64% of total expenses went into interest payments on loans and defence

May impose 17% tax on high-grade petrol, increase additional customs duty

Deficit contracts 27% primarily due to steep fall in imports

Prices of all essential goods rise; inflation more than double wage increase

Russian state-owned company agrees to sell 300,000 metric tons of wheat at $372 per metric tons

Poor performance forces Dar to extend filing deadline to November 30

Govt calls emergency meeting ahead of prime minister’s visit to China

CDWP clears five schemes; anticipates $1.7b loans from World Bank

Import of commodities costing $300 million will help meet shortfall

Ministers express frustration over negligible world support; lenders want Islamabad to stay on course