Afghan refugee beekeepers keep Pakistan honey business buzzing

Afghan refugee beekeeper Nazak Mir checks his hives in Buner district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, May 13, 2022. (AN Photo)
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Updated 17 May 2022
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Afghan refugee beekeepers keep Pakistan honey business buzzing

  • Pakistan currently produces estimated 30,000 to 35,000 tons of honey annually, is major exporter
  • Of 1.6 million people associated with Pakistan’s honey sector, more than 60% are Afghans

PESHAWAR: When war broke out in Afghanistan four decades ago, Nazak Mir fled with his family to safety in neighboring Pakistan, arriving empty-handed but armed with a skill that in exile unexpectedly gave him a chance to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors and become a beekeeper.

When the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, began offering beekeeping training in the refugee camp where his family had taken shelter in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Mir saw an opportunity to hone a family skill. 

“Among other things, we left behind 54 beehive boxes that my elder uncle had kept for years. It was a family business before migration,” Mir told Arab News. 

“I was one of the first people to sign up for the beekeeping training in 1983,” he said. “Today, I am the owner of 150 boxes.”




A honey bee farm in seen Buner district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, May 13, 2022. (AN Photo)

Apart from being a successful businessman himself, Mir also became a mentor to thousands of other refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The hilly province bordering Afghanistan is home to nearly 800,000 Afghans who fled armed conflict in their country, and are now the main force behind beekeeping in Pakistan, a major exporter of honey.

The South Asian nation currently produces an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 tons of honey annually, and exports over a fifth of it to Gulf countries, according to Sher Zaman Mohmand, the Secretary General of the All Pakistan Beekeepers, Exporters and Honey Traders Association. 

He told Arab News the number of people involved in the honey sector, including those involved in beekeeping, was about 1.6 million, with 95 percent of them living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the climate and terrain is conducive to honey production

“Of them, more than 60 percent are Afghan refugees,” he said.

Some of them, like Mir, have also introduced their children to the profession.

“Now, my son has started his own beekeeping business,” Mir said, adding that he worried whether it would remain a lucrative profession in the future. 




Various kinds of honey are on display at a shop in the Koga refugee camp, Buner district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, May 13, 2022. (AN Photo)

Pakistan is one the nations most affected by disasters driven by changing climate, and for the past few years has endured heatwaves that have upended its natural ecosystems. 

With challenges related to climate change and deforestation depriving bees of food, their populations have been decimated in recent years. 

“Lack of food causes the bees to fight among each other,” Mir’s son, Farhadullah, said. “Hot and cold weather also affect their health and honey production.”

Erratic swings in weather patterns have also changed harvest times.

“Honey producing seasons are defined by different flowering seasons. Timely and enough rains often result in four or five honey producing seasons while drought years reduce the honey seasons to just two,” Mohmand from the beekeepers association said. 




Various kinds of honey are on display at a shop in the Koga refugee camp, Buner district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, May 13, 2022. (AN Photo)

However, he said, the problems could be mitigated if the government took strict measures to curb deforestation.

Pakistan has been trying to reforest the country in recent years and launched an ambitious five-year tree-planting program, the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami, to counter rising temperatures, flooding, droughts and other extreme weather that scientists link to climate change.

While more than 330 million trees have already been planted under the initiative, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mohmand said the push should extend to other provinces, especially around the sites of the $65 billion Beijing-funded China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the largest infrastructure investment project in the country. 

“The government could promote forestry, particularly along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor routes,” Mohmand said. “Plants like the Indian rosewood, acacia and jujube can be grown in many areas, including on barren lands across the country.”


