What changed. Who it affects. What to do next.
Articles are ordered by publication and meaningful updates.
The Federal Board of Revenue has added four new parts to the Second Schedule of the Income Tax Rules, 2002 through SRO 1495(I)/2026, drawing criticism from tax experts who say the last-minute changes create legal and technical difficulties.
The Punjab Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2026 creates a 'special security case' track where identities of judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers and witnesses are concealed, the case file is sealed, and voice-altering technology may be used.
A Ministry of Federal Education notification dated August 27, 2026 directs the Higher Education Commission to stop recognising graduation and post-graduation degrees from Afghanistan for employment in federal and provincial institutions.
The 7.5% increase from Rs 40,000 applies from July 1, meaning workers paid the old rate in July may claim Rs 3,000 in arrears from their employers.
Existing virtual asset service providers must apply for a no-objection certificate by Saturday or cease operations, PVARA says.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has increased petrol price to Rs343.87 and high-speed diesel to Rs370.92 per litre, effective September 2, 2026.
The Federal Board of Revenue has directed field offices to process low-risk sales tax registration applications within three working days and barred officers from demanding extra documents without specific cause.
PVARA has opened its licensing portal and notified regulations under the Virtual Assets Act 2026, requiring existing service providers to apply by September 5 or cease operations, while licensed firms gain access to formal banking.
Sales Tax General Order 19 of 2026 charges tax on local footwear at the value of supply and on imports at 130% of the customs value, with effect from July 1, 2026.
A Ministry of Federal Education notification dated August 27, 2026 bars HEC from recognising graduation and post-graduation degrees from Afghan institutions. Existing holders face a November 6 deadline to apply for equivalence.
The Economic Coordination Committee on Monday cleared guidelines allowing foreign suppliers to store crude oil, petrol, diesel, jet fuel, furnace oil, LPG and LNG in customs-bonded facilities for domestic sale or re-export, pending cabinet ratification.
The Federal Board of Revenue has introduced a risk-based, time-bound registration mechanism under Sales Tax General Order No. 20 of 2026, promising three-day processing for low-risk applicants.
The government has set a fee ceiling for private medical colleges, opened a portal for student complaints, and banned new private medical colleges for three years, the National Assembly was told on August 25, 2026.
The Finance Ministry has amended S.R.O. 329(I)/2023 to insert 59 new tariff lines, effective 14 August 2026, widening duty concessions for qualifying imports.
The State Bank of Pakistan issued SH&SFD Circular No. 04 of 2026 on 18 August, revising prudential regulations for housing finance with immediate effect and superseding four earlier circulars from 2019: 2021.
The Supreme Court upheld the Competition Commission's finding that collective ghee and cooking-oil price-setting violates competition law, and reduced the penalty from Rs50 million to Rs30 million.
The 2026-27 federal budget raised defence spending to Rs3 trillion while federal authorities continued appointing serving and retired generals to civilian posts.
The federal cabinet approved the National Housing Policy 2026, Pakistan's first updated housing framework in nearly 25 years, alongside directives on zoning, vertical construction, and mandatory energy-efficiency codes.
OGRA revised ex-depot prices under the daily petroleum pricing mechanism; petrol now costs Rs341.59 and high-speed diesel Rs368.29 per litre through August 24.
The Establishment Division cancelled all no-objection certificates and permissions granted to federal civil servants under the 1964 conduct rules, requiring fresh applications under the newly enacted 2026 framework.
Importers filing incoming cargo declarations at sea ports and border customs stations must now supply an NTN, FTN, CNIC, or passport number under S.R.O. 918(I)/2026, effective 15 August 2026.
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council approved new annual tuition fee ceilings for 16 private institutions on 11 August 2026, ranging from Rs1.8 million to Rs2.16 million, after reviewing audited financial statements.
The Finance Division replaced BPS-2022 with BPS-2026 on 1 July 2026, merged two earlier relief allowances into basic pay, and introduced a 7 percent Ad-hoc Relief Allowance-2026. The 30-day irrevocable option deadline passed on 20 August 2026.
A two-judge bench led by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi held that mere pendency before a higher court cannot stop trial proceedings, and directed an eight-year-old remanded case to be concluded within two months.
