ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (APFVEA) said on Sunday that Pakistan might not meet its target of exporting 100,000 metric tons of mangoes this year due to adverse effects of climate change on its production, with officials pinning their hopes on a surge in demand from the Middle East.
Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest mango producer and the fruit export generates millions of dollars in revenue annually, according to the APFVEA. Additionally, mangoes serve as a cultural symbol and a diplomatic tool that help the government strengthen international connections.
Pakistan has faced mango export challenges in recent years due to adverse weather, and pest and fruit fly infestation, with production declining for the third consecutive year in 2024.
The country produces around 1,800,000 metric tons of mangoes annually, with 70 percent grown in Punjab, 29 percent in Sindh and one percent grown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“We had set a target of exporting 100,000 metric tons of mangoes this season, but it seems unachievable due to the pronounced negative impact of climate change on Pakistan’s mango orchards resulting in less production and a lack of export-quality mangoes,” Muhammad Shehzad Sheikh, the APFVEA chairman, told Arab News.
Due to the weather this year, he said, mango production was down by up to 40 percent in Punjab and 20 percent in Sindh, reducing the overall production by around 600,000 metric tons.
He said the APFVEA reduced this year’s target because it could not achieve the export target of 125,000 metric tons last year and exported only 100,000 metric tons of mangoes in 2023.
“With the export of 100,000 metric tons of mangoes during the current season, if achieved, a valuable foreign exchange of $90 million would be generated,” Sheikh said.
Expressing grave concerns, the APFVEA chairman said the effects of climate change on fruit cultivation, particularly mangoes, as well as on the larger agricultural sector were intensifying with each passing year.
“Extended winters, heavy rains, hailstorms and subsequent severe heatwaves have altered disease patterns throughout the seasons,” he explained, stressing an urgent need for research-based solutions to mitigate these effects and warning that failure to promptly do so could further jeopardize mango production and exports.
Besides climate change, the sector faces challenges like increased withholding tax and higher costs of electricity, gas, transportation, garden maintenance, pesticides and water management, which make it difficult to compete with other exporters, according to Sheikh.
On the contrary, officials said that despite production delays caused by climate change, there had been a surge in demand for Pakistani mangoes, particularly in the Middle East, that would not only make it possible to achieve the export target, but the country was also expected to exceed it.
“While the final figures will be clear by the end of the season in September, we expect around a 20 percent increase compared to last year,” Rashid Gillani, a deputy manager at the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), told Arab News. “Our target is to exceed $120 million worth of [overall] mango exports.”
Last year, around 50 percent of all Pakistani mango exports went to the Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Iran, according to the APFVEA.
Gillani said operations were now running smoothly despite production delays and more fruit was ready to be shipped, noting that TDAP had organized several mango festivals in different countries with the assistance of Pakistani missions to increase the export of the fruit.
On Saturday, the Pakistani embassy in the UAE organized a mango festival event at the Pakistan Association Dubai, in collaboration with the Pakistan Business Council. The event was attended by diplomats, foreign dignitaries, community members and government officials.
Speaking to Arab News, Ali Zeb, commercial counselor at the Pakistani embassy, said the demand for Pakistani mangoes had been steadily increasing in the Emirates and it was expected to further enhance this year, following a positive response from visitors at the Dubai festival.
“In 2022, Pakistani mango exports to the UAE totaled 41,000 metric tons, valued at $27 million, marking a 16 percent increase from the previous year,” he said. “In 2023, exports grew to approximately 50,000 metric tons, worth $31 million.”
This upward trend in mango exports to the UAE was likely to continue this year as well, Zeb added.
As climate change threatens Pakistan mango exports, surge in Middle East demand offers some hope
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As climate change threatens Pakistan mango exports, surge in Middle East demand offers some hope
- Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest mango producer and its export generates millions of dollars in revenue, according to exporters
- Additionally, mangoes serve as a cultural symbol and a diplomatic tool that help the government strengthen international connections
Pakistan PM calls for collaborative efforts to stem polio amid alarming surge in cases
- Pakistan has so far reported 68 poliovirus cases this year, 27 of them from Balochistan
- Shehbaz Sharif says security of polio volunteers and vaccinators cannot be compromised
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for greater collaboration among the country’s health authorities to stem the spread of poliovirus, state-run media reported this week, as Pakistan witnesses an alarming surge in cases of the infection.
Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five is essential to provide children high immunity against this terrible disease. Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world.
Pakistan on Monday reported its 68th poliovirus case of the year when a child contracted the virus from the northwestern Dera Ismail Khan district. Sharif spoke to the national anti-polio team on Monday regarding efforts to curb the spread of the disease.
“The Prime Minister said unfortunately, the number of polio-affected children is rising in Pakistan, which needs even more collaborative efforts,” the state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Monday.
