ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s fiscal deficit during the first half (July – December) of 2021/2022 has contracted at 2.1 per cent as compared with 2.5 per cent in the same half of the last fiscal year, the finance ministry said on Wednesday.
The reduction in deficit mainly contraction in expenditure during the half.
The revenue to the GDP ratio fell to 6.2 per cent during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared with 7.4 per cent in the same half of the last fiscal year.
The expenditure to the GDP ratio also declined to 8.2 per cent during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared with 9.9 per cent in the same half of the last fiscal year.
The GDP size during the first half of the current fiscal year has been measured at Rs63.978 trillion as compared with Rs45.567 trillion in the same half of the last fiscal year.
According to the fiscal operation for first half (July – December) 2021/2022 released by the finance ministry, the total revenue was recorded at Rs3.95 trillion, out of which, the tax revenue was at Rs3.19 trillion and non-tax revenue was Rs764.93 billion.
Total expenditure during the first half of the current fiscal year has been recorded at Rs5.32 trillion. The current expenditure has been recorded at Rs4.67 trillion, out of which Rs520 billion was spend on defence. An amount of Rs571 billion was spent for development expenditure and net lending.
To meet the budget deficit of Rs1.372 trillion, the government borrowed Rs 1.025 trillion from external sources and remaining Rs346 billion arranged from domestic sources.
The prices will remain unchanged from November 16, 2021, till the end of the month: Petrol Rs145.82 per liter; High-Speed Diesel (HSD) Rs142.62 per liter; Kerosene Oil Rs116.53 per liter; and Light Diesel Oil Rs114.07 per liter.
A statement issued by the Finance Division said that despite rising petroleum products prices globally, the Prime Minister of Pakistan has kindly rejected the proposal for enhancement in the prices and desired that the prices of petroleum products from November 16, 2021, shall remain the same as notified on November 04, 2021, for providing maximum relief to the general public.
The decision has been taken in the public interest. The government will bear the burden by making adjustments in the sales tax rates, etc.
Muzzammil Aslam, spokesman to the finance minister in a Tweet said: “History has been made today. In today’s petrol prices the Sales Tax is effective zero per cent.”
In this regard a financing agreement amounting to $761.5 million has been signed between the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Government of Pakistan and International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) for import of crude oil, refined petroleum products and LNG etc.
The financing agreement was signed by Mian Asad Hayaud Din, Secretary, EAD and Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO, ITFC. The facility has been made effective immediately and ready for utilization by Pakistan State Oil Company Ltd (PSO), Pak Arab Refinery Ltd (PARCO) and Pakistan LNG Ltd (PLL) for import of oil and gas.
This Syndicated Murabaha Financing facility of $ 761.5 million is for a period of one year and is a part of umbrella Framework Agreement signed with ITFC in June 2021 for total envelop of $ 4.5 billion ($ 1.5 million annually) for a period of three-years.
Originally, ITFC had agreed to provide the financing of US$ 300 million. However, due to growing energy needs of the country and enhanced confidence level of international financial institutions on economic reforms and recovery amid COVID-19 pandemic, the financing was over-subscribed by 2.5 times i.e. from $ 300 million to from $ 761.5 million.
The financing facility will also be helpful in financing oil and gas import bill of the country and easing of pressure on foreign exchange reserves of the country.
Mian Asad Hayaud Din, Secretary, EAD appreciated the support for ITFc for arranging US$ 761.5 million for trade financing. He lauded the efforts of Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO, ITFC and his team for making this transaction successful.
The ITFC and GOP have also agreed to continue their cooperation in future to mobilize financial resources to support Pakistan in its endeavours to achieve its economic growth targets through ITFC financing facility.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s fiscal balance in the outgoing first quarter of 2021/2022 posted a deficit of PKR 438 billion, -9.5 per cent YoY lower than prior year’s deficit, according to data released by the finance ministry on Tuesday.
In terms of per cent GDP, the deficit arrived at 0.8 per cent in 1QFY22 compared to 1.1 per cent recorded in 1QFY21 (PKR 484 billion), said analysts at Arif Habib Limited.
However, the primary surplus during the period stood at PKR 184 billion (0.3 per cent of GDP in 1QFY22) , down 29 per cent YoY, compared to a primary surplus of PKR 258 billion witnessed same period last year (0.6 per cent of GDP).
Primarily, total revenue growth of 22 per cent in 1QFY22 to PKR 1.8 trillion (1QFY21: PKR 1.5 trillion) aided the fiscal balance, translating into 3.4 per cent of GDP vs. 3.2 per cent same period last year.
