By Our Correspondent
KARACHI: Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI, has apprised that the business, industry and trade community of Pakistan is disappointed with the monetary policy as it continues to be based on a heavy premium vis-à-vis Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has maintained status quo in the policy rate in its Wednesday meeting.
Atif Ikram Sheikh highlighted that the CPI, as per government’s own statistics, stood at 3.20 percent in June 2025; but, the policy rate continues to be 11.0 percent as of today – which reflects a premium of 780 basis points (bps) as compared to inflation and it makes no economic sense, he added.
Atif Ikram Sheikh continued that, after deliberations from the apex trade and industry platform with all industries and sectors, FPCCI had demanded a single-stroke rate cut of 500 basis points during the Wednesday’s monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting to rationalize the key policy rate; and, align it to the vision of special investment facilitation council (SIFC) – and, the Prime Minister’s vision for industrial development, import substitution and export growth.
S. M. Tanveer, Patron-in-Chief, UBG, noted that the CPI is expected to be in the range of 3 – 4 percent for the months of July – August 2025 as per trade, industry and economists’ expectations. Therefore, he had demanded, key policy rate should have been brought down to 6 percent in today’s monetary policy decision.
Abdul Mohamin Khan, VP FPCCI & Regional Chairman for Sindh Region, proposed that the interest rate should come down to single digits immediately to enable Pakistani exporters to some extent to compete in the regional and international export markets through reducing the cost of capital in a meaningful way.
Aman Paracha, VP FPCCI, reiterated the apex body’s stance that cost of doing business; ease of doing business and access to finance in Pakistan is at the lowest as compared to all its competitors in the export markets.
Asif Sakhi, VP FPCCI, elaborated that, fortunately, the decisive downward trend in inflationary pressures has been continuing for the past many months; and, the only viable solution to get back on economic growth trajectory is to support industry and exports, he added.
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