Pakistan’s salaried workers paid Rs. 91 billion in income tax during the first two months of FY27 — 225% more than the Rs. 28 billion collected from the entire real estate sector over the same period, according to FBR data. The gap isn’t just persisting; it’s widening, and this year’s budget is a big part of why. The Numbers Behind the Gap Sector Jul–Aug FY27 Jul–Aug FY26 Change Salaried class (income tax) Rs. 91 billion Rs. 84.7 billion +7.5% (Rs. 6.3 billion) Real estate sector (income tax) Rs. 28 billion Rs. 39.4 billion -28% Within the real estate figures, the…
Author: M Awais
Pakistan’s Central Development Working Party (CDWP), chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, has recommended a Rs. 57.11 billion project to transform and digitalize the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) revenue administration system — one of seven development projects worth a combined Rs. 115.9 billion cleared or advanced at the latest CDWP meeting. What the FBR Project Actually Covers Officially titled the “Transforming and Digitalizing Revenue Administration” (TADRA) project, the initiative is aimed squarely at modernizing how FBR collects and manages tax revenue. The project has been recommended to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval,…
MrBeast just added “bestselling author” to a resume that already includes the world’s most-subscribed YouTube channel. His debut novel, co-written with thriller legend James Patterson, has landed at No. 1 on Amazon’s Mystery, Thriller & Suspense new releases chart — a strong showing that arrives despite early rumors the book was headed for a commercial flop. What the Book Is About The Most Dangerous Games, published September 1 by William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins), follows 1,000 strangers invited to compete in a brutal, globe-spanning competition, with only 100 ultimately selected to take part. The story pushes its survivors through…
More than 227,000 Pakistanis have lost a combined Rs. 8.32 billion to cyber fraud over the past three years — and officials say the real toll is likely far higher, since most people who lose smaller amounts never bother reporting it. The Numbers, Year by Year Year Complaints Filed 2024 83,080 2025 76,646 2026 (year to date) 68,031 Total 227,757 victims, Rs. 8.32 billion lost The data, compiled by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and reviewed by The Express Tribune, shows victims spanning every level of society — including eight parliamentarians, both sitting and former, among them a…
India’s women have booked their place in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 final — and now all eyes turn to Dubai on Thursday, where Pakistan face Sri Lanka for the right to take on India in Sunday’s title clash. How India Got There Defending champions India beat Bangladesh by 40 runs in the first semi-final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, extending their unbeaten run through the tournament. Batting first on a slow, difficult surface, India posted 149/6, with opener Shafali Verma top-scoring on 64 off 40 balls despite being dropped three times by Bangladesh’s fielders — a let-off…
Chinese AI company DeepSeek is rolling out its newest model, V4.1 Flash, around September 10, 2026 — a release the company says beats its own flagship V4-Pro on performance, speed, and cost, marking the latest move in one of the AI industry’s most closely watched open-weight model families. What’s New in V4.1 Flash According to DeepSeek’s own announcement on its open platform, V4.1 Flash introduces a new model architecture, native multimodal support (meaning it can natively handle both images and text rather than bolting on image support separately), stronger overall capability, faster response speed, and lower cost compared to its…
Louis Vuitton has unveiled its most eye-catching timepiece yet — a $199,000 watch (approximately Rs. 5.51 crore) whose dial doesn’t use hands at all. Instead, 12 individually rotating cubes flip into place to display the hour, part of a newly permanent Tambour Spin Time collection that marks Louis Vuitton’s biggest statement yet as a serious watchmaker. How the “Spinning Cubes” Actually Work The mechanism, called Spin Time, was created by watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, who drew inspiration from the mechanical flap-display departure boards once common in airports and train stations — a fitting nod to Louis Vuitton’s identity…
Habib Bank Limited (HBL) is marking 50 years of operations in Bangladesh in 2026, a milestone rooted in the bank’s arrival in the country back in 1976 — making it one of the longest-running foreign banking presences in the Bangladeshi market. A Five-Decade Presence HBL began operating in Bangladesh in 1976, just a few years after the country’s independence, and has maintained a continuous presence there ever since. Today, HBL Bangladesh operates through a small but established branch network, positioning itself within a market long dominated by domestic state-owned and private banks, as well as a handful of other foreign…
Punjab’s subsidized tractor scheme has drawn a flood of applications far outstripping what’s actually available, with over 200,000 farmers applying for just 10,000 subsidized tractors under Phase III of the Chief Minister’s Green Tractor Programme — leaving the vast majority to be decided by a digital lottery. What’s Being Offered Detail Phase III Terms Tractors available 10,000 Horsepower range 50–65 HP Subsidy per tractor Rs. 500,000 Minimum landholding required 5 acres, owned in the farmer’s own name Selection method Computerized digital balloting (Qura-andazi) Eligible farmers must be permanent residents of Punjab, hold a valid CNIC and registered mobile number in…
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given the green light to sweeping tax relief for new energy vehicles (NEVs) under Pakistan’s draft Auto Policy 2026-31, aiming to make electric and hybrid vehicles significantly cheaper while continuing to protect the country’s existing conventional vehicle manufacturers. What Tax Relief Was Approved Measure Detail Sales tax on NEVs Reduced to just 1% — applies to vehicles, CKD kits, parts, inputs, and raw materials Federal Excise Duty (FED) Fully exempted for NEVs Capital Value Tax (CVT) Fully exempted for NEVs Withholding Tax (WHT) Fully exempted for NEVs Customs duty on charging stations Set at 1%…