KARACHI: Nadeem Shah, 62, desperately wants to sell his farming business on the outskirts of the southern city of Hyderabad.
After nearly four and a half decades of growing rice and cotton, Shah is struggling to make ends meet. “Our cost of input is constantly rising in this country and we don’t get the right price at the end of long and consistent hard work,” he told Arab News.
“Most importantly, the shortage of water is driving people out of the farming business … Ironically there is no government support.”
Shah is not the only farmer in the country facing these challenges.
The annual report released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Thursday says growth in the agriculture sector may fall below last year’s level of 3.8 percent during the current fiscal year FY19.
“Decline in the area under sugarcane crop, water shortages at the time of sowing of kharif crops, especially cotton, and weak trends in the off-take of fertilizer indicate that the agriculture sector may not repeat last year’s extraordinary performance. Recent rains and improved water availability, as well as the increased area under rice and cotton crops, however, may provide some support,” the central bank said.
For an agricultural economy such as Pakistan, these are troubling trends. Agriculture contributes 18.9 percent to GDP and absorbs 42.3 percent of the labor force.
But with the population growing at 2.4 percent per year, shouldn’t there be a rising demand for agricultural products?
Farmers feel that the sector is neglected by the government. “No doubt there is a water shortage and impacts of global warming, but we have no support for research and development and supply of improved seeds. Besides, we do not get the prices of our product, even those fixed by the government,” Ijaz Ahmed Rao, a cotton grower from Punjab province, told Arab News.
Rao believes cotton is the strategic crop of Pakistan but the lack of improved seeds and technological advancement are making this sector unviable compared with other competitor countries including India.
“I have no words to express the condition of farmers in the country who are struggling to cope up with the situation,” Khalid Mehmood Khokhar, President of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad, said. “They are struggling to survive amid the high cost of inputs including electricity, fertilizers, water availability and lack of marketing support.”
As the government expects inflation during the current fiscal year to be between 6.5 to 7.5 percent, the impact will be more devastating for the country’s agriculture sector, and beyond.
“Slower growth in both the industrial and agriculture sectors will also affect the performance of the services sector. The real GDP growth is projected in the range of 4.7 to 5.2 percent during FY19, the central bank’s annual report said, calling the GDP growth target of 6.2 percent ambitious.
The SBP added: “The industrial sector, in particular, may witness a slowdown due to an expected reduction in consumer demand. More specifically, construction-allied and consumer durable industries may see slower growth in production.”
Dr. Amir Irshad, Chief of Food and Agriculture at the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, agrees that the impact of the agriculture sector’s decline would be borne by the economy as a whole but stresses the need for a long-term solution to the existing problem.
“The government takes measures for the quick fixes in the agriculture sector by subsidizing fertilizers and pesticides, etc, but we need a solution for the long term that is the technological advancement, supply of improved seeds,” Irshad told Arab News.
“The required technology costs around PKR1.5-1.7 million per acre yield but the common farmers are not in a position to afford this price… For the moment, I have no alternative in sight but to sell my business,” Shah added.
Pakistan’s food supply may be at risk as agriculture sector shrinks
Pakistan’s food supply may be at risk as agriculture sector shrinks
- The State Bank of Pakistan on Thursday said growth in the agriculture sector may fall below last year’s level of 3.8 percent
- Experts believe government only offers quick fixes rather than systemic long-term solutions
Pakistan’s Punjab puts security on ‘high alert’ amid surge in militant attacks in northwest
- Pakistan is the world’s second-most affected country by militancy, according to Global Terrorism Index 2025
- Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering militant groups attacking its western regions, Kabul denies this
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province has put security on “high alert” and ordered intelligence-based search-and-sweep operations across the region, a police spokesperson said on Sunday, amid surge in militant attacks in the neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province in the country’s northwest.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant violence in its KP and Balochistan provinces that border Afghanistan, including a twin suicide bombing that killed 18 people in KP’s Bannu district on March 4.
The attacks have prompted provincial authorities in Punjab to carry out intelligence-based operations and mock exercises to thwart any untoward incident in the eastern Pakistani province.
“During the last 24 hours, 436 search and sweep operations were conducted, along with eight mock exercises across Punjab,” Punjab police spokesperson Mubasher Hussain told Arab News, adding that 38 proclaimed offenders and 123 other suspects were arrested during these operations.
