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Over 50% Pakistanis currently overweight, report says on World Obesity Day

Bakers fry Iftar food for Muslim devotees to break their fast on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, at a shop in Islamabad on March 23, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 04 March 2024
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Over 50% Pakistanis currently overweight, report says on World Obesity Day

  • 58.1% Pakistanis classified as overweight and 43.9% fall into category of obesity, Transform Pakistan says 
  • World Obesity Day marked each year on March 4 to raise awareness, advocate solutions for global obesity crisis
Updated 04 March 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Over 50% of Pakistan’s population is overweight, the national Transform Pakistan campaign said in a press release on World Obesity Day being observed internationally on Monday.

World Obesity Day is marked internationally each year on Mar. 4 to raise awareness and advocate for practical solutions in addressing the global obesity crisis. It is organized by the non-profit World Obesity Federation, affiliated with the World Health Organization, and a collaborating body on the Lancet Commission on Obesity. The Federation says it aims to “lead and drive global efforts to reduce, prevent and treat obesity.”

The Transform Pakistan campaign includes the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA), Center for Peace and Development Initiative (CPDI), and Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), among others. 

Since last year, the Transform campaign has been advocating for the regulation of industrial trans fats (iTFA) in Pakistan, which are created by adding hydrogen to oil. They have no known health benefits and are a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and stroke worldwide, estimated to cause around 540,000 deaths every year.

“58.1% of Pakistanis are classified as overweight, and 43.9% fall into the category of obesity,” Afshar Iqbal, Director of Communications and Advocacy at PYCA, was quoted as saying by the state-run APP news agency. “The estimated annual cost of managing obesity in Pakistan was a staggering Rs428 billion in 2015.”

“There is a strong connection between rising obesity rates and the prevalence of industrially produced Trans-Fatty Acids (iTFAs) in Pakistani dietary sources,” said Dr. Saba Amjad, the CEO of Heartfile, a health focused non-profit. 

Munawar Hussain, the in-country coordinator of the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, said industrial trans fats were linked to a range of health issues, including obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and other metabolic disorders.

Experts have called for a “government-mandated regulatory framework” among important steps to reduce the rising tide of obesity and related diseases in Pakistan.

“Such a framework should ensure that the prevalence of iTFAs in all food items is limited to two percent or less of their total fat content,” said Mukhtar Ahmed, the Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Development Initiative (CPDI).

Pakistan’s ministry of health, a patron of the Transform Pakistan campaign, said it was actively engaged with various stakeholders, including the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), to ensure that a government-led mandatory standard was “soon put into place.”

 “In 2023, Pakistan was successfully able to regulate iTFA content in several dietary sources including cooking oils, Vanaspati ghee, bakery shortenings and bakery wares,” Dr. Khawaja Masuood Ahmed, the ministry of health’s national coordinator for nutrition, said. 

“We are, however, aware that many notable food items such as ultra-processed items, dairy products such as chocolates and ice-creams and street food still remain outside the ambit of this regulation. The ministry of health is committed to ensuring that all food items across Pakistan soon come under one unified regulation to limit the prevalence of iTFAs in our dietary sources.”

Topics: World Obesity Day Pakistan

Pakistan’s trade deficit with Gulf states widens to $12.4 billion amid free trade agreement talks

Updated 9 sec ago
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Pakistan’s trade deficit with Gulf states widens to $12.4 billion amid free trade agreement talks

  • Pakistan’s exports to GCC rose 16 percent, but higher oil imports widened the trade gap
  • Analysts warn FTA may deepen deficit, citing imbalance in Pakistan-China trade deal
Updated 9 sec ago
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan’s trade deficit with Gulf nations widened by 14 percent to $12.4 billion in the outgoing fiscal year through May, even as the country pushes for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to boost exports and market access, official statistics show.

The trade gap stood at $10.9 billion during the same period last year, according to data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Pakistan’s exports to the region grew to $5.08 billion — up 16 percent — while imports rose 14 percent to $17.5 billion.

The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.

Shankar Talreja, director of research at Topline Securities, attributed the widening trade imbalance primarily to surging imports from the UAE, Pakistan’s largest oil supplier in the bloc.

