Pakistan’s interior minister arrives in Saudi Arabia to discuss bilateral ties, mutual concerns

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi (center left) meets Saudi Undersecretary of Interior Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Battal (center right) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 15, 2024. (@PakinSaudiArab/X)
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Updated 15 December 2024
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Pakistan’s interior minister arrives in Saudi Arabia to discuss bilateral ties, mutual concerns

  • Pakistan has signed several agreements worth billions of dollars with Saudi Arabia in recent months
  • Mohsin Naqvi meets Saudi Arabia’s Undersecretary of Interior Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Battal 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Riyadh on Sunday to discuss bilateral ties and issues of mutual concern with Saudi Arabia, the interior ministry said as both countries continue efforts to forge closer economic and investment ties. 

Pakistan has looked toward Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern states in recent months to attract foreign investment and ensure economic stability. 

Islamabad and Riyadh signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in October worth $2.8 billion that Pakistan says will bring much-needed foreign investment into the cash-starved country. 

Naqvi met Saudi Arabia’s Undersecretary of Interior Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Battal after his arrival in Riyadh, the interior ministry said. 

“Matters of mutual interest and discussions on Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations were held,” the interior ministry said. 

Naqvi congratulated the Saudi leadership on successfully winning the bid for hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, expressing his best wishes for the Kingdom. 

“Saudi Arabia is our most trusted Islamic friends. Every Pakistani is proud of this friendship,” Naqvi added. 

He praised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 program, saying that it has created “historic progress and prosperity” in the Kingdom. 

Al-Battal noted that the two countries enjoyed very close ties to each other, adding that he was looking forward to further progress in bilateral relations during Naqvi’s ongoing tour of Saudi Arabia. 


Pakistan eyes olive cultivation as means to boost agricultural growth

Updated 3 min 54 sec ago
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Pakistan eyes olive cultivation as means to boost agricultural growth

  • The South Asian country is currently turning its focus to agriculture as a driving force for economic growth, with ambitious plans to enhance cultivation
  • With government backing, investment, and community-driven innovation, Pakistan’s olive industry seems poised to transform the agricultural landscape

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been eyeing an increase in olive cultivation to boost its agricultural growth, its national food security minister said this week, adding that it could position the country as a major player in the global olive oil market.
The South Asian country, which has been facing an economic crisis, is currently turning its focus to agriculture as a driving force for economic growth, with ambitious plans to enhance cultivation, modernize processing, and expand exports.
With government backing, financial investment, and community-driven innovation, the country’s olive industry seems poised to transform the agricultural landscape and set the stage for sustainable growth and global recognition.
Speaking at an event in Islamabad for the promotion of olive cultivation on a commercial scale, Pakistan’s National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said it would not only boost the gross domestic product, but also generate employment in rural areas.
“We will bring an increase in cultivation. We will definitely put this industry in processing and packing,” he said on Friday. “And God willing, that day will not be far when our olive oil will become popular in other countries. Because its contents, as far as I know, are very good.”

Jars of olive pickles are displayed at a stall at the Grand National Olive Gala 2024 in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 13, 2024. (AN photo)

Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and accounts for nearly half of the employed labor force in the country, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
“In the last few years, no sector had a contribution in economic growth like agriculture, which accounted for 6.5 percent of GDP,” Hussain said, emphasizing agriculture’s critical role in the country’s economy.
Pakistan’s financial and private sectors are also stepping up to support this momentum.
Muhammad Shoaib Qaisrani, vice president of the National Bank of Pakistan, shared that substantial investments were being made in the agriculture sector to boost production.
“We have disbursed Rs368 billion ($1.33 billion) into agriculture,” he shared. “With the addition of olives, we are expecting to inject another up to Rs40 billion ($144.4 million) to further support this sector.”

A customer is checking a bottle of olive oil at the Grand National Olive Gala 2024 in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 13, 2024. (AN photo)

The private sector is embracing the potential of olives, with entrepreneurs and women playing a transformative role in the country’s olive oil industry. Women-led initiatives, particularly in rural areas, have been thriving, with many women involved in producing olive-based products like soaps, cosmetics and pickles.
Aiza Imran, brand manager at Loralai Olives that cultivates and processes olives, expressed optimism about Pakistan’s position in the olive oil market.
“When we think of olive oil, we think of Italy or Spain. That’s what we are trying to do with Pakistan, and Loralai specifically, because it’s known to have the best quality oil in the region,” she said.

