Pakistan to participate in over 120 expos this fiscal year, prioritizing Gulf events

Pakistan to participate in over 120 expos this fiscal year, prioritizing Gulf events
Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan (left) chairs the 12th Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) board meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, on July 7, 2025. (PID)
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Updated 08 July 2025
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Pakistan to participate in over 120 expos this fiscal year, prioritizing Gulf events

Pakistan to participate in over 120 expos this fiscal year, prioritizing Gulf events
  • Pakistan has been actively participating in international expos to showcase products, services from its growing sectors
  • Last year, Pakistani companies struck deals worth multi-million dollars at key exhibitions across the Arab Gulf region

ISLAMABAD: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) will participate in over 120 international exhibitions to boost exports and foreign investment as part of its business plan this fiscal year, the Pakistani commerce ministry said on Monday, with a major focus on Gulf states.

Pakistan has been actively participating in international exhibitions to attract customers by showcasing products and services from its growing sectors like information technology (IT), health care, food and engineering. The country recently participated in the Arab Health, Gulfood and AI Everything exhibitions, highlighting its ambition to promote “Made-in-Pakistan” products, forge business-to-business (B2B) partnerships, and tap into new trade opportunities.

Gulf states present a key export opportunity for Pakistani businesses, given their strong consumer demand and large expatriate workforce, and Pakistani companies last year secured millions of dollars in joint ventures, investments and business collaborations during their participation in exhibitions across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Abdullah Ghauri, a section officer to the TDAP secretary, said that participants of a meeting of the TDAP board, presided over by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, on Monday placed a special focus on ensuring Pakistan’s participation in all key trade events across the Gulf countries.

“We participated in 23 exhibitions and expos last year, majority of them in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar,” he told Arab News.

“Out of a target of 120 exhibitions, the participation in last year’s 23 major events across the Gulf states remains a key priority, subject to possible adjustments depending on the circumstances.”

Monday’s TDAP board meeting gave approvals for various strategic initiatives to enhance the country’s export competitiveness and trade facilitation in the financial year 2025–26 which began on July 1, according to the commerce ministry.

The annual business plan included Pakistan’s participation in over 120 exhibitions, along with “Made-in-Pakistan” exhibitions in Ethiopia, Bangladesh and other countries.

Ghauri said this year’s calendar would be published within a week with exact details of the events, adding that information technology (IT), agri-based products, hospitality and services, and infrastructure development would be among major areas of focus.

Pakistan’s IT sector is a priority area for the government to boost export revenues and stabilizing external accounts and Islamabad expects it to reach $4 billion this fiscal year under the “Uraan Pakistan” initiative, which aims to raise IT exports to $10 billion by 2029.

The TDAP board endorsed measures to promote greater participation of women entrepreneurs in international trade exhibitions, according to the commerce ministry.

“The Minister for Commerce stressed the importance of shifting Pakistan’s export focus toward emerging international markets instead of relying solely on traditional destinations,” the ministry said, adding that this approach would help diversify export avenues and reduce dependency on limited regions.

The commerce minister also called for the induction of dedicated researchers within TDAP to conduct sector-specific studies and provide data-driven insights to strengthen the authority’s planning and policy support capabilities.


Chinese firm eyes investment in Pakistan’s ICT, new energy sectors — ministry

Chinese firm eyes investment in Pakistan’s ICT, new energy sectors — ministry
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Chinese firm eyes investment in Pakistan’s ICT, new energy sectors — ministry

Chinese firm eyes investment in Pakistan’s ICT, new energy sectors — ministry
  • GuoDong Group expresses interest in building telecommunication towers, data centers and cloud computing infrastructure in Pakistan
  • IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja invites GuoDong Group officials to visit Pakistan for more detailed discussions, assures full support

ISLAMABAD: GuoDong Group, a leading Chinese communications firm, has expressed “strong interest” in investment in Pakistan’s information and communication technology (ICT) and new energy sectors, the Pakistani IT ministry said on Sunday.

The statement came after a meeting between Pakistan’s IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and a three-member GuoDong Group delegation, led by its founder and chairman Lu Jie in Shanghai.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Global Artificial Intelligence Conference, at which both sides discussed investment opportunities in Pakistan, according to the Pakistani IT ministry.

“The delegation expressed strong interest in investing in Pakistan’s ICT sector, with a focus on telecommunication towers, data centers, and cloud computing infrastructure,” the Pakistani ministry said in a statement.

