ISLAMABAD: When it comes to berries, falsa remains the top pick for Pakistanis in this scorching heat, with several food and beverage outlets reaching out for the versatile fruit to pack a punch in their choice of menus.
With its botanical name as Grewia Asiatica, falsa or phalsa traces its roots to South Asia and is very similar to the blueberry.
Demand for the tangy-sweet fruit reaches a fever pitch in summer when restaurants and bakeries dole out falsa-based desserts, juices and smoothies.
One such food outlet is Funky Pop, an ice-cream retailer which is popular for its fresh fruit popsicles that are devoid of artificial flavours or added sugar. Watch out for their falsa popsicles available at their outlet in F10 Markaz, or if creamy Italian ice cream is more up your alley, right around the corner at Manolo Gelato in F11 markaz they are serving up falsa hype with a special availability of falsa gelato.
Close on the heels of Funky Pop is Sooper Scooperz in Islamabad’s Jinnah Market, whose rich and seasonal juices are a favorite among locals and visitors alike. New on their menu is the falsa juice which can be devoured on its own or blended with a combination of other fruits.
Not one to be limited to juices and popsicles, the fruit – with the help of Karachi-based Tempting Bites by Zee – is pushing the envelope by adding a little bit of glamor to the humble kulfi as well.
The retailer which delivers the delight at home too, has been churning out cups of the icecream for years now and is very popular among residents in the metro.
Shehreen Farhan who runs a bakery in Bara Kahu, Islamabad says the fruit has been an industry favorite, mostly for its versatility, as it can jazz up any classic desserts.
“Cobblers (that are traditionally made with apples and peaches), pies and fruit tarts are so easy to modify by using falsa in place of berries and other fruits,” she said, adding that “fruit tarts are our best falsa seller.”
A more desi spin to the fruit is by using it in fruit chaats and salads, as well as boiling it down to jams and syrups or as a tangy replacement for regular chutneys and achaars (pickles).
Berry versatile: Falsa rules the roost as Pakistan’s most favored summer fruit
Berry versatile: Falsa rules the roost as Pakistan’s most favored summer fruit
- From kulfis and juices to pickles, the tangy-sweet fruit is on most checklists
- Restaurants put on their thinking caps by adding it to traditional dishes and drinks
Kazakhstan president to explore trade, connectivity cooperation in first state visit to Pakistan tomorrow
- Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to visit Pakistan from Feb. 3-4 with high-level delegation, says Pakistan’s foreign office
- Kazakh president to meet Pakistani counterpart, hold talks with PM Shehbaz Sharif and address Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum
ISLAMABAD: Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will explore bilateral cooperation with Pakistan in trade, regional connectivity, logistics and other sectors when he undertakes his first state visit to the country this week, Pakistan’s foreign office said on Monday.
Tokayev will arrive in Pakistan leading a high-level delegation comprising senior cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials from Feb. 3-4, the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.
Tokayev is expected to meet his Pakistani counterpart President Asif Ali Zardari, hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and address the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum during the visit, the foreign office said.
“The visit will provide the two sides an important and timely opportunity to undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral relations, discuss new avenues for broadening cooperation, particularly in trade, logistics, regional connectivity, people-to-people contacts, and explore collaboration at regional and international forums,” the statement said.
The foreign office said Tokayev’s visit reflects the strengthening bonds between Pakistan and Kazakhstan, their mutual commitment to transforming historic and cultural affinities into robust cooperation, as well as their common desire for peace and progress in the region.
Relations between Pakistan and Kazakhstan are rooted in shared Islamic heritage and a growing strategic partnership, with Pakistan offering landlocked Central Asian republics access to southern seaports for global trade. Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan when it gained independence in December 1991 and formally established diplomatic relations with it on Feb. 24, 1992.
The two countries have held regular interactions over the past couple of years on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meetings and other international events. Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Murat Nurtleu visited
Pakistan in September 2025 to discuss economic and trade cooperation with Islamabad.
Islamabad and Astana engage with each other to promote business and political ties via three forums mainly, which are: Bilateral Political Consultations, the Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation, and the Joint Business Council.
According to the government of Kazakhstan, bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to $53.7 million in 2024. Pakistan’s main exports to Kazakhstan include citrus fruits, pharmaceutical products, garments, soap, sports equipment and gear and others.
Kazakhstan’s exports to Pakistan primarily include onions and garlic, dried leguminous vegetables, oats, buckwheat and other cereal grains, seeds and fruits of other oil-bearing crops, among others.
