In Pakistan’s Balochistan, one woman grows her ice cream business, scoop by creamy scoop

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Updated 21 August 2021
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In Pakistan’s Balochistan, one woman grows her ice cream business, scoop by creamy scoop

  • Lubna Farooq set up pushcart selling ice cream in 2001, today she owns one of the most successful ice cream businesses in Balochistan
  • Lubna’s ice cream plant employes 25 people, can produce up to 850 liters a day, delivered and sold in Quetta and other provincial towns

QUETTA: When her husband lost his job in 2001 and Lubna Farooq set up a pushcart selling ice cream churned out from an old-fashioned, hand-cranked machine, little did she know she would one day run one of the most successful ice cream businesses in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.

This is no small achievement in the impoverished region, where less than 10 percent women currently own their own businesses, according to the Balochistan Women Business Association.

“We are competing with Quetta’s top ice cream businesses now, and we are financially strong,” Lubna told Arab News in an interview.

Her journey has not been easy.




Farooq Ahmed, the husband of ice cream business owner, Lubna Farooq, seen at the couple's ice cream factory in Quetta, Pakistan, on August 13, 2021. (AN Photo)

Two decades ago, Lubna’s husband, a private contractor with state television and the sole breadwinner of the family, lost his job and the “worst financial crisis” befell the family, the businesswoman said. She had few marketable skills — except making ice cream, which she had learnt as a young girl at her mother’s home. Her husband was supportive and encouraged her to start a home-based business. 

“So, we took the first step and with the help of Allah Almighty, today we have become a brand across Balochistan,” Lubna’s husband Farooq Ahmed said.




Lubna Farooq poses with her laborers at her ice cream factory in Quetta, Pakistan, on August 13, 2021. (AN Photo)

The couple began by selling ice cream on a pushcart parked on a corner of Quetta’s Toghi Road, a busy thoroughfare famous for its food joints. Soon, Lubna’s husband started selling their brand, Haq Ice Cream, at schools and colleges twice a week.

“I still remember that my first income was 70 rupees,” Lubha said, recalling a time when she earned less than a dollar a day. But once the business slowly expanded and became popular around the city, production and revenue have both steadily increased.

There was a time when Lubna said she made one 10-liter container of ice cream a day at home. Today, at her factory on Quetta’s busiest Alamdar Road where she employs 25 people, up to 85 containers a day can be produced per day. The flavours include mango, chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, blue berry, strawberry, guava, pineapple and fig. A 10-liter container ranges in price between Rs2,000 to Rs4,000, depending on the flavour.

Lubna’s son Hasnain Farooq, 32, who runs her stall said on good days — especially in the summer months and if there were orders for special events like weddings — Haq Ice Cream could earn up to Rs25,000 a day from sales. Three days a week, Hasnain said, the company also delivered to other cities in Balochistan.

“We have started taking wedding and party orders which has helped introduce our taste to thousands of people,” he said, adding that he was proud to be supervising a business “my parents struggled to establish over two decades ago.”

Lubna still sells her ice cream at a mobile stall on Quetta’s busy Alamdar Road, preferring not to rent a proper shop it would push up the price of her ice cream, which she is loath to do. But she does plan to expand her business to other cities like Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, and hopes she will get government support.




Ice cream flavors ready to be served at business owner Lubna Farooq’s stall in Quetta, Pakistan, on August 13, 2021. (AN Photo)

Sana Durrani, an activist and the chairperson of the Balochistan Women Business Association, said it was “unfortunate” that Balochistan’s women were not encouraged to own financial assets or penetrate business sectors, and that woman like Lubna were a rarity. 

“More than 68 percent women in Balochistan are home-based workers and less than 10 percent have their own businesses ... women have to think a thousand time before launching a business in Balochistan,” Durrani said. 

“But what is more ironic is that the government in the province has failed to introduce new legislation and policies to embolden women seeking assistance in starting their own business.” 




Ice cream business owner Lubna Farooq’s son Hussain Farooq at the family's ice cream stall in Quetta, Pakistan, on August 13, 2021. (AN Photo)

Liaquat Shahwani, a spokesperson for the Balochistan government, disagreed, saying the administration was keen to support businesswomen.

