Dr. Shahid Rasheed Butt, who had previously served as the President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), stated on Friday that it is possible to bring assistance to the business community by lowering lending rates by a small amount. The high interest rates are negatively impacting the government and the masses. Therefore, the central bank should modify the policy rates during its subsequent meeting, he said,
In a statement released here today, Shahid Rasheed Butt stated that the SBP is exercising reluctance because it believes that loosening monetary policy will hasten the outflow of capital, raise the amount of pressure on the exchange, and enhance inflation which is already very high.
He said that the country is experiencing a decline in inflation; however, the inflation rate is thirteen per cent greater than the objective set by the State Bank, which means that it cannot be handled just by implementing monetary policy.
He stated that administrative measures against hoarders and profiteers, as well as essential changes, are necessary to combat inflation. The business leader said that Pakistan had joined the top ten countries in terms of inflation, where inflation is five times higher than India and twice above Bangladesh.
Shahid Rasheed Butt said that inflation has made it impossible for people to live with peace of mind. Expenditures are increasing, but incomes are stagnant.
Moreover, he said that inflation could be reduced if the price of electricity, gas, and oil is reduced, which will make it easier for the central bank to lower interest rates.
He noted that the central bank kept the key interest rate steady at 22% for the seventh straight meeting a few days ago, disappointing business people.
SBP noted that macroeconomic stabilisation measures contribute to considerable inflation and external position improvement amidst moderate economic recovery.
The upcoming budgetary measures may affect the outlook for near-term inflation. The bankers stressed continuing the current monetary policy stance to bring inflation down to the target range by September 2025.
Besides the coordinated tight monetary and fiscal policy response, other factors that have led to this favourable outcome include lower global commodity prices and improved food supplies.
He said that with the IMF stressing the necessity for continuous economic adjustments and Pakistan facing substantial debt repayments of $24 billion in the upcoming fiscal year, the SBP is poised to maintain a cautious policy stance.
It may be mentioned that amid uncertainty regarding the inflation outlook, key central banks in advanced and emerging economies have maintained a cautious monetary policy stance.