KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan said on Thursday it had granted a nationwide microfinance banking license to Halan Microfinance Bank Limited, a subsidiary of MNT-Halan, one of Egypt’s largest microfinance companies.
MNT-Halan acquired Advans Pakistan Microfinance Bank in March 2024 and rebranded it as Halan Microfinance Bank. Halan focuses on digital banking, mobile wallets, cards, and a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platform.
“The State Bank of Pakistan has granted a Nation-wide microfinance banking license to Halan Microfinance Bank Limited with effect from June 03, 2025,” the bank said in a statement.
“The MFB has recently been acquired by MNT-Halan, Egypt’s leading fintech company having global presence, offering business and consumer lending, digital payments and e-commerce solutions to the underserved and underbanked.”
Since the acquisition, Halan has served Pakistan’s southern Sindh province with a range of financial services for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The fintech has a network of 19 branches.
Halan Microfinance Bank pledged a $10 million investment in 2025 to drive expansion across Pakistan, reinforcing its presence in the country’s financial sector.
MNT-Halan was founded in 2018 and serves over eight million customers, including over a million borrowers. It holds a significant market share of 25 percent in Egypt. The fintech initially started as a ride-hailing service but has since evolved into a digital financial services provider, offering a range of financial services through their app, including lending, payments, e-commerce, and more.
KARACHI: Pakistan Navy has launched a mangrove plantation drive along the country’s southern coast, its Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) said on Sunday, amid Pakistan’s push for environmental restoration.
Mangrove forests have a critical role in combating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and protecting coastal communities from erosion and natural disasters, environmental experts say.
The latest campaign was launched in collaboration with the forest departments of Pakistan’s Sindh and Balochistan provinces as well as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), according to the DGPR.
Coast Commander Rear Admiral Faisal Amin launched the drive by planting a sapling and said the campaign aims to promote environmental awareness and strengthen coastal resilience.
“The mangrove plantation campaign is part of Pakistan Navy’s environmental protection program, under which the Navy has planted 8.7 million mangroves from Shah Bandar to Jiwani,” the DGPR said.
Pakistan ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations. The downstream flow of water into its Indus delta has decreased by 80 percent since the 1950s as a result of irrigation canals, hydropower dams and the impacts of climate change on glacial and snow melt, according to a 2018 study by the US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water. That has led to devastating seawater intrusion.
Due to this decline in flow of fresh water, Sindh forest authorities launched an extensive reforestation drive in the 1990s and planted harder, salt-tolerant mangrove species such as Avicennia marina, Aegiceras corniculatum, Rhizophora mucronata and Ceriops tagal. As a result, the Indus delta now boasts one of the largest arid climate mangrove forests in the world.
These plantation drives have also created employment opportunities for the local populace, according to the DGPR.
“Marine conservation and sustainable development are integral to Pakistan Navy’s environmental initiatives, and this campaign stands as a testament to the Navy’s unwavering commitment to preserving the country’s coastal environment for future generations,” it added.
Strings of identity: Kashmir’s fading music endures
In the 1950s, Indian musician Shivkumar Sharma introduced the santoor in classical music and it became a celebrated voice
The traditional instrument faced challenges as Western instruments and global music trends began to overshadow local sounds
Updated 28 September 2025
AFP
SRINAGAR: In a modest workshop filled with the fragrance of seasoned wood, 78-year-old Ghulam Mohammad Zaz continues a craft his family has preserved for eight generations — the making of the Kashmiri santoor.
Surrounded by tools that have outlived artisans, he works slowly, each strike and polish echoing centuries of tradition crafting the musical instrument.
“Seven generations have worked and I am the eighth; I have no guarantee anyone after me will do this work,” Zaz said softly, speaking in Kashmiri.
Once, several of his family members shared this craft in the heart of Kashmir’s main city Srinagar, in the Indian-administered part of the Himalayan territory.
Today, he is the last in the city to make the instruments by hand.
“If I tell anyone to make something, they won’t know what to do or how to make it,” said Zaz, who produces around eight to 10 instruments every year, selling for around 50,000 rupees ($565) each.
“It is not as simple as just picking some wood — one needs to find the right kind of wood.”
In this photograph taken on September 23, 2025, artisan Ghulam Mohammad Zaz speaks as he takes a break while making the Santoor instrument at his home in Srinagar. (AFP)
The santoor, a hundred-stringed zither-like instrument played with hammers, has long been central to Kashmir’s musical identity, giving the Muslim-majority region its cultural distinctiveness.