“The current government has been establishing Women Bazaars in four districts of the province, which would be an opportunity for women,” he told Arab News. “Women will be allowed to display their work at these bazaars, and the government has also allocated sufficient funds for women development in the Budget 2021-22 to create more business opportunities.”

Lubna said she wanted to send a message to women across Pakistan “to come out from their home and step into the business sector.”

“There was a time when I had a dozen customers but now, I have thousands due to my hard work and support of my family,” she said. “I hope I can become an inspiration for other women.”


Pakistan court orders YouTube to block channels of ex-PM Imran Khan, journalists

Updated 13 sec ago
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Pakistan court orders YouTube to block channels of ex-PM Imran Khan, journalists

  • YouTube notifies journalists of court order, warns action may follow without further notice
  • The order from a district magistrate directs the platform to block 27 YouTube channels

KARACHI: A number of Pakistani journalists said on Tuesday they received notifications from YouTube, citing a court order from Islamabad directing the blocking of their channels, along with those of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

According to notices seen by Arab News, the US-based video-sharing platform said it had received a legal removal request referencing a court order dated June 24, 2025, in Enquiry No. 717/2025.

The list of affected channels includes those of senior journalists Matiullah Jan, Habib Akram, Sabir Shakir, Asad Ali Toor, Ahmed Noorani and at least 20 others, alongside Khan’s and PTI’s official YouTube channels.

Zulfi Bukhari, a close aide to Khan, told Arab News by phone that PTI’s channels had not yet received any formal notification. However, several journalists confirmed receiving takedown notices via YouTube and vowed to challenge the court’s directive.

“I am in contact with fellow journalists whose channels have been served with similar notices, and we intend to challenge this in court,” said Habib Akram, a Lahore-based anchor and political commentator, adding the order had been issued without any prior notice or summons from the Islamabad court.

“The decision appears to lack any clear legal basis and seems to be an apparent attempt to suppress independent journalism,” he added.

The order, issued by Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah in Islamabad, instructed YouTube’s parent company, Google LLC, to block 27 channels for allegedly violating Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and other penal laws.

“You may choose to act on the said content in term of the aforesaid court order,” read a notice issued by YouTube. “If you fail to do so, as per our local law obligation, we may comply with the request without further notice to you.”

Asad Ali Toor, a journalist based in Islamabad whose name appears on the list, criticized both the court and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for acting without giving him a chance to be heard.

“For the past three months, NCCIA has also frozen my and my family’s bank accounts without any hearing,” he said.

Toor attributed such actions to his “critical reporting” on sensitive issues like enforced disappearances and institutional overreach. He said he had previously received notices about specific videos, but this was the first time his entire channel had been targeted.

Matiullah Jan voiced concern about the broader implications of the move.

“I believe YouTube should not block any channel solely on the basis of an inquiry without a court order,” he said. “If this becomes a norm, it could set a dangerous precedent globally.”

Despite multiple requests, the Ministries of Interior and Information & Broadcasting did not respond to Arab News queries seeking clarification on the government’s role in the matter or the legal grounds for the request to YouTube.

The court order referenced by YouTube states that during an inquiry under Section 94 of the Criminal Procedure Code, “evidence regarding YouTube channels” was deemed necessary, and their content constituted offenses under Pakistan’s cybercrime laws.

Digital rights groups and press freedom watchdogs have frequently criticized the Pakistani government for using vague legal provisions to stifle dissent. In its 2024 report, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Pakistan 152nd out of 180 countries on the World Press

Freedom Index, citing growing censorship, legal harassment of journalists, and tightening control over digital platforms.

Journalists now fear the court-backed move could deepen digital censorship in the country.

“We are not only being silenced, but also criminalized for doing our job,” said Toor. “This is not just about YouTube. It’s about the future of press freedom in Pakistan.”


