Unrange Valley

The federal government has decided to close down all Utility Stores Corporation (USC) outlets across Pakistan by July 10, 2025. This decision was taken during a top-level meeting chaired by the Managing Director and backed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Over 5,000 permanent and thousands of contract/daily-wage employees will be offered a Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) package  . In preparation for the shutdown, stock will be shifted to warehouses and either returned to suppliers or auctioned off, while IT equipment, fixtures, and rented properties will be reclaimed by August 1  . A closure-operations department and detailed inventory of assets will oversee the process, and essential staff will temporarily remain active to manage wind-down logistics  .  

 The recent federal budget in Pakistan introduced sweeping reductions on import duties for luxury vehicles, directly benefiting the resale market, especially for models like the Mercedes‑Benz G‑Wagon. According to industry insiders and dealers, prices on used G‑Wagons have dropped by up to Rs. 2 crore, making these elite SUVs more attainable than ever  . Typically, G‑Wagons were trading at over Rs. 8 crore. Now, depending on model year, mileage, and overall condition, resale prices have plunged to around Rs. 6 crore or even lower  . Car market analysts see this as a rare golden opportunity for buyers previously deterred by steep import costs. The budget’s duty waiver is refreshing interest in high-end used luxury vehicles across major urban centers—Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad leading the charge  . This price reduction hasn’t significantly affected new‑car prices yet, since new imports still carry other taxes and fees. Still, the immediate effect is clear: increase...