Participants attend the Grand National Olive Gala 2024 in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 13, 2024. (AN photo)

These ventures are not only empowering women economically but also contributing to local value addition, driving innovation and inclusivity in the industry, according to Alamgir Khan, an official at Khazana Support Organization, a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-based entity that aims to enhance capacity-building of women.
Entrepreneurs are leveraging modern techniques and creative marketing to expand the industry’s reach, fostering job creation and promoting Pakistan’s olive oil as a high-quality product in global markets. The collaborative efforts are reshaping the narrative around entrepreneurship and gender roles in agriculture.
“We have soaps, cosmetics, pickles. We have made a group of females, and they make these products,” Khan told Arab News. “They have displayed their work, showing how olives contribute to diverse industries.”
Olives are also recognized for their vast health benefits.
“From a nutritional point of view to skin cosmetics, healthy living, longevity, and anti-aging, olives are the best,” said Dr. Daud Qazi, chairman of the World Association for Regenerative Medicine, while emphasizing their versatility.


Pakistan thanks Lebanon for safely evacuating its nationals from Syria

Updated 15 December 2024
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Pakistan thanks Lebanon for safely evacuating its nationals from Syria

  • Over 300 Pakistanis safely returned home from Syria via Lebanon on Friday after Syrian government was overthrown 
  • Pakistan’s information minister meets Lebanese counterpart, says Pakistani nation stands with people of Lebanon 

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Ataullah Tarar on Sunday thanked his Lebanese counterpart for safely evacuating hundreds of Pakistani nationals from Syria this week, reaffirming Islamabad’s resolve to further strengthen ties with Beirut. 

More than 1,300 Pakistanis were stranded in Syria since last week when opposition forces seized the capital of Damascus unopposed following a lightning advance that sent Syria’s President Basha Assad fleeing to Russia last week. 

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke to his Lebanese counterpart to arrange for the safe evacuation of hundreds of Pakistani citizens from Syria. Over 300 Pakistanis stranded in Syria arrived in Islamabad from Beirut via a chartered flight on Friday. 

“Federal Minister for Information thanked the Lebanese leadership for facilitating the immediate evacuation of Pakistani citizens stranded in Syria via Beirut,” Pakistan’s information ministry said in a press release. 

Tarar arrived in Turkiye on Dec. 13 for a three-day visit to the country to take part in the Stratcom Summit 2024 in Istanbul. He met Lebanon’s Information Minister Ziad Makary in Istanbul to discuss bilateral ties between the two countries. 

Tarar noted that the Lebanese prime minister responded to the telephonic conversation between him and Sharif, and ensured assistance was provided to Pakistani evacuees. 

“Pakistan and Lebanon have brotherly and warm relations,” he said. 

Pakistan has consistently sent relief consignments to the people of Lebanon and Gaza who had suffered from Israel’s bombardment. Lebanon and Israel agreed to a ceasefire last month, ending Israeli bombardment. 

“The entire Pakistani nation stands with the people of Lebanon in this difficult time,” Tarar said. 

Makary, on the other hand, thanked Islamabad for sending relief supplies to Lebanon during Israel’s bombardment, the press release said. 

“Lebanon’s information minister reaffirmed his resolve to further strengthen ties between the two countries,” it added. 


Pakistan confirms one dead, 47 rescued as migrant boat sinks off Greece’s Gavdos island

Updated 52 min 49 sec ago
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Pakistan confirms one dead, 47 rescued as migrant boat sinks off Greece’s Gavdos island

  • Many Pakistanis undertake dangerous and illegal voyage to Europe via sea in hopes of better economic prospects
  • Pakistan’s PM vows stern expresses grief over tragedy, vows stern punishment for human traffickers involved in incident 

Islamabad: One Pakistani was killed while 47 others were rescued after a migrant boat sank off Greece’s coast this week, the foreign office confirmed on Sunday, saying it was unable to confirm the total number of persons who had died or were missing following the incident. 