“Pakistan’s imports from the UAE have increased by 32 percent in 11MFY25,” Talreja told Arab News from Karachi. “This is a whopping increase of $1.5 billion.”

Overall, imports from the UAE jumped 46 percent to $8.33 billion, while exports to the country totaled $3.96 billion. In contrast, imports from Saudi Arabia dropped 15 percent to $3.47 billion.

The increase in oil imports comes as Pakistan, which heavily depends on petroleum products from the GCC, monitors global crude trends.

Prices spiked by 13 percent to $77 per barrel after Israel attacked Iran on June 13, before easing by 6 percent on June 24 following a ceasefire announcement.

“Pakistan largely relies on petroleum products from the GCC region and overall petroleum import bill in FY26 is unlikely to increase as oil prices are currently 10 percent lower than the average oil price of July-May period,” Talreja noted.

“This lower oil price may offset volumetric increase, leaving overall petroleum import bill unchanged,” he added.

Last year, Pakistan spent $17 billion on oil imports, more than twice the size of its most recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan package. The IMF has urged the government to ramp up exports to stabilize its fragile external account.

To that end, Islamabad is pursuing bilateral and multilateral trade deals, including FTAs with the GCC, South Korea, Vietnam, East Africa and Central Asian states.

While Commerce Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Ashraf did not respond to queries, another official confirmed the FTA was under negotiation.

“The FTA talks with the GCC nations are ongoing but I am not sure if they have finalized anything,” the ministry official said, requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Pakistan’s Economic Survey for FY2024-25 mentions both the Pakistan-GCC FTA and the Pakistan-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement as “upcoming agreements.”

However, Talreja expressed skepticism about the potential gains.

“Pakistan has never benefitted from FTAs, like in case of China our deficit with China has further increased,” he said.

Islamabad’s FTA with Beijing, signed in 2006, has consistently produced unfavorable trade outcomes. The bilateral trade deficit with China stands at $2.5 billion this fiscal year, according to SBP figures.

“In the case of the Middle East, I doubt that Pakistan will benefit as it’s a very competitive market due to the global access the GCC has,” Talreja added. “Islamabad could only benefit if it negotiated something extraordinary.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government is also pushing to expand trade with the United States, Pakistan’s top textile buyer, by negotiating reciprocal tariffs. Talks are expected to conclude next week.

As part of these discussions under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, Islamabad is seeking greater access for mangoes, dates and beef in the US market.

Pakistan’s trade prospects in the European Union remain strong after its GSP+ status, granting zero-duty access on 66 percent of tariff lines, was renewed.

A preferential trade agreement with the eight-member Organization for Economic Cooperation also came into force in January.

Still, officials warn that the country’s export profile remains vulnerable due to over-reliance on a handful of markets.

“The overall export trajectory signals Pakistan’s reliance on a few core markets, highlighting the need for diversification and expanded global outreach to minimize exposure to external shocks,” the finance ministry said in its economic survey.

Topics: Pakistan trade with Gulf states Free Trade Agreement

Pakistan issues glacial lake outburst warning for northern areas as temperatures soar

Updated 41 min 21 sec ago
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Pakistan issues glacial lake outburst warning for northern areas as temperatures soar

  • Pakistan says intense monsoon currents, soaring temperatures may trigger sudden GLOF events 
  • Authorities say glacial lake outbursts may pose serious threat to humans, livestock and agriculture
Updated 41 min 21 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) this week issued a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) alert for the country’s northern areas, citing “persistent high temperatures” and intense monsoon currents as the main reasons. 

Pakistan is consistently ranked among the countries most adversely affected by climate change. Climate change has triggered irregular weather patterns in the country, which include unusually heavy rains, droughts and heat waves. 

In a press release on Wednesday, the NDMA said sustained heat for the past several weeks has accelerated snow and glacier melt in Pakistan’s northern regions.

“The added influence of monsoon rains and thunderstorms have now significantly increased hydrometeorological pressure on glacial lakes, raising the risk of sudden GLOF events,” the NDMA said. 

It said Reshun, Brep, Booni, Sardar Gol, Thalu 1 and 2, Badswat, Hinarchi, Darkut and Hundur valleys are at “heightened risk” in case of a GLOF events. 

“Sudden outbursts from these glacial lakes may trigger flash floods, posing a serious threat to human lives, livestock, and agriculture,” the disaster management authority said.

