Pakistani sellers and buyers go online for ‘hassle-free’ Eid Al-Adha animal shopping

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Updated 28 June 2023
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Pakistani sellers and buyers go online for ‘hassle-free’ Eid Al-Adha animal shopping

  • Cattle trade is lucrative business in Pakistan where Muslims buy millions of sacrificial animals before Eid Al-Adha
  • Many Pakistanis turn to online shopping to avoid traveling to crowded markets, save security and transportation costs

KARACHI: Aleem Paracha intently watched over two dozen goats chewing hay and roaming around in a rectanglular fenced area outside his house, whipping out his cellphone every now and then and taking photos and making videos of the animals.

Later, Paracha, 35, will post the content on his Facebook page and then wait for buyers to start scrolling.

As Pakistani Muslims prepare to celebrate the Eid Al-Adha festival this Thursday, online sales of sacrificial animals are booming, limiting the need for people to visit crowded cattle markets, haggle for hours to buy the goats, sheep, cows and camels traditionally sacrificed at this time and then arrange expensive transportation to take them home while praying they don’t have to face security issues in crime-infested Pakistani towns and cities.

Indeed, customers preferred convenience over anything else, said Paracha, who has been a cattle trader for eight years now and for the past two years has turned online to sell animals from his home in Karachi’s Kokan Society. He currently has 47,000 followers on Facebook alone.

“Earlier, people would tell others or share information that goats were available [at different cattle markets] at low prices, so people would go there for purchase, ” Paracha told Arab News.




This still image taken from a video shows a man looking at sacrificial animals for sale online on his smart phone in Karachi, Pakistan, on June 24, 2023. (AN Photo) 

“Now, 95 percent of my customers come to me after finding out about my business through social media as I keep uploading on a daily basis about the arrival of the stock and their prices … Even people living out of town [Karachi] are contacting me.”

“Due to this [social media] trend, I have witnessed growth in my business,” said Paracha, who has sold 1,108 goats this Eid season via social media platforms, up from 714 last year.

The trade of sacrificial animals for Eid is a lucrative business in Pakistan, where cattle farmers and seasonal cattle vendors earn billions of rupees through makeshift markets and individual sales each year. According to the Pakistan Tanners Association, six million animals were sacrificed during the three-day festival in 2022. And the large demand for cattle and Pakistan’s social media figures — the South Asian country has a mobile density of 81 percent, mobile broadband of 52.47 percent, and 53.8 percent Internet penetration as of April 2023 — is a winning combination.

It has definitely worked for Muhammad Usman Khan who said his sales had increased by an estimated 100 percent despite it being only his second year selling animals online.

“Already, people are mostly purchasing essential commodities online, so this matter of sacrificial animals is also similar,” Khan told Arab News.




The still image taken from a video on June 28, 2023, shows a man taking pictures of sacrificial animals in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN Photo)

He believed customers bought animals online to avoid the hassle and cost of transportation and to mitigate security concerns that came with traveling to cattle markets, most of which are situated on Karachi’s outskirts. This year, many residents have reported armed robberies near Karachi’s main cattle market and traders and citizens alike have called for enhanced security measures such as regular patrols by police and paramilitary Rangers to ensure the safety of people and the animals they purchase for the Feast of the Sacrifice.

Security concerns have also grown since the main cattle market in the city, which is the largest in Asia, was ordered by a court to relocate from its legacy location at Sohrab Goth to the more remote Northern Bypass area of the megacity.

“The more hassle-free the process is, the more people prefer it,” Khan said, describing why many people now prefer online shopping for animals.

“The rise of social media has made it easy for people to go online for shopping as they instantly know where to go and what the rates are, it is very easy for people,” Usama Ibrahim, a student, said, standing outside his house in Karachi and scrolling through photos of goats online.

Muhammad Owais, another online customer who is a businessman, said he picked his animals after learning through social media about a vendor who sold cattle behind Jinnah’s mausoleum.

“There were many such sellers there, so we went there, we liked the goats and bought them at a low price,” Owais told Arab News, saying he saved Rs15,000 by opting to buy a pair of goats with a single click of the mouse.

“I was able to save transportation costs and avoided security issues.”

Paracha said lower prices were another attraction of buying online.

“The price difference ranges between Rs4,000 to 5,000 per goat,” he said. “My prices are lower because if you buy animals from the open market, there are [additional charges] for entry fee and exit, which costs Rs2,500-3,000, approximately, so, the vendors there charge more.”

But Paracha also keeps his prices low because, like many other cattle traders, he loves his work.

“This is my passion,” he said, “so, I keep my margins low.”


