ISLAMABAD: The deadline for election staff to submit applications for postal ballots for the upcoming national elections will expire tomorrow, on Monday, Pakistani state media reported, citing the country’s election oversight body.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had initiated on Jan. 6 the postal ballot process for eligible individuals to get ballot papers for both national and provincial assembly elections. The regulator had set Jan. 22 as the deadline to submit applications.
The provision is specifically tailored for government officials, armed forces personnel, and individuals in public offices as well as their spouses and children, who reside away from their constituencies, to vote ahead of the polling day.
The eligibility criteria also encompass individuals in detention and those with physical disabilities, provided they hold a computerized national identity card (CNIC) with a disability logo issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
“The Election Commission has started the process of providing postal ballot papers to eligible individuals for the general elections for both national and provincial assemblies,” the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported on Sunday.
“Eligible voters must download a postal ballot application from the electoral authority’s website.”
However, the application should be forwarded or endorsed by the office of the voter to guard against unauthorized persons applying for postal ballot, according to the ECP.
Upon receiving an application from a voter, the returning officer is required to send a ballot paper and an envelope to the voter by post, according to the Elections Act 2017. The envelope should include a form of certificate of posting on its face, indicating the posting date, to be filled in by the relevant post office official when the voter sends it.
Once a postal ballot is received, the act says, a voter shall record their vote as prescribed. After recording, they should post the ballot paper to the relevant returning officer in the provided envelope, ensuring it reaches before the consolidation of the results.
Deadline to submit postal ballot applications for Pakistan election staff ends on Monday
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Deadline to submit postal ballot applications for Pakistan election staff ends on Monday
- The provision allows government officials, security personnel and other specified individuals to vote ahead of polling day
- Eligible individuals can obtain prescribed form from returning officers or download it from the election commission’s website
Pakistani supply chain fintech aims for carve out beachhead in Saudi Arabia within 12 months
- Haball has disbursed about $140 million in Islamic financing and processed over $3 billion in payments for major multinational corporations
- Company is now targeting Gulf markets like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Turkiye and Egypt for the expansion of its invoicing and payments business
KARACHI: Pakistani supply chain fintech firm Haball will raise funds to expand its business into Saudi Arabia and set up a beachhead operation within the next 12 months, its chief executive officer Omer Bin Ahsan said in an interview this week.
Haball announced this month it had raised $52 million to expand its Shariah-compliant supply chain financing and payments services. The funding, led by Zayn VC and Meezan Bank, includes $5 million in equity and $47 million in strategic financing, and will support Haball’s growth plans for Pakistan and expansion into the Middle East, starting with Saudi Arabia this year.
Haball says it provides Shariah-compliant financing to nearly 8,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as up to 70 multinationals, in addition to digital invoicing, payment collection and tax compliance services. The company has processed over $3 billion in payments and disbursed more than $140 million in financing.
Habal is now eying “complex large economies” like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Turkiye and Egypt to expand its digital supply chain invoicing, payments and financing business as Pakistan’s economy stabilizes, with interest rates halving to 12 percent since June and the pace of inflation ebbing last month to a record low of 0.7 percent.
“In the next twelve months, we intend to set up a beachhead operation in Saudi because Saudi is also very nascent in terms of supply chain financing,” Ahsan, who has already made several trips to the Kingdom to secure necessary regulatory permissions, told Arab News in a wide-ranging interview.
A beachhead refers to a strategic approach where a company initially focuses on a small, specific market segment, the beachhead, to establish a strong foothold before expanding to broader markets.
Having a beachhead operation would enable Haball to understand the market dynamics and the credit culture in Saudi Arabia and allow it to anchor with strong partner banks, large corporations and wholesale distributors who would be the beneficiaries of the platform, Ahsan said.
“Using that commercial operation at a pilot level, then we will be able to scale into a wider play, SMEs financing, business-to-business payments, and obviously the ultimate goal of any large fintech is that, when they are into invoice payments or digital payments or financing, to see how we can get into the investment and treasury function of SME banking,” the CEO added.
