黑料社区

Pakistan hosts Olive Summit to boost cultivation, attract investment in emerging oil sector

Pakistan hosts Olive Summit to boost cultivation, attract investment in emerging oil sector
Customer visit a stall selling olive products at the Grand National Olive Gala 2024 in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 13, 2024. (AN photo/File)
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Updated 22 min 9 sec ago

Pakistan hosts Olive Summit to boost cultivation, attract investment in emerging oil sector

Pakistan hosts Olive Summit to boost cultivation, attract investment in emerging oil sector
  • Experts say Pakistan could generate $3 billion annually from olive oil at full potential
  • Only 55,000 acres developed out of 10 million suitable for olive farming, officials say

KARACHI: Pakistan鈥檚 agriculture experts and industry stakeholders gathered in Islamabad on Tuesday for the Pakistan Olive Summit 2.0, aimed at accelerating investment and innovation in the country鈥檚 emerging olive sector, which officials say could generate billions in export revenue.

The event, organized by Al Baraka Bank (Pakistan) Limited in collaboration with the National Alliance for Safe Food, brought together policymakers, researchers, and international representatives from countries including Turkiye, 黑料社区, Italy, Bahrain, Spain, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

According to data shared at the summit, Pakistan has around 10 million acres of cultivable land suitable for olive farming, of which only 55,000 acres have been developed so far. Out of a total requirement of 1.3 billion olive plants, about 7 million have been planted. At full production capacity, the sector could generate over $3 billion annually through olive oil exports, officials said.

鈥淭his initiative is not just about cultivating olives, it鈥檚 about cultivating opportunity, resilience, and prosperity,鈥 said Muhammad Atif Hanif, CEO of Al Baraka Bank Pakistan, adding that the bank was committed to 鈥渆mpowering farmers, promoting agricultural sustainability, and enabling rural economic transformation through dedicated financing solutions and strategic global partnerships.鈥

Rana Tanveer Hussain, Pakistan鈥檚 Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, attended the summit as chief guest and called for greater private-sector participation to expand olive cultivation and reduce the country鈥檚 dependence on imported edible oils.

The summit emphasized value chain development, farmer training, and investment incentives as key to transforming the crop into a major source of export revenue and rural employment.

Pakistan currently spends more than $3 billion annually on edible oil imports, according to government data. The olive sector has been highlighted as a potential alternative, particularly in the northwestern and Potohar regions, where climate conditions are favorable for cultivation.


Punjab imposes mask mandate as toxic smog chokes Lahore, world鈥檚 second most polluted city

Punjab imposes mask mandate as toxic smog chokes Lahore, world鈥檚 second most polluted city
Updated 52 min 41 sec ago

Punjab imposes mask mandate as toxic smog chokes Lahore, world鈥檚 second most polluted city

Punjab imposes mask mandate as toxic smog chokes Lahore, world鈥檚 second most polluted city
  • Lahore ranked world鈥檚 second most polluted city during the day trailing New Delhi
  • The city has started using anti-smog guns which the government says are effective

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Pakistan鈥檚 eastern Punjab province have made face masks mandatory for traffic police and sanitation workers as smog levels worsen in Lahore and other cities, according to an official statement on Tuesday.

Punjab, and its capital Lahore, face a recurring 鈥渟mog season鈥 from October to February, driven by crop-residue burning, vehicular and industrial emissions and stagnant winter weather conditions. The hazy blanket has previously pushed the Air Quality Index (AQI) above 300 in Lahore, a hazardous level that forced school and office closures in November 2024.

As of 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, Lahore ranked as the second most polluted city in the world with an AQI of 174, just behind New Delhi鈥檚 197, while Karachi placed ninth with 123, according to the World Air Quality Index.

鈥淲earing masks has been made mandatory for traffic police and Suthra Punjab teams in the province under the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif,鈥 the Punjab government said in a statement, adding that senior officers had been instructed to ensure strict compliance.

Lahore, a city of around 14 million people, has begun using anti-smog guns for the first time this month in an effort to reduce airborne pollutants. Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a social media post last week the initiative had helped decrease air pollution by 70 percent, citing data from the city鈥檚 environmental monitoring system.

She shared a video showing anti-smog trucks spraying fine water mist across major roads to help settle dust and other particulate matter.

Punjab residents have, in the past, spent months breathing concentrations of PM2.5, microscopic particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, at levels more than 20 times higher than World Health Organization recommendations.

Smog can cause sore throats, eye irritation and respiratory illness, while long-term exposure increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and lung cancer.

Children are particularly vulnerable due to higher breathing rates and weaker immune systems.

Pakistani authorities also warned wind patterns on Tuesday showed smog-laden air drifting from Amritsar toward Lahore and Faisalabad at 5 km/h, from Ludhiana toward Sahiwal and from Haryana toward southern Punjab, including Burewala, Bahawalpur and Multan.