Google opened its first Pakistan office in Islamabad on 18 August 2026. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveiled the foundation plaque alongside Google Vice President Wilson White.
Prosumers with distributed generation facilities of 25kW or below no longer need NEPRA concurrence and may proceed with licensee approval alone, under amendments notified on 6 August 2026.
The National Judicial Policy Making Committee has approved a national framework that lets courts use AI for case management and research while keeping judges as final decision-makers.
NEPRA's 7 August 2026 decision adds Rs0.7503 per kWh to most ex-WAPDA DISCO and K-Electric bills for the August 2026 billing cycle, recovering an estimated Rs9.8 billion.
The Establishment Division now requires civil servants to disclose their own and dependents' foreign nationality and travel documents at joining, annually, and within 90 days of any change.
An office memorandum cancels every NOC and permission granted under the 1964 conduct rules and orders officers to reapply under the 2026 rules.
Federal Board approves a 50% multiple-choice, 50% descriptive split for five SSC and HSSC subjects, phased in from the Second Annual Examination 2026.
Legalise.pk combines three main AI tools, the Legal Document Generator, Case Compiler and Matter Reviewer, with case law research, statutes and other legal reference tools for advocates practising in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s superior courts are observing different summer vacation schedules in 2026, with vacation benches and reduced rosters continuing to handle urgent and time-sensitive matters.
FBR's redesigned Tax Year 2026 income tax return is live on IRIS, but filers and the Karachi Tax Bar Association are flagging technical faults ahead of the September 30 deadline.
A five-member bench held that Sections 182, 184 and 186 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 cannot apply to assessments finalised on or before 30 June 2002.
A two-judge bench restored a 17-year-old pre-emption suit and ordered a fresh trial within six months, ruling that Order XVII Rule 3 CPC cannot punish court-caused delays.
A five-member bench ruled that equal-strength benches cannot overrule earlier co-equal rulings, resolving the dispute over retrospective ITO 2001 penalties.
A five-member Supreme Court bench has held that penalties under the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 cannot be imposed on assessments completed under the repealed 1979 Ordinance.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has reduced the maximum eSIM issuance charge to Rs1,500 and introduced up to 10 free device transfers, effective 17 August 2026.
Two Office Memoranda dated 21 July 2026 revise basic pay scales by merging prior ad-hoc relief allowances, add a 7% allowance, and grant Disparity Reduction Allowance-2026 at 15% of basic pay, all effective from 1 July 2026.
The MPC voted unanimously on 27 July 2026 to hold the rate, judging the stance appropriate to steer inflation toward the 5: 7% target despite an improving but risk-laden outlook.
The Finance Division has replaced BPS-2022 with revised Basic Pay Scales-2026, folding two earlier ad-hoc relief allowances into basic pay and adding a 7% Ad-hoc Relief Allowance-2026 on top, all backdated to 1 July 2026.
A three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi has held that a contractor who accepts final payment and signs an unconditional No Demand Certificate cannot later seek arbitration or raise fresh financial claims.
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has postponed the medical and dental college admission test by five weeks on the Prime Minister's directions, affecting roughly 135,000 candidates nationwide.
IRIS, Digital Invoicing, SWAPS, the Payment System, and POS Registration have been unavailable since early Saturday and are not expected to resume until 5:00 a.m. Monday.
The State Bank has kept the merchant discount rate at Re1 per litre and the interchange fee at Re0.20 per litre for all card-present fuel transactions, and ordered banks to activate Raast QR acceptance at petrol pumps.
A Supreme Court bench ruled on 6 August 2026 that Order XVII Rule 3 CPC cannot penalise a party for circumstances beyond its control, and issued binding practice directives to all trial courts.
The treaty, signed in Mecca on 7 August 2026, declares that an armed attack on any one of the three states is an attack on all, deepening collective deterrence amid widening regional conflict.
The Supreme Court has ruled that a contractor who accepts final payment and signs a No Demand Certificate cannot later seek additional money or arbitration unless the settlement was procured by fraud or coercion.
A Supreme Court bench set aside a Sindh High Court ruling and held that a landlord's sworn claim of genuine personal need is sufficient for eviction; a tenant cannot point to other flats to cast doubt.
The Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to keep the rate unchanged on July 27, citing elevated inflation at 11.1% and the resurgence of conflict in the Middle East.
