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Chinese bank to give $300 million to Pakistan today: Ishaq Dar

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  • China’s ICBC had approved a loan facility of $1.3bn for Pakistan.
  • Part of the amount has been returned in previous disbursements.
  • Development will boost Pakistan’s low foreign exchange reserves.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is set to give Pakistan $300 million today in a move that will boost the country’s foreign exchange reserves, Finance and Revenue Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday.

He wrote on Twitter that ICBC had approved a loan facility of $1.3 billion for Pakistan, which had earlier been repaid. The Chinese bank has already returned part of the amount in two previous disbursements.

“State Bank of Pakistan would receive back third and last disbursement today in its account amounting to $300 million,” the finance czar wrote on his official Twitter handle. “It will shore up forex reserves of Pakistan.”

The third critical disbursement from the ICBC will be released after Pakistan completes the necessary documentation.

Last month, the Chinese lender approved a rollover of a $1.3 billion loan for Pakistan. Following the announcement, the Chinese bank deposited $500 million — the first disbursement — on March 4 and then the second tranche of an equivalent amount was released on March 17.

The cash-strapped nation of 220 million people is going through one of its biggest economic crises ever as multiple delays in its loan program created a dollar shortage, and import restrictions and reduced foreign-exchange reserves to less than one month of imports.

The nation’s foreign exchange reserves stand at $4 billion while it needs to pay $2.2 billion in the quarter ending June. It expects to roll over a debt of $2.3 billion, according to State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad.

More external financing will be coming to Pakistan only after Islamabad signs a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which the minister said should be done by next week.

The lender has been negotiating the deal with Pakistan since end-January to clear its ninth review, which if approved by its board will issue over $1 billion tranche of the $6.5 billion bailout agreed upon in 2019.

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Pakistan Looks To China For Investment In Important Sectors: SIFC Encourages New Chinese Projects

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Due to the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s assistance, Chinese businessmen are showing a revived interest in Pakistan. Pakistan has recently sent high-ranking delegations to China to promote investment in industries such as renewable energy, medical equipment, leather, plastics, textiles, and plastics.

At port Qasim in Karachi, the Chinese solar panel manufacturer “Renesola Pakistan” intends to set up an assembly plant capable of producing up to 4 gigawatts of solar energy. An electric bike, scooter, and tricycle assembly plant is planned to be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by the Xiamen Sino-Pak International consulting and investment firm.

Pakistan’s renewable energy sector is of interest to Hexing Electrical, and the Ruyi Shandong Group intends to develop textile parks that meet international standards. Pakistan will also see the establishment of factories by Rainbow Industries Limited and Shaoxing Chemical Industry.

An exploration memorandum on shale and tight gas potential has been inked by the oil and gas development business and CCDI.

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Pakistan experiences an increase in cement exports.

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Relative to 570,692 tons in the same month last year, the data that was made public shows that the exports increased by 71.52 percent to 978,871 tons.

Still, domestic cement sales were down 18% in September 2024, continuing the downward trend.

The month’s total cement sales were 3.540 million tons, down from 3.751 million tons in September 2023, a 5.63 percent annual decline.

In terms of total sales, domestic sales decreased by 19.78 percent to 8.130 million tons between July and September of 2024.

At the same time, 2.140 million tons of cement were exported, a 22.19 percent increase. Even while exports have increased, domestic sales have decreased for the fourth straight month.

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Pakistan’s deposit protection program now covers one million rupees.

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An increase in the guarantee sum for qualified depositors of member banks was announced by the Deposit Protection Corporation (DPC) on Tuesday. The increase was from Rs500,000 to Rs1 million.

All of the eligible depositors across the country would be afforded complete protection as a result of this improvement, which was approved by the board of directors of the DPC.

The decision was made with the intention of protecting the interests of depositors and fostering financial stability inside the country, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

A whopping 77.7 million accounts held by member banks are now protected by the DPC as a result of this revised guarantee. This contributes to the protection of about 96% of the total account holders in the banking sector, which equates to approximately 80 million personal accounts.

A number of experts considered that the DPC’s guarantee was insufficient in protecting depositors, particularly during times of economic uncertainty. Previously, the DPC’s guarantee was restricted to a maximum of Rs500,000.

It is anticipated that the decision to raise the limit will boost the trust of depositors and encourage a greater number of persons to interact with the banking system. This means that the decision comes at a vital time.

To ensure that access to this safety net is uncomplicated and uncomplicated, it is important to note that the deposit protection facility is accessible to all eligible depositors at no additional cost.

To emphasize the significance of preserving a healthy banking environment, the guarantee will not be activated until the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) declares a bank to be a failed organization.

The State Bank of Pakistan, also known as SBP Bank Bank depositors are protected by deposit protection charges (DPC) Deposit rates

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