Pakistan secures $1 billion in ADB-backed financing from Middle Eastern banks

Updated 59 min 5 sec ago
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Pakistan secures $1 billion in ADB-backed financing from Middle Eastern banks

  • The loan aims to strengthen the country’s fiscal resilience, support reform momentum
  • The government says the deal signals renewed trust in Pakistan’s economic trajectory

KARACHI: Pakistan has signed a $1 billion syndicated term finance facility backed by Middle Eastern banks, marking its return to the region’s financial markets after more than two years, the finance ministry said on Wednesday.
The five-year facility is partially guaranteed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under its Policy-Based Guarantee program, which is linked to fiscal reforms undertaken by Pakistan to improve resource mobilization and economic stability.
The financing by the Middle Eastern banks is structured across Islamic and conventional tranches, with 89 percent of the total amount raised through a Shariah-compliant facility.
“This is a landmark transaction for the Government of Pakistan that demonstrates strong support from leading financiers in the region,” the finance ministry said in a statement.
It informed that Dubai Islamic Bank acted as the sole Islamic global coordinator, while Standard Chartered Bank served as mandated lead arranger and bookrunner.
Other financiers include Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank as mandated lead arranger, and Sharjah Islamic Bank, Ajman Bank and Pakistan’s Habib Bank Limited (HBL) as arrangers.
The deal marks the first time a facility has been backed by an ADB Policy-Based Guarantee linked to specific reform measures undertaken by a member country.
According to the ministry, the ADB’s support helped Pakistan attract significant interest from regional lenders and re-enter global capital markets at a critical time for the economy.
The government said the success of the transaction signals renewed trust in Pakistan’s fiscal outlook and macroeconomic trajectory, marking the beginning of a new partnership with Middle Eastern banks.
Pakistan, which has faced persistent external financing gaps in recent years, has relied on friendly nations and global lenders to stabilize its balance of payments and rebuild investor confidence.
The ADB-backed facility is intended to help strengthen fiscal resilience while supporting economic reform momentum.


Pakistan reports first Congo virus death of 2025 in Karachi

Updated 18 June 2025
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Pakistan reports first Congo virus death of 2025 in Karachi

  • Virus is transmitted through tick bites or direct contact with blood of infected animals
  • Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan reported 23 Congo virus cases in 2024

KARACHI: A 42-year-old man lost his life after contracting the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), marking the first confirmed fatality from the virus in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province this year, the health department said on Wednesday.

The fatality rate for the Congo virus ranges from 10 percent to 40 percent, depending on the quality of health care, timeliness of treatment and the patient’s overall health, according to the World Health Organization.

The virus, which is endemic in parts of Africa, Europe and Asia, is primarily transmitted through tick bites or contact with the blood or tissues of infected animals.

“First case of Congo virus [has been] reported in Sindh,” the Sindh Health Department said in a statement on Wednesday.

“42-year-old male was a resident of District Malir,” it continued. “The test report came out positive on June 16 and the patient passed away on June 17.”

Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province reported 23 Congo virus cases in 2024, with five deaths since January last year.

Local medical practitioners said most cases were diagnosed during the summer, when the likelihood of the virus spreading increases, particularly around the Eid Al-Adha festival.

The Islamic holiday, marked by the mass slaughter of animals, typically leads to greater human-animal interaction and exposure to infected livestock.

Pakistan witnessed its first case of Congo virus in 1976 and remained a major victim for years, according to the National Library of Medicine.

The country faces major challenges in combating Congo virus every year due to its specific geographical position and a majority of the population being involved with animal husbandry, it added.

There is no approved vaccine for its prevention.

The European Medicines Agency in May 2024 approved a Phase I clinical trial in Sweden for a DNA-based vaccine candidate, N-pVAX1, targeting the Congo virus.

Separately, the University of Oxford in August 2023 launched a Phase I trial of its ChAdOx2 CCHF vaccine, based on the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 platform, to assess safety and immune response.


Pakistan rescues injured Indian sailor amid post-war tensions with New Delhi

Updated 18 June 2025
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Pakistan rescues injured Indian sailor amid post-war tensions with New Delhi

  • Pakistan evacuates the injured sailor from a Liberian-flagged tanker with an all-Indian crew
  • Rare humanitarian gesture follows recent Pakistan-India war amid strained diplomatic ties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday evacuated an injured Indian sailor from an oil tanker in the Arabian Sea, in a rare humanitarian gesture weeks after the two countries fought a brief four-day war that further strained already tense relations.

The medical evacuation was coordinated by the Pakistan Navy’s Joint Maritime Information and Coordination Center (JMICC), which received a distress call from the Liberian-flagged oil and chemical tanker MT HIGH LEADER, carrying an all-Indian crew.

The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) deployed a vessel and transferred the injured crew member to a hospital in Karachi for emergency treatment.

“The successful medical evacuation is yet another testament to the operational readiness and responsiveness of Pakistan’s maritime safety apparatus,” the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.