Pakistan deadline for registration of intending Hajj pilgrims to expire tomorrow

Updated 57 min 3 sec ago
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Pakistan deadline for registration of intending Hajj pilgrims to expire tomorrow

  • Intending pilgrims can register for Hajj 2026 through approved banks or online
  • Registration is also mandatory for pilgrims left out of private scheme this year

ISLAMABAD: A deadline for intending Pakistani pilgrims to register for next year’s Hajj pilgrimage will expire on Wednesday, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry.

Intending pilgrims can register themselves through 15 approved banks and only registered candidates will be considered eligible for Hajj 2026, according to the ministry.

After the registration, intending pilgrims will be able to opt for the government or private Hajj scheme. No fee will have to be paid for Hajj registration.

“One day is left for mandatory registration of pilgrims for Hajj 2026,” the religious affairs ministry said on Tuesday. “Intending Hajj pilgrims can also complete registration online from home.”

The expenses and other terms and conditions of Hajj 2026 will be issued separately as per the Hajj policy, according to the statement.

Registration is mandatory for pilgrims who were left out of the private scheme this year as well as Pakistanis residing abroad.

Pakistan received a quota of 179,210 pilgrims from Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2025, which was evenly divided between the government and private Hajj operators.

While the government filled its full allocation of over 88,000 pilgrims, a major portion of the private quota remained unutilized due to delays by companies in meeting payment and registration deadlines.


IMF, Pakistan deny lender rejected crypto mining power subsidy plan

Updated 08 July 2025
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IMF, Pakistan deny lender rejected crypto mining power subsidy plan

  • Reports citing a Power Division official earlier suggested the IMF had rejected Pakistan’s plan for subsidized power tariffs for crypto mining
  • IMF representative says both sides still in talks, global lender reiterated importance of maintaining a level playing field for all participants

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Power Division and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday denied the global lender had rejected the Pakistani government’s plan to subsidize electricity for cryptocurrency mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers in the South Asian country.

The development comes days after reports suggested the Power Division secretary had informed a Senate committee that the IMF had rejected Pakistan’s proposal to offer subsidized tariffs for crypto mining and to certain industrial sectors, warning that such measures could further strain the already burdened power sector.

Pakistan’s finance ministry announced in May this year that the government had allocated 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity in the first phase of a national initiative to power Bitcoin mining and AI data centers, aiming to transform the country into a global leader in digital innovation.

Speaking to Arab News, Zafar Yab Khan, a spokesperson for the Power Division, clarified that Power Division Secretary Dr. Fakhray Alam Irfan had not made any such comments about the global lender rejecting Pakistan’s proposal.

“He (Alam) categorically said that ‘we are still in negotiations with the IMF and discussing with them pros and cons of this initiative and hopeful to reach a solution during these negotiations’,” Khan told Arab News.

When asked if the IMF had rejected the proposal, Mahir Binici, the IMF resident representative in Pakistan, the two sides were still in talks and would remain engaged on the matter of providing surplus power for crypto mining and artificial intelligence sectors.

“IMF staff has held informational discussions at a technical level with the authorities to learn more about their plans related to developing the IT sector,” he told Arab News.

“Staff reiterated the importance of maintaining a level playing field for all private sector participants and will continue to engage with the authorities on this as appropriate as plans develop further.”

Khan, the Power Division spokesperson, said Pakistan had surplus electricity to power crypto mining.

“We can confirm that this surplus electricity is available and can be allocated for crypto mining and other IT initiatives,” he said.

Pakistan’s bitcoin mining initiative is spearheaded by the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC), a government-backed body under the Ministry of Finance, that was established in March to create a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading to lure international investment.

In April, Pakistan introduced its first-ever policy framework to set rules for how digital money like cryptocurrencies and the companies that deal in it should operate in Pakistan while in May, Islamabad also unveiled the country’s first government-led strategic bitcoin reserve at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas.

Pakistan is uniquely positioned, both geographically and economically, to become a global hub for data centers, and offers the most strategic location in the world for data flow and digital infrastructure as a bridge between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, according to officials.

The country’s combination of surplus power, geographic advantage, advanced subsea cable connectivity, renewable energy potential, and a large, digitally engaged population creates a compelling case for becoming a regional epicenter of Web3, AI, and digital innovation.