According to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), Pakistan is now the world’s second-most affected country by militant violence, with deaths rising 45 percent to 1,081 in 2024.
The 12th annual GTI report, published by Australian-based think tank Institute for Economics and Peace, ranked 163 countries in 2024, covering 99.7 percent of the world’s population and analyzing the impact of militant activities worldwide. Pakistan is second only to West African country Burkina Faso on the list.
Officials in Islamabad accuse Afghanistan of harboring anti-Pakistan groups that launch cross-border attacks in Pakistan’s western regions. Kabul denies the allegation and insists Pakistan’s security is an internal matter of Islamabad.
The Punjab police spokesperson said the search-and-sweep operations are part of measures to combat militants and criminal elements.
“Authorities have recovered 2 Kalashnikovs, 12 rifles, 20 handguns, and hundreds of bullets from the arrested suspects,” he added.
Huawei trains over 20,000 Pakistani youth in AI, cybersecurity and cloud computing
- Pakistan and Huawei last year signed an agreement to train 300,000 Pakistani youth in advanced information and communication technologies
- Islamabad views ICT as a driver of economic change and seeks to transform the sector into a cornerstone of its strategy for financial stability
ISLAMABAD: Huawei, a leading Chinese multinational corporation and technology company, has trained more than 20,000 Pakistani youngsters in advanced information and communication technology (ICT) skills, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said on Sunday, amid Islamabad’s efforts to develop a more technologically skilled workforce.
These youngsters have been trained under an agreement signed between Pakistan and Huawei last year to train 300,000 Pakistani youth in ICT skills to match international standards.
The Chinese tech firm is providing training to Pakistani youth in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, cloud computing and other advanced technologies under the initiative.
“Huawei Technologies has trained 20,315 students so far. The program is upskilling students, trainers and those working in ICT technologies,” Sharif’s office said, following his meeting with a Huawei delegation in Lahore on Sunday.
“The master trainers trained by Huawei Technologies will provide training to youth at the local level.”
Pakistan views ICT as a driver of economic change and seeks to transform the sector into a cornerstone of its strategy for financial stability, courting foreign investment from countries like China and the Gulf states.
In Jan., the Pakistani IT ministry and Huawei launched a training portal to develop a more technologically skilled workforce in Pakistan, aimed at enabling the Pakistani youth to contribute to the country’s development.
During Sunday’s meeting, Sharif asked officials to ensure speedy implementation of IT training projects.
“The prime minister directed to make the ICT training portal accessible to maximum number of people, and expand the project to all provinces, including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan,” Sharif’s office said.
Pakistan plans to adopt cryptocurrency as ‘strategic asset,’ adviser says
- Pakistan has over 20 million active users in the digital asset market who face significant challenges, including high transaction fees
- Last month, Islamabad announced its plans to set up a national crypto council to establish a digital financial ecosystem in the country
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is planning to adopt cryptocurrency as a “strategic asset” to bring about a digital financial revolution, an adviser to the Pakistani finance minister said this week, after Islamabad signaled its intent to formalize digital asset regulations.
Pakistan’s finance division said last month that it was mulling a national crypto council to establish a financial ecosystem in the country that would allow safe investments in digital assets.
This month, the finance division announced the appointment of Bilal bin Saqib, a Forbes-recognized entrepreneur and Web3 investor, as chief adviser to the finance minister for the Pakistan Crypto Council.
“The Pakistan Crypto Council recognizes Pakistan’s strong position as one of the top 10 nations globally in crypto adoption,” Saqib said on X.
“Moving forward, it will be our priority to recognize crypto as a strategic asset, develop comprehensive and forward-thinking regulatory frameworks, and ensure compliance to position Pakistan as a leader in the digital financial revolution.”
Pakistan’s central bank previously declared virtual currencies, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, Pakcoin, OneCoin, DasCoin and Pay Diamond, illegal and prohibited their sale, purchase and exchange in trading.
The country currently has over 20 million active users in the digital asset market who face significant challenges, including high transaction fees, according to the finance division.
Saqib noted that the United States (US) had just made a “historic” move to establish a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve, which marked a pivotal moment for the global economy.