The contested Himalayan territory has been divided between India and Pakistan since independence from Britain in 1947.
Militants have fought Indian rule, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.
Tensions remain high between New Delhi and Islamabad.
In May, clashes between the nuclear-armed rivals sparked the worst fighting since 1999, killing more than 70 people in missile, drone and artillery exchanges.
MYSTICAL MUSIC
Historically, the santoor formed the backbone of ” Sufiana music,” Kashmir’s mystical music tradition, with its hypnotic and reverberating sound bringing tranquility.
“Musicians used to come from Iran to Kashmir, they used to play santoor and other instruments,” said Muzaffar Bhat, a music professor at a government college in Anantnag.
“They used to sing in Persian... we adapted the santoor from them and assimilated it into our music.”
The instrument received a new life in the 20th century.
In the 1950s, celebrated Indian musician Shivkumar Sharma — born in Jammu and Kashmir in 1938 — used the santoor to play classical music.
“Due to that, this became popularised in the classical circles throughout India,” Bhat said.
Suddenly, the santoor was no longer confined to Kashmiri sufiana gatherings — it had become a celebrated voice in Indian classical music.
Yet tradition faced challenges as Western instruments and global music trends began to overshadow local sounds.
In this photograph taken on September 23, 2025, artisan Ghulam Mohammad Zaz makes the Santoor instrument at his home in Srinagar. (AFP)
“A lot of our traditional Kashmiri instruments became sidelined,” said Bhat.
For craftsmen like Zaz, this meant fewer patrons, fewer students, and the slow decline of a centuries-old family profession.
Zaz sells his instruments in Kashmir, but also receives orders from Europe and the Middle East.
But there is hope. A revival, however modest, is taking root.
“Since the last few years, a new trend has started,” Bhat said. “Our youngsters have started to learn our traditional instruments.”
ISLAMABAD: Hajj applicants can seek a refund or nominate a blood relative to perform the next year’s pilgrimage in their stead if they are unable to proceed further due to any emergencies, Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry announced on Sunday, in major relief for intending pilgrims.
Pakistan has been allocated a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2026. Of these, around 118,000 seats have been allocated to the government scheme and the rest to private tour operators.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s religious affairs minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said the country has filled its entire quota of 179,210 Hajj pilgrims under both the government and private schemes.
Under the government scheme, applicants deposited a first installment of Rs500,000 ($1,764) or Rs550,000 ($1,941) depending on the package in August while the remaining dues will be collected in November.
“The ministry has uploaded the forms on its website for refund or nominating a substitute for any of the 118,000 government scheme Hajj pilgrims who have already submitted their first installment but are unable to travel due to death or any other serious and valid reason,” Muhammad Umer Butt, a religious affairs ministry spokesperson, told Arab News.
Such applicants may request a refund before paying the second installment or nominate a blood relative, according to Butt. This facility was available because visas or bookings have not been finalized at this stage, giving the ministry time to manage such cases.
“The form outlines certain conditions that must be fulfilled for a substitute, and for refunds, solid reasons must be provided,” he said. “However, if more time passes and the ministry has already spent money on the applicants, those expenses will be deducted from the refund.”
He said deductions are only made when preparations are in advanced stages and someone withdraws, but at present, applicants can claim their full amount by providing a valid reason.
“Valid reasons include death of an applicant, illness or other health issues, or an unavoidable commitment such as examinations that became known after the application was filed,” the spokesperson added.
According to the form seen by Arab News, the ministry will evaluate the case once submitted and upon approval, issue an authority letter for refund which the applicant can present to the bank to receive the payment.
Last year, around 63,000 Pakistani pilgrims were unable to perform Hajj under the private scheme due to delays in payments and mismanagement by private Hajj operators. As a result, Islamabad was forced to surrender these slots to .
For the private scheme, the spokesperson said, the ministry has instructed operators to give priority to more than 21,000 pilgrims who could not perform the pilgrimage last year.
“They have been given Oct. 17 deadline to complete bookings so that Saudi timelines can be met,” Butt said, adding that private operators have already uploaded data for over 24,000 pilgrims on the ministry’s portal, and the remaining entries will be completed before the deadline.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s bilateral trade with Central Asian states and Afghanistan increased to $2.41 billion during the last fiscal year, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported this week, citing the need for Islamabad to enhance regional connectivity for greater economic stability.
