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Pakistani-American investors pledge $20 million for Pakistan’s IT sector at California conference

Pakistani-American investors pledge $20 million for Pakistan’s IT sector at California conference
Pakistani-American investors attend Pakistan-US Tech Investment Conference in California on November 11, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Embassy US)
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Updated 12 November 2024
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Pakistani-American investors pledge $20 million for Pakistan’s IT sector at California conference

Pakistani-American investors pledge $20 million for Pakistan’s IT sector at California conference
  • Investment conference draws IT firms, venture capitalists and tech professionals from Pakistani diaspora
  • Pakistan’s IT exports face significant challenges from Internet connectivity issues due to firewall installations
Updated 12 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: A recently held Pakistan-US Tech Investment Conference in California yielded initial commitments of over $20 million by US-based companies led by Pakistani American entrepreneurs, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported this week, describing the development as a “pivotal moment” for the country’s information technology sector.
The event was inaugurated by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh on Sunday and was organized by the Pakistani Consulate in Los Angeles. It was supported by Pakistan’s Ministry of IT & Telecom, Ministry of Commerce, Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).
The conference was held at Stanford University and drew a broad range of participants, including IT firms, venture capitalists, tech professionals and prominent members of the Pakistani diaspora, the APP reported. Government officials and journalists were also in attendance. 
“A Pakistan-US Tech Investment Conference, held in California, on Sunday, marked a pivotal moment for Pakistan’s IT sector with an initial commitment of over $20 million by American companies led by Pakistani-American entrepreneurs,” APP reported on Monday. 




Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh speaks during Pakistan-US Tech Investment Conference in California on November 11, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Embassy US)

Pakistan’s IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to advancing the IT sector and achieving an ambitious $25 billion export target during her keynote address. She highlighted strategic initiatives fostering an investor-friendly environment, urging the Pakistani diaspora to seize these opportunities, the state-run media said. 
“Ms. Khawaja said Pakistan’s IT sector was thriving, with exports already exceeding $3 billion,” APP said. “She noted that the government remained fully committed to supporting the IT industry, fostering innovation, and ensuring that the momentum continues to fuel both technological and economic progress.”




Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh (3L), sitting with Pakistan-American investors, speaks during a press briefing at the Pakistan-US Tech Investment Conference in California on November 11, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Embassy US)

The conference featured projects in diverse areas including artificial intelligence, fintech, health tech, e-commerce and software development. These initiatives were aimed at generating employment, attracting foreign investment and seamlessly integrating Pakistan’s IT landscape into the global market.
Sheikh urged American businesses to explore Pakistan’s vibrant market and called on the Pakistani-American tech community to act as a bridge for deeper economic collaboration between the two countries. He also addressed common misconceptions, reaffirming Pakistan’s reputation as a flourishing investment destination which he said was also being recognized at the global level.
The PSEB delegation, led by its chief executive officer, included 11 Pakistani startups. A representative from the US State Department’s economic team for Pakistan also attended the event, reinforcing bilateral support from Washington, the state media said. 




Participants gesture for a group photo with Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh during Pakistan-US Tech Investment Conference in California on November 11, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Embassy US)

While Pakistan collaborates with countries such as Saudi Arabia and others in IT frequently, its IT exports face significant challenges due to Internet connectivity issues stemming from firewall installations to regulate content and social media platforms. This hinders local tech firms’ ability to communicate with international clients and results in delayed deliveries, loss of business opportunities and a tarnished reputation for Pakistan’s IT industry, ultimately stifling growth and costing millions of rupees in losses.

Topics: Pakistan US Ties Pakistan IT industry Pakistani investors

Pakistan joins world leaders in condemnation of Israel on D-8 summit sidelines

Pakistan joins world leaders in condemnation of Israel on D-8 summit sidelines
Updated 12 sec ago
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Pakistan joins world leaders in condemnation of Israel on D-8 summit sidelines

Pakistan joins world leaders in condemnation of Israel on D-8 summit sidelines
  • Pakistani PM Sharif, Turkish President Erdogan and Iranian President Pezeshkian discuss Gaza in separate meetings
  • More than 46,000 people including women and children have been killed during the 14-month war in Palestine
Updated 12 sec ago
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has joined world leaders in condemning Israel’s ongoing military offensives in the Middle East as he attended a summit of D-98 developing nations in Cairo this week, his office said. 