Sharif noted that the use of technology in Pakistan’s health sectors, including polio eradication, is being increased to modernize public health care and achieve better results.
“He added that the security of polio workers cannot be compromised, and all possible measures should be taken in this regard,” Radio Pakistan said.
Of the 68 cases reported this year, 27 were from Balochistan, 20 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 19 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad, according to Pakistan’s anti-polio program.
A sub-national polio vaccination campaign was conducted across Punjab, Sindh, KP, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad on December 16–22, vaccinating over 42 million children.
Pakistani bank arranges $300 million loan for government through UAE branch
- United Bank Limited operates one of largest branch networks in Pakistan
- Initiative to help shape a stronger, more vibrant Pakistani economy, says UBL
ISLAMABAD: The United Bank Limited (UBL) this week announced it had facilitated $300 million in foreign financing for Pakistan’s government through its branch in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), saying that the initiative would help shape the country’s economy into a more vibrant one as Islamabad struggles to repay its external debt obligations.
UBL is a banking company incorporated in Pakistan and one that is engaged in commercial banking and related services. It operates one of the largest branch networks in the country, augmented by its industry-leading digital banking services which have earned it local and international recognition.
“UBL UAE is proud to facilitate $300 million in foreign financing for the Government of Pakistan— a testament to our commitment toward setting new standards in the banking industry,” the bank said in a statement on its social media accounts on Monday.
“This venture marks another milestone in our journey to shape a stronger, more vibrant economy.”
Pakistan has struggled to meet its external debt repayment obligations, often resulting in its regional allies rolling over loans worth billions of dollars. The cash-strapped nation has been struggling to ward off an economic crisis that has drained its revenue, pushed inflation to record levels, and weakened its currency significantly over the past two years.
Pakistan secured a fresh 37-month $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this year after it narrowly avoided a sovereign default on its payment obligations in 2023. Pakistan’s finance minister, however, has reiterated the country needs to move toward an export-oriented growth model supplemented by long-term financial reforms to ensure its progress is sustainable.
Top five Pakistani women who led the way as trailblazers in 2024
- Pakistan’s Ayla Majid became first Muslim and South Asian to get elected president of global accountancy body ACCA
- Maryam Nawaz became the first woman chief minister of a Pakistani province after contentious elections in February
ISLAMABAD: As the world prepares to bid farewell to an eventful 2024 and welcome the new year, here is a list of five Pakistani women who shattered stereotypes and made history by dominating in their respective fields ranging from politics to mountaineering, and sports to music.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif
Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, made history in February after she was elected as the first woman chief minister of a Pakistani province.
After her Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party won the highest number of seats after a contentious election in February, Sharif was elected as the chief minister of the country’s richest and most populous Punjab province.
She formally joined politics in 2012 and became increasingly involved in politics during her father’s four-year, self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2023. In 2019, she was appointed vice president of the PML-N, leading anti-government rallies throughout the country against then prime minister Imran Khan’s government.
Political opponents and critics, however, say her election to the chief minister’s post is an example of the enduring influence of feudal politics in Pakistan.
Ayla Majid
In November, Ayla Majid became the first South Asian and Muslim to be elected president of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), a global accountancy body.
Majid is the chief executive officer of a firm that advises on decarbonization, sustainability, and energy transition. Majid is leading more than 252,500 members and 526,000 future members of ACCA across 180 countries during her year-long term in office.
She has over 20 years of experience in energy, transaction advisory, mergers and acquisitions, investments and corporate governance. Majid holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of London.
Arooj Aftab
Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab earned Grammy nominations for the fourth time in a row in November. Her single “Raat Ki Rani” earned a nomination in the Best Global Music Performance, category while her album, “Night Reign” has earned a nomination for the Best Alternative Jazz Album category.
This category honors vocal or instrumental albums where new alternative jazz recordings comprise more than 75 percent of the playing time.
In 2022, Aftab became the first Pakistani singer to win a Grammy for her song ‘Mohabbat’ in the Best Global Music Performance category.
Naila Kiani
In May, Dubai-based mountaineer Naila Kiani became the first Pakistani woman to summit Mount Makalu, the fifth-highest mountain in the world. The tremendous achievement also brought another feather to Kiani’s cap, as it made her the first and only Pakistani woman to summit 11 out of 14 mountains that stand 8,000 meters above sea level.
Kiani had previously summited Broad Peak (8,047 meters), Annapurna (8,091 meters), K2 (8,611 meters), Lhotse (8,516 meters), Gasherbrum 1 (8,068 meters), Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters), Nanga Parbat (8,125 meters), Mount Everest (8,849 meters), Manaslu (8,156 meters) and Cho Oyu (8,201 meters) mountains.