The office of special assistant to the prime minister on blockchain and crypto, Bilal bin Saqib, has said that strategic partnerships are being forged to ensure that energy-intensive blockchain infrastructure is both sustainable and revenue-generating.

“Further advancing this momentum, the government announced the allocation of 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity for Bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, leveraging Pakistan’s untapped energy potential to power the future of digital finance and computation,” it said.


Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank, top mobile wallet team up to boost digital remittances

Updated 08 July 2025
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Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank, top mobile wallet team up to boost digital remittances

  • International transfers to be routed directly into JazzCash wallets under Dubai Islamic Bank tie-up
  • Partnership targets financial access for freelancers amid growth of Shariah-compliant digital banking

KARACHI: Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan (DIBPL) and JazzCash, Pakistan’s largest mobile wallet provider, have partnered to streamline inward remittances and expand digital payment solutions for the country’s growing freelance economy, the two companies said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Karachi, DIBPL and JazzCash will enable international home remittances to be deposited directly into JazzCash mobile wallets through DIBPL’s global network. The collaboration will also focus on developing customized financial products for freelancers in Pakistan.

“This partnership with JazzCash is motivated by our commitment to deliver inclusive and innovative financial solutions,” Muhammad Ali Gulfaraz, CEO of DIBPL, said in a statement. 

“By combining our international and domestic scale with JazzCash’s extensive last-mile digital reach to millions of recipients, we aim to make remittances and digital transactions more accessible, secure, and aligned with the needs of a diverse customer base.”

JazzCash, a subsidiary of Jazz and a key player in Pakistan’s digital payments sector, has over 48 million registered users, according to Mobilink Microfinance Bank. It already serves over 25 percent of the country’s 2.3 million freelancers, according to company estimates.

“With over a quarter of Pakistan’s freelancers already relying on JazzCash for their payments, this partnership with DIBPL allows us to deepen our impact and build tailored solutions for a rapidly growing segment of the digital economy,” said Murtaza Ali, President of JazzCash. 

“Together, we are enabling more seamless cross-border transactions, particularly for freelancers who need fast, secure, and Shariah-compliant access to global payments.”

Pakistan’s Islamic banking sector has expanded rapidly over the past decade, now accounting for nearly 20 percent of the country’s banking assets, according to the State Bank of Pakistan. The combination of Shariah-compliant banking and mobile financial services has created new avenues for financial inclusion, particularly among unbanked populations.

The country also ranks among the top five recipients of remittances in South Asia, with overseas Pakistanis sending home over $27 billion annually. However, informal channels and limited access to formal banking continue to hinder financial inclusion.

With an increasing number of Pakistanis working as freelancers and remote workers for global clients, especially in IT, digital marketing and content creation, there is growing demand for reliable, fast, and regulatory-compliant payment solutions. 

Partnerships like the one announced Tuesday aim to address these gaps by integrating formal financial services with digital platforms, the firms said, adding that the collaboration reflects their commitment to advancing Pakistan’s digital economy while remaining within a Shariah-compliant and regulatory-compliant framework.


Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh

Updated 08 July 2025
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Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh

  • Haris Rauf injured a hamstring in Major League Cricket in the United States last week
  • Uncapped fast bowlers Ahmed Danial and Salman Mirza were picked in a 15-man squad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf and allrounder Shadab Khan were injured and will miss the Twenty20 series in Bangladesh this month.

Rauf injured a hamstring in Major League Cricket in the United States last week, and Shadab recently underwent shoulder surgery.

Uncapped fast bowlers Ahmed Danial and Salman Mirza were picked in a 15-man squad on Tuesday to supplement Abbas Afridi and fast bowling allrounder Faheem Ashraf.

Left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem was also recalled after he was overlooked for the last home series against Bangladesh.

Spin allrounder Mohammad Nawaz has also made his way back into the national squad since last appearing in January 2024 against New Zealand, after impressive performance in the Pakistan Super League.

The three-match T20 series will be played in Mirpur from July 20-24.

Pakistan: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Sufiyan Muqeem.