Defence volunteers are actively serving in flood-affected areas across Punjab. Relief camps have been established to provide shelter and support to affected communities. Civil Defence teams are also assisting in the safe evacuation of residents and their livestock to secure locations.

Authorities urge the public to cooperate with the administration during ongoing rescue and relief operations.

Also Read: Pakistan Army troops requisitioned in Punjab for flood relief activities as India releases water

Earlier, in view of the potential flood threat following the release of water by India, the Pakistan Army was called in to assist the civil administration in Punjab.

As per details, the water level is rising in Pakistan rivers as India opened all gates of the dam on the River Ravi.

The move created a flood-like situation in Punjab’s rivers, prompting the provincial government to deploy army units in seven districts.

A spokesperson for the Punjab Home Department said the provincial government had taken an urgent decision to seek Pakistan military assistance for immediate relief operations in seven districts of Punjab, including Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Narrowal, Faisalabad, Okara and Sargodha.

The spokesperson added that the district administration, Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, and police were already active on the ground.

August 28, 2025
Sindh on alert to tackle flood contingency: Sharjeel Memon

KARACHI: Senior provincial minister Sharjeel Memon on Thursday said that the Sindh government has been fully alert to tackle any flood contingency, ARY News reported.

Talking to media, minister said that all preparations have been made to tackle the flood situation even the rain falls during flooding.

Provincial minister said that the flood flow currently entering in Sindh, the government has been watchful and closely monitoring the situation. “Currently there is no emergency situation in Sindh,” Sharjeel Memon said.

He said the People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto has been in contact with the chief minister and all other ministers over the water situation.

“We are prepared to address the situation and avoid likely losses,” minister added.

It is to be mentioned here that extremely heavy rainfall as well as releasing water by India into Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers have unleashed devastating floods in Punjab resulting in losses of life and property.

Indus River, the life-giving water source for Sindh, has been mostly in below flooding level so far. However, all floodwater of Chenab, Sutlej, Ravi and tributaries will discharge into the Indus, boosting water levels in the great river before it enters in Sindh.

Indus has been currently in low flood situation at Sindh’s all three barrages at Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri. The water level in the river is expected to surge as Indus River, carrying floodwaters from Punjab will enter in Sindh.

August 28, 2025
PM Shehbaz warns of recurring floods in coming years, urges urgent dam construction

NAROWAL: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday stressed the urgent need to expand Pakistan’s water storage infrastructure to mitigate the impact of devastating flash floods, warning that such disasters are likely to recur in the coming years due to climate change.

Chairing a high-level meeting to review the flood situation, the prime minister said enhancing storage capacity was critical and urged immediate action. “Storage capacity is the need of the hour, and without wasting any more time, we should start work in this regard,” he emphasized.

Shehbaz Sharif stressing the importance of generating resources to fund the construction of dams and water reservoirs nationwide, said “we will have to generate the resources by ourselves”.

Shehbaz Sharif added that projects like the Diamer-Bhasha Dam must be completed without delay.

The premier noted that while floods initially hit northern areas, they were now wreaking havoc in Punjab’s plains. He expressed condolences for those who lost their lives and lauded the coordinated rescue and relief efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan Army, and civil departments.

Recalling the devastating 2022 floods in Sindh and Balochistan, Shehbaz warned that Pakistan remains among the top ten most climate-vulnerable countries, resulting such disasters likely to recur in coming years.

He called for short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to strengthen disaster preparedness and response.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, crops, and infrastructure but stressed that no deaths occurred due to negligence. She praised NDMA, PDMA, police, civil defense, and the army for rescuing over 50,000 people, ensuring timely evacuations, and minimizing livestock losses through early warning systems.

With parts of the Gurdwara submerged, Maryam directed authorities to drain floodwater urgently. She also ordered activation of field hospitals, deployment of 1,000 mobile clinics, and sufficient vaccine supplies, prioritizing vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the elderly.