On the sidelines of the forum, Sharif separately met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian after a special session was held on the conflict in the Middle East, where over 46,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, have been killed since Israel launched its war against Hamas in Gaza in October last year. Israel has since carried out attacks on Lebanon as well, killing over 3,000 after accusing Hezbollah of targeting its military. This month, it took control of Syria’s buffer zone and bombed key military and strategic assets after the overthrow of the Bashar Assad regime by opposition forces.

“While condemning the Israeli genocidal actions against the innocent Palestinians, particularly the worsening situation since Oct. 7, 2023, the two leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate aspirations for a promised homeland,” Sharif’s office said in a statement after he held a bilateral meeting with Erdogan.

Sharif also separately met with Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the D-8 summit.

“Both leaders showed grave concern at the genocide of innocent Palestinians by Israel and agreed to continue raising their voice for the oppressed Palestinians,” the PM Office said in another press release. “The PM reiterated that Pakistan stands in complete solidarity with their brothers and sisters from Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.”

Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other multilateral platforms and demanded international powers and bodies stop Israeli military actions. 

Islamabad does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and has for decades called for an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Topics: Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif Gaza Palestine Israel D-8 summit

Pakistan in good shape for Champions Trophy after winning ODI series in South Africa

Pakistan in good shape for Champions Trophy after winning ODI series in South Africa
Updated 9 min 5 sec ago
AP
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Pakistan in good shape for Champions Trophy after winning ODI series in South Africa

Pakistan in good shape for Champions Trophy after winning ODI series in South Africa
  • Rizwan and Azam’s half-centuries along with Afridi’s 4-wicket haul sealed Pakistan’s 81-run victory
  • Pakistan will play their last match of the ODI series against South Africa on Sunday in Johannesburg
Updated 9 min 5 sec ago
AP

CAPE TOWN: Pakistan won a second straight major one-day international series away from home when it beat South Africa by 81 runs at Newlands on Thursday.

After beating Australia 2-1 last month, Pakistan has taken the Proteas 2-0 with a game to spare. Half-centuries by Babar Azam, captain Mohammad Rizwan and allrounder Kamran Ghulam staked Pakistan to 329 all out.

Heinrich Klaasen hit 97 but South Africa’s chase was strangled by Pakistan, and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi ended the last meaningful resistance with three wickets in three overs. Klaasen was the last man out on 248 in the 44th over.

Pakistan’s fifth successive bilateral ODI series win puts it in good stead for the Champions Trophy it will host in February.

South African wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen, left, watches as Pakistans Babar Aam plays a shot during the second ODI International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan in Cape Town, South Africa, on December 19, 2024. (AP)

It was unchanged from the three-wicket win on Tuesday in Paarl, made to bat first, and minus both openers in the first 10 overs.

Rizwan was smashed on the back of his helmet by debutant pacer Kwena Maphaka but gathered his senses with Azam in a steady but safe stand of 115.

The partnership was broken when Azam was caught at midwicket for 73 off 95 balls, his first half-century in any format for Pakistan since May, and his first in ODIs in 13 months.

When Rizwan followed three overs later for 80 off 82, caught and bowled by Maphaka when he was accelerating, Pakistan was forced to reset at 192-4 with 14 overs to go.

Amid four dropped catches by South Africa, Ghulam piled more misery on the host by smashing a 25-ball half-century on his fifth six. Ghulam was the last batter out for 63 off 32, the main plunderer as Pakistan scored 105 runs off the last 10 overs.

“Kamran Ghulam’s innings was absolutely fantastic,” Rizwan said. “We were looking for 300 but we got 300-plus, must give credit to him. I had trust in him but not like that ... that was something different.”