“Damage to infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and communication networks is likely, and access to remote valleys may be temporarily disrupted.”

The NDMA urged residents, tourists and trekkers to avoid traveling near glaciers, glacial lakes and riverbanks in the identified areas.

It urged locals to stay informed through official alerts and cooperate with authorities on evacuation instructions where necessary.

Floods in 2022, brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt in northern mountains, killed over 1,700 people and impacted 33 million people out of a population of 220 million. Raging currents swept away homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damages estimated at $30 billion.

Topics: glacial lake outburst flooding GLOF

Authorities recover 20,000 soap bars for anti-polio campaigns being sold illegally in Peshawar

Updated 25 June 2025
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Authorities recover 20,000 soap bars for anti-polio campaigns being sold illegally in Peshawar

  • Provincial authorities seize large stockpile of soap bars provided by UNICEF in Peshawar’s Sabzi Mandi area
  • UNICEF says authorities have not ruled out possibility of collusion by insiders or lapses in oversight mechanism
Updated 25 June 2025
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: Pakistani authorities on Wednesday recovered 20,000 soap bars provided by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for exclusive use in anti-polio campaigns after they were found being illegally sold in the northwestern Peshawar city, the UN agency said. 

Authorities seized the soap bars in a raid conducted at the city’s famous Sabzi Mandi area, with UNICEF raising serious concerns about the diversion of humanitarian supplies to the open market. 

“The seized consignment included approximately 20,000 soap bars, reportedly marked for exclusive use in Polio Campaigns,” the UN agency said.

 UNICEF said provincial officials believe it is highly unlikely that such a large-scale misappropriation could have occurred without either the “active involvement or gross negligence” of personnel within the provincial Health Department and UNICEF’s local and national operations.

“Further investigations are underway to determine how the supplies were diverted from official distribution channels to Open Market,” the statement said. “Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of collusion by insiders or lapses in oversight mechanisms.”

UNICEF said the incident underscored the critical need for greater accountability and monitoring in aid distribution processes, particularly in sensitive public health programs like the polio eradication campaign.

Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure, making prevention through vaccination critical. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine, along with the completion of the routine immunization schedule for all children, are essential to build strong immunity against the virus.

According to Pakistan’s polio program, 10 cases have been confirmed so far this year, with 74 reported in 2024.

Pakistan, one of the last two countries where polio remains endemic, has made significant progress in curbing the virus, with annual cases dropping from around 20,000 in the early 1990s to just eight in 2018.

The country reported six cases in 2023 and only one in 2021.

Topics: UNICEF

Trump praises ‘very impressive’ Pakistan army chief, reiterates trade stopped Indo-Pak conflict

Updated 25 June 2025
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Trump praises ‘very impressive’ Pakistan army chief, reiterates trade stopped Indo-Pak conflict

  • US president hosted Field Marshal General Asim Munir for lunch at White House last week 
  • Trump announced a ceasefire between India and Pakistan last month after military standoff
Updated 25 June 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump praised Pakistan’s army chief on Wednesday, describing him as “very impressive” while reiterating his earlier claim of preventing a nuclear war between Islamabad and New Delhi with trade deals last month. 

Trump hosted Field Marshal General Asim Munir for lunch last Wednesday in an unprecedented White House meeting. The American president had told reporters he was “honored” to meet the Pakistani general and that the two discussed the Iran-Israel conflict.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan engaged in a days-long military conflict before Trump announced a ceasefire between the two on May 10. Trump has repeatedly said he offered to help both nations with trade if they agreed to de-escalate.

At the NATO summit in The Hague, Trump was asked by a reporter why he had failed to stop the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The American president responded by saying he had stopped wars between Iran and Israel as well as India and Pakistan, saying the conflict “was getting very bad” between the nuclear-armed rivals. 

“And in fact I had the general, who was very impressive, the general from Pakistan was in my office last week,” Trump said. 

He described Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great man, a great gentleman,” saying Washington helped both countries reason with each other at the height of the conflict. 

“I said we’re not going to do a trade deal if you’re going to fight and if you’re going to fight each other we’re not doing a trade deal and you know what, they said, ‘No, I want to do the trade deal.’ And we stopped a nuclear war.”

