ISLAMABAD: Overseas Pakistani businessmen in Saudi Arabia expressed interest in investing in the tourism, agriculture, food processing and trading sectors of their country of origin on Sunday, as they arrived in Islamabad to attend the inaugural Overseas Pakistanis Convention.
Nearly 20 Pakistan-origin businessmen from the Kingdom are participating in the program that kicked off today and will conclude on April 15.
Organized by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, the convention aims to recognize the contributions of expatriates to the national economy and address their concerns.
The government has accorded state guest status to all the attendees, with special arrangements made to welcome them at airports.
“We have keen interest in investing in Pakistan’s tourism infrastructure, including hotel development and facility upgrades, as well as in value-added agriculture, food processing and general trading sectors such as import-export,” Faisal Tahir Khan, a Saudi-born Pakistani businessman whose family has lived in the Kingdom for the past seven decades, told Arab News.
“At the moment our main platform, the Pakistan Investment Forum [PIF] in Saudi Arabia, is also working to build a Pakistan commercial hub in the Kingdom where we will be bringing the top 100 brands of Pakistan there,” he added.
Remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis are crucial for the country as the nation navigates a tricky path to recovery from a prolonged economic crisis that drained its revenues in recent years.
Pakistan expects to receive more than $35 billion in remittances until the end of this fiscal year in June, with its nationals in Saudi Arabia being top contributors to the country’s economy.
Khan maintained the Kingdom offered a robust investment ecosystem, driven by its Vision 2030 initiative to reduce its oil reliance and transform economy, saying the authorities in Riyadh are promoting equal opportunities for all investors.
Ali Khurshid Malik, another businessman from the Pakistani diaspora in Saudi Arabia, emphasized local companies should not miss the opportunities emerging in the construction sector in the Kingdom with the launch of projects like NEOM City.
NEOM City is a flagship project under Vision 2030, aimed at building a futuristic, sustainable urban hub driven by innovation and technology.
“The NEOM project offers a major opportunity for Pakistani investors in both construction, where Pakistan excels in materials and labor, and in smart city technologies, where its IT sector can play a key role,” he told Arab News.
Malik, who also serves as the finance secretary with PIF, said overseas Pakistanis with businesses in Saudi Arabia could help connect relevant companies in Pakistan, such as those providing construction materials like sanitary supplies, ceramics and marble with Saudi firms.
“There is also a demand for skilled workers, particularly in areas like smart electronics for smart homes,” he noted.
He also pointed out Pakistan needed to improve its certification systems to provide the Kingdom with certified skilled workers, including specialists in electronic modules, electronic systems, as well as electronic and software engineers.
Raja Shahid Raza, a Riyadh-based Pakistani entrepreneur, said the convention would provide a valuable opportunity for overseas Pakistani investors, businessmen and community members to engage directly with government institutions, while also boosting their pride as their contributions are being recognized by the country.
“As the top management of all key institutions that overseas Pakistanis interact with will be present, it will be a great opportunity to voice our concerns and receive direct responses from them,” he said, adding it would also connect different local businesses with the overseas community.
In a statement, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain said the convention aimed to address expatriates’ issues and recognize their contributions.
He informed the country’s top leadership, including the prime minister and the army chief, will also address the visiting business representatives.
Pakistani businessmen in Saudi Arabia eye investment in key sectors back home
https://arab.news/8n3dn
Pakistani businessmen in Saudi Arabia eye investment in key sectors back home
- These entrepreneurs are visiting Islamabad to attend the three-day Overseas Pakistanis Convention
- Pakistan Investors Forum plans commercial hub in Saudi Arabia to promote top 100 Pakistani brands
Singles meet-up in Pakistan’s capital offers modern matchmaking with traditional touch
- The event, organized by the world’s largest Muslim marriage app, brought together nearly 190 people
- A chaperone was mandatory for participants, reflecting cultural sensitivities and ensuring seriousness
ISLAMABAD: In a country where conservative social norms often discourage casual dating, nearly 190 Pakistanis gathered in Islamabad on Saturday for a rare singles meet-up offering a more open, yet culturally respectful, route to finding a life partner.
Organized by Muzz, the world’s largest Muslim marriage app with over 15 million members, the event launched a series of matchmaking gatherings across Pakistan under the banner “Baat Pakki,” an Urdu phrase used when families agree to a marriage match. Muzz told Arab News it has over 2 million users in Pakistan.
A chaperone was mandatory for every participant, reflecting cultural sensitivities and ensuring seriousness.
