Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves dropped by $367 million to $15.43 billion after the country repaid $367 million in foreign debt, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). As of April 18, the central bank’s reserves stood at $10.20 billion, while commercial banks held $5.23 billion.
On the economic front, banking data for March showed significant growth. Total deposits rose to Rs 31,626 billion, marking an 11.7% annual increase and 3.8% monthly growth. Bank investments surged to Rs 32,384 billion, up 23.3% year-on-year and 3.8% from February. Short-term loans also grew by 12.6% annually to Rs 13,470 billion, though they fell 3.6% month-on-month.
Also read: UAE foreign minister arrives in Pakistan on official visit today
Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the need to shift “from planning to implementation,” while PML-N’s Shaza Fatima Khawaja highlighted the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) role in boosting IT and women’s empowerment. Cricketer Khushdil Shah urged critics to review his “records and struggle” before commenting.