To expand into Saudi Arabia, Ahsan said the company would have to raise an amount that fit into the costing dynamics and expense outlay of the Kingdom. Haball would also be deploying its technology and the lower-production-cost regime it had built over years in Pakistan to support its operations in Saudi Arabia instead of raising huge amounts of funds.
“The funding requirement would have to be very prudent and would have to be staged in different phases as opposed to raising a large round and making an unnecessary splash that in most cases goes against you,” Ahsan said, declining to disclose the size of the funding as it could impede investor conversations.
Speaking about reasons for wanting to enter Saudi Arabia, the Haball CEO said it was a mature market in terms of credit culture, but SME and supply chain financing still remained “underserved.”
“Looking at Saudi Arabia’s GDP and the non-oil component of the GDP [approximately 52 percent] and then trimming it down to the supply chains that serve the large manufacturer, retail, wholesale, all of that, it’s of a significant size … perhaps parallel or comparable to the size of the total economy of Pakistan. So that’s a very good opportunity for a company such as ours to enter that space.”
Ahsan said the company was also eyeing the Saudi market as it was “Shariah-first.”
“And that product that we’ve built for supply chain financing is indigenously Islamic with multiple Islamic variants.”
The company was in general eyeing “complex economies” with large populations and wide geography for a large distribution operation “because that’s where digital supply chain financing is very meaningful.”
“So countries like Saudi Arabia, countries like Turkiye, countries like Iraq, countries like Egypt, they’re important for us as jurisdictions where this product can have a meaningful impact.”
The game plan was to enter into Gulf markets where the prevailing Islamic finance ecosystem and private debt market was mainly led by big banks.
“The agility of deploying supply chain financing is where the fintechs come in. Our disbursement times are three seconds, not three days,” he said, terming it a “big advantage” for Haball which would aim for 100 percent digitization into the integrated supply chains of Gulf markets to ensure rapid deployment of Islamic finance.
“Rapid deployment is the differentiator between us and any traditional institution,” said the CEO.
“CONTINUITY OF POLICY”
Supply chain finance in Pakistan is nascent but is expected to be worth over $9 billion, driven by the severe financing gap faced by the country’s SMEs, less than 5 percent of which can access financing from commercial banks.
Habal, which means jugular vein in Arabic, is trying to fill this gap, integrating some of the largest supply chains in Pakistan and working with around 70 of the biggest corporations like Coca-Cola, Standard Chartered Bank, Dawlance, Meezan Bank, SereneAir, Colgate Palmolive and National Foods.
“We’re hoping that we will be now quadrupling these numbers in the first few years to come,” said Ahsan, referring to the over $3 billion in payments Haball has processed and more than $140 million in financing it has disbursed to date.
Haball has not tapped even two percent of Pakistan’s supply chain financing potential that ranges from $10 billion to $25 billion, according to reports from the Asian Development Bank and International Finance Corporation.
Lamenting that businesses were still making their payments through cash or open cheques, Ahsan said supply chain financing was a “highly underserved space” in Pakistan which was lagging far behind regional peers.
“The outstanding SME financing portfolio in the country is close to $550 billion rupees and State Bank intends to double this in the next three years along with bringing about 200,000 new bank borrowers,” said the chief executive, adding that the deployment of SME supply chain financing was very rapid and could help Pakistan improve its SME financing numbers.
According to Ahsan, at the close of the current fiscal year, Haball aimed to bring its financial portfolio to about $80 million worth of lines available for strategic financing of the supply chains it served.
“In the next five years, this number can easily cross a billion dollars,” said Ahsan, whose short-term goal is to start operating in Saudi Arabia while chasing the ultimate goal of getting into the functions of an SME bank.
On the challenges the company faced, the Haball CEO said the biggest was the “continuity of policy.”
“Policy changes are so frequent, and the macro environment changes so dramatically that it’s very hard for businesses to reorient themselves and stay agile and stay afloat,” he said.
“I can clearly see that a lot of companies within the fintech space or within the tech startup space struggle with economic uncertainties and the downturns and with macroeconomic stability. That is the biggest challenge of the country.”