She said around 200 km of roads had been damaged and ordered immediate restoration of temporary routes to maintain connectivity, while also stressing long-term rehabilitation and infrastructure to maximize water storage and minimize wastage.

Read More: Raging riverine flooding claims at least 25 lives in Punjab

Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted climate change as a pressing but manageable challenge if gaps in disaster response were addressed. He noted that unlike Pakistan, neighboring India suffered less damage due to stronger infrastructure.

Iqbal warned that village connectivity had been severely disrupted, requiring bulldozers and heavy machinery to restore access and medical coverage. He emphasized rehabilitation efforts, urging agriculture banks to provide concessional loans to flood-affected farmers to help them rebuild and achieve self-reliance.

Earlier, NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider briefed the meeting on the overall flood situation in Punjab.

August 28, 2025
Travis Kelce’s ex shares a cryptic post after Taylor Swift engagement

As NFL star Travis Kelce and pop megastar Taylor Swift announced their engagement, after two years of dating, his ex-girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, has reacted to the news with a cryptic post.

Sports reporter and content creator Kayla Nicole, who was in a five-year-long relationship with Travis Kelce before their breakup in 2022, took to her Instagram stories on Tuesday to repost a telling clip about ‘experiencing joy’, after Taylor Swift announced her engagement with the Kansas City Chiefs tight-end via a social media post.

Travis Kelce – News and Updates

In the clip, actor Tracee Ellis Ross can be heard saying, “I work at it. I think joy is different from happiness. I feel like happiness is something you can get at 7/11, and joy is something you earn and work for and takes practice.”

“I feel like joy has legs. I feel like joy has feet, I feel like joy has roots, I feel like it creates space and allows for room for more than just a good day. I think joy is an attitude. I think joy is a perspective, and I think joy is a lens through which I live and look at my life,” she explained further in the video. Sharing the clip on her Instagram stories, Nicole, who has previously confessed to the trauma of a public breakup with Kelce, added in the caption, “Read about this very concept years ago in a book called Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough. I aspire! So so good.”

For the unversed, the ‘Lover’ hitmaker broke the news of her engagement with Kelce earlier this week, when she shared the pictures of their dreamy proposal, and confirmed in the caption, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”

Taylor Swift – News and Updates

August 28, 2025
Pakistan urges Israel’s allies to review policies enabling ‘mass carnage’ in Gaza

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan on Thursday called on countries shielding Israel at the UN Security Council to urgently reconsider their policies, warning that such support has enabled “mass carnage” of Palestinians in Gaza.

“The occupying power’s apologists must introspect and objectively assess the consequences of their policies,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, told the 15-member Council.

“What else is complicity? In fact, impunity has become Israel’s shield – and this Council’s silence, its enabler,” he said, stressing that the Council “cannot remain a bystander” and must act decisively to fulfill its Charter responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.

Highlighting the scale of destruction in Gaza, the envoy noted that most of the more than 62,000 people killed were women and children. “This cannot be collateral damage. It is mass carnage,” he declared.

Ambassador Ahmad said that Israel is carrying out “a campaign of ethnic cleansing in plain sight” through mass killings, displacement, famine, settlements, and the systematic destruction of habitable land. He also condemned Israel’s planned full occupation of Gaza City, calling it a “blueprint for further humanitarian catastrophe” that could displace up to one million more people.

Read More: NGO says starving Gaza children too weak to cry

At the same meeting, senior UN officials painted a grim picture of the worsening crisis. Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory had deteriorated “to levels not seen in recent history.”

Meanwhile, Joyce Msuya, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, confirmed that famine is now occurring in Gaza, citing the findings of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee.

August 28, 2025
PM free youth laptop scheme 2025 major update amid floods

ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme, aimed at distributing 100,000 free laptops to deserving students across the country, has been postponed due to the ongoing flood crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), APP reported citing official sources.

According to the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), the distribution drive—originally scheduled to begin in July 2025—has been delayed to prioritize relief operations in flood-affected regions.

