ISLAMABAD: The ongoing first-ever Al Hamba Festival in the Qatari capital of Doha is celebrating the “richness” of Pakistani mangoes with the hope of attracting Qatari importers to place orders for mangoes and other agricultural produce from the South Asian country, state media reported on Sunday.
Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest mango producer and agriculture accounts for almost a quarter of its GDP. But Pakistani mangoes have faced export challenges in recent years due to concerns over adverse weather and pests and fruit flies that can threaten the agricultural standards of importing countries.
To attract Qatari importers, several popular varieties of mangoes such as Sidhri, Chaunsa, Safeed Chaunsa, Anwar Ratol and Duseri have been put up on display at the Al Hamba Festival being held at Souq Waqif.
The event, which kicked off on Thursday and will go on until July 6, has been organized by the embassy of Pakistan in Doha in collaboration with the Celebrations Organizing Committee of the Private Engineering Office and features over 43 companies and 100 outlets.
“First-ever Al Hamba Festival is an opportunity to savor a variety of the finest Pakistani mangoes besides promoting cultural exchange between the two nations through the universal language of food,” the state-run APP news agency quoted Pakistan’s Ambassador to Qatar, Muhammad Aejaz, as saying.
“The Al Hamba Festival promises to be a memorable event for families and food enthusiasts, offering a rich tapestry of flavors and cultural experiences.”
The envoy expressed confidence that the event would “attract importers in Qatar to place orders not only for mangoes, but for other agricultural produce including rice, food products and other fruit.”
The festival is hosting a variety of exhibitors, including importers, retailers, and exporters showcasing processed foods and dry mangoes. Notable participants include Zuhair Impex, Akin Foods, Kashan Trader’s, Friday Fresh Pvt Ltd, Naurus Pvt Ltd, Pak Khyber Traders, Aaj Enterprises, Al Hamad Agro Chemicals and Swat International Trading Company. Major retail stores participating include Al Baladi Hypermarket, Marza Hypermarket, Sunder Mart and Al Hemaliya Trading.
In addition to mangoes, the festival also features seasonal fruits like falsa, jamun, and peaches. Various Pakistani cuisine are another highlight of the festival with many local restaurants and cafés offering a diverse menu to showcase the culinary heritage of Pakistan.
Pakistani companies attend first-ever Al Hamba Festival to attract mango imports from Qatar
https://arab.news/54qu6
Pakistani companies attend first-ever Al Hamba Festival to attract mango imports from Qatar
- Event kicked off on Thursday and will go on until July 6, has been organized by embassy of Pakistan in Doha
- Pakistan is world’s fourth-largest mango producer and agriculture accounts for almost a quarter of its GDP
Saudi defense delegation visits Pakistan’s foreign office for diplomatic briefing
- Delegation briefed on Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities and bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia
- Visit reflects close defense cooperation, including a bilateral security pact signed last year
ISLAMABAD: A Saudi defense delegation visited Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Friday to learn about Islamabad’s diplomatic priorities and engagements as the two countries strengthen security collaboration and consult more closely on regional and international issues.
The visit comes amid sustained high-level engagement between Islamabad and Riyadh, with regular contacts spanning defense, diplomacy and economic cooperation.
A 15-member delegation from the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Command and Staff College met officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said an official statement.
“The visit of the delegation to Pakistan is a manifestation of excellent defense and security relations between the two countries,” the foreign ministry said.
It added that officials briefed the delegation on Pakistan’s foreign policy issues and bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia, followed by an interactive session.
The head of the delegation thanked Pakistani authorities for facilitating the visit, the statement said.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia maintain close defense and security cooperation, including training exchanges and joint exercises.
In September last year, the two countries signed a bilateral security agreement under which aggression against one would be treated as a threat to the other.
While Saudi diplomats are regular visitors to the Pakistani foreign ministry, such visits by defense delegations are rare, reflecting that the two sides seek to understand each other’s defense and diplomatic perspectives more closely.
