Pakistan launches new fisheries policy, eyeing $10 billion from sector

Pakistan launches new fisheries policy, eyeing $10 billion from sector
Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry speaking at a workshop in Islamabad, Pakistan on July 9, 2025. (Government of Pakistan)
Updated 09 July 2025
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Pakistan launches new fisheries policy, eyeing $10 billion from sector

Pakistan launches new fisheries policy, eyeing $10 billion from sector
  • Despite Pakistan having over 1,050 kilometers of coastline, its untapped fisheries sector contributes only 0.5 percent to GDP
  • Ten-year policy focuses on climate resilience, gender inclusion, modern technologies, says maritime affairs ministry

KARACHI: Pakistan’s government launched its 10-year national fisheries and aquaculture policy on Wednesday, with a senior official saying that better management and value addition could help the fisheries sector generate up to $10 billion in value.

Pakistan has the potential to become a major player in the global fisheries markets with over 1,050 kilometers of coastline along the Arabian Sea and vast inland water resources. However, its fisheries sector remains largely undertapped due to poor regulations and issues such as overfishing, contributing only 0.5 percent to the country’s GDP. 

Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry launched the 10-year National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy 2025–2035 at a workshop in Islamabad.

“With better management and value addition, the [fisheries] sector could generate up to $10 billion in value,” Maritime Affairs Minister Secretary Zaffar Ali Shah said at the workshop.

Shah said despite Pakistan’s long coastline, the fisheries sector has failed to achieve its potential, saying that while it remains a vital source of livelihood, it faces serious issues like overfishing and poor regulation.

“He noted that the newly introduced national policy aims to resolve these challenges through coordinated planning,” the maritime affairs ministry said. 

Chaudhry said the policy focuses on cross-cutting priorities such as climate resilience, environmental protection, child safety, gender inclusion, labor rights and the adoption of modern technologies. 

The minister said that the policy’s success depended on sustained commitment, effective coordination and active engagement from all stakeholders.

“He said this policy represents a major milestone for not just the ministry but for all institutions, communities and stakeholders committed to the future of Pakistan’s blue economy,” the maritime affairs ministry said.

The workshop, organized by the maritime affairs ministry, also featured several panel discussions, including sessions on governance and incentives for the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, strategies for the development and management of aquaculture in Pakistan, and the implementation framework and cross-cutting themes of the national policy.

Pakistan reported an increase of over 20 percent in its seafood exports during the last fiscal year, reiterating its commitment to bolster its blue economy. The South Asian country hopes to achieve sustainable economic growth driven largely by exports. 


Pakistan launches AI ‘techathon’ to empower young innovators, build future economy

Pakistan launches AI ‘techathon’ to empower young innovators, build future economy
Updated 9 sec ago
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Pakistan launches AI ‘techathon’ to empower young innovators, build future economy

Pakistan launches AI ‘techathon’ to empower young innovators, build future economy
  • The development came days after Pakistan announced its first National Artificial Intelligence Policy
  • Minister says Pakistan plans to move toward a trillion-dollar economy by 2035 through such initiatives

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday launched an artificial intelligence (AI) ‘techathon’ that aims to empower young innovators to build the country’s future economy, a government statement said.

A techathon, also called a hackathon or codefest, is an event where people, typically programmers and tech professionals, collaborate intensively on software projects for community building and innovation.

The launch of ‘Uraan AI Techathon 1.0’ in Islamabad brought together Pakistan’s brightest minds to harness the power of AI for national development, marking a significant milestone in the country’s digital journey, according to Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID).

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal described the techathon, part of the Uraan Pakistan national transformation initiative, as a “national call” to challenge, inspire and mobilize Pakistani students, developers, thinkers and entrepreneurs to use AI to solve real problems.

“Its objective is to mobilize Pakistan’s youth and professionals to solve real-world challenges through AI, build national capacity in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and enhance Pakistan’s global visibility in emerging technologies,” Iqbal said at the launch.

The development came days after Pakistan announced its first National Artificial Intelligence Policy, a wide-ranging plan to develop AI infrastructure, train one million people in related skills and ensure responsible, ethical use of the technology in line with global standards.