The total tax revenue collection was up by 37 per cent YoY to PKR 1.5 trillion. Indirect taxes (+42 per cent YoY to PKR 917 billion) mainly on the back of higher sales tax (+43 per cent YoY to PKR 264 billion), and direct taxes (+32 per cent YoY to PKR 481 billion amid higher number of tax payers), contributed to the overall collection.
In addition, the government collected PKR 276 billion in non-tax revenues, displaying a decline of 23 per cent YoY. This was particularly owed to lower Petroleum Levy (-90 per cent YoY | PKR 13 billion). On the flipside, the surplus profit of State Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority increased during 1QFY22 to PKR 109 billion (+4 per cent YoY) and PKR 30 billion (+269 per cent YoY), respectively.
In addition, total expenditures went up by 14 per cent YoY to PKR 2.3 trillion (4.2 per cent of GDP vs. 4.3 per cent of GDP in 1QFY21).
Further breakup revealed that current expenditure underwent an uptick of 9 per cent YoY of which defence rose by 17 per cent YoY.
However, the markup expenses went down by 16 per cent YoY to PKR 623 billion. Moreover, development expenditure and net lending undertaken by the government increased by 38 per cent YoY to PKR 180 billion.
Total PSDP expenditure in 1QFY22 arrived at PKR 262 billion (+63 per cent YoY) with provincial expenditure at PKR 154 billion (+71 per cent YoY), outdoing federal disbursement of PKR 108 billion (+53 per cent YoY).
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has spent an amount of $400 million on import of COVID-19 vaccines during the month of September 2021 and overall $1 billion during first quarter (July – September) of fiscal year 2021/2022, said a statement issued by the ministry of finance on Wednesday.
Overall, the deficit in the first quarter reported at $3.4billion. It is important to note that the surge in import bill is due to combination of few one-off imports, rising global commodities and energy prices, it said.
Therefore, adjustment with vaccines import, the current account deficit for the quarter has reduced to $2.4 billion.
Moreover, the sudden surge in import bill is function of abnormal surge in commodity prices. Energy prices including oil, LNG or coal prices are following upward trend. While, chemicals, steel and food prices are also on rise. “We expect supply bottlenecks of above-stated items will streamline in the months to follow. This will further reduce pressure on import bill,” said the statement.
On Export front, the trend is increasing on month-on-month basis to $2.64 billion in September 2021 or 12.5 per cent. In the first quarter, exports recorded at $7 billion. It is expected that exports will be close to $31 billion and $6-7 billions services exports in June ending 2022.
Similarly, remittances are right on track to mark $32 billion. Remittances and exports of goods and services combined will be in the range of $70 billion in fiscal year 2021/2022.
Lastly, due to better crop outlook, the import of sugar, wheat and cotton will witness massive slowdown during the second half of fiscal year. This will further reduce the import and in-turn, current account deficit.
The risk to above includes further hike in global commodity and energy prices, the finance minister said.
Finance ministry spokesman Muzammil Aslam, in a statement, said that there was not truth in news about the deadlock, adding that the talks would resume from Monday (tomorrow) and would continue uninterrupted as per schedule.
Aslam said the date for ending talks was not fixed and the negotiation would continue till success of the talks.
He said Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin and Governor State Bank of Pakistan Reza Baqir were attending meetings in New York while the Secretary Finance and his team were engaged for talks in Washington DC as per schedule.
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Division Omar Ayub Khan, Secretary Commerce, Secretary M/o Information Technology, Secretary Finance Division, Governor State Bank of Pakistan Dr. Reza Baqir, Executive Director General BOI, and other senior officers participated in the meeting.
Adviser for Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood participated through a video link.
Secretary Commerce briefed the participants about the trade balance situation over the last two months.
Considering the expansion in economic activity, the import of one-time items like vaccines for COVID-19 as well as increased demand for raw materials has resulted in increasing imports during July and August 2021.
In his remarks, the Finance Minister stated that the economy is in a state of growth. As the economy registered a growth rate of 4 per cent during FY2021, there is an increased demand for imports.
As long as the trade deficit is within a sustainable level, it will stimulate economic recovery, he added.
The Finance Minister stressed upon the Ministry of Commerce to conduct sensitivity analysis and build scenarios for effective forecasting both in imports as well as exports for each month of the year.
In his concluding remarks, the Finance Minister said that the prudent policies adopted by the present government have stimulated economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy is heading in the right direction.