“It signals a shift in how nations perceive value, moving beyond traditional assets like gold and oil to embrace the digital future,” he said.
“For the world, this decision brings greater legitimacy to crypto as a store of value, accelerates institutional adoption, and strengthens the foundation of the digital economy. It also sets a precedent for other nations to follow, reshaping the future of global finance.”
Last month, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb directed stakeholders to formulate a comprehensive framework for a digital asset ecosystem that ensures security, transparency, regulatory compliance and economic viability. He was presiding over a high-level meeting to discuss global evolution of cryptocurrency and potential impact of digital assets on Pakistan’s economy.
“This crypto council will oversee policy development, address regulatory challenges, and ensure that Pakistan’s digital asset ecosystem evolves in a secure, compliant, and sustainable manner,” the finance division said after the meeting on Feb 25.
“The Council will also collaborate with friendly countries to develop standardized frameworks for international digital economic engagement.”
Militants kill three Pakistani paramilitary troops in restive northwestern district — police
- Kurram has been the flashpoint for sectarian tensions, with clashes between Shia and Sunni tribes claiming over 150 lives since Nov.
- The attack follows an ambush on an aid convoy that killed five Pakistani troops and a truck driver in the restive district last month
PESHAWAR: At least three Pakistani paramilitary troops were killed when unidentified militants attacked a security checkpoint in the northwestern Kurram district, a police official said on Sunday.
Kurram, a tribal district of around 600,000 that borders Afghanistan, has been the flashpoint for sectarian tensions between Shia and Sunni tribes, with clashes between both sides claiming more than 150 lives since Nov. last year.
In the latest incident, militants attacked a security checkpoint that killed three personnel of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) paramilitary force and injured four others, according to Kurram police spokesman Riaz Khan.
“Security forces were targeted by unidentified miscreants at around 5:15am within the limits of Chinarak police station in the Tukre Patti area of Central Kurram,” Khan told Arab News. “Further surveillance is ongoing.”
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Last month, five Pakistani troops and a truck driver were killed after insurgents attacked trucks carrying aid to the restive district that has been cut off from the rest of the country since Nov., according to Abbas Majid, a senior police official. Authorities blocked roads following clashes between heavily armed tribes, causing a shortage of food and medicines in the district.
Shiite Muslims dominate parts of Kurram, although they are a minority in the rest of Pakistan, which is majority Sunni. The warring tribes reached a peace agreement on Jan. 1, but sporadic violence has continued in Kurram and both sides have occasionally engaged in battles with machine guns and heavy weapons.
Authorities have been airlifting the injured and ailing from Kurram to the provincial capital of Peshawar, and airdropping essential supplies in the region via helicopters since Jan. this year.
Last year was the deadliest in a decade for Pakistan, home to 250 million people, with a surge in attacks that killed more than 1,600 people, according to the Center for Research and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based analysis group.
Women investors await Pakistan-IMF talk results to decide on stock investments
- IMF has sent a team of experts to see if the South Asian nation is complying with the conditions it has set under the $7 billon program
- A successful review will not only lead to the release of about $1 billion to cash-strapped Pakistan, but also open new avenues for investors
KARACHI: Woman investors in Pakistan are “cautiously” looking at the country’s ongoing talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and will buy more shares in companies listed on the bourse, if the negotiations succeed.
Woman investors in Pakistan’s commercial capital of Karachi hope that Islamabad’s negotiations with the global lender for a review of its $7 billion program would end on a positive note, thus allowing the market sentiments to boost.
The Washington-based lender has sent a team of experts, led by Nathan Porter, to see if the South Asian nation is complying with the conditions it has set under its reforms-oriented extended fund facility (EFF).
A successful review would not only lead to the release of about $1 billion to cash-strapped Pakistan, but also open new avenues for investors who have been buying and selling company shares at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).
“I will be putting more money into the stock market for sure and I would be advising my clients to do the same,” said Saniya Bilal Doni, a 33-year-old CFA charter holder who has been actively investing in Pakistan’s stocks, real estate and gold markets for the last four years.
The mother of two holds a finance degree from the University of Toronto and prefers to make long-term, dividend-based investments in what she called “well performing” banking, real estate, fertilizers and technology stocks that make her portfolio keep growing. Doni though did not quote any numbers to show how big her investment portfolio is.