Pakistan wicketkeeper Muhammad Rizwan watches as South African batsman Heinrich Klaasen plays a shot during the second one day International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan in Cape Town, South Africa, on December 19, 2024. (AP)

Set 330 to win, openers Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi gave South Africa a promising start in the first 12 overs.

But spinners Abrar Ahmed and part-timer Salman Agha chipped out three top-order wickets and slowed the scoring so the run rate required gradually climbed.

Klaasen and the fit-again David Miller were reviving the chase and starting to charge when Miller was caught behind off Shaheen for 29, ending a stand of 72 runs in 12 overs with Klaasen.

Klaasen soldiered on, out three runs short of a fifth ODI century, as Shaheen grabbed 4-47 and fellow pacer Naseem Shah took 3-37.

The last ODI is on Sunday in Johannesburg.

Topics: Pakistan Babar Azam Champions Trophy 2025 ODI series Arab News Pakistan

Fire-grilled fish sajji is a sensation in Pakistan’s Sanghar city and beyond

Fire-grilled fish sajji is a sensation in Pakistan’s Sanghar city and beyond
Updated 13 min 33 sec ago
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Fire-grilled fish sajji is a sensation in Pakistan’s Sanghar city and beyond

Fire-grilled fish sajji is a sensation in Pakistan’s Sanghar city and beyond
  • Lamb or chicken sajji is popular in Sindh, Balochistan provinces but humble food stall has reimaged recipe with rohu fish 
  • Social media influencers and word of mouth popularity have helped put shop’s unique fish sajji on culinary map of Pakistan
Updated 13 min 33 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

SANGHAR: The glow of a crackling fire flickered from the humble food stall as dusk fell earlier this month over the small town of Sanghar in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.

With no proper structure to speak of, the shop of Abdul Jabbar Mallah has little more than skewers, some chairs and the expertise of chefs who have honed their craft over decades, popularizing a type of slow-cooked fish sajji that draws customers from Sanghar and beyond. 

Sajji is usually made of lamb or chicken marinated in simple spices and slow roasted over an open flame to preserve natural flavors. Here in Sanghar, the classic recipe has been reimagined with rohu fish, a freshwater carp prized for its tender meat.

“It has been more than 20 to 25 years since I’ve been doing this work,” Mallah told Arab News last week as he skewered fish on wooden rods which he stuck into the ground in a circle around a fire to roast for two hours.

“The specialty of this sajji is that it is made from freshwater [fish]. Second thing is that no oil is used, it is dry, it is made without water, without oil. So, when people sit down to eat, even a two-kilogram piece of fish can be eaten by one person.”

The spices, a harmonious mix of coriander, white cumin and black pepper, add to the dish’s distinct flavor, with Mallah saying he avoided using city-bought spices when preparing the fish, which retails for $4.5 a kilogram. The smallest order is 2kg.

“This is why its taste is unique. People love eating local fish in local spices,” he said.

Mallah humbly acknowledged it was not him who invented the dish but his mentors, Ata Muhammad and Rajab Ali.

“My masters used to make it, and I learned from them,” he said, recounting famous clients like Pir Pagaro, an influential spiritual leader of the region whose forces fought against the British and who later played a role in Pakistani politics. Jam Sadiq Ali, a former Sindh chief minister in the early 1990s, was another top client who also ordered Mallah’s fish sajji for his son’s wedding.

Today, the popularity of Mallah’s innovatio has spread beyond the confines of Sanghar. Though the chef has been cooking fish for over two decades, visits by food and travel vloggers in recent years have made his sajji a culinary magnet for customers from around the country. 

That’s why an out-of-town guest had requested to try the fish, said Imran Khan Khilji, a local trader visiting Mallah’s stall.

“We came here especially because of this guest,” he said, pointing to a friend sitting next to him. “He has come to attend a wedding, and we said, ‘Let’s treat you to a delicacy of Sanghar’.”