“Mr. Lu Jie also conveyed interest in expanding to new energy domains, including EV charging stations, smart city solutions, and advanced material manufacturing within Pakistan.”

The development comes as Pakistan, slowly recovering from a macroeconomic crisis under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal, has been looking to boost foreign investment for sustainable growth.

In May, the Pakistani government allocated 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity in the first phase of a national initiative to power cryptocurrency mining and Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers. The South Asian country is also looking to build critical electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure as it targets 30 percent of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030 under its ambitious New Electric Vehicle Policy (NEVP) 2025–2030.

Welcoming the proposals, Khawaja invited the GuoDong Group officials to visit Pakistan for more detailed discussions with relevant stakeholders.

“She assured the delegation of the Government’s full support and facilitation to help realize these investment initiatives,” the IT ministry said.


At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers

At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers
Updated 27 July 2025
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At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers

At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers
  • The development comes days after a senior ISI official met exchange company representatives, amid concern over rupee’s depreciation
  • Pakistan operates a multi-tiered currency market, with rates diverging between official interbank channel, open market and ‘grey market’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested five suspects involved in illegal currency exchange and transfer of money, the agency said on Sunday, amid a widening crackdown on black market currency traders.

The development comes days after the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s powerful military-run spy agency, held a meeting in Islamabad with senior officials from currency exchange companies, amid growing concern over the rupee’s depreciation, which fell to a 22-month low of Rs284.97 against the US dollar earlier this week.

Maj. Gen. Faisal Naseer, a deputy chief of the ISI, chaired the session, according to Malik Bostan, who attended the discussion and is the chairman of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP), told Arab News. The FIA had begun raiding informal, unregulated money transfer, or ‘hundi’ and ‘hawala,’ operators and currency smuggling networks.

In a statement on Sunday, the agency said it was tightening the noose around networks involved currency smuggling and had conducted major operations in the southwestern Balochistan province that border Iran and Afghanistan.

“Five suspects involved in hawala, hundi and illegal currency exchange have been arrested,” the FIA said in a statement. “The suspects were arrested in raids in different areas of Quetta and Chaman.”

Pakistan operates a multi-tiered currency market, with rates diverging between the official interbank channel, the open market, and an unregulated “grey market” where many traders and informal hawala dealers operate.

Burdened by over $58 billion in imports in the last fiscal year, Pakistan faces severe inflationary pressure whenever the dollar strengthens. The rupee has lost 2 percent of its value since January, despite Pakistan’s current account recording a surplus of $2.1 billion, according to central bank data.

During the raids in Balochistan, the FIA said, officials seized 684,000 Pakistani rupees, 230.5 million Iranian rials, more than 135,000 Afghanis, 700 US dollars, 200 Saudi riyals and 150 Australian dollars.

“Cheque books, hawala-hundi receipts and bank deposit slips were also recovered from the suspects,” it said.

“The accused were involved in currency exchange without a license. They could not give a satisfactory answer to the authorities regarding the recovered currency.”

The agency said it was further investigating the arrested suspects.


Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management

Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management
Updated 27 July 2025
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Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management

Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management
  • The launch will mark a major milestone in Pakistan’s space program, significantly enhancing its Earth observation capabilities
  • In addition, the satellite will support national development initiatives by mapping transportation networks, identifying geo-hazards

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be launching another remote-sensing satellite from a Chinese launch center next week to monitor resources and boost disaster management efforts, its space research commission SUPARCO announced on Sunday.

The launch of the satellite will mark a major milestone in Pakistan’s space program, significantly enhancing its Earth observation capabilities. It will support a wide range of national applications, including precision agriculture to boost crop yields, monitoring infrastructure growth and urban sprawl, and enabling regional planning, according to SUPARCO.

The satellite will strengthen disaster management efforts by providing timely warnings for floods, landslides, and earthquakes, while tracking glacier recession and deforestation. In addition, it will support national development initiatives by mapping transportation networks and identifying geo-hazard risks.

"The launch of this remote sensing satellite, along with its integration into Pakistan’s existing remote sensing fleet — including PRSS-1 (launched in July 2018) and EO-1 (launched in January 2025) — will further strengthen the country’s space-based infrastructure, aligning with the National Space Policy and SUPARCO’s Vision 2047, aiming to position our nation at the forefront of space technology and innovation," SUPARCO said in a statement.