The enhanced revenue collection along with improved ratings (Business Confidence Index and by international credit rating agencies) indicates that the economy has gained momentum and is geared towards inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
ISLAMABAD: The ministry of finance on Thursday said that Pakistan’s debt-to-GDP ratio has increased by 1.7 per cent during the pandemic as against an increase in global average of 13 per cent.
Responding to some media reports regarding the increase in public debt during the last three years, the statement said that a better way to measure the level of debt was through the Debt-to-GDP ratio instead of looking at the absolute values of debt.
“Global Debt-to-GDP ratio increased by 13 percentage points, whereas, Pakistan’s Debt-to-GDP ratio witnessed a minimal increase of 1.7 percentage points in 2019-20,” it said adding that the country’s Debt-to-GDP ratio in fact reduced by 4 percentage points indicating lower debt burden at end June 2021 as compared with last fiscal year.
The ministry said that the increase in debt during the last three years occurred mainly during the Fiscal year 2018-19 due to implementing difficult and unavoidable policy choices.
Had the market-based exchange rate, a sustainable level of Current Account Deficit, adequate cash buffers and long-term domestic borrowing profile been maintained, the debt burden would have been reduced further on the back of fiscal consolidation efforts supported by aggressive control on expenses and growth in tax and non-tax revenues.
As most of the major adjustments to fiscal and monetary policies have been made, the debt burden is projected to decline firmly over the next few years.
The statement while referring to media reports said that these reports ignored the underlying reasons behind such increase adding that in order to fully understand the underlying economic realities, there was a need to analyze the sources of increase in total public debt during last three years. The underlining reasons are:
Interest Expenses: Preference towards short-term domestic borrowing in absence of adequate cash buffers resulted in short-term profile of domestic debt at the end of FY2018.
This short-term profile led to high-interest cost on debt as interest rates had to be increased significantly to curb rising inflationary pressures. The government paid Rs 7.5 trillion against interest servicing which explained 50 percent of the increase in total public debt.
Currency Devaluation Impact: The exchange value of the Rupee was maintained at an artificially high level in the past which triggered the balance of payment crisis.
Transition to a market-based exchange rate regime, being an unavoidable policy choice, resulted in sharp exchange rate depreciation leading to high inflation, high interest rates, slower GDP growth, and lower import-related tax revenues.
This exchange rate depreciation added around Rs 2.9 trillion (20 percent of the increase) in public debt. It is important to highlight here that this increase was not due to borrowing but due to the re-valuation of external debt in terms of rupees after currency devaluation.
Financing of Primary Deficit: The impact of economic slowdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic mainly resulted in higher than estimated primary deficits. Rs 3.5 trillion (23 percent of the increase) was borrowed for the financing of the primary deficit.
Cash Management & Others: Rs 1.0 trillion (7 percent of the increase) was on account of increased cash balances of the government to meet emergency requirements as well as due to difference between the face value (which is used for the recording of debt) and the realized value (which is recorded as a budgetary receipt) of government bonds issued during this period. The government took the revolutionary and economically sound step of not borrowing from the SBP and maintaining a cash buffer, which led to a one-off increase in debt. However, this increase in debt was offset by corresponding increase in the Government’s liquid cash balances.
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has imposed a ban on purchase of motor vehicles for official use. The government imposed the ban under austerity measures.
The finance division in a circular said that financial constraints forced to take the step.
(i) There shall be complete ban on purchase of all types of vehicles. The ban shall not apply on purchase of motorcycles, student buses, ambulances and firefighting vehicles.
(ii) There shall be complete ban on creation of new posts except those required for development projects.
(iii) Privilege of periodical, magazines, newspapers etc. to the entitled officers will remain restricted to only one.
(iv) The government directed the principal account officers to ensure rationalized utility consumption. The expenditures on purchase of assets and maintenance should be bare minimum level.
(v) The government offices should use both sides of of paper for communications.
(vi) Officials should hold meetings through internet only. Officials can hold meeting physically with justifications.
The finance ministry constituted a committee to look into the needs of ministries and departments. The members of the committee:
(i) Additional Finance Secretary (Expenditure) (In Chair)
(ii) Senior Joint Secretary/ Joint Secretary (Expenditure-CGA) (Member)
ISLAMABAD – The federal government has officially announced the amount of diyat for the fiscal year 2021-2022, fixing it at Rs 4.26 million. This amount corresponds to the value of 30,630 grams of silver, as prescribed under Islamic injunctions and outlined in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