Having worked for various asset management funds in Canada and Abu Dhabi after completing her graduation in 2013, Doni now is managing her family’s portfolio as well as advising high net-worth individuals on how they should manage their investment portfolios.
She expects more money to come into Pakistan’s economy as a result of a successful IMF review that would help the stocks market increase more.
“All the stocks should technically go up. Yes, that has an impact because as an economy we are unfortunately dependent on IMF’s funding,” she said.
“I am paying attention to all of that, especially as I, you know, make changes to the portfolio, if any, and also if I advise clients.”
Inflation-hit Pakistan has about 350,000 registered individuals who invest in stocks, according to Najeeb Ahmed Khan Warsi, head of online trading at Foundation Securities Ltd.
This number looks dismal given the fact that Pakistan is the world’s fifth most populous nation, with more than 240 million people. The number of woman investors at 5 percent is even negligible.
Like others, these woman investors are also concerned about the outcome of Pakistan’s talks with the IMF, which usually take a couple of weeks to conclude.
“As an investor I am very cautious at the moment. I am holding on to my stocks. I am holding on to my investments. I am very careful with that,” said Isra Ghous Rasool, a 22-year-old business management student who bought some Shariah-compliant stocks a year and half ago to prove that women too can invest in stocks.
Pakistan’s central bank has almost halved the interest rates to 12 percent since June last year and made the booming stocks market an attractive place for investors like Doni and Rasool. The stock gauge KSE-100 Index almost doubled last year and gained 87 percent in US dollars terms to make Pakistan one of the world’s best performing markets.
Women like Doni and Rasool think that being investors makes them financially independent and empowered enough to have more control over their finances and choices without depending on their male relatives.
“I have a better relationship with money. I am able to dictate what I want in life and be able to actually pay for it,” said Doni, who sees another rate cut coming on March 10 when Pakistan’s central bank is scheduled to revise the borrowing rate.
“I am definitely looking for more opportunities in the stock market.”
Doni thinks investments help people hedge inflation which though now has eased to a single digit, but was seen peaking to 38 percent in May 2023.
Despite such good examples, Pakistan remains a male-dominated society where women tend to stay away from financial markets and use traditional saving methods like running committees.
Maham Alavi, a 40-year-old Pakistani brand manager, is running an all-women group of investors on Facebook from the Saudi capital Riyadh for the past decade.
Her Facebook group, Women Investment Forum, has now expanded to 15,000 members, about half of them being confident investors or analysts working in different fields in and outside Pakistan.
Alavi herself vets all the Facebook profiles to avoid an online scam.
“I started this group in Sep 2016 with the intent to learn myself and gather as many women as I could because the PSX had always been a male-dominated field in Pakistan,” she told Arab News from Riyadh.
Women Investment Forum is an educational group and does not tell its members where to invest or what to buy.
“That is their decision to make. We try to empower them so they can make decisions themselves,” said Alavi, a mother of two.
Pakistan’s stock exchange also organizes workshops and awareness sessions to promote financial literacy among women that makes them financially independent. One such event is being organized by the PSX on March 10 in Karachi to celebrate the International Women’s Day.
Both Doni and Rasool are equally critical of the prevailing political uncertainty in the country that by and large keeps investor sentiments dampened in Pakistan.
Pakistan is facing a political crisis since April 2022, when prime minister Imran Khan was ousted from power through a parliamentary no-trust vote. Khan remains in jail and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party keeps agitating on roads across Pakistan demanding the release of its political prisoners, including Khan.
“Political noise does play a huge role and whenever I’m trying to, you know, encourage, overseas Pakistanis to invest into Pakistani stock market or, you know, real estate, this is their number one concern,” said Doni, while sitting in her home office in Karachi’s Clifton area.
Rasool said political uncertainty has a huge impact on stock fundamentals. Recalling how the stock market had reacted to the arrest of Khan, she said a lot of stocks were oversold and a lot of investors had opted for selling their holdings in panic.
In their Women’s Day message, Alavi, Doni and Rasool said women, who make up half of Pakistan’s total population, should at least start learning about making investments in stocks for long-term gains.
“The IMF guys are right now in the country, so things are on the upward trajectory. If you’re still on the fence, on the sidelines, at least equip yourself with the right knowledge,” Doni urged.
