Pakistani chain store owners expected to visit Saudi Arabia next  month — trade authority 

A man walks next to closed shops in Riyadh on July 12, 2018. (REUTERS/File)
Short Url
Updated 02 March 2021
Follow

Pakistani chain store owners expected to visit Saudi Arabia next  month — trade authority 

  • Trade minister at Pakistan embassy in Riyadh says “huge potential” for Pakistani chain stores in Saudi Arabia
  • Says Pakistani brands can give ‘tough competition’ to at least eight Indian chains based in the kingdom

KARACHI: A delegation of Pakistani chain store owners and representatives will likely visit Saudi Arabia by next month to explore opportunities to set up shop in the kingdom, an official at the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) said on Monday.
A virtual meeting was held last week between officials of TDAP, the trade ministry at the Pakistan embassy in Riyadh and the Chain Store Association of Pakistan to explore opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
Another meeting will be held within two weeks, Zulfiqar Ali Langah, a deputy director at the TDAP, told Arab News.
“After that the delegation will visit, expectedly by next month,” he added.
Azhar Ali Dahar, the minister for trade and investment at the Pakistan embassy in Riyadh, said there was “huge potential” for Pakistani chain stores in Saudi Arabia.
“Pakistani chain stores can give tough competition to around eight Indian chain stores,” he added.
“The participants [of last week’s meeting] were informed about the existing huge potential for the chain store business and legal requirements for entering the Saudi market,” Dahar said. “They were informed that they will have no tough competition because there are no European or western competitors and this is big opportunity for Pakistan.”
Pakistani products have struggled to find a place at major super markets around the world and other regional competitors have dominated the Saudi market despite long-term diplomatic and economic relationship between the countries.
“At present procurements are being made by Indians,” Daher said. “There is no shelf life for Pakistani goods.”
He added: “The vacuum in the Saudi market needs to be filled by Pakistani companies. Pakistan’s chain stores should see it as an opportunity to fill this vacuum through joint ventures and individual investments.”

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Arab News Pakistan (@arabnewspk) on

 

Possible locations for Pakistani chain stores could be Jeddah and Damam, the minister said, since they were home to a large number of Pakistani expats.
Pakistani chain store representatives say they are actively pursuing opportunities and seeking more information about the Saudi market.
“There is definitely a huge potential in the Saudi market but the actual challenges is how to set up stores,” said Asfandyar Farrukh, senior vice chairman at the Chainstore Association of Pakistan. “We have sought further information and after that a delegation will visit the kingdom to check the ground realities and possible location for setting facilities.”
Farrukh said it would take at least nine months from the time of entering  the Saudi market to setting up stores.


OIC, COMSTECH to hold inaugural meeting in Islamabad this month on water security in OIC states

Updated 8 sec ago
Follow

OIC, COMSTECH to hold inaugural meeting in Islamabad this month on water security in OIC states

  • Water security remains a critical issue for many OIC member states as climate change, poor resource management continue to threaten economic development
  • The networking event aims to strengthen institutional linkages, facilitate joint research initiatives, and enhance capacity-building efforts of OIC members

ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) general secretariat in Jeddah, in collaboration with the OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), is set to organize a meeting of water centers of excellence in OIC member states in Islamabad on Feb. 24-25, COMSTECH said on Sunday.
The OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organization in the world, after the United Nations. It consists of 57 Muslim member states spread across four continents and is considered a collective voice of Muslim countries around the world. 
Established by the OIC in 1981 and headquartered in Islamabad, COMSTECH continues to serve as a cornerstone of the OIC’s mission to promote scientific excellence and technological innovation, focusing on sustainable development, poverty reduction, and improvement in quality of life across member states.
The meeting in Islamabad this month aims to foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and coordinated action among leading water research and development institutions across OIC member states, according to COMSTECH.
“The meeting will bring together experts, policymakers, and representatives from water centers of excellence across the OIC region. The participants will discuss pressing water-related challenges and explore innovative solutions for sustainable water management,” the OIC body said in a statement.
“The event will host representatives from multiple countries, including Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, Somalia, Togo, Turkiye, Uzbekistan, UAE, and Yemen, among others.”
Water security remains a critical issue for many OIC member states, while challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, pollution and inefficient resource management continue to threaten economic and social development.
The inaugural networking event in Islamabad aims to strengthen institutional linkages, facilitate joint research initiatives, and enhance capacity-building efforts among member states, according to COMSTECH.
“The key objectives of this important meeting include establishing a collaborative network of water centers of excellence within the OIC framework, promoting knowledge exchange on best practices in water conservation, management, and policy development and strengthening cooperation between governments, research institutions, and international organizations for sustainable water solutions,” it said.
The event, featuring expert panel discussions, technical presentations and interactive networking sessions, will provide a platform for meaningful engagement and the development of long-term partnerships.
“As the host of this pivotal meeting, COMSTECH continues to play a leading role in enhancing scientific and technological cooperation among OIC member states,” COMSTECH said. “This initiative aligns with the broader objectives of the OIC in advancing science and technology for sustainable development.”


Pakistan foils attempt to traffick women to Saudi Arabia under guise of Umrah

Updated 16 February 2025
Follow

Pakistan foils attempt to traffick women to Saudi Arabia under guise of Umrah

  • Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency says four women were being sent to Kingdom for forced labor
  • Ex-Punjab Police employee, travel agent involved in the crime, say Pakistan’s investigation authorities 

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Sunday foiled an attempt to traffick four women to Saudi Arabia under the guise of Umrah, the agency said, adding that a former police employee was involved in the crime. 

The incident took place at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, where FIA officials offloaded four women from a flight who were traveling to the Kingdom on an Umrah visa, the agency said. 

“According to the initial investigation, the victims were being sent to Saudi Arabia for forced labor,” the FIA said in a statement, adding that the women had traveled to the Kingdom before. 

The agency said the preliminary investigations revealed a former Punjab Police employee, Asia, was involved in the crime. The FIA said that Asia had borne the travel expenses of the four women to Saudi Arabia. 

 “An agent named Wasim Gujjar was facilitating the stay and other expenses [of the women] in Saudi Arabia,” the statement said. 

The agency said it was extracting information from the women about other agents involved in the crime.

Pakistan has acknowledged the issue of its citizens exploiting the Umrah visa to travel to Saudi Arabia and resorting to begging there. Last year it launched a crackdown against the practice. 

The trend of beggars abusing visas to beg in foreign countries has Pakistan worried it could impact genuine visa-seekers and particularly religious pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. According to widespread media reports, Riyadh raised the issue with Islamabad at various forums last year. 

Pakistanis are the second-largest expatriate community in the Kingdom, with over 2.5 million living and working in Saudi Arabia, the top source of remittances to the South Asian country. 


Paramilitary soldier killed in attack targeting Levies checkpost in Pakistan’s southwest

Updated 16 February 2025
Follow

Paramilitary soldier killed in attack targeting Levies checkpost in Pakistan’s southwest

  • Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemns attack, vows to defeat militancy in country
  • Southwestern Balochistan has long faced a low-level insurgency by Baloch militants

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condemned a “terrorist attack” that targeted a Levies checkpost in southwestern Pakistan and resulted in the killing of one paramilitary soldier, his office said. 

The casualty occurred in southwestern Balochistan’s Kalat district where a checkpost of the paramilitary Levies force was targeted in an attack, Sharif’s office said. As per local media reports, two other Levies personnel were injured. 

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemns the terrorist attack on a Levies post in Kalat,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. “The prime minister pays tribute to martyred officer Ali Nawaz.”

Sharif also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured personnel, saying that “terrorists” were enemies of Balochistan’s progress and development. 

“Will not allow the nefarious objectives of terrorists to succeed,” Sharif was quoted as saying by the PMO. 