Shehzad Jatt, a teacher, said he had been waiting nearly two hours to enjoy the sajji.

“This is Sanghar’s special dish, and they make it excellently,” Jatt said as he sat with a group of friends at Mallah’s shop, watching rows of sajji roasting in the chilly December night. 

“I’ve had fish at many places, but the fish from Sanghar is something else. The way the sajji fish is made here, I’ve never seen such a sajji anywhere else. Once you try it, you’ll know that the taste is unique.”

And Mallah is committed to preserving the flavors and the legacy of his mentors.

“The fish sajji that is prepared here in Sanghar, no one else makes it. Whoever tries to make it, it lasts only a few days, but after that, their shop doesn’t run because, by the grace of god, we have such a unique taste,” the chef said as he skewered a fresh batch of fish onto rods with his bony fingers.

“Allah has blessed our hands with flavor and people eat it and keep coming back.”
 

Topics: Sajji fish Sanghar Food Pakistan Sindh Arab News Pakistan

Pakistan’s missile program is ‘emerging threat’, top US official says

Pakistan’s missile program is ‘emerging threat’, top US official says
Updated 15 min 25 sec ago
Reuters
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Pakistan’s missile program is ‘emerging threat’, top US official says

Pakistan’s missile program is ‘emerging threat’, top US official says
  • Pakistan developing long-range missiles that could threaten United States, senior US official says
  • US has imposed new sanctions on Pakistan’s missile program
Updated 15 min 25 sec ago
Reuters

WASHINGTON: A senior White House official on Thursday said nuclear-armed Pakistan is developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that eventually could allow it to strike targets well beyond South Asia, making it an “emerging threat” to the United States.

Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer’s surprise revelation underscored how far the once-close ties between Washington and Islamabad have deteriorated since the 2021 US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

It also raised questions about whether Pakistan has shifted the objectives of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs long intended to counter those of India, with which it has fought three major wars since 1947.

Speaking to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Finer said Pakistan has pursued “increasingly sophisticated missile technology, from long-range ballistic missile systems to equipment, that would enable the testing of significantly larger rocket motors.”

If those trends continue, Finer said, “Pakistan will have the capability to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including in the United States.”

The number of nuclear-armed states with missiles that can reach the US homeland “is very small and they tend to be adversarial,” he continued, naming Russia, North Korea and China.

“So, candidly, it’s hard for us to see Pakistan’s actions as anything other than an emerging threat to the United States,” Finer said.

His speech came a day after Washington announced a new round of sanctions related to Pakistan’s ballistic missile development program, including for the first time against the state-run defense agency that oversees the program.

The Pakistani embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Islamabad casts its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs as deterrents against Indian aggression and intended to maintain regional stability.

Two senior administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the US concerns with Pakistan’s missile program have been long-standing and stemmed from the sizes of the rocket engines being developed.

The threat posed to the United States is up to a decade away, said one official.

Finer’s comments, the officials said, were intended to press Pakistani officials to address why they are developing more powerful rocket engines, something they have refused to do.

“They don’t acknowledge our concerns. They tell us we are biased,” said the second US official, adding that Pakistani officials have wrongly implied that US sanctions on their missile program are intended “to handicap their ability to defend against India.”

Finer included himself among senior US officials who he said repeatedly have raised concerns about the missile program with top Pakistani officials to no avail.

Washington and Islamabad, he noted, had been “long-time partners” on development, counter-terrorism and security.

“That makes us question even more why Pakistan will be motivated to develop a capability that could be used against us.”

Pakistan has been critical of warm ties US President Joe Biden has forged with its long-time foe India, and maintains close ties with China. Some Chinese entities have been slapped with US sanctions for supplying Islamabad’s ballistic missile program.

It conducted its first nuclear weapons test in 1998 — more than 20 years after India’s first test blast — and has built an extensive arsenal of ballistic missiles capable of lofting nuclear warheads.

The Bulletin of the American Scientists research organization estimates that Pakistan has a stockpile of about 170 warheads.

