TANDO ALLAHYAR: Pakistan’s mangoes are normally a source of national pride and much-needed income, but farmers are blaming climate change for the parasites and extreme weather ruining much of this season’s crop.
A white and orange scarf wrapped around his head in the scorching heat, farmer Muhammad Yusuf lamented the erratic weather.
An abnormally long winter was followed by the wettest April in decades, while the country is now experiencing a heatwave with temperatures hitting up to 52 degrees Celsius (126 degrees Fahrenheit).
“Buds didn’t flower on time, many buds just died. Those that started growing were infected with (parasite) black hopper,” said Yusuf, who has worked half his life growing mangoes.
Now over 60 years old, Yusuf said “climate change has wreaked havoc” in his village of Tando Allahyar, around 200 kilometers (124 miles) northeast of economic hub Karachi.
Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest mango producer and agriculture accounts for almost a quarter of its GDP.
Further south in Tando Ghulam Ali, Arsalan, who manages a 900-acre mango orchard, noticed the damage as soon as the harvest started this week.
“We have production losses of 15 to 20 percent, and the picking has only just started so this figure will surely increase,” said the 32-year-old.
Exports will be slashed as a result warned Arsalan, who goes by one name.
“The mangoes turn yellow from the outside but remain underripe or overripe inside,” he explained.
Ziaul Haq, a mango grower and exporter from Tando Ghulam Ali, said the “many attacks on fruit” by pests were unprecedented.
“This, in our history, has never happened before,” he told AFP.
The proliferation of parasites has led to an explosion in spending on pesticides.
This uptick was confirmed by several farmers in Sindh province, where Tando Allahyar and Tando Ghulam Ali are located, as well as those in the leading agricultural province of Punjab further north.
They told AFP that chemicals are now used six to seven times per year, compared to just twice three years ago.
Farmers in Sindh said they have been struggling since 2022 when a series of severe heatwaves were followed by unprecedented flooding, while those in Punjab said the declining crops yields date back several years more.
“The losses in Punjab reached 35 to 50 percent and in Sindh, 15 to 20 percent” compared to last year, said Waheed Ahmed, head of the Pakistan Federation of Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (PFVA).
Speaking to local media, he said that last year Pakistan had only managed to export 100,000 of the 125,000 tons of mangoes it planned to sell abroad.
Pakistan’s 20 varieties of mangoes come second only to oranges as the most-produced fruit in the country.
The income loss from a poor harvest could have a significant impact on the country, which is in talks to secure a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Mashooq Ali, a 30-year-old laborer in Tando Ghulam Ali, wants the government to help farmers cope.
“Landowners will earn less this year,” said Ali, whose wife has started trading clothes to earn extra cash.
“And even if they paid us as much as last year, with inflation, we won’t be able to feed our families.”
Pakistan farmers pin poor mango crop on climate change
https://arab.news/5dwqc
Pakistan farmers pin poor mango crop on climate change
- Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest mango producer and agriculture accounts for almost a quarter of its GDP
- Farmers say they have been struggling since 2022 when severe heatwaves were followed by unprecedented flooding
Pakistan demands UN take meaningful measures for free plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir
- Pakistan marks Jan. 5 every year to commemorate day UN recognized right to self-determination for people of Kashmir in 1949
- PM Shehbaz Sharif urges world to call for immediate cessation of human rights violations, release of political prisoners
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the international community and the United Nations on Sunday to ensure a free, fair and transparent plebiscite for the people of Indian-administered Kashmir, criticizing New Delhi for taking steps to “consolidate its occupation” of the disputed valley.
Pakistan marks ‘Right to Self-Determination Day’ for the people of Indian-administered Kashmir every year on Jan. 5, which commemorates the United Nations Security Council’s resolution passed on Jan. 5, 1949. In it, the UN supported the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide their future through a free and fair plebiscite under UN supervision.
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir has been divided between Pakistan and India since their independence from British rule in 1947. Both countries govern parts of the territory but claim it in full, having fought two of their three wars over the disputed region.