黑料社区鈥檚 KSrelief launches livestock project to empower vulnerable families in Pakistan

黑料社区鈥檚 KSrelief launches livestock project to empower vulnerable families in Pakistan
Updated 21 October 2025

黑料社区鈥檚 KSrelief launches livestock project to empower vulnerable families in Pakistan

黑料社区鈥檚 KSrelief launches livestock project to empower vulnerable families in Pakistan
  • Initiative supports 2,500 rural households across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with livestock and training
  • Program aims to improve food security, income generation, resilience among disaster-affected families

ISLAMABAD: 黑料社区鈥檚 King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has launched a project in Pakistan鈥檚 northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to strengthen livelihoods and boost food security for vulnerable rural households through livestock distribution and training programs, the organization said on Tuesday.

The initiative, titled 鈥淓conomic Empowerment of Vulnerable Households in Pakistan through Livestock Provision,鈥 is being implemented in partnership with the province鈥檚 Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department (RRSD), the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), and local partner Peace and Development Organization (PADO). 

The initiative aims to reduce poverty and promote self-reliance among families affected by economic hardship and past natural disasters by providing livestock, poultry and practical training in animal care and small-scale income generation.

鈥淭his project reflects the strong brotherly ties between the Kingdom of 黑料社区 and Pakistan and demonstrates KSrelief鈥檚 ongoing commitment to empowering vulnerable communities and promoting sustainable livelihoods,鈥 Abdullah Al-Baqami, Director of KSrelief Pakistan, said in a statement. 

Under the program, families across multiple districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will receive livestock and specialized training to help them generate sustainable income. 

Beneficiaries in Chitral and Dir will be given goats, those in Swat, Swabi, Haripur and Mansehra will receive poultry kits, while selected families in Charsadda, Mardan and Nowshera will be provided cattle and dairy production training through the provincial Livestock Department.

Noor ul Amin, Additional Secretary of the Relief and Rehabilitation Department and chief guest at the launch on Tuesday, praised the Kingdom鈥檚 鈥済enerous support鈥 and acknowledged the collaboration between KSrelief, PADO, and the Livestock Department, saying it would 鈥渉elp improve food security and create livelihood opportunities for rural families.鈥

黑料社区, through KSrelief, has been one of Pakistan鈥檚 largest humanitarian partners, contributing to flood recovery, health, education and livelihood programs across the country. The livestock project expands that cooperation by helping rural households in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province frequently affected by floods and displacement, to rebuild economic stability and reduce dependence on aid.

With around 1.8 million rural households relying on agriculture and livestock as a primary source of income, the project is expected to provide a vital safety net for families in remote areas, enabling them to earn sustainable income, improve nutrition and build resilience against future economic and climate shocks, according to KSrelief.


Pakistan鈥檚 ABHI, UAE鈥檚 Al Fardan Exchange launch salary advance service for migrant workers

Pakistan鈥檚 ABHI, UAE鈥檚 Al Fardan Exchange launch salary advance service for migrant workers
Updated 21 October 2025

Pakistan鈥檚 ABHI, UAE鈥檚 Al Fardan Exchange launch salary advance service for migrant workers

Pakistan鈥檚 ABHI, UAE鈥檚 Al Fardan Exchange launch salary advance service for migrant workers
  • New initiative lets UAE Wages Protection System customers access up to 50 percent of earned income
  • Fintech-exchange partnership aims to promote financial inclusion for underbanked expat workers

KARACHI: Pakistan-origin fintech ABHI has partnered with the UAE鈥檚 Al Fardan Exchange to launch a salary-advance service that allows migrant workers to access up to half of their earned income before payday in a move designed to improve cash-flow flexibility for millions of expatriates, the companies said on Tuesday. 

The collaboration, the first of its kind between a Pakistani fintech and a UAE exchange house, seeks to boost financial inclusion across the Gulf by offering underbanked and unbanked workers digital access to short-term liquidity. The service, available through AlfaPay, Al Fardan Exchange鈥檚 app and its network of more than 90 branches, combines ABHI鈥檚 earned-wage-access technology with Al Fardan鈥檚 long-established remittance infrastructure.

ABHI, founded in 2021 and backed by Hub71 and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), operates across the GCC and has processed more than $500 million in transactions through partnerships with over 5,000 companies. 