The policy is designed to transform the country into a “knowledge-based economy” through investment in research, innovation and skills, while safeguarding personal data and human rights, according to the IT and telecom ministry. It lays out a six-pillar framework covering AI innovation, public awareness, secure systems, sectoral transformation, infrastructure and international partnerships.

Speaking at Monday’s event in Islamabad, the planning minister announced the launch of a dedicated online portal for the techathon to serve as a central hub for registrations, communication, updates, resources and event coordination, stressing inclusive participation especially from underserved and remote regions.

He noted that AI is “no longer the future but the present,” reshaping health, education, agriculture, industry and governance around the world.

“Decisions that shape economies today are increasingly driven by algorithms,” Iqbal said. “Pakistan will not remain a spectator in the AI revolution but will emerge as a rising leader.”

Speaking about the government’s priorities, the minister said it was focused on leveraging AI to bring innovative solutions to health, education, agriculture and other sectors, and building the national capacity through training, mentorship and the establishment of Centers of Excellence.

He said Pakistan’s youth possess the same passion and energy that fuels the world’s leading technology hubs and urged young innovators to step forward, experiment and prove that their ideas, vision and creativity are second to none globally, underlining the role of local startups, universities, and technology parks in building a robust AI ecosystem.

“Through initiatives like the URAAN AI Techathon 1.0, we are not only nurturing innovation but also preparing Pakistan to move toward a trillion-dollar economy by 2035,” Iqbal added.


Fact Check: Flag-raising at Pakistani consulate in UK shared in misleading posts about ‘Islamic invasion’

Fact Check: Flag-raising at Pakistani consulate in UK shared in misleading posts about ‘Islamic invasion’
Updated 18 August 2025
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Fact Check: Flag-raising at Pakistani consulate in UK shared in misleading posts about ‘Islamic invasion’

Fact Check: Flag-raising at Pakistani consulate in UK shared in misleading posts about ‘Islamic invasion’
  • The video shows Pakistan’s flag being raised at its consulate in Glasgow to mark the country’s Independence Day
  • Such ceremonies are a standard diplomatic practice globally to celebrate national days, consulate spokesman says

A video showing Pakistan’s flag being raised in the grounds of its Glasgow consulate to celebrate the South Asian country’s Independence Day has been shared in posts that misleadingly say it shows an “Islamic invasion” of Britain.

“In every city in UK, Pakistani flag is being raised to celebrate Pakistan’s independence. This is what an Islamic invasion looks like,” said an August 15 post on Facebook, sharing a video of the flag-hoisting ceremony.

The video shows a ceremony on August 14 to mark Pakistan’s independence from British rule in 1947.

The houses and trees visible in the background of the video correspond with Google Maps imagery of the street opposite the consulate. The footage is also consistent with a video of the ceremony published on the consulate’s Facebook page on August 14.

“The claim suggesting a ‘Pakistan takeover of the UK’ in connection with the flag hoisting ceremony in Glasgow on August 14 is entirely false and misleading,” a spokesperson for the Consulate of Pakistan said in an email.

“Flag hoisting ceremonies are a standard diplomatic practice and are held by embassies and consulates of countries all around the world to celebrate their national days.

“The event was conducted peacefully, with members of the Pakistani community in attendance, and was no different from similar observances held by diplomatic missions globally.”

Earlier in 2025, a Reuters fact-check found a video of Pakistan’s independence celebrations in August 2022 had been shared with false captions to claim it showed Pakistani nationals protesting over military clashes between Pakistan and India in May 2025.

VERDICT

Misleading. The video shows Pakistan’s flag being raised at its consulate in Glasgow to mark the country’s Independence Day.

 


Pakistani villagers scared to go back to deluged homes after deadly floods

Pakistani villagers scared to go back to deluged homes after deadly floods
Updated 18 August 2025
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Pakistani villagers scared to go back to deluged homes after deadly floods

Pakistani villagers scared to go back to deluged homes after deadly floods
  • In Buner, shops and houses were buried in up to five feet of mud after Friday’s cloudburst and flash floods
  • Authorities warn there could be more cloudbursts during two more spells of rain from Aug. 21 till Sept. 10

BUNER, Pakistan: Residents of a northwestern Pakistani district where devastating floods have killed more than 200 people said on Monday they were too scared to go back to their deluged homes as authorities warned of more rains to come.