Pakistan army chief vows ‘swift, resolute’ response to any military action by India

Updated 01 May 2025
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Pakistan army chief vows ‘swift, resolute’ response to any military action by India

  • General Syed Asim Munir witnesses Pakistan army’s high-intensity field training exercise drill near Jhelum
  • Tensions surged after India blamed Pakistan for Apr. 22 attack on tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir on Thursday vowed that any military misadventure by India would be met with a “swift, resolute” response amid surging tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
These remarks came from Munir while he visited the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) near the eastern city of Jhelum to witness “Exercise Hammer Strike,” a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by Pakistan Army’s Mangla Strike Corps. The army continued to hold war exercises on Thursday in a bid to demonstrate its military might to its neighbor. 
Pakistan has vowed to give a befitting and “strong” response to any military action by India as tensions surged after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for being involved in an attack on Indian-administered Kashmir on Apr. 22.
Islamabad has denied involvement in the attack, which killed 26 people and prompted both countries to take several hostile measures against each other. These included India suspending a decades-old water-sharing treaty, suspending visas for Pakistani nationals and declaring its military advisers “persona non grata.” Pakistan responded with tit-for-tat measures. 
“Let there be no ambiguity: any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute, and notch-up response,” Munir was quoted as saying by Pakistan military’s media wing. “While Pakistan remains committed to regional peace, our preparedness and resolve to safeguard national interests is absolute.”

This handout photo, taken and released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on May 1, 2025, shows Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir speaking during the “Exercise Hammer Strike,” a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by Pakistan Army, at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) in Jhelum, Punjab. (Handout/ISPR)

Munir lauded the high morale, combat proficiency and warfighting spirit of Pakistan’s officers and troops at the firing ranges, terming them the “embodiment of Pakistan Army’s operational excellence.”
The military said that the exercise was designed to validate combat readiness, battlefield synergy and operational integration of cutting-edge weapon systems under near-battlefield conditions. 
“A diverse array of advanced capabilities, including multirole fighter aircraft, combat aviation assets, long-range precision artillery and next-generation field engineering techniques were employed to simulate conventional battlefield scenarios,” it said. 
RUBIO CALLS FOR DE-ESCALATION
Separately, US Secretary of State spoke to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday to discuss the regional situation. As per the US State Department, Rubio urged Islamabad to cooperate in the attack’s investigation and de-escalate the situation. 
“The Secretary urged Pakistani officials’ cooperation in investigating this unconscionable attack,” the State Department said. “He also encouraged Pakistan to work with India to de-escalate tensions, re-establish direct communications, and maintain peace and security in South Asia.”


According to Sharif’s office, the Pakistani premier asked Washington to impress upon India to “act responsibly” and “dial down the rhetoric.”
“He [Sharif] categorically rejected Indian attempts to link Pakistan to the incident and pointed to his call for a transparent, credible, and neutral investigation to bring out the facts,” the PMO said. 
Rubio also spoke to India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday, expressing sorrow for the loss of lives in the Apr. 22 attack. He also encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia, the State Department said.


India poses serious threats to regional peace, Pakistan tells OIC envoys

Updated 01 May 2025
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India poses serious threats to regional peace, Pakistan tells OIC envoys

  • Tensions surged after India blamed Pakistan for deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on Apr. 22
  • Several countries such as US, UK, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, UAE and others have called on both sides to show restraint

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Asim Iftikhar briefed the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Group of Ambassadors about Islamabad’s ongoing tensions with New Delhi on Thursday, state-run media reported, informing them that New Delhi poses serious threats to regional peace and security. 

Tensions have surged between the two countries following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on Apr. 22 that New Delhi has said Pakistan was involved in. Islamabad denies the charges and has said it will participate in any credible and transparent investigation of the assault. 

Several countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, UK, US and others have called upon both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and avoid a military confrontation. Pakistan has vowed to give a “strong” response to any aggression after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the military freedom to respond to the Kashmir attack during a closed-door meeting earlier this week.

“He informed the participants that India, through its politically motivated, irresponsible and highly provocative behavior, has posed serious threats to regional peace and stability,” Radio Pakistan said on Thursday.

The state-run media said OIC members expressed full support and solidarity with Pakistan, calling for “de-escalation through diplomatic engagement” and urging the resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council and OIC resolutions.