The satellite, whose data acquisition capabilities under various environmental conditions make it a vital asset for environmental monitoring and resource management, will be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC), China on July 31.

Pakistan has taken strides in its space research program in recent years months.

In January this year, China launched Pakistan’s indigenously developed Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite into space from its Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, aiming to predict natural disasters and monitor resources, Chinese and Pakistani state media reported.

In Nov. last year, SUPARCO announced its rover will join China’s Chang’E 8 mission to explore the moon’s surface in 2028. Prior to that in May 2024, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe, which was tasked with landing on the far side of the moon that perpetually faces away from the Earth. China was the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.


Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’

Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’
Updated 27 July 2025
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Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’

Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’
  • The seizure was made during a raid at a farmhouse in Islamabad’s Tarnol area, with authorities recovering 50 live donkeys as well
  • Official says the meat had been packed for ‘export to a neighboring country,’ more raids to be conducted to trace local facilitators

ISLAMABAD: Local administration in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad has seized around 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat from an illegal slaughterhouse and arrested a “foreign national,” officials said on Sunday.

The seizure was made during a joint raid by the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA), local police and the Islamabad district administration on a farmhouse in Tarnol area, according to the IFA.

Fifty live donkeys were also recovered from the site and an IFA team was destroying the meat under the supervision of Deputy Director Dr. Tahira Siddique.

Police have lodged a case against the arrested foreign national, who had been running the operation, and are looking for his local facilitators.

“A foreign national was arrested at the site which has been sealed and an investigation is underway,” Muhammad Nasir Butt, a spokesperson for the Islamabad district administration, told Arab News.

“We will conduct further raids as per the findings of the investigation and efforts are also underway to trace local individuals involved.”

Butt said the meat had been packed for “export to a neighboring country.”

“So far, we have not found any traces of meat being used in the local restaurants, but administration is investigating the matter from multiple angles,” he added.

According to a police report seen by Arab News, the farmhouse had no authorization to process donkey meat or export live donkeys.

“Due to the absence of records for [processing] haram meat, and on the basis of its supply and sale, legal action shall be taken against concerned individuals under Sections 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Act, 2021,” the report said.

Pakistan is frequently listed among countries with the highest number of donkey populations worldwide. The country’s donkey population rose to 6 million in fiscal year 2024-25, which ended in June, compared to 5.9 million in 2023–24, according to the latest economic survey.

In May this year, Pakistan Customs had foiled an attempt to smuggle donkey hides worth approximately Rs80 million (around $283,800) to China. The staff deployed on the Risk Management Profiling System of the Karachi Customs

Collectorate detected a container number SEGU-3154225 cleared from the South Asia Pakistan Port (SAPT) terminal in Karachi, whose export documents showed 285 packages of leather products were being sent to China.

The animal’s meat and hides are quite popular in China. Gelatin derived from donkey hides is highly sought after in China for its use in Ejiao, a traditional medicinal remedy. Several Chinese eateries sell donkey meat and burgers for consumption.

Dr. Siddique, who was part of the team that raided the farmhouse, said the availability of safe and quality food in Islamabad was the top priority of the IFA.

“We are enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against those who endanger public health,” she was quoted as saying by the IFA.


Eight killed, 18 injured as passenger bus meets accident in eastern Pakistan

Eight killed, 18 injured as passenger bus meets accident in eastern Pakistan
Updated 27 July 2025
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Eight killed, 18 injured as passenger bus meets accident in eastern Pakistan

Eight killed, 18 injured as passenger bus meets accident in eastern Pakistan
  • Bus heading from Lahore to Islamabad falls in ditch in Chakwal, local media reports say
  • Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules are rarely followed 

ISLAMABAD: Eight people were killed while 18 others were injured after a passenger bus met with an accident in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province on Sunday, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

As per local media reports, the passenger bus was heading to the eastern city of Lahore from Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, when one of its tires burst near the Balkassar Interchange on the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway (M2).

Pakistani English language newspaper Dawn reported that the tire burst caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, due to which it fell into a ditch and overturned.

“Eight people were killed while eighteen others injured in a passenger bus accident in the area of Balkassar in Chakwal today,” Radio Pakistan reported.

“According to Rescue 1122, ambulances and rescue vehicles promptly reached the site of the incident.”

The state-run media said that the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules are rarely followed and roads as well as a majority of vehicles are in poor condition.

Pakistan motorway police frequently warns masses on its social media platforms against violating traffic regulations and overspeeding.