ISLAMABAD: As Arab News celebrates 45 years since its inception, Pakistan’s envoys felicitated the Riyadh-based publication, sending special video messages to the team and sharing their experience during the tenure served in the Kingdom.
Congratulating the publication, Pakistan’s current Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Raja Ali Ejaz, said: “It’s a milestone and I must congratulate its very talented team for bringing the newspaper to a new level, a new height,” adding that “the maturity of the newspaper can be gauged from the fact that it has become the first choice for every resident diplomat, for scholars, politicians, [and many others].”
Expressing his gratitude, Ejaz said: “For me personally, I begin my day by going through Arab News ... so thank you for making my day every day.”
Describing his interaction with the editorial team during his two visits to the publication’s headquarters, the envoy said: “It was a wonderful experience in the sense that they had some very candid, forthright and diverse views on matters of regional and international interest. For me, it was a pleasant and educating experience.”
Ejaz’s predecessor, Ambassador Vice-Admiral (r) Khan Hasham bin Saddique underscored the fraternal ties between the two countries, saying: “Arab News arguably is one of the leading newspapers not only in the Middle East but the entire world. It enjoys extensive viewership and readership across Saudi Arabia and across all segments of society, especially the expatriate community.”
Saddique continued that he found Arab News to be an authentic and credible source of information on global and regional affairs.
“I am extremely glad to note that the digital version of Arab News (Pakistan edition) was launched during my tenure in 2018 in Pakistan,” he added while pointing out that the initiative had helped forge a better understanding between the peoples of the two countries.
A frequent traveler to the Kingdom, World Chairman of the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) Ambassador Dr. Muhammad Shahid Ameen, who is also the first elected Muslim and Asian to chair the IHRC and recipient of the Hijra Medal by the World Hijra Council in Jeddah, said it was an honor for him to have interacted with the editorial team of Arab News.
“Arab News is an outspoken newspaper and (online) publication in the Middle East,” Ameen said.
Describing the publication as the number one choice for daily information, especially within the diplomatic circles, Pakistan’s former first secretary and consul to Jeddah, Abrar Hussain, said that it “was the most attractive thing for us in the morning like all other diplomats.”
Sharing fond memories of his three-year diplomatic stint in Saudi Arabia, Hussain informed that he “had the pleasure of visiting [the publication’s] offices many times,” and recalled his meetings with its former editor-in-chief. Speaking on the publication’s editorial guidelines, the retired diplomat said its “policy was very friendly” toward Pakistan.
In his felicitation message, Salman Bashir, former foreign secretary, noted: “Arab News was a central source of information, a platform which not only provided information, but also gave us varied perspectives on global and regional issues.”
Veteran diplomat Javed Hafiz who served in the Kingdom for several years under multiple designations during his tenure applauded the paper for its “achievement of keeping people informed around the globe.”
This, he added, was a sacred responsibility since “keeping people informed is a way of promoting regional peace and security.”
Hafeez said the publication had worked hard to present a balanced news coverage of vital issues and disseminate information with great accuracy.
Pakistani diplomats describe Arab News as authentic information source
https://arab.news/gxp95
Pakistani diplomats describe Arab News as authentic information source
- Former and incumbent diplomats send congratulatory video messages to the publication
- Say Arab News is their first choice due to accurate and balanced news coverage
Pakistan reaffirms commitment to clamp down on informal sector to encourage investment
- Nestlé delegation briefs Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on localization, efficiency enhancements in Pakistan
- Improved compliance, transparency, strengthened tax ecosystem central to economic recovery, stresses finance minister
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb reaffirmed the government’s commitment to clamp down on the informal sector on Monday, the Finance Division said, citing transparency and a strengthened tax ecosystem as central to the country’s economic recovery.
Pakistan’s government has cracked down on smuggled items and tightened enforcement in poorly taxed sectors, such as tobacco, in recent months as it pushes ahead with its efforts to maximize tax collection by discouraging the formal sector. Informal sector comprises businesses that operate outside the tax net, avoid registration and as a result, neglect regulatory oversight and violate quality, safety or labor standards.
Aurangzeb met a delegation from Nestlé Pakistan at the Finance Division, where the two sides discussed the multinational’s efforts to strengthen its operations in the country through localization, portfolio adjustments and efficiency enhancements.
“Emphasizing the government’s resolve to clamp down on the informal sector, an effort that has already begun yielding visible results in multiple industries, the finance minister noted that improved compliance, transparency and a strengthened tax ecosystem are central to Pakistan’s economic recovery,” the Finance Division said in a statement.
Nestlé Pakistan Chief Executive Officer Jason Avancena provided an overview of the organization’s operations, claiming it had strengthened them through localization, portfolio adjustments, advanced automation, efficiency enhancements and continued innovation across product categories.
Avancena said Nestlé is implementing solar and biomass energy systems, digital dashboards, environmentally improved packaging, and supply-chain automation in Pakistan. The delegation highlighted that Nestlé’s localization efforts have materially strengthened its resilience.
“They noted that through sustained efforts to localize raw materials and reconfigure product portfolios, Nestlé Pakistan has reduced its import volumes by nearly half over the past three years from around $150 million to approximately $76–80 million, thereby minimizing exposure to foreign-exchange pressures and deepening integration with Pakistan’s agricultural and manufacturing base,” the Finance Division said.
Aurangzeb commended the multinational for its efforts and underscored the government’s intention to facilitate greater formalization and enhanced tax equity across the food and beverages sector. He noted that informal players have “rapidly expanded” their market share by operating outside the tax net in sectors such as food and beverages.
The delegation also discussed export performance, including the company’s presence in markets such as the United States, Canada, the Gulf, and the United Kingdom, sharing insights into challenges related to regional trade, particularly the Afghanistan corridor.
Aurangzeb advised Nestlé to explore logistics partnerships to expand access to Central Asian markets, reiterating that Islamabad remains committed to enabling export-oriented industry growth.