“Everybody is scared. Children are scared. They cannot sleep,” said Sahil Khan, a 24-year-old university student.

He was speaking to a Reuters team from a rooftop in the district of Buner, where he and 15 other villagers had climbed to escape any more flooding amid a fresh spell of rain on Monday.

“It was like a doomsday scenario,” he said of the flash floods caused by heavy rains and cloudbursts that, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, have killed at least 341 people in the northwest since Friday — more than 200 of them in Buner.

The fatalities include 28 women and 21 children, it said.

The intense rain has claimed lives and spread destruction in several northern districts, with most people killed in flash floods, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

In hilly areas, the floods washed away houses, buildings, vehicles and belongings.

Buner district was the worst hit in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Khan and other residents in Buner’s Bayshonai Kalay village fled to higher ground when a water channel that had earlier overflowed and caused major devastation started swelling with more rain on Monday, according to Reuters witnesses.

He and several other residents said most of the villagers were staying with relatives or in makeshift camps set up by local authorities on higher ground.

Rescuers were finding it difficult to get heavy machinery into narrow streets.

In Buner’s main markets and streets, shops and houses were buried in up to five feet of mud, which locals were clearing with shovels. Elsewhere, cars and other belongings were strewn in the rubble of ruined buildings.

“People are out of their homes. They are fearful,” said Dayar Khan, 26, a shopkeeper in Buner. “They have climbed up in the mountains.”

Rescue and relief efforts resumed in the flood-hit areas several hours after heavy rain forced rescuers to halt work on Monday, a regional government officer, Abid Wazir, told Reuters.

“Our priority is now to clear the roads, set up bridges and bring relief to the affected people,” he said.

Heavy rains and flash floods also hit more areas in the northwestern province on Monday, including Swabi district, where 11 people were killed, according to the provincial disaster management authority.

The flash floods hit a remote mountainous region in Daroli Bala, local district commissioner Nisar Khan told Reuters, which caused houses to collapse.

It took several hours for rescue teams to access the remote area, he said, adding that he also went to the region where residents reported that their relatives were missing.

“The relatives and family members told us that 40 people have been swept away,” he said.

Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik, the National Disaster Management Authority’s chairman, warned of two more spells of rain between August 21 and September 10.

“It can intensify,” he said, and there could be more cloudbursts.

Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah, who leads risk assessment at the authority, said global warming had changed the pattern of the annual monsoon, pushing it around 100 km west of its normal path.

Relief supplies, including food, medicine, blankets, tents, an electric generator and pumps have been sent to the affected areas, the authority said.

Officials said Buner was hit by a cloudburst, a rare phenomenon where more than 100 mm (4 inches) of rain falls within an hour in a small area. In Buner, there was more than 150 mm of rain within an hour on Friday morning.

“The current weather system is active over the Pakistan region and may cause heavy to very heavy rainfall during the next 24 hours,” the disaster authority said on Sunday.

Torrential rains and flooding this monsoon season have killed 660 people across Pakistan since late June, it said.

 


Pakistan launches digital land record, passport services for diaspora in UK

Pakistan launches digital land record, passport services for diaspora in UK
Updated 18 August 2025
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Pakistan launches digital land record, passport services for diaspora in UK

Pakistan launches digital land record, passport services for diaspora in UK
  • The UK is home to over 1.6 million Pakistanis who have often complained of difficulties in sale, purchase, transfer and settlement of land disputes
  • Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar describes the two initiatives as ‘a digital leap toward safeguarding diaspora rights and fostering investment’

ISLAMABAD: In a major development, Islamabad has launched digital land record and passport processing services for Pakistanis living in the United Kingdom (UK), the Pakistani foreign office said on Monday.

The development came during a visit to the UK by Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who inaugurated the landmark initiatives at the Pakistan High Commission in London on Monday.

The UK is home to over 1.6 million Pakistanis who have often complained of difficulties in sale, purchase, transfer and settlement of disputes concerning their lands back home, despite contributing significantly to remittances, business and cultural links.