India and Pakistan both claim the entire disputed Kashmir region but administer only parts of it. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of funding militants in the valley which Islamabad denies. 

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a phone call to impress upon New Delhi to “act responsibly” amid fears of a military confrontation breaking out between nuclear-armed neighbors.

Pakistani state media had also reported that a “timely” response by the Pakistan Air Force on Wednesday had “forced” four Indian Rafale jets to retreat after payrolling near the two nations’ de facto border. 


‘Treasure of history’: Shikarpur’s fading grandeur tells a story of loss

Updated 01 May 2025
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‘Treasure of history’: Shikarpur’s fading grandeur tells a story of loss

  • Located in southern Sindh, Shikarpur city was once a major regional trade hub
  • The 1947 migration of Hindus left the city’s architectural legacy neglected

SHIKARPUR, Sindh: Once dubbed the “Paris of Sindh” for its perfumed gardens and vibrant markets, the historic city of Shikarpur in Pakistan’s southeastern region now stands as a shadow of its former self — its havelis weathered, its bazaars dimmed and its legacy slipping into silence.
Founded in 1617, the city was once home to grand mosques, ornate Hindu temples and covered markets. These structures continue to stand as a tribute to Shikarpur’s bygone era, marked by extraordinary economic supremacy and cultural diversity.
The city rose to prominence during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as a powerful trade hub linking South and Central Asia. Its merchants dealt in precious stones, textiles and other high-value goods, extending their influence to markets in Kabul, Bukhara, Samarkand and beyond.
“It’s like a treasure of history. It’s like a treasure of heritage sites,” said Professor Anila Naeem, whose 2017 book, Urban Traditions and Historic Environments in Sindh: A Fading Legacy of Shikarpur, extensively documents the city’s historic fabric.
“For me the woodwork is the most fascinating,” she added. “Woodwork, which is not just plain and simple woodwork, but it has iconography in it which reflects the religious inclinations, the political inclinations ... those buildings speak of the history of that city, which was definitely very, very rich.”

A woman watches hair adornments on display at a shop in Shikarpur on March 20, 2025. (AN Photo)

Rajpal Rewachand, a businessman and lawyer in the city, maintained the role of Hindu settlers was pivotal in the city’s development, noting that their arrival along trade paths spurred commercial expansion and the construction of many still-standing heritage structures.
“The city’s development happened when Hindu settlers arrived,” he said while standing within the historic Pooj Udasin Samadha Ashram, a once-thriving religious and community complex.
“Before them, the majority of the residents were either Punjabis or people who had migrated from Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.”
The city’s signature Dhak Bazaar, a covered market said to be one of the oldest of its kind in South Asia, and landmarks like the Shahi Bagh, Clock Tower and Tara Chand Hospital were once considered marvels of civic infrastructure.
At the height of its economic might, Shikarpur operated both formal and informal financial systems. The informal banking system was so reliable, according to locals, it made traveling with cash unnecessary.
“If someone had to travel to any corner of the world, they wouldn’t carry money with them,” said Nazeer Ahmed Qureshi, a cloth merchant in Dhak Bazaar, adding a stamped note by a local merchant would get him money.

An outside view of Rao Bahadur Udhawas Tarachand Hospital in Shikarpur in a picture taken on March 20, 2025. (AN Photo)

“No matter where in the world one traveled, Shikarpur’s money was recognized,” he added.
But the city that was once surrounded by lush gardens and fruit groves is now clearly in decline.
According to Mehdi Shah, a local researcher and author, Shikarpur went into a downward spiral after the Hindu trading families were uprooted during the 1947 Partition.
“After the Partition of India, the Hindu population migrated, and their architectural legacy was not maintained as it once was,” he said.
As the city’s ownership shifted and wealth drained away, its buildings were left to deteriorate. Those who moved into the once-grand havelis lacked the means to preserve them, accelerating the decline.