鈥淭he launch of Salary Advance is a milestone in our mission to champion financial inclusion and deliver solutions that truly make a positive impact on people鈥檚 lives,鈥 said Hasan Fardan Al Fardan, CEO of Al Fardan Exchange. 鈥淏y giving customers the ability to access their wages early, we are empowering them with financial flexibility and the means to support their families anytime.鈥

Omar Ansari, Co-founder and CEO of Abhi Middle East Limited, added: 鈥淭his partnership with Al Fardan Exchange is not just a partnership but a transformation in how workers experience financial autonomy. By becoming the first exchange in the UAE to go live with ABHI鈥檚 earned-wage-access, we are redefining the way income and remittances work for millions of expatriates.鈥

Together, the two companies say the initiative will reshape how low-income earners manage wages and remittances, strengthening household resilience and setting a benchmark for inclusive, technology-driven financial services across the region.

With around 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates living and working in the UAE 鈥 one of the largest expat communities in the Gulf 鈥 the new salary advance program could bring significant benefits. 

Many of these workers are employed in low- and middle-income sectors and rely on monthly remittances to support families back home. By giving them access to earned wages before payday, the initiative is expected to reduce reliance on informal borrowing, prevent debt cycles, and enable more timely remittances to Pakistan, where foreign inflows from overseas workers are a crucial source of national income.


Keshav Maharaj takes seven as South Africa dismiss Pakistan for 333

Keshav Maharaj takes seven as South Africa dismiss Pakistan for 333
Updated 21 October 2025

Keshav Maharaj takes seven as South Africa dismiss Pakistan for 333

Keshav Maharaj takes seven as South Africa dismiss Pakistan for 333
  • Shan Masood led Pakistan鈥檚 innings with 87 before a lower-order collapse
  • South Africa were 9-0 at lunch, replying on day two of the Rawalpindi Test

RAWALPINDI: Spinner Keshav Maharaj took seven wickets as world champions South Africa dismissed Pakistan for 333 in the second and final Test in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

The hosts resumed day two on 259-5 but Maharaj ran through their batting with figures of 7-102, his 12th haul of five wickets or more in Tests.

Shan Masood, the captain, top-scored for Pakistan with 87.

South Africa were 9-0 at lunch in their reply.

Pakistan reached 316 untroubled when Maharaj broke through the defense of Salman Agha, trapping him leg-before for 45 to give South Africa hopes of wrapping up the innings quickly.

Agha hit five fours and added 70 for the sixth wicket with Saud Shakeel.

Shakeel looked steady and reached his 10th half-century with a couple off Maharaj.

But the spinner had him caught in the slips for 66 and it triggered a mini collapse.

Maharaj bowled Shaheen Shah Afridi for nought, completing his first five-wicket haul against Pakistan.

Maharaj wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Sajid Khan (five) and Asif Afridi (four) as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 17 runs.

Pakistan are attempting to sweep the two-match series after winning the first Test, in Lahore, by 93 runs.


Pakistan鈥檚 Punjab announces $352 million package for flood victims

Pakistan鈥檚 Punjab announces $352 million package for flood victims
Updated 21 October 2025

Pakistan鈥檚 Punjab announces $352 million package for flood victims

Pakistan鈥檚 Punjab announces $352 million package for flood victims
  • Floods in Punjab during late August killed over 130 people, affected over 1.2 million acres of land
  • Punjab ruling party says 73 percent of flood damages survey across the province has been completed

ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of Pakistan鈥檚 most populous Punjab province this week announced her government would provide Rs100 billion [$352 million] in financial assistance for victims of this year鈥檚 monsoon floods, vowing to ensure transparency and merit in its distribution. 

Unusually heavy rains exacerbated by climate change and excess floodwaters released by dams in India caused cataclysmic floods in Punjab in late August. The deluges killed over 130 people and affected over 4.5 million others, forcing the provincial government to evacuate more than 2.6 million people from high-risk areas. 

Nationwide, deadly monsoon rains and floods killed over 1,000 people and 22,000 livestock since late June and washed away over 2.2 million acres of crops, as per data from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Pakistan鈥檚 government has said it is estimating economic damages inflicted by the deadly rains and floods via surveys to mitigate losses.

鈥淎nd now that billions of rupees, around Rs100 billion [$352 million] that we are about to give for your rehabilitation, for the construction of your houses, for the losses of your crops, for the losses of your animals, this is also being done through Punjab鈥檚 own resources,鈥 Nawaz told people gathered at a camp in the eastern city of Okara set up for flood victims. 

The chief minister kicked off the provincial government鈥檚 Flood Rehabilitation Program by distributing cheques and ATM cards among floods victims in the city on Monday. 

Nawaz鈥檚 Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which is in power in Punjab, said around Rs96 million [$335,600] were disbursed to 500 flood victims in Depalpur tehsil on Monday. 

The party said 73 percent of the flood damages survey has been completed across Punjab, adding that it was expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

The PML-N said a total of 446,697 survey entries have been completed across Punjab, revealing that over 1.2million acres of land and 131,309 houses had been affected by the floods.

It said 5,805 鈥渓arge鈥 animals and 2,097 sheep and goats perished due to the deluges.