The Land Record Service enables British Pakistanis to remotely access and manage property records in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, according to the foreign office.

“This digital platform offers services such as online sale deeds, ‘Fard’ (Record of Rights), ‘e-Girdawari,’ mutation entries and document attestation, all secured by blockchain technology to ensure transparency and prevent fraud,” the foreign office said in a statement.

“A dedicated Land Services Desk at the Pakistan High Commission in London will support the pilot phase, with plans to expand to other Pakistani consulates in the United Kingdom.”

Concurrently, the One Window Passport Processing System, implemented by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (IMPASS), streamlines passport application procedures by consolidating multiple steps into a single, efficient counter, according to the foreign office.

“This system reduces processing time to approximately 10 minutes per application, enhancing convenience, reducing congestion, and ensuring greater transparency for British Pakistanis,” it said.

Dar described the initiatives as “a digital leap toward safeguarding diaspora rights and fostering investment,” while the foreign office said they marked a significant step toward efficient, transparent and accessible governance for Pakistanis abroad.

The Pakistani deputy premier earlier met the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hamish Falconer, and shared Pakistan’s commitment to economic reforms and perspective on regional developments, including peace and stability in South Asia following a military standoff with India in May.

“Both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation across political, economic, climate, and people-to-people domains,” the Pakistani foreign office said.

The UK is among Pakistan’s largest bilateral development partners, with cooperation spanning education, health, climate resilience, governance reform and trade.

Dar is on an official visit to the UK since Saturday to strengthen Pakistan-UK ties, boost cooperation in digital technology, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship, and enhanced cooperation with the Commonwealth.

Separately, the deputy premier held a meeting with Pakistani-origin British parliamentarians, Mohammad Yasin, Tahir Ali, Imran Hussain, Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain, according to the foreign office.

He underscored the deep historical and cultural bonds between Pakistan and the UK and emphasized Pakistan’s strong commitment to enhancing bilateral parliamentary exchanges with the United Kingdom.

“He noted that such engagements facilitate the sharing of democratic experiences, international best practices, and core democratic values, which are vital for the growth and stability of democratic institutions in both countries,” the foreign office said.


Pakistan to continue receiving Hajj applications for remaining 3,500 official scheme seats

Pakistan to continue receiving Hajj applications for remaining 3,500 official scheme seats
Updated 18 August 2025
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Pakistan to continue receiving Hajj applications for remaining 3,500 official scheme seats

Pakistan to continue receiving Hajj applications for remaining 3,500 official scheme seats
  • The country announced earlier this month it has been allocated a quota of 179,210 pilgrims
  • Around 118,000 seats have been allocated for government scheme, rest for private operators

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will continue receiving Hajj applications for the remaining 3,500 seats under the government scheme, the religious affairs ministry said on Monday, hours after the expiry of a deadline.

The country announced earlier this month it has been allocated a quota of 179,210 pilgrims, of which around 118,000 seats have been allocated under the government scheme and the rest to private tour operators.

The religious affairs ministry said it has received 114,500 applications under the government scheme since Aug. 4 and will continue to accept applications for the remaining 3,500 seats.

“Aspiring applicants should submit their Hajj applications to the nearest bank as soon as possible,” the ministry said on Monday night. “The receiving of applications will be stopped as soon as the remaining 3,500 seats are filled.”

The South Asian country, which extended the deadline for receiving Hajj applications under the government scheme on Saturday, has designated 14 banks to receive Hajj applications. Intending pilgrims can also apply through the online Hajj portal of the ministry.

Under the government scheme, pilgrims can choose between a long package (38-42 days) and a short package (20-25 days), with costs ranging between Rs1,150,000 and Rs1,250,000 ($4,050–4,236).

Applicants are required to deposit a first installment of Rs500,000 [$1764] or Rs550,000 [$1941] depending on the package, while the remaining dues will be collected in November.

Saudi Arabia had approved the same quota for Pakistan in 2025, though private tour operators last year struggled to utilize their share, saying they faced technical and financial delays, even as the government filled its quota of over 88,000 pilgrims.