Reduced imports shrink July-April trade deficit
Pakistan's trade deficit crossed $14 billion during the ten months (July-April) of current fiscal year due to negative growth in exports and a low decline in imports. This situation should be a wake-up call to senior government officials who had been proclaiming earlier this year that exports would increase by 10 percent in spite of the present economic meltdown more... (BR)

Government collects Rs 73 billion PDL in nine months
Government has collected Rs 73 billion as petroleum development levy (PDL) on petroleum products during the first nine months (July-March) of the current financial year 2008-09 in an effort to meet the revenue targets it has committed with International Monetary Fund (IMF) more... (BR)

Government told to reduce oil products prices: final Supreme Court order today
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the government to reduce the prices of petroleum products, and failure to do so would compel the courts to decide the matter. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry directed Attorney General to seek instructions from the government regarding reduction in prices of petroleum products, saying that it was in the interest of the people of the country more... (BR)

Heliborne troops dropped into Taliban stronghold: ISPR
Pakistan army on Tuesday claimed that its troops backed by artillery and aerial bombing killed 751 miscreants, while 29 security personnel have been martyred so far in Swat, Buner and Dir military operation. Giving details about the operation at a press conference here, Inter Services Public Relations DG Major General Athar Abbas said that the security forces have made significant inroads more... (BR)

See Pakistan through, Holbrooke advises USMonitoring Desk
Richard Holbrooke, special US envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, has said that a stable, secure and democratic Pakistan is vital to US national security interests, said a report seen on a local website more... (FD)

NA echoes with support for Swat operation
Members of the National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously backed government and army efforts aimed at crushing the Taliban and those challenging the writ of the state more... (DT)

Auto sales down by 47 percent
The year-on-year based growth in local auto sales including cars and LCVs has declined by 47 percent to 81,143 units during the first ten months (July-April) of current fiscal. The auto sales units stood at 153,846 during the corresponding period of previous financial year more... (DT)

PSO seeks offers for import of FO
Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has called for offers for the import of 0.4 million tonnes of furnace oil. Among the furnace import contracts, 0.3 million tonnes of new light sulphur fuel oil more... (DT)

Oil hits $60 per barrel for first time since Nov 2008
Oil prices hit $60 a barrel on Tuesday for the first time in six months, boosted partly by a weak dollar and gains on equity markets more... (DT)