In Pakistan’s mountainous north, women take up carpentry to fend for their families

Bibi Amina, a carpenter working under Ciqam project is seen cutting wood at their factory in Hunza Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, on June 16, 2023. (AN photo)
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Updated 02 July 2023
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In Pakistan’s mountainous north, women take up carpentry to fend for their families

  • In Gilgit-Baltistan’s Hunza Valley, an initiative launched by a non-profit organization equips women with technical skills
  • Women carpenters say they use income from carpentry to run their homes and pay for children’s education expenses

HUNZA: Bibi Amina was one among only two women in Pakistan’s northern Hunza valley who were trained in the male-dominated craft of carpentry a few years ago. Now, 16 other women have taken up the craft and are using it skillfully to fashion furniture out of wood to provide for their families. 

Flanked by soaring mountain ranges and glaciers in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region, a non-profit organization named the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCSP) launched a project called ‘Ciqam’ (well-being in the local Hunza language) in 2003 in Hunza valley. 

The purpose of the project— which was funded by the Norwegian embassy in Pakistan as well from 2008-2017— is to train women in topographic and building surveys, carpentry, design and drafting, plumbing, and hospitality. Amina initially took up carpentry as a profession and hasn’t looked back since then. 

“The women who work here support their family; they [support] their children, brothers, and sisters for study and other expenses,” Amina told Arab News. “And the important thing is that they are confident. They do their work and go home.”




A women carpenter is busy designing a product in their factory located in Hunza Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, on June 16, 2023. (AN photo)

Amina acknowledged that the women had to face issues initially, as Hunza’s residents were not used to women taking up carpentry as a profession. 

“Now, there is no issue and people accept them [women carpenters],” she said. 

Nazia, who wanted to be identified by her first name, also said she uses the income generated from carpentry to support her family and pay for her children’s education expenses. 

“Earlier, people used to criticize our work and say this is the work of men; [say to us that], ‘How could you do this work?’ Our families supported us and due to their support, we started carpentry,” Nazia told Arab News. 

“Neglecting other things, we continued our work.”




A group of women carpenters pose for a group photograph in their factory located in Hunza Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, on June 16, 2023. (AN photo)

Women trained under the program use wood to craft furniture such as chairs, tables, and beds, and can also make doors, windows, and frames. 

Yasmeen, who also used her first name only, said she took up carpentry in 2015 as a trainee. After three years of training, Yasmeen learned the ropes and started working with the group. 

“Earlier, we used to do work for homes,” Yasmeen told Arab News. “I also used to sew clothes, but that was not beneficial. But I earn from here and run my home. I earn Rs20,000 ($69.81) per month,” she added. 

Ciqam CEO Aqeela Bano said the main function of the project is to empower women, adding that girls and women did not easily have access to education from 2008-2017 in GB hence the program was launched to equip them with technical skills. 

“In the short-term benefit of this project, hundreds of women were trained and their immediate needs were fulfilled,” Bano told Arab News. “For the long run, the carpenters who joined this field in the start are now master trainers.”

Bano said the project not only empowered women but also catered to environmental concerns. 

“The [women carpenters] use locally grown trees and strictly avoid using forest timbers,” Bano said. “And the two main objectives of this project are to ensure gender equality and make women skillful,” she added, vowing to extend the project to other districts as well. 

Amina is adamant about sharing her technical expertise and enabling more women to provide for their families in a profession usually dominated by men not only in Pakistan but around the world. 

“We worked and proved ourselves that we could do anything side by side with men,” she said. “And whenever the products become ready, we feel happy.” 


PM orders routing part of Pakistan’s imports via Gwadar to ‘fully operationalize’ southwestern port

Updated 11 sec ago
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PM orders routing part of Pakistan’s imports via Gwadar to ‘fully operationalize’ southwestern port

  • The prime minister gave instructions while presiding over meeting on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif also called for provision of ‘foolproof security’ to Chinese nationals who are working in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed authorities to route a proportion of Pakistan’s imports through the Gwadar port in the southwestern Balochistan province to “fully operationalize” it, Sharif’s office said on Tuesday.

The prime minister gave the directives while presiding over a high-level meeting on projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major segment of Beijing’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

The Gwadar port lies at the heart of CPEC, under which Beijing has pledged $65 billion for a network of roads, railways, pipelines, and ports in Pakistan that will connect China to the Arabian Sea and help Islamabad expand and modernize its economy.