A woman walks past an old building with “Central Bank of India” painted on it in Shikarpur, in southern Pakistan on March 20, 2025. (AN Photo)

“The shift in ownership, coupled with the activities of antique dealers, has placed these architectural treasures at increased risk,” Shah added.
The decay is not just physical but institutional. Despite a 1998 notification declaring the entire city a heritage site under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Protection Act — and a 2013 effort to designate 1,203 properties as protected — most of Shikarpur’s historic buildings have been left to deteriorate.

Professor Naeem said that restoration could help revive both the city’s cultural pride and economic fortunes, particularly if Pakistan invests in heritage tourism.
Sitting amid the fading relics in the heart of Dhak Bazaar, cloth merchant Qureshi reflects on the distance between memory and present reality.
“Such a beautiful past— such a grand historical city, a magnificent city with its rich culture, trade, lifestyle,” he said, his voice echoing through the narrow, shop-lined passage. “It feels like a dream, as if stepping into another world.”


3 Pakistani security personnel killed in raid on a militant hideout

Updated 01 May 2025
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3 Pakistani security personnel killed in raid on a militant hideout

  • Pakistan police say insurgents were “Khawarij,” a term government uses for Pakistani Taliban
  • Last week Pakistani forces killed 71 militants attempting to enter through Afghanistan, says military

PESHAWAR: Pakistani security forces overnight raided a militant hideout in northwest Pakistan, sparking a shootout in which three officers and one suspect were killed, police said Thursday.

The raid occurred in Bannu, a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police Arshad Khan said. Other insurgents fled the scene. Khan said the insurgents were “Khwarij” — a phrase the government uses for the Pakistani Taliban.

The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, have launched some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistani law enforcers and civilians since 2007. 

Last week, Pakistani security forces killed 71 militants when they attempted to cross into the country from Afghanistan, according to the military.


Pakistani Kashmir closes seminaries fearing Indian military strikes

Updated 01 May 2025
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Pakistani Kashmir closes seminaries fearing Indian military strikes

  • Islamabad says has credible intelligence India intends to launch military action soon
  • Muslim-majority Kashmir is claimed in full but ruled in parts by both India and Pakistan

MUZAFFARABAD: The government of Pakistan-administered Kashmir has closed all religious seminaries in the region for 10 days, officials said on Thursday, citing fears they would be targeted by Indian strikes following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir.
Islamabad says it has credible intelligence that India intends to launch military action soon, with New Delhi alleging that the attack on tourists was carried out by Pakistani nationals with ties to militant organizations based there.
The director of Pakistani Kashmir’s Department of Religious Affairs, Hafiz Nazir Ahmad, told Reuters that security officials feared Indian forces may target seminaries and label them as militant training centers.
The notification seen by Reuters, dated April 30, only cited a heatwave as the reason for the closure.
“Right now, we are facing two kinds of heat — one from the weather and the other from (Indian Prime Minister) Modi,” Ahmad said of the notification, saying they did not mention the risk of attacks in a bid to avoid panic.
India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. India has previously targeted sites in Pakistan alleging they were bases of militants close to the Kashmir border.
“We held a meeting yesterday in which it was unanimously decided not to put innocent children at risk,” Ahmad said. The President’s Office of Pakistani Kashmir also said the closure was due to “precautionary reasons.”
There are 445 registered seminaries with over 26,000 students enrolled in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, according to the religious affairs department.
The seminaries — locally known as madrasas — are Islamic educational institutions run by religious organizations, providing cheap, often free, alternatives to regular schools.
Pakistan has said it will respond “assuredly and decisively” to any military action from India, raising the specter of war between the two nuclear-armed countries.
Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is claimed in full but ruled in parts by both India and Pakistan, and has been the site of two wars and multiple skirmishes.
Many Muslims in Indian Kashmir have long resented what they see as heavy-handed rule by India. In 1989, an insurgency by Muslim separatists began. India poured troops into the region and tens of thousands of people have been killed.
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants, which Islamabad denies, saying it offers only moral and diplomatic support. Seminaries have been criticized for radicalizing youth toward extremism.