Officials confirmed that the distribution event has been rescheduled by two weeks, as many universities remain closed nationwide. A revised date will be announced soon to ensure eligible students can receive their laptops under the government’s initiative to promote digital literacy.

The recent floods have caused widespread devastation, displacing thousands of families and disrupting essential services. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and will finalize the new schedule once conditions in KPK, GB, and AJK stabilize.

Students have been advised to stay updated through official government channels regarding the revised timeline.

Read more: PM Shehbaz announces 100,000 free laptops for students

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday announced that 100,000 free laptops will be distributed among talented students across the country strictly on merit.

Addressing an event in Islamabad marking International Youth Day, the Prime Minister said the laptops would go to high-achieving students based solely on their academic performance.

“This government believes in transparency and merit, and we will ensure both in the distribution process,” he said.

The distribution will cover all four provinces, the federal capital Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, the Prime Minister said Pakistan’s victory on May 10 against a numerically larger and “vainglorious” enemy had instilled new vigour in the nation. He urged the youth to build on this spirit and strive for excellence to bring pride to the country.

August 28, 2025
Tom Cruise hates THIS new Hollywood favourite

Megastar Tom Cruise is reportedly growing insecure about fellow actor Pedro Pascal and his sudden rise to the ‘daddy’ figure of Hollywood.

As revealed by industry insiders to a foreign publication, A-lister Tom Cruise, 63, is frustrated over the recent growth of Pedro Pascal, 50, into Hollywood’s new favourite leading man, with his latest choice of roles in both TV and cinema.

Tom Cruise – News and Updates

According to sources, the ‘Mission: Impossible’ star might have ‘patched things up’ with rival Brad Pitt, but Pascal is a competitor giving Cruise a tough time.

“Tom might be in his 60s, but he has no intention of stepping aside. His drive is still as strong as ever,” the tipster told a publication. “He has softened with time and even patched things up with Brad Pitt, but Pedro is the competitor who really bothers him now.”

While another source claimed, “It’s really tied to Tom’s outlook.”

“He thinks true movie stars should stay in film rather than bouncing between movies and TV. Pedro has built his reputation doing exactly that, and Tom doesn’t respect it,” the person explained. “For him, the goal is packing cinemas – it’s what defines his career, and he treats it with total seriousness.”

The insider also interpreted, “Pedro is only a bit younger, but Hollywood acts like he’s the fresh face of the industry, and that really irritates Tom.”

“Plus, Tom sees himself and Brad as Hollywood icons and Pedro as a newbie,” the tispter concluded.

Pedro Pascal – News and Updates

August 28, 2025
11 people die from electrocution during July rains across Pakistan: NEPRA

ISLAMABAD: At least 11 people lost their lives due to electrocution during the July monsoon rains across Pakistan, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) revealed on Thursday.

The disclosure came during a NEPRA hearing in Islamabad on a petition seeking a Rs1.69 per unit reduction in electricity prices.

Expressing strong anger over the fatalities, NEPRA Member Technical Rafique Ahmed Shaikh said that the highest number of such accidents occurred in July, highlighting that six of the deaths were reported in areas falling under the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO).

“Where is the IESCO CEO? How did these deaths occur in its system? What safety measures were in place?” Shaikh questioned during the hearing. He urged the power division to take notice of the situation.

He further remarked that while the NEPRA can only impose maximum fines on power distribution companies, these companies often obtain stay orders to avoid penalties.

Read More: KE CEO, officials booked after two brothers electrocuted in Karachi

Earlier, Shah Faisal Colony police on Thursday registered a case against K-Electric Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi and other officials after two brothers were electrocuted to death during heavy rains.

The victims, identified as Israr Khan and his younger brother Siraj Khan, were killed after coming into contact with a live underground K-Electric wire outside their residence, according to the family.

Both died instantly as floodwaters had inundated the road. The grieving family has called for strict legal action, holding K-Electric authorities responsible for negligence.

August 28, 2025