PM Sharif said Pakistan-China partnership was currently on the “highest ever level” and urged authorities to strive for the positive outcomes of this partnership, according to his office.

“The Prime Minister directed to import a certain proportion of the domestic imports, especially the goods imported by the government, from Gwadar port,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.

China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan and has often financially assisted Islamabad, including in July last year when Beijing granted Pakistan a two-year rollover on a $2.4 billion loan, providing much-needed breathing space to the cash-strapped South Asian nation to tackle an economic crisis.

The prime minister instructed all the ministries to enhance collaboration for swift execution of CPEC’s second phase and warned against any laxity, according to the statement.

He also called for the provision of “foolproof security” to the Chinese nationals working in Pakistan, who have often been targeted by religiously motivated and separatist militants in Pakistan.


India eyes Iranian port as gateway to Afghanistan, Central Asia, competition with Gwadar — analysts 

Updated 12 min 31 sec ago
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India eyes Iranian port as gateway to Afghanistan, Central Asia, competition with Gwadar — analysts 

  • India has signed 10-year deal to operate Chabahar port
  • India began helping Iran to develop Chabahar in 2016

NEW DELHI: India’s newly signed deal to operate Iran’s port of Chabahar is expected to provide New Delhi a gateway to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia and possibly compete with Pakistan’s Gwadar, analysts said on Tuesday. 

The 10-year contract under which India will invest $120 million in Chabahar’s infrastructure was signed in Tehran on Monday between the state-owned Indian Ports Global Limited and the Port & Maritime Organization of Iran.

India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal welcomed the deal saying the development of Chabahar was an “India-Iran flagship project” and the port would be a “gateway for trade with Afghanistan and broader Central Asian countries.”

New Delhi’s commitment to Chabahar started in May 2016 when Iran, India, and Afghanistan signed a trilateral transit agreement to develop the port into a regional trade hub.

“The signing of the deal signifies the strength of bilateral ties between India and Iran,” said D.P. Srivastava, who was India’s ambassador to Iran when talks on the project started. “The present agreement will build on progress achieved so far.”

India’s 2016 involvement in Chabahar came after Washington eased sanctions on Iran, which were reimposed by Donald Trump’s administration in 2018.

After the signing of Monday’s agreement, US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters sanctions on Iran remained in place and Washington would enforce them.

Prof. Sujata Ashwarya from the Center for West Asian Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi said it was not likely that sanctions would affect India, as its presence was helping deter China — the main rival of the US — from becoming involved in the Iranian port.

“(India) will effectively keep China out of the project,” Ashwarya said. “If we are there, then China won’t be there, and the US would not impose sanctions.”

Located in Iran’s southeast, Chabahar is less than 100 km from Gwadar in southwestern Pakistan, a flagship project of the multibillion-dollar China–Pakistan Economic Corridor under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Ashwarya said the Iranian port could be Gwadar’s potential competitor.

“It is an investment in trade facilitation with an eye on making Chabahar a hub,” she said.

“It provides competition to Gwadar, it could potentially lead to a secured corridor to Afghanistan and Central Asia, which means that India’s trade with these regions can flourish and broaden.”


Islamabad High Court halts government move to block phone SIMs of non-tax filers

Updated 14 May 2024
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Islamabad High Court halts government move to block phone SIMs of non-tax filers

  • Pakistan’s tax collection body asked the country’s telecom authority to block over half a million SIMs last month
  • The court issued a stay order until May 27 after a telecom firm challenged the decision and called it unconstitutional

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Tuesday issued a stay order against a government directive to block cellphone SIMs of users who did not file their tax returns in 2023, as the lawyer of a telecom company argued the decision was taken in violation of the constitution.

Last month, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the country’s tax collection body, ordered the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block over half a million SIMs belonging to people required to file taxes but who were not appearing on the active taxpayers’ list.

However, telecom companies were reluctant to implement the directives affecting so many subscribers, prompting the PTA to urge the FBR to revisit its directive.

The discussion continued until the telecom companies decided last Friday to initiate a manual process of disabling the SIMs in small batches. It was widely reported in the local media on Tuesday the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had stayed the implementation of the cellphone blockage until May 27.

“Blocking more than 500,000 SIMs will result in a loss of Rs1 billion annually,” Advocate Salman Akram Raja was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s Geo News channel.