Pakistan has undertaken steps in recent months to boost regional connectivity and trade links with Central Asian states and Afghanistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Azerbaijan and Tajikistan this year as Islamabad attempts to build trade corridors to ensure sustainable economic growth.
Islamabad has also called for peace and stability in Afghanistan, stressing that law and order in the neighboring country will help regional trade flourish.
“Pakistan’s bilateral trade with Central Asian states, along with Afghanistan and Azerbaijan, surged to $2.41 billion in FY25, showing a sharp increase from $1.92 billion in the previous fiscal year,” the APP reported on Saturday.
It said Pakistan’s exports to these countries surged to $1.77 billion while imports were recorded at $641 million. The state media said these numbers reflect a “clear recovery” from FY24, when exports were recorded at $1.34 billion and imports reached $581 million.
“Afghanistan continues to dominate as Pakistan’s largest trading partner in the region, with exports rising to $1.39 billion and imports reaching $612.5 million,” the report said.
It said Kazakhstan has also emerged as “a significant partner,” with exports from Pakistan increasing to $250.8 million. Uzbekistan followed with $91.4 million in exports and $20.3 million in imports in FY25.
Other countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan maintained “smaller yet consistent shares” in bilateral trade, the state media said.
“The regional trade context highlights enormous untapped potential. Central Asian countries managed a massive $318.01 billion in global trade during FY24, yet Pakistan’s share in this remains under $0.5 billion,” the report said.
It said the Pakistan-Central Asia transit trade stood at $410 million in fiscal year 2025, signaling growing reliance on Pakistan’s corridors for regional connectivity.
“Experts underline that while the current trade growth is encouraging, Pakistan’s real opportunity lies in establishing direct connectivity and strategic trade routes with the Central Asian bloc,” the report concluded.
Ever since it almost defaulted on its loans in June 2023, Pakistan has sought to establish closer economic ties with regional countries. Sharif established the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in 2023 to fast-track decisions related to investment in priority sectors such as IT, minerals, agriculture, livestock and tourism, among others.
ISLAMABAD: Two Chinese relief flights carrying humanitarian assistance for Pakistan’s flood victims arrived on Sunday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said, praising the gesture as a reflection of the warm ties between the two countries.
Heavy monsoon rains and excess water released by Indian dams have killed over 130 people in Pakistan’s Punjab province since late August. The deluges also destroyed thousands of acres of crops, affected over 4.5 million people and forced authorities to evacuate over 2.5 million people to safer locations.
“Two Chinese relief flights carrying 300 tents and 9,000 blankets landed today at Nur Khan Air Base, Rawalpindi, to support families displaced by the recent floods,” the NDMA said in a statement.
“This gesture underscores China’s enduring solidarity with Pakistan in times of difficulty.”
The disaster management authority said the assistance will help augment the NDMA’s relief support for Punjab’s flood-affected areas.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister Amir Muqam received the items at the air base, along with NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik and China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Jian Zaidong. Senior officials of the NDMA and the Pakistani foreign ministry were also present on the occasion.
Muqam thanked the people and government of China for their “prompt support,” noting that the assistance will bring much-needed relief to thousands of flood-affected families.
The minister said Pakistan is mobilizing all available resources to ensure swift relief and recovery efforts in the flood-hit areas, the disaster management authority said.
“The minister reaffirmed the Government of Pakistan’s resolve, in coordination with NDMA and with the support of friendly countries like China, to overcome the challenges posed by the floods and ensure the rehabilitation of the affected population,” the statement said.
The relief items arrived days after the Chinese embassy announced on Friday that Beijing would offer Pakistan humanitarian items worth $14 million.
This was in addition to Beijing extending $2 million in emergency assistance to Islamabad last month to deal with the deadly floods.
Monsoon season brings Pakistan up to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, but increasingly erratic and extreme weather patterns are turning the annual rains, which are vital for agriculture, food security and the livelihoods of millions of farmers, into a destructive force.
The disaster revived memories of the 2022 deluges, when a third of the country was submerged, over 1,700 people were killed and losses exceeded $35 billion.
This year, Pakistan has reported over 1,000 deaths nationwide from rain-related incidents since Jun. 26.