“The goal of the event today was to help people of mixed ages to be able to meet each other,” Shahzad Younas Khan, CEO of Muzz, told Arab News.
“The job of the team here … is to help people mingle and make sure that hopefully by the end of the event, everyone has talked to everyone who’s potentially compatible with them,” he added.
Attendees were divided into three age groups — 22 to 30, 30 to 40 and 40-plus — with an adjoining lounge for family members. Icebreaker questions and Muzz staff helped start conversations at each table.
Singles first met within their age group before being introduced to others, aiming for broad interaction during the four-hour gathering.
The event was unique in a country where marriages are traditionally arranged by families or through professional matchmakers known as “Rishta Aunties,” who connect prospective families but rarely allow singles to meet independently before a match is proposed.
“Involving parents makes the process more transparent,” said Nazleen Javed, 65, who attended with her daughter. “Matchmakers are fake. See if you are coming with mother, your lie gets caught. A mother cannot lie, and the blessings of parents are different.”
Others valued the chance to break away from rigid traditions.
“This way is better because you can see, talk and get a feel of the person,” said Noreen Khan, who came with her son. “Children have to spend their lives together. They should have some freedom to meet and speak to each other.”
Maheen, 27, said she had long been uncomfortable with conventional arranged marriage practices.
“I am not fond of the traditional way [of matchmaking] wherein the boy’s family visits your house and you, holding the tray, enter the room and they are looking at you, picking out faults,” she said.
“You [should be able to] talk to each other one-on-one, face-to-face, without the fear of rejection,” she continued. “That’s why I am here.”
Fariha Khan, 36, who works in the NGO sector in Peshawar, appreciated the diversity of participants.
“People from different cities and castes met here. That hesitation around differences was reduced today.”
Saad Waheed, 28, a mechanical engineer, admitted feeling uneasy at first after arriving at the event.
“I was a little bit hesitant … because I needed a chaperone and it felt very strange to me,” he said. “But in the long run, it makes sense. It means that everyone that’s here is serious about what they have signed up for.”
Waheed also maintained matrimonial apps often felt impersonal to him.
“Single events like these offer a chance to make friends, which is a more natural way of meeting a partner.”
Nayab Nazir, Muzz’s marketing lead for Pakistan, said participants can later review the profiles of those they met through the app.
“I go back home, and if I have liked, let’s say, five people at the event, I can actually go and look at all those five profiles and connect directly instead of having a third person in between.”
Founded in 2015, Muzz has increasingly adapted its approach for Pakistan’s cultural context.
“We actually found that by inviting the mums it just helped make sure everyone was more serious,” Khan, the company’s CEO, said.
“It helps reduce the taboo of going to a singles event effectively,” he added. “A lot of mums can meet each other. They can see lots of people in one place in just a few hours.”
Pakistan interior minister departs for Gulf countries today amid India standoff
- India has accused Pakistan of backing perpetrators of Apr. 22 atack in Indian-administered Kashmir
- Naqvi to visit Oman today to meet senior officials regarding regional situation, says interior ministry
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi will depart for a visit to the Gulf countries today, Sunday, to meet senior officials there to discuss Islamabad’s surging tensions with New Delhi, his ministry said.
Naqvi will arrive in Oman for a day-long visit on Sunday, the interior ministry said. However, it did not clarify which Gulf states the minister will visit.
The development takes place as fears of a military confrontation between India and Pakistan loom large after New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing the perpetrators of an Apr. 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. Pakistan denies involvement and has called for an international probe into the incident.
“Regional Situation – Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi will depart today for a visit to Gulf countries,” the interior ministry said.
“He will arrive in Oman today for a one-day visit and will hold meetings with senior officials.”
Pakistan has increasingly engaged countries such as the US, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, South Korea and other nations in recent days to present its point of view regarding its tensions with India.
The border forces of both countries have traded fire for 10 consecutive days along the Line of Control frontier in Kashmir, which acts as a de facto border between India and Pakistan, international media reports say.
Both countries have also traded diplomatic barbs, expelled each other’s nationals and closed a key lander border route.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week gave the Indian military “operational freedom” to respond to the Kashmir attack. Pakistan has since then conducted war exercises and vowed that any military action from India would invite a “strong” response.
Both nuclear-armed nations have fought two out of three wars since 1947 over the disputed Kashmir territory. India and Pakistan claim the entire region but administer only parts of it.
