KARACHI: Pakistan on Sunday officially unveiled its pavilion and logo for Expo 2020 Dubai, the largest pavilion ever constructed outside the South Asian country, with the aim of projecting a “modern, progressive and beautiful Pakistan,” the country’s commerce minister said.
Delayed by the COVID-19 outbreak, the UAE is now holding the Expo from October 01, 2021 to March 31, 2022 in Dubai. Around 192 countries are participating in the event, with 25 million visitors from around the world expected. Arif Ahmed Khan, CEO of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, said the private sector had contributed more than one billion rupees for the construction of the pavilion.
“First of all, I would like to thank the government of UAE for holding this very important international event and gathering under Expo 2020,” Pakistani commerce minister Abdul Razzak Dawood told Arab News after the unveiling of the pavilion and its logo in Karachi. “This is a wonderful show to get all the countries together at one place.”
“I am very excited that Pakistan is putting up a very befitting pavilion,” Dawood added. “This pavilion is being set up with the support of the government of Pakistan and support of the corporate sector of Pakistan.”
The Pakistan pavilion was officially handed over to Pakistani authorities in March this year following the completion of construction works at the Expo 2020 Dubai site. The pavilion, which is located in the Opportunity District, cost $28.72 million to build and occupies 35,000 square feet.
“The purpose to set up the pavilion is to show the world that Pakistan is modern, progressive and beautiful,” Dawood said. “Hope that many people from the Middle East along with Pakistanis will take the opportunity to visit the pavilion and see the whole panorama of what Pakistan is and they will visit the country”.
The theme of the Pakistani pavilion is “The Hidden Treasure,” which aims to showcase Pakistan’s vast opportunities in tourism and business, and project its economic potential to a global audience. The facade of the pavilion displays the colors and diversity of the country and its people.
Information minister Fawad Hussain Chaudhry said Dubai Expo2020 would enable many Pakistanis living in the UAE to see a “brighter” side of their home country.
“The Expo 2020 is being held in UAE where many Pakistanis are living and it is our second home,” Chaudhry said while addressing Sunday’s event. “The large Pakistani community in UAE will have an opportunity to see their country’s brighter side.”
“This is a great opportunity for Pakistan to show to the world its immense potential and discover the ‘hidden treasure’,” he added. “That was the old perception: that terrorism or religious extremism is exported from Pakistan … Now Pakistan is exporting technology, agriculture products, and tractors.”
Pakistan unveils pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai to showcase country’s ‘hidden treasures’
https://arab.news/rvh3b
Pakistan unveils pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai to showcase country’s ‘hidden treasures’
- Built at cost of $28.72 million, pavilion is located in Opportunity District over an area of 35,000 square feet
- “Purpose is to show the world that Pakistan is modern, progressive and beautiful,” commerce minister says
World Bank approves $400 million to expand water, sanitation services in Pakistan’s Punjab
- Project aims to improve access for 4.5 million people and curb waterborne diseases
- Program to prioritize women’s participation and climate-resilient urban infrastructure
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank this week approved $400 million for a new project to expand access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services for around 4.5 million people in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, aiming to curb waterborne diseases and reduce long-term public health costs.
The project, known as the Punjab Inclusive Cities Program (PICP), is the second phase of the World Bank-supported Pakistan Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services Multiphase Programmatic Approach. It will focus on rehabilitating water supply networks, sewerage systems and wastewater treatment plants, while expanding stormwater drainage infrastructure across 16 secondary cities in Punjab.
Punjab faces persistent challenges in providing safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, with many urban households relying on contaminated sources. Weak infrastructure and limited hygiene services contribute to high rates of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid and hepatitis, which disproportionately affect children and low-income communities.
“Reducing child stunting is essential for Pakistan’s future. Through the Punjab Inclusive Cities Program, we are investing in safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services to break the cycle of malnutrition and disease that holds back so many children from reaching their full potential,” the World Bank quoted its Country Director for Pakistan, Bolormaa Amgaabazar, as saying in a statement.
“In collaboration with the Punjab Government, the program represents a significant step forward in improving urban infrastructure and strengthening local institutions, thereby laying the foundation for healthier communities and a more prosperous Pakistan.”
Child stunting, a form of chronic malnutrition that leaves children too short for their age, is often linked to repeated infections, poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water, and remains a major public health concern in Pakistan.
Beyond water and sanitation, the project will also support solid waste management systems to improve sanitary waste disposal, extending services to an additional two million people in Punjab’s urban areas. The program will strengthen the capacity of local governments, including efforts to improve revenue generation and long-term service sustainability.
“The program complements infrastructure investments with capacity building and revenue generation, helping to ensure that service delivery is well sustained,” the statement quoted Amena Raja, Senior Urban Specialist at the World Bank, as saying.
“It will also help Punjab’s cities better withstand floods and droughts, ensuring urban development is both environmentally responsible and resilient to climate change.”
The program includes a gender-focused component, prioritizing the hiring of women in decision-making roles, establishing gender-compliant service desks and supporting skills development. It also aims to mobilize private capital to support water and sanitation services in Punjab’s secondary cities.
Pakistan has been a member of the World Bank since 1950 and has received more than $48 billion in assistance since. The Bank’s current portfolio in the country comprises 54 projects with total commitments of $15.7 billion, while its private-sector arm, the International Finance Corporation, has invested about $13 billion since 1956.
Earlier this year, Pakistan and the World Bank signed a first-of-its-kind agreement for a plan to focus $20 billion in lending to the cash-strapped nation over the coming decade on development issues like the impact of climate change as well as boosting private-sector growth.