Training of 89,000 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims under government scheme in ‘final stages’ — minister
- Pakistan holds nationwide camps to ensure pilgrims are well-informed and prepared for the spiritual and physical journey
- This year, 89,000 Pakistanis will perform Hajj under the government scheme and 23,620 with private tour operators
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said on Friday the training of 89,000 pilgrims performing Hajj under the government scheme was in the “final stages” to ensure they were fully aware of the rituals, logistics, and regulations associated with the annual pilgrimage.
Hajj is expected to take place in June this year.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Hajj Agreement 2025 in January, under which Pakistan was given a quota of 179,210 pilgrims. This year, 89,000 people will perform Hajj under the government scheme and 23,620 with private tour operators.
Each year ahead of the pilgrimage, Pakistan holds nationwide training camps to ensure pilgrims are well-informed and prepared for the spiritual and physical journey, as well as to maintain discipline and uniformity during the Hajj.
“Under our government scheme, 89,000 pilgrims will perform Hajj this year and all the formalities and procedures have been completed,” Yousuf told journalists in Islamabad.
“This training is being provided at the final stage to ensure that pilgrims are fully prepared and knowledgeable in line with Saudi guidelines to avoid any difficulties during their journey.”
“Master trainers and religious scholars” had been engaged to ensure that the administrative procedures were properly understood and pilgrims were well-informed about the correct way to perform Hajj, Yousuf said, adding that the religious affairs ministry’s main objective was to ensure pilgrims from Pakistan were “well informed, well prepared and received maximum assistance.”
Mandatory vaccinations for Pakistani Hajj pilgrims, including meningitis and flu shots, would be administered on April 20, while travelers from yellow fever and polio-prone regions must present valid immunization certificates.
The precautions are vital to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among millions of pilgrims converging in the Kingdom from across the globe.
Hajj flight operations are set to begin on Apr. 29, with the first flight departing from Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also formed a three-member inquiry committee to investigate why Pakistan failed to fully utilize its quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2025.
Pakistani PM assures Punjab province of support in exporting wheat
- Traders and industry representatives are advocating for government to authorize export of surplus wheat
- Pakistan has not allowed wheat exports since 2019-2020 due to domestic supply and food security concerns
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday assured support to the government in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province in exporting wheat and related products following the approval of a $53.5 million (Rs15 billion) wheat support fund for farmers.
The Punjab government on Wednesday unveiled the package aimed at supporting wheat farmers facing falling prices during the harvest season and as farmers staged protests across various parts of the province. The move is part of the federal and Punjab governments’ broader effort to support the agricultural sector amid rising input costs and climate-related challenges.
Under the scheme, 550,000 wheat farmers will be given direct financial support through the Kisan Card. Additionally, the Punjab government plans to seek federal approval for the export of surplus wheat and related products. The Bank of Punjab will also finance private-sector efforts to renovate or construct warehouses to improve wheat storage infrastructure.
“The federal government will provide full support to the Punjab government in the export of wheat and wheat products,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said in a statement.
Traders and industry representatives are advocating for the government to authorize the export of surplus wheat to stabilize the market and improve prices for farmers. Last year, farmers in Pakistan held weeks-long protests over lower wheat prices due to the import of excess amounts of the commodity that flooded local markets.
Pakistan has not allowed wheat exports since 2019-2020 due to domestic supply concerns and the need to ensure food security. This decision was also influenced by the farmer protests against wheat imports flooding the market. While the government aims to stabilize the domestic wheat market by regulating imports and exports, recent decisions have been met with criticism, particularly from farmers who feel their interests are being overlooked.
Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and constitutes its largest sector. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), agriculture contributes about 24 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and accounts for half of employed labor force in the country.
In Pakistan, wheat crops are planted in mid-December and the harvest usually begins in March, with the majority of the crop harvested between April and early June.