“It is time for the international community, including the United Nations, to live up to their promises and take meaningful measures, enabling the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination,” Sharif said in his statement.
Sharif noted that every year the UN expresses unequivocal support for the realization of the right to self-determination for peoples under foreign occupation.
“Regrettably, the Kashmiri people have not been able to exercise this inalienable right for over seven decades,” he said.
“The international community must also call for immediate cessation of human rights violations, release of political prisoners, and restoration of fundamental rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people.”
In 2019, India repealed Article 370, which granted special autonomous status to the part of Kashmir controlled by New Delhi, and the era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan was over, India Today reported.
The move triggered a sharp reaction from Pakistan, which suspended trade with India and downgraded its ties with the country.
“Through a series of illegal and unilateral actions taken since 5 August 2019, India is trying to alter the demographic and political structure of the disputed territory, aimed at transforming the majority Kashmiri people into a disempowered minority community, in their own homeland,” Sharif said.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s “strong resolve” to continue extending its moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir to pursue their right to self-determination.
Pakistan government warns of ‘hurdles’ to talks if Imran Khan’s party doesn’t submit demands
- Second round of talks between Khan’s party, government ended inconclusively this week after PTI did not submit demands in writing
- Khan’s party has publicly stated two demands: release of political prisoners and setting up of judicial commissions to probe protests
ISLAMABAD: A leading government spokesperson this week warned that negotiations with former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party may face “serious hurdles” if the party fails to submit its demands in writing in the next meeting.
The PTI and the government’s second round of talks on Jan. 2 ended inconclusively after Khan’s party demanded more time to meet and consult the jailed former premier before submitting their demands in writing to the government.
The two sides kicked off negotiations last month to end the political deadlock in the country. Khan’s party has publicly stated two demands: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9, 2023, and Nov. 26, 2024, which the government says involved his party supporters, accusing them of attacking military installations and government buildings.
“In an interview with a private television channel, he [Senator Irfan Siddiqui] said that if PTI does not submit its demands in writing as promised, the negotiation process may face serious hurdles,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
“He said even after 12 days, no significant progress has been made.”
Siddiqui, who is the parliamentary leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ()PML-N) in the Senate and a member of the government’s negotiation committee, said the government had facilitated Khan’s party by arranging its meetings with the former prime minister in jail.
However, he said the PTI remained “indecisive” about formalizing their demands despite written assurances made in joint declarations.
“However, if the written demands are not presented in the third meeting, the negotiations could face significant setbacks,” Radio Pakistan quoted Siddiqui as saying.
He said the date for the third meeting between the two sides would be decided by the PTI.
Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary no-trust vote in 2022 has plunged Pakistan into a political crisis, particularly since the PTI founder was jailed in August last year on corruption and other charges and remains behind bars. His party and supporters have regularly held protests calling for his release, with many of the demonstrations turning violent.
The talks between the two sides opened days after Khan threatened a civil disobedience movement, and amid growing concerns he may face trial by a military court for allegedly inciting attacks on sensitive security installations during the May 9, 2023 protests.
Pakistan Business Council elects new board to strengthen trade, investment ties with UAE
- PBC provides a platform to Pakistani companies and professionals in Dubai, helping them with networking
- It also engages in initiatives to enhance Pakistan’s image, organize business forums and cultural activities
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) Dubai, a non-profit organization established in 2004 to strengthen trade and investment ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has elected its new board of directors for the 2025-2026 term, according to its statement on Saturday.
PBC serves as a platform for Pakistan-related companies and professionals operating in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, facilitating business networking, information exchange and maintaining strong connections to Pakistan.
Established under the patronage of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the council boasts a membership of over 200 Pakistani businessmen and companies from diverse sectors, including trade, manufacturing, professional services, finance, technology and health care.
Pakistan’s Consul General in Dubai, Hussain Muhammad, congratulated the newly elected board during a ceremony held at the Pakistan Association Dubai.
“The PBC serves as a dynamic platform for fostering trade, investment and collaboration between Pakistan and the UAE,” he said, according to a council statement. “I urge the new board to continue identifying and promoting sectors where both nations can collaborate for mutual benefit.”