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by landmass and rich in mineral resources, has long faced a low-level insurgency led by separatist groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), who accuse Islamabad of exploiting the province’s natural resources, such as gold and copper, while neglecting the local population.

Pakistan’s government denies these allegations, saying it has prioritized Balochistan’s development through investments in health, education and infrastructure projects.

Earlier this month, 18 security forces were killed and five, including two civilians, were injured after separatist militants launched overnight attacks in Balochistan's Mangochar town. The BLA claimed responsibility for the attack

Violence by Baloch separatist factions, primarily the BLA, killed about 300 people last year, according to official statistics, marking an escalation in the decades-long conflict.


Indian cricketers arrive in Dubai for Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy

Updated 16 February 2025
Follow

Indian cricketers arrive in Dubai for Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy

  • India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on Feb. 20
  • Dubai will host India’s Champions Trophy matches due to tensions with Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: India’s national cricket squad arrived in Dubai this week to take part in the Champions Trophy 2025 cricket tournament hosted by Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed this week. 

Led by skipper Rohit Sharma, India will begin their campaign to win the trophy on Feb. 20 against Bangladesh in Dubai. 

India’s government refused to send its team to Pakistan for the tournament due to political tensions and security concerns. As a result, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), BCCI and the International Cricket Council (ICC) agreed that India will play all of its matches in Dubai as a form of a hybrid model. 

“Touchdown Dubai,” BCCI wrote on its Instagram profile on Saturday. “Indian cricket team has arrived for Champions Trophy 2025.”

A video uploaded by the BCCI shows Indian cricketers Sharma, Virat Kohli and others embarking their tour bus and arriving at their hotel. 

India will take on Pakistan in Dubai on Feb. 23 in what is being touted as one of the most anticipated cricket clashes of the year.

India’s matches with Pakistan draw thousands of spectators to stadiums across the globe while millions tune in from their homes.

Defending champions Pakistan beat India in the final of the Champions Trophy tournament in 2017 by 180 runs to lift the trophy.

Pakistan share Group A with India, New Zealand and Bangladesh. They take on New Zealand in the southern port city of Karachi on Feb. 19. 


Pakistan’s Punjab province launches mass tree plantation drive to fight smog 

Updated 16 February 2025
Follow

Pakistan’s Punjab province launches mass tree plantation drive to fight smog 

  • Punjab to plant 634,000 trees along banks of River Ravi in Lahore, says provincial minister
  • Provincial government has already planted 105,000 trees over 44 acres of land, she says 

ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province has launched a campaign to plant 634,000 trees in Lahore in its bid to curb smog in the eastern city, a minister of the provincial government said on Sunday. 

Air pollution or smog choked Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, particularly Lahore, for weeks in November 2024, sickening nearly two million people and shrouding vast swathes of the province in a toxic haze.

The intense air pollution forced Punjab to close schools and offices, ban outdoor activities and shorten timings for restaurants, shops and markets last year in a bid to control the smog. Lahore also consistently ranked among the world’s most polluted cities in the world. 

Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that the provincial government has launched the tree plantation project on 978 acres of land on the banks of River Ravi in Lahore. 

“A tree plantation campaign in Lahore is essential to end air pollution and extreme heat,” Aurangzeb said. “A green belt on 978 acres on the banks of the Ravi River will provide fresh oxygen and clean air to citizens.”

She urged citizens to join the government in its efforts to erect “a wall of trees” in Lahore to ensure a smog-free Lahore, adding that 105,000 trees have already been planted on 144 acres of land near River Ravi. 

Punjab’s battle against smog led it to install Pakistan’s first locally designed smog cleaning tower in Lahore in December 2024. Smog towers are large-scale air purifiers designed to reduce pollution by filtering out fine particulate matter and other harmful pollutants. 

Using fans, the towers draw in polluted air, which passes through high-efficiency filters to capture PM2.5 and PM10 particles, which pose severe health risks. The cleaned air is then released back into the surrounding area, improving local air quality.