Lahore chamber of commerce sets up ‘War Fund’ amid Pakistan-India standoff
- Fund initially set up with Rs10 million [$35,683] with a target of Rs1 billion [$3,571,429], says state media
- Fears of a military confrontation between India and Pakistan loom large since Apr. 22 attack in Kashmir
ISLAMABAD: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has established a War Fund to express solidarity with Pakistan’s armed forces, state-run media reported on Sunday, as Islamabad’s tensions with New Delhi continue to surge.
The LCCI is one of the most prominent Pakistani chambers of commerce in the country. It represents the interests of the business community, both locally and nationally, with responsibilities including advocacy, trade policy representation and economic regulation.
The LCCI made the announcement as Pakistan’s tensions with India continue to surge following the Apr. 22 attack at a popular tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists. New Delhi blames Islamabad for backing perpetrators of the attack, an allegation Pakistan vehemently denies.
“Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has announced to establish a “War Fund” to express national solidarity with armed forces during wartime conditions,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad was quoted by Radio Pakistan as saying that the fund has been initially established with Rs10 million [$35,683], adding that they intended to collect Rs1 billion [$3,571,429] which would be achieved “very soon.”
Fears of a military confrontation between the nuclear-armed nations, who both rule the disputed Kashmir territory in part but claim it in entirety, have surged after Apr. 22.
Both nations’ forces have traded fire over the Line of Control frontier in Kashmir while diplomats have exchanged barbs and both countries have expelled citizens and ordered their land border shut.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the Indian military the “operational freedom” to respond to the Apr. 22 attack. Pakistan has since then conducted war exercises and vowed that military action from India would result in a “strong” response.
Several countries such as the US, China, UK, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and other Middle Eastern nations have called on both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and avoid an armed confrontation.
Pakistan reaffirms commitment to translate foreign investment into ‘tangible outcomes’
- Deputy PM Ishaq Dar chairs meeting to review progress related to foreign investment initiatives
- Calls for streamlined processes, institutional coordination and fast-tracked implementation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week reiterated the government’s commitment to ensure foreign investment from friendly countries translates into “tangible outcomes,” state-run media reported amid Islamabad’s attempts to achieve sustainable economic progress.
Pakistan has looked toward regional partners and friendly nations, particularly Gulf states, in the past few months to increasingly attract foreign trade and investment.
At the heart of Islamabad’s efforts lies a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has drained the country’s revenues, triggered a balance of payment crisis and battered its economy.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has reiterated the government’s commitment to provide all necessary facilitation to translate foreign investments into tangible outcomes for economic growth and prosperity,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday.
Dar was chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Saturday to review progress related to investment initiatives by friendly countries across infrastructure, energy, petroleum and economic development sectors.
“The deputy prime minister emphasized streamlined processes, enhanced institutional coordination, and fast-tracked implementation of investment projects,” the report said.
To fast-track decisions related to international investment, Pakistan formed the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in June 2023.
The SIFC is a hybrid civil-government body formed to attract international investment in priority sectors of the economy such as energy, tourism, agriculture, livestock, mines and minerals, and others.
Since it was formed, the government says the SIFC has helped it sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with several countries worth billions of dollars.
Karachi, Lahore to reignite ‘ultimate rivalry’ with PSL X clash today
- Lahore beat Karachi by 85 runs on Apr. 30 when the two sides last faced off
- Karachi beat Multan by 87 runs on May 1 in Pakistan Super League encounter
ISLAMABAD: Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars will reignite their Pakistan Super League (PSL) rivalry today, Sunday, when the two teams lock horns at the Qaddafi Stadium in an important clash of the tournament.
The Qalandars are placed at number three on the PSL points table, winning four matches from their eight fixtures. The Kings have also won only four matches from the seven games they have played and are placed at number four on the table.
Lahore had the upper hand the last time the two teams met on the field for the PSL X tournament, winning the encounter by 85 runs.
“Don’t miss the ultimate rivalry #LQvKK today at Qaddafi Stadium!” the PSL wrote on its official social media platforms.
The Kings will head into the match confident, having beat an out-of-form Multan Sultans squad by 87 runs on May 1.
The Qalandars have been in fine form as well, demolishing Islamabad United by 88 runs on Apr. 30 before their match against Quetta Gladiators on May 1 ended in a no result tie due to rain.
Qalandars have had batting success in the form of openers Abdullah Shafique and the explosive Fakhar Zaman while fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has fared impressively as well.
The Kings will look toward their skipper and opener David Warner, who has been out of form as of late, and Tim Siefert to deliver the goods.
The intense rivalry between the two franchises has been compared to the India-Pakistan and Australia-England cricket rivalry, with many also using the phrase “El-Clasico of cricket” to describe their clash.
The match will kick off at 8:00 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time.
