Alibaba, UPS partner to speed up global shipping for small Pakistani businesses

A man walks past the Alibaba logo displayed at its booth during the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing, China on July 16, 2025. (REUTERS/File)
Short Url
Updated 27 November 2025
Follow

Alibaba, UPS partner to speed up global shipping for small Pakistani businesses

  • Collaboration offers 2–4 day delivery to key markets, transparent pricing for exporters
  • Alibaba.com has reported sharp growth in Pakistani suppliers, online transactions

ISLAMABAD: Alibaba.com and UPS Pakistan on Thursday announced a new logistics partnership aimed at cutting delivery times, lowering shipping costs and improving shipment visibility for Pakistani exporters, as global demand grows for sports goods, apparel and other locally manufactured products.

The collaboration integrates UPS’s global delivery network with Alibaba.com’s logistics systems to provide exporters with faster door-to-door delivery, as quick as 2–4 days to the United States and 2–3 days to Europe, alongside exclusive, more transparent pricing slabs and real-time tracking through Alibaba.com’s TrackSmart system.

The initiative comes amid rising digital exports from Pakistan. Alibaba.com says the number of new Pakistani suppliers on its platform grew nearly 50 percent year-on-year between April and September, while monthly online order volumes increased by almost 150 percent over the past six months. More than 90 percent of Pakistani suppliers now use the platform’s Trade Assurance service to secure transactions.

“Our mission at Alibaba.com is to empower Pakistani SMEs to expand globally by reducing the friction in global trade,” said Summer Gao, Head of Global Supply Chain Services at Alibaba.com. “Collaborating with UPS Pakistan ensures exporters have access to world-class shipping solutions, helping them meet international demand with speed, reliability, and transparency.”

Pakistani exporters frequently cite high shipping costs, slow delivery times and limited tracking as key barriers to scaling into new markets. Industry groups say these challenges have previously constrained the full export potential of Pakistan’s SME sector, which forms the backbone of industries in Sialkot, Faisalabad and Karachi.

Early adopters say the new service is already improving delivery reliability. Producing Peak, a leading apparel and sports goods exporter on Alibaba.com, reported faster growth after adopting Trade Assurance and integrated logistics.

“As an exporter, fast and reliable logistics are vitally critical to our success in global markets,” said Imran Iqbal Bajwa, CEO of Producing Peak. “The enhanced Alibaba.com logistics service will significantly reduce delays and unpredictable costs, allowing us to deliver faster, build stronger trust with our international buyers, and expand our reach to more countries.”

Berry Ma, Head of Pakistan Business at Alibaba.com, said improved shipping solutions would enable more Pakistani SMEs to compete globally: 

“By removing shipping obstacles and offering advanced logistics services, Alibaba.com is helping more SMEs in Pakistan reach customers around the world. This collaboration will make it easier for them to succeed in global markets and turn Pakistan’s strong manufacturing and entrepreneurial energy into new export opportunities.”

Industry stakeholders say the partnership is likely to benefit SMEs in leather goods, sports equipment, textiles and light manufacturing, sectors that rely heavily on fast, reliable shipments to maintain competitiveness in international markets.


Pakistan detains five men deported from Sharjah for using fake UK visas

Updated 06 December 2025
Follow

Pakistan detains five men deported from Sharjah for using fake UK visas

  • The group was taken into custody at Lahore airport and handed to the Anti-Human Smuggling Circle
  • FIA says the five men obtained forged UK visas through agents after traveling to Malaysia this year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities detained five citizens at Lahore airport after they were deported from Sharjah for attempting to travel to the United Kingdom on forged British visas, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Saturday.

The five men had initially traveled from Lahore to Malaysia earlier this year on visit visas, the agency said.

After their stay in Malaysia, it added, they allegedly tried to fly onward to the UK from Sharjah using counterfeit documents obtained through agents.

“Five Pakistani passengers were deported from Sharjah for possessing fake British visas,” the FIA said in its statement. “Upon arrival at Lahore airport, the deported passengers were taken into custody.”

Pakistan has tightened its crackdown on illegal immigration and human smuggling in recent years after a series of deadly boat tragedies involving its citizens attempting to reach Europe.

In July, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government was targeting organized criminal networks and urging the public to use safe and legal pathways for overseas employment.

He said the state was expanding job opportunities at home and abroad but warned that irregular migration routes were dangerous and violated national and international law.

The FIA said all five men had been transferred to the Anti-Human Smuggling Circle in Lahore for further investigation.

According to its statement, the forged travel documents were acquired with the assistance of intermediaries, leading authorities in the United Arab Emirates to deny them entry and deport them to Pakistan.

The FIA said the inquiry into the visa fraud and the agents involved was ongoing.