ISLAMABAD: Nearly 250 Pakistani firms are participating in the 30th edition of Gulfood trade exhibition in Dubai and are showcasing various Pakistani agro-based products to global buyers, the Pakistani consulate said on Monday.
Since its inception in 1987, Gulfood has become a powerful trade forum and has been driving the global food and beverage industry forward. The event, running from Feb. 17 till Feb. 21, will be featuring over 5,500 exhibitors from 129 countries.
Pakistan’s Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi inaugurated the Pakistan Pavilion at the exhibition held at the Dubai World Trade Center on Monday, where 45 Pakistani companies are showcasing rice, cereals, meat, dairy, spices, cheese, processed food, bakery items, salt, herbal products, honey, horticulture, juices and beverages.
These companies are participating under the umbrella of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), while another 200 Pakistani firms are participating privately in Gulfood 2025, reflecting the country’s growing presence in the global food market, according to the Pakistani consulate.
“It is a matter of great pride that 45 companies under TDAP, along with a total of 200 Pakistani companies privately, are participating in this prestigious event,” Ambassador Tirmizi said after the launch of Pakistan Pavilion.
“Our stalls are ideally designed and strategically located, with increased space to attract local and global buyers. There is significant interest in our products, including basmati rice, spices, pink salt and cheese.”
He highlighted the upward trend in Pakistan’s agro-based exports, particularly to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and emphasized the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) role as one of Pakistan’s key trading partners.
“Gulfood offers an unparalleled platform for collaboration and innovation, enabling Pakistani exporters to maximize business-to-business opportunities through knowledge exchange, networking and collaboration with global business leaders,” the ambassador said.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE’s foreign ministry. Policymakers in Pakistan consider the Gulf country an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
Ali Zeb Khan, the trade and investment counselor at the Pakistani consulate, shared that Pakistan’s agri-food exports had reached $8 billion globally in fiscal year 2023-24, which ended in June, marking a 37 percent increase compared to the previous year.
“This growth was driven by significant increases in the exports of rice, maize, sesame, meat, edible fruits, and vegetables,” he said.
On the occasion, Shabbir Merchant, president of the Pakistan Business Council Dubai, pledged full support to Pakistani exhibitors, emphasizing the council’s commitment to promoting Pakistani products in the UAE and beyond.

ISLAMABAD: Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema has said that Pakistan plans to privatize more than 50 state-owned enterprises (SOEs) within the next four years as part of its efforts to overhaul public entities and improve their performance, the Pakistani government said on Monday.
Cheema said this during his meeting with a delegation of top officials of the World Bank Group (WBG), according to the Press Information Department (PID) of the Pakistani government. The visit aims to enhance understanding of Pakistan’s economic, political, social and governance landscape, while exploring opportunities for future development support.
The development comes months after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced his government would privatize all state entities, except those considered “strategically important” or essential. In 2023, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as part of Pakistan’s $3 billion bailout, had stressed the need for stronger governance of SOEs, whose losses were heavily impacting the government finances.
Last year Pakistan’s Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCOP), responsible for the Privatization Program 2024-29, approved the privatization of 24 entities. However, it decided that the inclusion of other state entities would be determined after a review to assess their categorization as strategic or essential enterprises.
“In the first phase, the government is focusing on the privatization of power distribution companies (DISCOS) and in the second phase, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other SOEs are to be privatized,” Cheema was quoted as saying by the PID, following his meeting with the World Bank delegation.
“The minister shared that the government aims to privatize up to 50 SOEs over the next 3-4 years.”
The minister informed the delegation about the challenges faced by the power sector, including high tariffs for consumers, inefficiencies in line losses and efforts to achieve full cost of recovery, according to the statement.
The World Bank delegates commended Pakistan’s efforts in addressing critical challenges and expressed their support for Pakistan’s newly launched Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2026-2035 to help achieve its development goals, with an unprecedented commitment of $40 billion. It would include sovereign lending of $20 billion by the International Development Association (IDA) and International Bank for Reconstruction & Development (IBRD). IFC will mobilize another $20 billion to foster private sector investments in Pakistan.
Last week, Pakistan also signed a financial advisory agreement with a consortium, led by Dubai-based Alvarez & Marsal Middle East Limited, to privatize three major power distribution companies.
The agreement is part of the government’s broader effort to reform the power sector which has long struggled with circular debt, operational inefficiencies and power theft. The divestment of state-run power companies is a key component of Pakistan’s economic reform agenda as outlined by the IMF in its current $7 billion loan program.