The Supreme Court upheld Rs30,000 monthly child maintenance with a 15% annual increase and ruled superior courts must not reassess maintenance fixed by lower courts unless the sum is manifestly arbitrary, excessive, or grossly inadequate.
Chief Justice Yahya Afridi directed the Supreme Court's Establishment Branch to process and deliver pensionary benefits to retiring officers at the time of retirement, not afterwards.
The Ministry of Finance has replaced BPS-2022 with revised Basic Pay Scales 2026, merging two earlier ad-hoc allowances into base pay and freezing house rent and other percentage-based allowances at 30 June 2026 levels.
The State Bank has also launched InvestPak, a digital platform letting institutional and retail investors buy government securities directly. The new rules took effect on 1 August 2026.
The State Bank has directed all regulated financial institutions to deploy interoperable Raast QR-based payments at fuel stations, while card transaction fees remain capped at Rs1 per litre until 31 January 2027.
Pakistan's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority launched its Regulatory Sandbox on 1 August 2026, weeks after closing public consultation on draft regulations that will govern ten licence categories for crypto businesses.
Amendments approved by the Cabinet Committee on Energy resolve taxation issues to encourage domestic refinery modernizations and cleaner fuel production.
A three-judge Supreme Court bench prohibits police across Pakistan from referencing caste, biradari, or religious conversion labels in official documentation unless explicitly justified for investigative purposes.
The Monetary Policy Committee unanimously opts to hold borrowing costs steady as domestic inflation slows and foreign reserves strengthen despite international economic risks.
The Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education has published the Secondary School Certificate 2026 results, incorporating artificial intelligence into answer script evaluation alongside human examiners for the first time.
Following cabinet approval during budget deliberations, the Ministry of Finance has renewed spending controls across all public sector organizations and state-owned enterprises.
Citizens and overseas residents can now process statutory fees and token taxes through a centralized digital system integrated with mobile banking and digital wallets.
Under newly notified Income Tax Rules, three-member committees chaired by retired judges will evaluate dispute orders before the revenue administration files appeals in higher courts.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has updated its regulatory framework for asset managers, significantly increasing digital account limits and simplifying onboarding procedures.
The Monetary Policy Committee unanimously decided to keep the benchmark policy rate unchanged, citing appropriate conditions to guide inflation toward its medium-term target.
A newly signed agreement connects Higher Education Commission degree attestations with the Pakistan Software Export Board's upcoming workforce platform, enabling direct credential verification for domestic and international employers.
The new policy framework introduces digital management systems, updated recruiter regulations, and standardized vocational training for millions of Pakistani emigrants and migrant workers.
The State Bank of Pakistan has designated ten financial institutions as Primary Dealers and two market infrastructure entities as Special-Purpose Primary Dealers for Fiscal Year 2026-27.
The Monetary Policy Committee has unanimously kept the policy rate steady at 11.5 percent, balancing strengthening domestic macroeconomic indicators against ongoing global and regional uncertainties.
The Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education will simultaneously publish Class 9 and Class 10 annual examination results on July 29, 2026.
The Federal Board of Revenue has notified S.R.O. 1166(I)/2026, offering small single-shop retailers an optional fixed turnover tax regime with minimal compliance requirements and audit exemptions.
The Ministry of Finance has formally notified BPS-2026, merging past ad-hoc allowances into core salaries while introducing a 7 percent relief allocation and raising conveyance rates for federal staff.
Walk-in processing for Apostille attestation has been replaced by a mandatory digital registration and approval workflow across all Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular locations.
Authorized foreign exchange dealers must complete API integration by July 31, 2026, to strengthen trade-based anti-money laundering controls.
The Monetary Policy Committee unanimously retains key interest rate to guide inflation toward its medium-term target amid strengthening domestic reserves and ongoing global risk factors.
Public and private universities across Pakistan must incorporate a mandatory three-credit-hour artificial intelligence course for all undergraduate and postgraduate students starting in Fall 2026.
The Federal Government has introduced a major policy framework featuring new digital platforms, overhauled regulations, and upgraded TVET standards to protect and assist overseas Pakistani workers.
Chaired by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, the commission proposed inserting Article 212-A into the Constitution to create a specialized federal superior court for commercial disputes and arbitral enforcement.