“The swift execution reflects Pakistan Navy’s resolve to fulfill its international obligations for the safety of life at sea, irrespective of the nationality of the seafarers involved,” it added.

The incident comes at a time of high diplomatic friction between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Last month’s military confrontation, involving missile, drone and artillery exchanges, marked one of the most serious escalations in recent years.

Pakistan has repeatedly called for the revival of a composite dialogue process to resolve long-standing issues, including the Kashmir dispute, cross-border militancy and a water-sharing arrangement under the Indus Waters Treaty.

India, however, has resisted any engagement so far.

The JMICC, which coordinated the evacuation, serves as Pakistan’s central maritime emergency response hub and regularly liaises with both national and international stakeholders.


Pakistan reduces sales tax on imported solar panels from 18 % to 10 % amid parliamentary pushback

Updated 18 June 2025
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Pakistan reduces sales tax on imported solar panels from 18 % to 10 % amid parliamentary pushback

  • The government proposed 18% GST on imported solar panels during budget 2025-26
  • Pakistan imported 17 gigawatts of solar panels in 2024, twice the previous year’s volume

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said the general sales tax (GST) on imported solar panels had been reduced from 18% to 10% for the current year, following concerns raised by a parliamentary finance body.

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue had urged the government a day earlier to withdraw the proposed 18% GST on imported solar panels, noting that some stakeholders had begun stockpiling equipment ahead of the federal budget to avoid the new levy.

The country’s proposed federal budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year included an 18% GST on the import and local supply of solar panels and related equipment, prompting concern from industry stakeholders and clean energy advocates.

Pakistan imported 17 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels in 2024, twice the volume recorded the year before, to meet rising consumer demand, according to the Global Electricity Review 2025.

“The 18 percent on top of 46% was an additional burden,” Dar told the National Assembly.

“So, regarding this, after consultations and deliberations, we have decided that this year we will keep a 10% sales tax and not 18%.”

Dar highlighted how this was the most debated subject after the budget was announced.

He also explained that around 46% of components used in solar installations in Pakistan were imported while the remaining 54% including inverters and other equipment were locally sourced and already subject to standard taxation.

Solar energy has supplied 25% of Pakistan’s grid electricity so far this year, placing the country among fewer than 20 globally that generate at least a quarter of their monthly power from solar farms.

Industry stakeholders and clean energy activists had warned that the added cost in tax could slow the rapid adoption of rooftop solar systems by households and businesses, potentially undermining national targets for expanding the share of renewables in the country’s energy mix.

Pakistan increased its solar electricity generation at a rate more than three times the global average in 2025, driven by a surge in solar capacity imports that were over five times higher than in 2022, according to data from Ember, a UK-based energy think tank.

This rapid growth in both capacity and output has propelled solar energy from being the country’s fifth-largest power source in 2023 to the top spot in 2025.


Pakistan unveils draft tariff policy to drive export-led growth

Updated 18 June 2025
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Pakistan unveils draft tariff policy to drive export-led growth

  • The policy plans to phase out Additional Customs Duties, rationalize the tariff structure
  • It aims to reduce tariffs on raw materials, deliver $700 million in benefits to industries

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday unveiled a draft National Tariff Policy 2025-30 at a regulatory reforms conference, aiming to shift the country toward an export-led growth model by overhauling its trade tariff structure to boost industrial productivity, investment and competitiveness.

The event was organized by the Board of Investment (BoI), and attended by senior government officials, diplomats and private sector representatives.

The policy sets out sweeping reforms, including the phasing out of Additional Customs Duties (ACDs) within four years, elimination of Regulatory Duties (RDs) and the 5th Schedule within five years, and the creation of a simplified four-tier Customs Duty structure of 0 percent, 5 percent, 10 percent and 15 percent.

Key sectors expected to benefit include textiles, engineering, pharmaceuticals and information technology, with the policy designed to lower production costs and attract businesses.

“The National Tariff Policy 2025-30 is designed to create a predictable, transparent and investment-friendly tariff structure,” said Rana Ihsaan Afzal, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce, at the conference.

“By facilitating duty-free access to raw materials, phasing out ACDs and RDs and supporting nascent and green industries, this policy paves the way for innovation, employment generation and sustained economic growth.”

Afzal said implementation will begin with tariff reductions on approximately 7,000 tariff lines, mainly raw materials and intermediate goods, expected to deliver an estimated Rs200 billion ($700 million) in benefits to trade and industry.

“These reforms will enable Pakistan’s industries to scale, compete globally and shift toward higher value-added exports,” he added. “With these changes, we anticipate not just stronger GDP growth, but also increased employment, improved industrial productivity and enhanced investor confidence.”

According to an official statement issued by the BoI, the participants lauded the government’s efforts to streamline regulation and modernize trade facilitation, calling the draft policy a significant step toward Pakistan’s long-term economic transformation.