Raja, who was representing Zong, told the court the decision taken by the government was in violation to Article 18 of the constitution, which guaranteed freedom of trade, business and profession.

Pakistan has traditionally faced the challenge of convincing people to file tax returns, but the government has now decided to implement stringent measures to address the problem, particularly in the context of negotiations for a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program.

The IMF has urged Pakistan in the past to enhance revenue collection from non-filers as part of broader economic reforms to support social and development initiatives.

In response, the FBR is taking steps like blocking the SIM cards and considering other punitive measures to enforce tax compliance and widen the tax net.


Pakistan Hajj Mission hires seven catering companies to provide meals to pilgrims in Madinah

Updated 14 May 2024
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Pakistan Hajj Mission hires seven catering companies to provide meals to pilgrims in Madinah

  • At least 9,844 Pakistani pilgrims have arrived in Madinah since May 9 ahead of Hajj pilgrimage in June
  • Catering companies selected through competitive and transparent process, Pakistan Hajj Mission says

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Hajj Mission has hired seven catering companies in Madinah to oversee food arrangements for pilgrims, state media said on Tuesday, as people arrive in Saudi Arabia’s holy cities from around the world for the upcoming annual pilgrimage in June. 

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able. 

Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, of which 63,805 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will use private tour operators.

This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14-19. Pakistani state media reported on Monday that over 9,844 pilgrims had arrived in Madinah via 40 flights since Hajj air operations were launched on May 9.

“Pakistan’s Hajj Mission in Madinah Munawwarah has selected the top seven catering companies to provide three-time meals to the intending Hajj pilgrims,” Radio Pakistan reported. 

Pakistan Hajj Mission Director Zia-ur-Rehman Khan told Radio Pakistan the mission had selected seven catering companies out of 29 after a competitive and transparent bidding process. The hiring process started in November 2023 after the mission received approval from Pakistan’s federal cabinet. A five-member committee headed by the director-general of Hajj in Jeddah was subsequently formed to scrutinize bidders and select the best catering companies, Radio Pakistan said. 

Umer Rasheed, the production manager of the Bahar Harr catering service, said the company was preparing meals for 2,800 Pakistani pilgrims currently and the number was likely to swell to 4,000 during peak Hajj season. 

“He said inspection teams from 5-6 Saudi departments, including Food and Drugs, the Firefighting department and the Commerce Ministry, conducted regular visits to their production sites and kitchen, showing zero tolerance for any kind of negligence,” Radio Pakistan said. 
 


Pakistan, China vow to accelerate key infrastructure projects amid discussions on next CPEC phase

Updated 14 May 2024
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Pakistan, China vow to accelerate key infrastructure projects amid discussions on next CPEC phase

  • The two sides discussed the issue during Ishaq Dar’s meeting with a senior Chinese minister in Beijing
  • Both countries reaffirmed support to each other on issues of core concerns to their governments, people

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have agreed to expedite work on key infrastructure development schemes as the two countries strive to proceed to the next phase of the multibillion-dollar economic corridor project launched in April 2015, the foreign office announced in a release issued in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Last week, Pakistan sent Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal to conduct a series of meetings in Beijing to set the tone for the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Currently, the country’s newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar, is visiting China, where he met with Liu Jianchao, Minister for the International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC), to discuss various dimensions of CPEC.

“The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China and to further reinforce mutually beneficial collaboration,” the foreign office said. “They also expressed joint determination to accelerate progress on all CPEC projects including ML-I [Main Line 1] upgradation, Gwadar Port and KKH [Karakoram Highway] realignment.”

The three projects are central to CPEC, with ML-I upgradation, a major railway project, involving the dualization of the existing railway track from Karachi to Peshawar. The development of Gwadar Port and KKH realignment are also vital to enhance trade and connectivity within and beyond the region.

Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s support to China on its core issues. The Chinese minister also said that Beijing would always support Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and socioeconomic development.

The Pakistani deputy prime minister expressed over the killings of Chinese nationals in a suicide attack in Shangla earlier this year. He noted the Pakistani authorities had a firm resolve to counter extremist violence in all its forms and manifestations and bring perpetrators of the Shangla attack to justice.

Dar also invited the Chinese minister to visit Pakistan to co-chair the next meeting of the CPEC Joint Consultative Mechanism of Political Parties this year.