<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" version="2.0">
  <channel>
    <title>Aaj TV English News - Business &amp; Economy</title>
    <link>https://english.aaj.tv/</link>
    <description>Aaj TV English</description>
    <language>en-Us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright 2026</copyright>
    <pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:33:15 +0500</pubDate>
    <lastBuildDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:33:15 +0500</lastBuildDate>
    <ttl>60</ttl>
    <item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/">
      <title>IMF tells govt to draft budget 2025–26 under staff-level agreement</title>
      <link>https://english.aaj.tv/news/330418361/imf-tells-govt-to-draft-budget-2025-26-under-staff-level-agreement</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has instructed the government to draft the budget 2025–26 strictly under the terms of the Staff-Level Agreement (SLA) — reached between Islamabad and the Fund before the release of latest loan tranche — and to secure its approval from Parliament by the end of June.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Sources confirmed that the IMF emphasized full alignment of the budget’s preparation and approval with agreed performance targets, calling it a core condition of the ongoing deal.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As part of the planning process, the government is expected to hold a key budget meeting after the Eid holidays.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Officials said that the IMF also pushed for a comprehensive plan to impose new taxes on agricultural income, listing it as a key requirement of the agreement.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;They warned that no part of the agreement can move forward without mutual consensus on budget structure, revenue and expenditure estimates, and tax reforms.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The government is currently finalizing the budget in line with IMF demands, aiming to conclude the staff-level agreement quickly and open the door to a new financial program.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Read more&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;blockquote class="blockquote-level-1"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330417701/federal-budget-2025-26-govt-mulls-relief-package-for-salaried-class"&gt;Federal budget 2025–26: Govt mulls relief package for salaried class&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/blockquote&gt;
&lt;blockquote class="blockquote-level-1"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330416332/budget-2025-26-none-filers-to-face-ban-on-property-vehicle-purchase"&gt;Budget 2025-26: None-filers to face ban on property, vehicle purchase&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/blockquote&gt;
&lt;blockquote class="blockquote-level-1"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330416802/federal-budget-2025-26-relief-uncertain-as-imf-resists-pakistans-tax-proposals"&gt;Federal budget 2025–26: Relief uncertain as IMF resists Pakistan’s tax proposals&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/blockquote&gt;
</description>
      <content:encoded xmlns="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p><strong>The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has instructed the government to draft the budget 2025–26 strictly under the terms of the Staff-Level Agreement (SLA) — reached between Islamabad and the Fund before the release of latest loan tranche — and to secure its approval from Parliament by the end of June.</strong></p>
<p>Sources confirmed that the IMF emphasized full alignment of the budget’s preparation and approval with agreed performance targets, calling it a core condition of the ongoing deal.</p>
<p>As part of the planning process, the government is expected to hold a key budget meeting after the Eid holidays.</p>
<p>Officials said that the IMF also pushed for a comprehensive plan to impose new taxes on agricultural income, listing it as a key requirement of the agreement.</p>
<p>They warned that no part of the agreement can move forward without mutual consensus on budget structure, revenue and expenditure estimates, and tax reforms.</p>
<p>The government is currently finalizing the budget in line with IMF demands, aiming to conclude the staff-level agreement quickly and open the door to a new financial program.</p>
<p><strong>Read more</strong></p>
<blockquote class="blockquote-level-1">
<p><a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330417701/federal-budget-2025-26-govt-mulls-relief-package-for-salaried-class">Federal budget 2025–26: Govt mulls relief package for salaried class</a></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="blockquote-level-1">
<p><a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330416332/budget-2025-26-none-filers-to-face-ban-on-property-vehicle-purchase">Budget 2025-26: None-filers to face ban on property, vehicle purchase</a></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="blockquote-level-1">
<p><a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330416802/federal-budget-2025-26-relief-uncertain-as-imf-resists-pakistans-tax-proposals">Federal budget 2025–26: Relief uncertain as IMF resists Pakistan’s tax proposals</a></p>
</blockquote>
]]></content:encoded>
      <category>Business &amp; Economy</category>
      <guid>https://english.aaj.tv/news/330418361</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:47:36 +0500</pubDate>
      <author>none@none.com (Yasir Nazar)</author>
      <media:content url="https://i.aaj.tv/large/2025/06/04114223bb029c1.png?r=114254" type="image/png" medium="image" height="480" width="800">
        <media:thumbnail url="https://i.aaj.tv/thumbnail/2025/06/04114223bb029c1.png?r=114254"/>
        <media:title>A representational image. Photo via Reuters
</media:title>
      </media:content>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>