PBC actively engages in initiatives to enhance Pakistan’s image. It also closely works with local government departments in Dubai and organizes events such as business forums, seminars, workshops and cultural celebrations related to Pakistan.
During the ceremony, the consul general praised the outgoing board for their contributions and highlighted the strong relationship between Pakistan and the UAE.
Members of both the outgoing and incoming boards also addressed the gathering, saying the council was playing a vital role in promoting business-to-business collaboration between the two countries.
Vehicle-borne bomb in Balochistan kills five paramilitary soldiers, injures over two dozen
- The attack occurred when a convoy of Frontier Corps personnel was moving near Turbat city
- A Baloch separatist group claimed responsibility for the attack that also injured 11 civilians
QUETTA: At least five paramilitary soldiers of the Frontier Corps (FC) were killed and over two dozen others injured in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device targeted a bus carrying security personnel near Turbat city on Saturday.
The attack was initially confirmed by Rashid Zehri, the area’s district police officer, who said it occurred when a convoy of paramilitary soldiers escorted by FC vehicles was moving from an area about 10 kilometers from Turbat in Kech district.
Zehri said the bus carrying FC personnel caught fire after the attack, adding that the explosion also destroyed two civilian vehicles and two motorbikes without confirming the number of casualties in the attack.
“Civilians injured in the attack have been shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital, Turbat, while the paramilitary force has taken its soldiers to the FC camp for medical treatment,” he told Arab News over the phone.
However, a senior provincial administration official, who requested anonymity since he was not authorized to speak to the media, said five paramilitary soldiers were killed in the attack, which also injured nearly 40 others, including civilians.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, saying “terrorists will not be allowed to succeed in their nefarious objectives.”
Chief Minister Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti also called the perpetrators of the attack “unworthy of being called humans.”
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Balochistan, a mineral-rich province sharing borders with Iran and Afghanistan, has faced an insurgency for decades, which has intensified in recent years. The Baloch separatists accuse the Pakistani state of exploiting the region’s resources without adequately benefiting its population. However, Pakistani governments deny the allegations, saying they have launched several development projects to promote prosperity and improve the lives of residents in the province.
The BLA, with a strong presence in Balochistan, has emerged as a major threat to the state, carrying out deadly attacks, including suicide bombings, to target Pakistani security forces. According to provincial administration data, Balochistan witnessed a dramatic surge in militant violence in 2024, resulting in about 300 deaths in over 550 attacks.
Dr. Amjad Baloch, Medical Superintendent of the DHQ Hospital in Turbat, said his staff treated 11 civilians injured in the blast.
“All the injured were brought in stable condition and discharged after their initial medical treatment,” he told Arab News.
Pakistan PM calls SMEs ‘backbone’ of national economy, seeks steps for their global integration
- The government has initiated the process of hiring experts for the development of the SME sector
- State Bank of Pakistan has also directed banks to simplify the loan application process for SMEs
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday described Pakistan’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as the backbone of national economy, issuing directives to take necessary measures to integrate them into the global supply chain, according to a statement from his office.
Pakistan has been striving to attract foreign investment as it recovers from a prolonged economic crisis characterized by a tough balance of payments situation, dwindling foreign currency reserves and a depreciating national currency.
While the government has signed various agreements with close allies and sought to promote business-to-business partnerships to drive growth, Sharif recently noted that foreign investment would remain elusive without first strengthening domestic investment.
“Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of the economy,” he said while presiding over a meeting in Lahore to evaluate the SME sector, according to the statement. “Comprehensive steps are needed to make Pakistani industries a part of the global supply chain.”
The prime minister received a detailed briefing on the operations of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) and was told its board of directors had been constituted and had started holding regular meetings.
“The process of hiring international-standard experts for the development of the SME sector has been initiated,” the official statement said.
“The State Bank of Pakistan has also instructed banks to simplify and streamline the loan application forms for SMEs,” it added.
The meeting was also informed that authorities were in the process of gathering data on SMEs across Pakistan to enable informed decision-making for the sector.