Pakistan, UK discuss counterterrorism, security cooperation to tackle cross-border crime
- Pakistan-UK Counter Terrorism Dialogue took place in London in February, reviewing global and regional threats
- Armed forces of both countries maintain close cooperation, particularly in counterterrorism efforts, military training
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Kingdom (UK) have held talks on counterterrorism and security cooperation as both countries seek to promote bilateral cooperation to combat cross-border crimes, state media reported on Friday.
The second round of the Pakistan-UK Counter Terrorism Dialogue took place in London in February 2025, reviewing global and regional threats and exchanging best practices. Over the years, the armed forces of both countries have also maintained close cooperation, particularly in counterterrorism efforts and professional military training.
“During the meeting discussions were held on Pakistan-UK relations, including enhancing cooperation in counterterrorism, security and preventing cross-border crimes,” Radio Pakistan said in a report following a meeting between Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and British Under Secretary of State for Faith, Communities and Resettlement Lord Wajid Khan.
Earlier this month, Rana Sanaullah, an adviser to Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif, had met British High Commissioner Jane Marriott to discuss enhancing security cooperation between the two countries and adopting a joint strategy against “terrorism.”
Last June, Pakistan and the UK agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of organized crime and the prevention of illegal immigration during Naqvi’s meeting with National Crime Agency Director-General James Babbage and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Director-General Jonathan Allen.
In 2022, the UK signed an agreement with Pakistan allowing the return of foreign criminals and immigration offenders from the UK. Under this arrangement, Pakistani nationals with no legal right to stay in the UK including criminals, failed asylum seekers and immigration violators, can be deported.
Pakistanis currently represent the seventh-largest group of foreign criminals in prisons across England and Wales, accounting for nearly 3 percent of the foreign national offender population.
Hungarian foreign minister leads business delegation to Islamabad amid investment push
- Péter Szijjártó attends business forum with 17-member Hungarian business group in Islamabad
- Pakistan and Hungary sign agreement to abolish visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders
ISLAMABAD: Top companies from Hungary are in Pakistan this week for business-to-business engagements with their counterparts, the Hungarian foreign minister said, as Islamabad pushes to seek investments from allies old and new to bolster its struggling economy.
The IMF’s $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), approved last year, has played a key role in stabilizing Pakistan’s economy in recent months and set it on the path of long-term recovery. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government has vowed to reduce dependence on foreign loans in the coming years and seek more direct investment.
“I have brought with me top business leaders from Hungary. They are meeting with their Pakistani counterparts in B2B sessions today, and we hope to see new partnerships and trade avenues open,” Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister Péter Szijjártó, who led a 17-member Hungarian business delegation to Islamabad, said at a business forum on Thursday.
Key public and private sector representatives from both countries attended the business forum to identify sector-specific synergies. Hungarian delegates represented industries such as IT, agri-tech, water management, health tech and advanced manufacturing, sectors in line with Pakistan’s development goals.
The Hungarian foreign minister also pointed to opportunities for collaboration in various sectors, including energy, agriculture, IT, food security, sports, and advanced manufacturing, and said a Hungarian private airline was exploring launching operations in Pakistan, indicating growing interest and confidence in the Pakistani market.
Szijjártó called Pakistan an “important economic partner” and emphasized Hungary’s continued advocacy for Pakistan’s preferential trade access to European markets under the GSP+ scheme.
“Hungary stands with Pakistan on the GSP+ front. It not only benefits Pakistan’s exports but also strengthens EU-Pakistan relations through sustainable development and inclusive trade,” he said.
Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, speaking at the business forum, welcomed Hungary’s continued support for Pakistan’s GSP+ status and praised Hungary’s technological strengths, particularly in seed technology, agriculture feed, and the services sector.
“Our economic reforms are designed to improve ease of doing business, attract foreign investment, and create strong infrastructure to support sustainable growth,” said Kamal, highlighting several government initiatives such as the National Tariff Policy, Strategic Trade Policy Framework, Pakistan Single Window, and transit trade agreements with Central Asian countries aimed at enhancing regional and global trade integration.
On Thursday, Pakistan and Hungary signed an agreement to abolish visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders of both countries, along with two memorandums of understanding in the fields of culture and archaeology.
