India, EU agree to seal free trade pact by 2025-end

IANS | May 2, 2025 10:56 AM

New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maros Sefcovic, have reaffirmed their shared resolve to conclude the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025.

Pakistan's FBR tax shortfall swells to Rs 833 billion

Hamza Ameer | May 1, 2025 9:25 PM

Islamabad, May 1 (IANS) Pakistan's Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) has been consistently falling short of its targets for the past 10 months, piling up a confounding shortfall of Rs 833 billion during the current fiscal year. This is happening at a time when the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has imposed a record number of additional taxes and is reducing refunds. Experts say the upcoming budget will also be very challenging with many towering targets to achieve.