Pakistan’s government last week announced it would formally nominate Trump for what it called his “decisive diplomatic intervention” during the military standoff with India in May. 

The American president has also previously offered to mediate the decades-old Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, who both claim the disputed Himalayan region in full but administer only parts of it. 

While the ceasefire continues to persist, tensions simmer as New Delhi refuses to budge from its stance of suspending a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan. 

Pakistan has said any attempts to stop or divert its flow of water by India will be regarded as an “act of war” and will be responded to with full force. 

Topics: Donald Trump Pakistan US Ties

Pakistani exporters bank on Middle East to export 125,000 tons of mangoes this season

Updated 25 June 2025
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Pakistani exporters bank on Middle East to export 125,000 tons of mangoes this season

  • Pakistani fruit exporters association hopes to earn $100 million from total mango exports from May to September 
  • Mango exporters, farmers say recent regional tensions and adverse climate conditions impacting fruit’s production
Updated 25 June 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: A leading Pakistani fruits exporters association said on Wednesday it has set an ambitious target of exporting 125,000 tons of mangoes from May to September this year to earn $100 million in revenue, hoping to export 70 percent of these to markets in the Middle East. 

Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest mango producer, with the fruit’s exports generating millions of dollars in revenue annually, according to the Pakistan Fruit and Vegetables Export Association (PFVEA). 

Pakistan’s 20 varieties of mangoes come second only to oranges as the most-produced fruit in the country. The country produces around 1,800,000 metric tons of mangoes annually, with 70 percent grown in Punjab, 29 percent in Sindh and 1 percent grown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“Pakistan is aiming to export 125,000 tons of mangoes this season, 25 percent more than last year’s target of 100,000 tons, with exports having started on May 25 and continuing until the end of September,” PFVEA Patron-in-Chief Waheed Ahmed told Arab News. 

“We are hoping to export 70 percent of this target to Middle Eastern countries, our largest market, and if achieved, the country is expected to earn an estimated $100 million in foreign exchange,” he added. 

However, Ahmed warned adverse effects of climate change may impact the amount of mangoes Pakistan produces this year. 

Pakistan, which has faced irregular weather patterns ranging from heat waves and unusually heavy rains, is frequently ranked among the most adversely affected countries due to climate change effects. 

Mango production has been on the decline in Pakistan for the past three consecutive years. 

“Mango production in Pakistan is consistently declining due to climate change and water scarcity and there is a risk of up to 25 percent reduction in total mango production this year as well,” Ahmed warned. 

After the projected decline, the PFVEA official said this season’s total mango production may come down to around 1.4 million tons

“However, we have increased the export target because we are exporting only 125,000 tons out of the estimated 1.4 million tons, so we remain hopeful of achieving it despite all challenges,” Ahmed said. 

Ahmed called for interventions such as improved water management, production of climate-resilient mango varieties, research and development and modernization of agriculture and horticulture.

He said efforts were underway to boost mango exports to non-traditional markets such as Japan, the United States, South Korea and Australia, with a special focus on expanding exports to Turkiye and China.

He noted that regional tensions, particularly Pakistan’s conflict with India and the Israel-Iran tensions, have led to higher export costs due to additional charges by shipping companies on Pakistani cargo.

“We urge the Federal Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to intervene and eliminate these extra charges to help improve export competitiveness,” Ahmed said. 

Farmers and exporters agreed adverse climate conditions had affected not only the volume of production but also the quality of mangoes.

“We have been facing losses due to multiple factors, including low yield and lower-than-expected demand caused by conflicts in the Middle East,” Asif Ahmed, an exporter from Iftikhar Ahmed & Co, told Arab News.

Asif, who has been exporting mangoes for over six decades, hoped the Iran-Israel ceasefire would improve the situation and that fruit prices would rise to help cover the losses.

“We have farms in Sindh’s Tando Allahyar and Mirpur Khas districts where production was almost around 30 percent less than normal this year,” Asif said. 

Amjad Hussain, an exporter from Punjab’s Multan city, agreed climate change had reduced the size of the mangoes and their quality as well. 

“It has affected more than 25 percent of our yield, which will reduce our exports, though the exact figure will be clear by September,” Hussain said. 

Topics: Pakistani Mangoes

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