Held at McDonald’s Etihad Town restaurant in Lahore, the event brought together leadership from prominent Pakistani enterprises, including Packages Limited, Big Bird, Nurpur, Fresh & Freeze, Pronto Spaces, Saima Packaging and the Zaman Foundation.

The milestone highlighted the structural evolution of the company’s local procurement model. Over nearly three decades, McDonald’s has collaborated closely with Pakistani agricultural and industrial partners, introducing international food-safety frameworks, bio-security measures, and sustainable material standards to domestic production lines.

This sustained knowledge transfer has contributed to the formalisation and technical upgrading of local industries, particularly in livestock processing, dairy hygiene, food-grade packaging, and cold-chain logistics.

Speaking on the occasion, McDonald’s representatives noted that the brand’s operational longevity has been enabled by the resilience and technical adaptability of its local partners. Looking ahead, the company reiterated its focus on deepening local integration and strengthening the domestic industrial ecosystem that supports its operations.

This content is an advertorial by McDonald’s and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

Since 2017, Etihad Town has grown into a trusted real estate brand with nine projects across three cities Lahore, Sialkot and Rahim Yar Khan. Six projects have been successfully delivered ahead of time, reflecting the brand’s commitment to timely delivery, quality development and customer trust. With a growing presence across Pakistan, Etihad Town continues to expand its portfolio and develop thoughtfully planned communities.

Positioned as Sialkot’s first planned housing society, Etihad Town Sialkot features an 800-foot frontage on Main Sialkot–Daska Road and is located just five minutes from the Lahore Sialkot Motorway. The development includes a carefully planned layout, organized road network and modern infrastructure and amenities designed to provide residents with a structured living environment.

The project was delivered within just 1.5 years against a 3-year payment plan, while commercial possession had already been handed over to customers in January 2026. The achievement reflects Etihad Town’s focus on timely delivery and planned development. A key feature of the project is its dedicated sewage infrastructure, while required filling material was outsourced and brought to the project rather than removing soil from individual plots.

The achievement was credited to the strategic vision of Chairman Chaudhary Munir and Executive Directors Raheel Munir, Faisal Munir and Sohail Munir. As the management states, “At Etihad Town, our mission is to give delivery before time every time. We proudly handover every project ahead of scheduled deadline, setting new standards of reliability and customer satisfaction.” The event was also attended by esteemed project sponsors Saleem Baryar, Qaiser Baryar and Hafiz Muhammad Imran as highlighted guests.

Speaking at the possession ceremony, Etihad Town’s COO Sheikh ShujaUllah Khan highlighted the importance of timely delivery and customer trust, stating, “At Etihad Town, we don’t just make promises, we deliver, ahead of time every time. The early possession of Etihad Town Sialkot reflects our commitment to excellence and reinforces the trust at the core of our customer relationships.”

The event was filled with valued customers, stakeholders, sales partners, investors and influencers, with Vasay Chaudhry and Waseem Badami hosting the evening. The early residential possession marks a significant milestone for Etihad Town Sialkot and highlights the developer’s focus on planned communities, dedicated infrastructure and timely project delivery.

This content is an advertorial by Etihad Town and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

“We’re thrilled to bring the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to customers across Pakistan on day one,” said Nauman Durrani, CEO Pakistan | SVP SAGE at Mercantile. “Our goal has always been to make the latest Apple technology accessible through official channels — with the confidence of PTA approval, genuine products and after-sales support customers can rely on. With our nationwide partner network, flexible bank installments, and exciting telecom bundles, owning the newest iPhone has never been easier.”

Price in Pakistan

Both models are available through Mercantile’s retail network and selected telecom and banking partners.

What the iPhone 18 Pro Lineup Offers

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are the latest generation of Apple’s Pro lineup — built for users who expect advanced performance, exceptional cameras, immersive displays and a premium everyday experience.

Mercantile Protection Plan + 2-Year Warranty

An official iPhone from Mercantile comes with more than the device. The Mercantile Protection Plan adds peace of mind with a one-time free repair for eligible accidental damage:

• Front Screen Replacement
• Back Glass Replacement
• Liquid Damage

To activate coverage, customers simply scan the QR code to register for the Protection Plan and 2-Year Warranty — a quick step that also keeps the purchase registered with Mercantile.

Where to Buy: Nationwide Retail and Telecom Offers

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are available through Mercantile Preferred Partners across Pakistan. Customers can also explore exclusive offers through Mercantile’s telecom partners — Jazz, Zong and PTCL.

Easy Installments Through Leading Banks

For customers who prefer to pay in installments, Mercantile has partnered with leading banks to offer financing on eligible purchases through HBL, Meezan Bank, Bank Alfalah, Faysal Bank, Standard Chartered, Askari Bank and UBL.

Customers can contact their preferred bank directly for details on plans, eligibility, tenure, and applicable terms.

Get the Latest iPhone Today

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are available now. Visit your nearest Mercantile Preferred Partner, or explore telecom and bank offers, to experience Apple’s newest Pro lineup — officially, in Pakistan.