The mother of two, who is also a banker by profession, garnered fame in 2018 after her wedding photos from K2’s base camp were widely shared on social media. She is also a recipient of the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s third-highest civilian award, which she received in March 2024 for climbing Mount Everest.
Saleema Imtiaz
Saleema Imtiaz became the first Pakistani woman to be nominated to the International Cricket Council’s International Panel of Development Umpires in September. The nomination qualifies Imtiaz, 52, to officiate in women’s bilateral international matches and ICC Women’s Events.
Imtiaz, mother of Pakistan women’s international player Kainat Imtiaz, began her umpiring career with the Pakistan Cricket Board Women’s Umpires Panel in 2008. Her extensive experience includes officiating in high-profile events under the Asian Cricket Council such as the 2022 and 2024 ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup and the 2023 ACC Emerging Women’s Cup in Hong Kong.
Pakistan begins construction of $3.5 billion Chinese-designed nuclear energy project
- The Chashma-5 nuclear power plant is being constructed along the left embankment of the fast-flowing Indus River in Mianwali
- Beijing is building roads, bridges, power plants, and railways in Pakistan to link its far west with Gwadar port on Indian Ocean
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has begun construction of a $3.5 billion Chinese-designed nuclear energy project, which would produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday.
Pakistan and China are longtime allies. Beijing is building roads, bridges, power plants, and railways under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, to link its far west with the
Chinese-built Gwadar port on the Indian Ocean in Pakistan’s Balochistan.
The nuclear power plant, known as Chashma-5, is being constructed at a site along the left embankment of the fast-flowing Indus River in Mianwali, a district in the eastern Punjab province. The site is already home to four Chinese-supplied nuclear power plants that were built in recent decades.
In a post on X, Sharif said the Chashma-5 nuclear power plant was another “milestone” in strategic cooperation between the two friendly countries.
“Commencement of construction of the most modern and the biggest, C-5 Nuclear Power Plant is another milestone in strategic cooperation between Pakistan and China. The plant will contribute 1200 MW electricity,” Sharif said.
“I congratulate PAEC (Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission) and CNNC on this remarkable achievement.”
The development comes as Pakistan, which has one of the highest electricity tariffs in the region, is making preparations to stop capacity payments to independent power producers (IPPs), and PM Sharif’s cabinet this month approved settlement agreements with eight bagasse-based IPPs, with the aim to reduce electricity prices and save the national exchequer billions of rupees.
High cost of power is one of the key factors that leads to inflation in the South Asian country.
Pakistan has also been holding talks on reprofiling power sector debt owed to China and structural reforms, but progress has been slow. It has also vowed to stop power sector subsidies.
Pakistan government, ex-PM Khan party to again meet on Jan. 2 in bid to ease political tensions
- Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in 2022 has plunged the country into a prolonged political crisis
- Both sides last week held first round of talks after the ex-premier threatened a civil dissidence movement in the country
ISLAMABAD: Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the lower house of Pakistan’s parliament, has summoned an in-camera meeting of negotiation teams of the government and the opposition on Jan. 2, the National Assembly Secretariat said on Monday, amid efforts to ease prolonged political tensions in the country.
The development came a week after the government and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former prime minister Imran Khan held the first round of formal negotiations on Dec. 23, with the PTI asked to present its demands in writing at the next session.
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 Honorable Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, will chair a 2nd meeting (in-camera) on negotiations between Treasury and Opposition on Thursday, the 2nd of January, 2025,” the National Assembly Secretariat said in a notification on Monday.
Khan previously rejected talks with the government, saying his party would only talk to the “real powerbrokers” in Pakistan, the all-powerful army, but earlier this month he set up a negotiating committee of top party members to open a dialogue with the government for the fulfilment of two demands: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9 last year and Nov. 26 this year, which the government says involved his party supporters, accusing them of attacking military installations and government buildings.
The talks opened days after Khan threatened a civil dissidence 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 protests.
Sadiq last week said the first round of talks were held in a “cordial” environment, calling them vital to end “political polarization” in the country.
“Since some members of the opposition could not join the talks today, we have decided to hold the next meeting on Jan. 2,” he said on Dec. 23. “The opposition will also present a charter of demands in the meeting.”
Speaking to the media after the talks, Khan’s close aide, Asad Qaiser, said the PTI team had asked the government to release all political prisoners, including the former prime minister, and form a judicial commission, comprising senior Supreme Court judges, to probe the May 9 and Nov. 26 protests.
“We should be allowed to hold a meeting with Imran Khan,” Qaiser said. “He is our leader. We will move forward with his instructions.”
The negotiations came days after Pakistan’s military announced prison sentences for 25 people involved in the May 9 protests, which PTI has demanded be investigated. The PTI has also repeatedly said it fears the government and military will try Khan in army courts for the May 9 violence. He is already being tried for the violence in a civilian court.
