Pakistan is on track to receive a record $36 billion in remittances by the end of the fiscal year, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced. Speaking at a press conference alongside Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, he revealed that February alone saw a historic remittance inflow of $3.1 billion, underscoring the critical role of overseas Pakistanis in supporting the economy.
Aurangzeb expressed gratitude to expatriates, calling them the lifeline of the country, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to further improving financial stability. He highlighted rising investor confidence, citing surveys from Gallup, ICC, Overseas Shapers, Ipsos, PwC, and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), all pointing to positive economic trends.
The stock market has also reflected this confidence, with 52,000 new investors joining in recent months and seven initial public offerings (IPOs) taking place over the past year, surpassing the previous decade’s annual average of four IPOs.
The finance minister also outlined reforms in the sugar industry, where the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has implemented enhanced monitoring at sugar mills through track-and-trace stamps, automated counters, and video surveillance. With FBR, FIA, and Intelligence Bureau officials overseeing operations, he said sugar sales are now more transparent, reducing profiteering and corruption.
He said that the government’s strict oversight of sugar exports has also contributed to higher tax revenue, with sales tax collections surging 54%, from Rs15 billion in early 2024 to Rs24 billion in 2025.
With 5.7 million tonnes of sugar available and additional stock from the previous season, Aurangzeb assured that domestic supply would remain stable, reinforcing the government’s commitment to economic recovery and market stability.