US-Pakistani relations have undergone major ups and downs, including close Cold War ties that saw them support Afghan rebels against the 1979-89 Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

Pakistan also was a key partner in the US fight against Al-Qaeda following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, and has been a major non-NATO ally since 2004.

But ties also have been hurt by coups staged by the Pakistani military, its support for the Taliban’s 1996-2001 rule and its nuclear weapons program.

Several experts said Finer’s speech came as a major surprise.

“For a senior US official to publicly link concerns about proliferation in Pakistan to a future direct threat to the US homeland — this is a mighty dramatic development,” said Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center think tank. 

Topics: Pakistan missile program US sanctions Pakistan Missile program Arab News Pakistan

Imran Khan gives Pakistan government until Dec. 22 to meet demands or face civil disobedience

Imran Khan gives Pakistan government until Dec. 22 to meet demands or face civil disobedience
Updated 19 December 2024
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Imran Khan gives Pakistan government until Dec. 22 to meet demands or face civil disobedience

Imran Khan gives Pakistan government until Dec. 22 to meet demands or face civil disobedience
  • Demands include release of political prisoners, judicial commissions to investigate violence at protests
  • Khan has been in jail since August 2023 on charges he says are motivated to keep him away from politics
Updated 19 December 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said he would call on overseas Pakistanis, a large support base for the jailed leader, to stop sending remittances if the government did not implement his party’s demands by Dec. 22.

On Dec. 5, Khan, jailed since August 2023 on charges he says are politically motivated to keep him away from power, said in a message to supporters he was setting up a five-member negotiations committee to hold talks with the federal government for the release of political prisoners. He also demanded judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9 last year and Nov. 26 this year in which the government says supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party partook in violence and caused vandalism.

“These are both legitimate demands, and if the government does not implement them by Sunday, the first phase of the civil disobedience movement, ‘boycott of remittances,’ will be launched,” Khan said in a message posted on his X. 

“In this regard, we will appeal to Pakistanis living abroad that the situation in Pakistan is evident to you; democracy, the judiciary, and the media has been stifled, and a period of oppression and fascism is ongoing. Therefore, we urge you to start the boycott of remittances.”

Inflow of remittances clocked in at $30.3 billion in fiscal year 2023-24, 10.7 percent higher on a year-on-year basis compared to $27.3 billion in FY23, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan.

Khan said the PTI’s offer for negotiations was being projected as a sign of “surrender.” 

“The offer for talks and delaying the civil disobedience movement was made in the broader national interest,” Khan said. 

“If the government shows no interest, we will not force negotiations upon them. Our offer should never be seen as a sign of our weakness. If the government still wants to prevent the civil disobedience movement, they must contact us regarding our two demands or convince us that these demands are unconstitutional and cannot be addressed.”

Pressure on Khan’s PTI party, already at loggerheads with the government and military, has increased since last month when thousands of its supporters stormed Islamabad, demanding Khan’s release. 

The government says protesters killed four security officers in clashes while the PTI says at least 12 of its supporters died and “hundreds” were injured and arrested as security agencies used live ammunition rounds to disperse protesters, which authorities deny. The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government says it will take legal action against the rioters and bring to justice suspects behind what it has described as a “malicious campaign” to spread fake online news, images and video content against the state and security forces.

Previously, the government and military have accused Khan supporters of attacking and damaging government and military buildings, including the military’s GHQ headquarters in Rawalpindi, after his brief arrest on May 9, 2023. The PTI says at least ten of its supporters were killed as security forces opened fire at protesters. 

Hundreds of PTI supporters and dozens of leaders were subsequently arrested while police registered cases against the party’s top leaders, including Khan. The army is also holding military trials of over a 100 people arrested in connection with the May riots.

On Thursday, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, key aides of Khan, were among 14 members of his party indicted in a case involving an attack last year on the military’s headquarters (GHQ).

Khan was himself indicted last Thursday on charges of inciting his supporters to attack GHQ on May 9.

Topics: imran khan jail PTI protests PTI protest

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