The Finance Division has extended federal spending controls, maintaining restrictions on recruitment, vehicle acquisition, machinery procurement, and foreign travel across public sector institutions.
Ten financial institutions and two special purpose dealers have been appointed by the central bank to participate in government debt auctions, alongside performance rankings for the preceding year.
The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, together with PIE and JICA, has launched the Federal Non-Formal Education Strategy 2025 to support out-of-school children across Pakistan.
The Ministry of Finance has introduced revised pay scales along with a 7 percent relief allowance and a 50 percent boost in conveyance support for federal personnel.
Pakistan's telecom regulator now provides quarterly price trends and annual percentage increase data for major mobile bundles to help consumers compare service offerings.
The Ministry of Finance has issued notifications prolonging strict public spending restrictions and cost-cutting directives for the entire fiscal year.
During its 49th session, the judicial body chaired by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi recommended constitutional and legal changes to establish a specialized tribunal for cross-border business disputes and expand banking grievance redress to microfinance clients.
Higher Education Commission mandates a three-credit-hour AI course across all higher education degrees starting Fall 2026 and bi-annual skills evaluations for senior computing students.
A newly announced federal policy introduces digital management tools, updated promoter regulations, and upgraded trade training standards for overseas Pakistani workers.
Telecom operators across Pakistan face direct legal accountability for unauthorized SIM distributions as the regulatory authority mandates advanced anti-spoofing fingerprint verification technology.
Following Federal Cabinet approval, the Ministry of Finance has issued a notification continuing strict fiscal controls across government bodies and state-owned enterprises.
The central bank selects ten primary dealers and two special-purpose dealers to handle government debt auctions, alongside announcing performance rankings from the previous fiscal year.
Higher education institutions throughout Pakistan will require students in every academic discipline to complete coursework in artificial intelligence following new directives from the Higher Education Commission.
The Ministry of Finance has formally notified updated pay scales for federal civil employees, incorporating prior ad-hoc allowances into basic pay alongside new allowance increases effective July 1, 2026.
The Central Power Purchasing Agency has petitioned NEPRA for a fuel cost adjustment, driven largely by rising RLNG prices.
Updated Prudential Regulations increase annual sales limits for small and medium businesses while establishing an explicit category for start-ups.
The central bank appoints ten financial institutions and two market infrastructure entities under DMMD Circular No. 03, while recognizing top performers from the previous fiscal year.
Beginning Fall 2026, Pakistani higher education institutions will integrate compulsory artificial intelligence training for all degree students and conduct biannual skill assessments for senior computing undergraduates.
The new framework introduces digital tools, updated promoter regulations, and expanded support services for over 12 million Pakistani workers and prospective migrants.
A draft regulation introduces an optional framework offering eligible single-shop traders a fixed turnover rate and immunity from routine shop inspections.
Commercial banks and authorized dealers must link their IT systems with the Pakistan Single Window portal by July 31, 2026, to strengthen trade-based money laundering controls.
The State Bank of Pakistan limits compulsory minimum savings returns to individual deposits up to PKR 10 million, while launching the InvestPak portal for direct digital investment in Treasury Bills and Pakistan Investment Bonds.
A national initiative spearheaded by MoFEPT, PIE, and JICA establishes flexible academic and vocational learning paths for out-of-school youth across Pakistan.
A new parity allowance and updated executive allowance calculations aim to resolve pay disparities for All-Pakistan Services officers serving in federal postings.
A multi-pronged effort under national agricultural initiatives introduces precision farming tools, satellite monitoring, localized machinery hubs, and international training for local experts.
The Capital Development Authority has updated standard bus fares across Islamabad while introducing cashless ticketing and live Google Maps tracking.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority has replaced 1:1 net metering with a net billing system while protecting pre-existing agreements executed before February 9, 2026.
Higher Education Commission policy directives require general education coursework, supervised internships, capstone projects, and professional certifications for degree programs.
A payment initiative allows Pakistani cardholders to access global merchants and foreign ATMs using a single debit card while processing domestic transactions locally.
The web portal and mobile app enable individual and institutional investors to trade T-Bills, PIBs, and Ijara Sukuk digitally without visiting a bank branch.
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