ISLAMABAD: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) said on Sunday it will send two trade delegations to Bangladesh from Jan. 19-20 in a bid to increase bilateral relations and economic collaboration, as both countries move to repair strained ties. 

Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war, which saw the part previously referred to as East Pakistan seceding to form the independent nation of Bangladesh.

In the years since, Bangladeshi leaders, particularly former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, chose to maintain close ties with India. Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh have warmed up since Hasina’s ouster as a result of a student-led uprising in August 2024, witnessing a marked improvement.

The TDAP said that it would send two Pakistani trade delegations focusing on the trade of date fruits and citrus between the two countries.

“The first delegation of dates comprising 13 exporters will leave for a week-long visit on Jan. 19 while the second delegation of citrus will leave for a business-to-business (B2B) meeting on Jan. 20,” the TDAP said. 

It said the business delegations aimed to explore more trade opportunities, promote business partnerships and Pakistan’s export potential in the Bangladeshi market. 

Muhammad Zubair Motiwala, TDAP chief executive, said the authority planned to organize a trade exhibition in Bangladesh where Pakistani entrepreneurs will have a chance to showcase their products. 

“Pakistan is one of the top ten importers of Bangladesh, covering sectors such as textiles, agriculture, food, chemicals and basic metals, but there is still room for further expansion of these imports,” he said. 

He said both countries have been in talks for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) since 2002, adding that it could pave the way for greater opportunities for the people of both countries. 

The development comes after Tuesday’s signing of a landmark agreement between Pakistan and Bangladeshi businesspersons to establish a joint business council between the two countries.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is also scheduled to visit Dhaka at the start of February to further consolidate the relations between the two countries.

KARACHI: Pakistan’s largest livestock exhibition featuring thousands of animals in the southern port city of Karachi has drawn more than 1.2 million visitors in the past two days, as per an official, with the three-day event set to conclude today, Sunday. 

The exhibition has been organized by the Sindh government at the city’s Expo Center. It showcases a diverse range of livestock which includes over 2,000 animals, 1,000 birds and numerous reptiles, falcons and domestic pets.

Dr. Nazeer Hussain Kalhoro, director-general of the Sindh Livestock Department, told Arab News on Saturday that the main purpose of the event was to ensure collaboration among breeders, investors and farmers.

“The motto of this Sindh livestock expo is to connect, collaborate and thrive,” Kalhoro said.

“So, we are connecting people, and then we are signing MoUs to collaborate with each other. And then finally, there will be the development when we will thrive together.”

The official said that this was set to be the “largest Pakistan expo ever we have seen,” adding that the exhibition had been visited by 0.6 million people daily since it began on Friday. 

He said the numbers were expected to increase on the last day, which was a Sunday. 

Shakir Umar Gujar, president of the Dairy & Cattle Farmers Association, said it is essential to showcase Pakistan’s livestock globally through such exhibitions. 

“At the same time, these expos help farmers learn and adopt measures to enhance their production,” he said. 

“Livestock is a crucial component of the national economy, and such exhibitions are beneficial for farmers.”

Syed Nazeer Hussain, 45, was happy his children got to learn about the various animals in the country through the expo. 

“They’ll get to see and learn about our culture, the various breeds of animals we have in Pakistan, and gain awareness while being entertained,” he told Arab News. 

Dr. Kalhoro pointed out that climate change, combined with issues such as water scarcity and outdated farming technologies, has drastically altered Pakistan’s agricultural landscape. This added to the livestock sector’s importance. 

“When we got independence in 1947, the contribution of the crop sector was about 68 percent, and the livestock sector was only 32 percent,” he said. 

“Now this has been reversed because of climate change, because of the unavailability of the water, different technologies, and the seed problem.”

This shift, he noted, is directly tied to climate variability, which has led to poor crop yields, rising costs, and an overall decline in traditional farming practices.

Livestock, on the other hand, was thriving and the provincial government was trying to use it to generate capital for the country.

“Pakistan is having 225 million herds of livestock farmed livestock,” Dr. Kalhoro said. “It means that we are now harboring the third largest herd of milk-based or meat-based animals in the world,” he said. 

Muhammad Mikael Abbas, a student of grade five, was quite enthralled with the exhibition’s offering. 

“I saw cows, goats, sheep, dogs, parrots, and birds of all breeds,” Abbas said. “It was really enjoyable, and we’re still exploring to see what else might be here. 

“We’ll check everything out.”