The tragedy took place on Friday when a migrant boat sank off the Greek island of Gavdos, south of Crete, according to Greece’s coast guard. 

Many Pakistanis undertake the dangerous and illegal voyage to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea in hopes of securing a brighter future for themselves and their families. 

“According to initial reports, 47 Pakistanis are among those rescued following yesterday’s incidents of capsized boats in the south of Crete Island of Greece,” the foreign office said. “One Pakistani is confirmed to be among the dead.”

The foreign office said it is unable to confirm the number of deceased or missing Pakistani nationals.

“The Embassy of Pakistan in Athens is in contact with the Hellenic Coast Guard and with the Coast Guard of Chania, which are directly dealing with the search and rescue operation,” it said. 

“The Embassy officials have reached the Crete to meet with the rescued Pakistanis and provide them with any assistance required.”

The foreign ministry said it has activated its Crisis Management Unit to facilitate Pakistanis in Greece, encouraging them to contact the CMU for further details. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief at the incident, vowing stern punishment for culprits involved in trafficking humans. 

“Such persons [human traffickers] should be identified and they should be handed strict punishments so that they do not repeat such heinous crimes again,” Sharif said in a statement shared by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

“Concrete steps should be taken to prevent such incidents from happening in future,” he added.

Sharif instructed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to submit an inquiry report on the matter, describing human traffickers as a “cruel mafia” who extort money from the poor by selling them lofty dreams.

“Human trafficking is a heinous crime due to which many lives are lost and many houses are destroyed every year,” he said.

In June 2023, an estimated 350 Pakistanis were on board an overcrowded fishing boat carrying 700 migrants that sank off the coast of Greece.

Only 104 people, including 12 Pakistanis, were rescued and 82 bodies were recovered after the incident.

The episode prompted Pakistani authorities to launch a nationwide crackdown against human smugglers. 


Pakistan’s Punjab installs Smog Clean Tower in Lahore to reduce air pollution

Updated 15 December 2024
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Pakistan’s Punjab installs Smog Clean Tower in Lahore to reduce air pollution

  • Tower has capability of cleansing poisonous particles present in air, says state-run media 
  • Smog choked Punjab province for weeks last month, sickening nearly two million people

ISLAMABAD: The provincial government in Pakistan’s Punjab province has installed a Smog Clean Tower in the eastern city of Lahore to reduce air pollution, state-run media reported this week. 

Smog had choked Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province for weeks last month, sickening nearly two million people and shrouding vast swathes of the province in a toxic haze.

Last month, the province closed down schools and offices, banned outdoor activities and shortened timings for restaurants, shops and markets in a bid to control smog as Lahore consistently ranked among the world’s most polluted cities in the world. 

“Punjab Government has installed Smog Clean Tower in Lahore in collaboration with National University of Science and Technology,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. 

“It has the capability of cleansing poisonous particles present in the air and will play an important role to reduce the pollution level in the city.”

Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb described the initiative as a “revolutionary step,“saying that the use of modern technology is the need of the hour to control smog. 

“She said that this tower will prove a model for Lahore and Pakistan,” Radio Pakistan said. 

The dangerous smog is a byproduct of large numbers of vehicles, construction and industrial work as well as burning crops at the start of the winter wheat-planting season, experts say.


Third and last South Africa-Pakistan T20 washed out

Updated 15 December 2024
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Third and last South Africa-Pakistan T20 washed out

  • South Africa win series 2-0, their first bilateral series victory since August 2022
  • Both teams begin three-match ODI series on Tuesday in Paarl followed by two Tests 

JOHANNESBURG: The third and last Twenty20 between South Africa and Pakistan was washed out on Saturday at the Wanderers.

Match officials waited two hours after the scheduled late-afternoon start before abandoning the game without a ball bowled due to rain and lightning.

South Africa won 2-0, its first bilateral series victory since August 2022.

The teams begin a three-match one-day international series on Tuesday in Paarl, followed by two tests.