This content is an advertorial by Mercantile and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

The program reflects Jubilee General’s role as a trusted risk partner—working with businesses not only when a loss occurs, but also supporting them engineer safety, prevent losses and reduce the impact of potential disruptions.

Through the initiative, clients qualifying for the reward will be recognised for maintaining strong risk standards and consistently implementing measures focused on protecting the most valuable human resources, fire safety, machinery protection and strengthening resilience against Natural Catastrophe (NatCat) events.

The selection criteria is based on each organisation’s proven track record of resilience and consistent adoption of risk improvement recommendations provided by Jubilee General’s Risk Management team over the years.

“As Insurers we need to view investments in strengthening resilience not merely as a service to customers, but as a strategic tool for business continuity and long-term sustainability.” said Azfar Arshad, Managing Director & CEO of Jubilee General Insurance Co. Ltd.

He added, “By supporting clients in investing in risk prevention, mitigation and resilience, we help businesses reduce the frequency and severity of losses and simultaneously protect our balance sheet.”

Jubilee General’s dedicated Risk Management Department comprises qualified engineers specialising in safety and fire protection. The team conducts comprehensive risk surveys to identify inherent and residual risks across clients’ facilities and provides recommendations tailored to their respective operations.

Through its continued engagement with clients, the Risk Management team supports the effective implementation of risk improvement measures and helps organisations strengthen their risk mitigation and resilience strategies.

The Resilience Rewards Program reinforces Jubilee General’s prevention-first approach to insurance, bringing together engineering expertise, trusted partnerships and proactive risk management to help businesses become safer, better prepared and more resilient.

About Jubilee General Insurance

Jubilee General Insurance Co. Ltd. is one of Pakistan’s leading general insurance companies, providing a comprehensive range of insurance solutions to individuals and businesses. As Pakistan’s top rated insurance company, Jubilee General Insurance remains committed to customer-centricity, innovation and delivering value beyond traditional insurance through risk management expertise, technology and service excellence.

This content is an advertorial by Jubilee General Insurance Co. Ltd. (JGI) and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

This landmark collaboration reflects ParkView City Islamabad’s continued commitment to bringing renowned international brands closer to its residents and visitors. The upcoming restaurant will offer the signature McDonald’s experience within the vibrant and rapidly developing surroundings of Downtown Islamabad.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Abdur Rehman Khan said, “Downtown Islamabad is one of Pakistan’s most unique commercial destinations and an ideal location for leading brands. Beyond being a beautifully designed and fully planned commercial hub, it is also home to Pakistan’s only dancing fountains. This makes it a must-visit destination not only for the people of the capital but also for visitors from across the country.”

Highlighting the distinctive appeal of the location, Omer Farooq Toor said: “The spectacular dancing fountains make Downtown Islamabad the perfect destination for a new McDonald’s. This specific McDonald’s at Downtown Islamabad will be the most unique McDonald’s in the whole country, which will be state-of-the-art and a totally new experience for our customers.”

Designed as an integrated commercial and lifestyle destination, Downtown Islamabad brings together retail, dining, leisure and entertainment in a modern and accessible setting. The addition of McDonald’s will further enhance its growing portfolio of renowned brands and reinforce its appeal as a preferred destination for families and visitors.

The agreement represents a shared commitment to quality, convenience and exceptional customer experiences. Further details regarding the development and official opening of the restaurant will be announced in due course.

This content is an advertorial by ParkView City and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

As a limited-time offer, Chery Q customers will receive a complimentary 7kW home charger worth Rs100,000.

The launch marks the latest step in Chery Master Pakistan’s rapidly expanding New Energy journey. Following the back-to-back introduction of Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9 PHEVs, Chery Master has built Pakistan’s largest PHEV lineup in just seven months. With Q, the company now takes the next step towards pure electric mobility, continuing its ambition to revolutionize Pakistan’s NEV landscape and make advanced New Energy mobility more accessible to everyday Pakistanis.

The journey is driven by a simple belief: mobility must keep moving with the needs of people. As the world moves rapidly towards New Energy vehicles, Pakistan faces its own need for smarter, more efficient and accessible mobility. Rising fuel costs, fuel availability concerns and rapidly growing solar adoption are changing the equation for families and the country itself.

At the Rs4.5–6 million price point, Pakistani consumers have traditionally learned to accept compromises in space, technology, safety, convenience and running costs. Chery Q challenges why these compromises were ever accepted.

Q brings the strengths of different categories together in one everyday car: 94% lower running cost than a hatchback, more comfortable than a sedan and more spacious than an SUV. 3 cars in 1. A full package. By bringing together what consumers would normally have to compromise between, Q creates a space of its own: the Q Segment, redefining what an accessible people’s car can offer.

At the heart of the proposition is YOUR Q: an upgrade, not a swap. Q delivers C-SUV-like space in a compact footprint, with a 1,811 mm width, 2,700 mm wheelbase and 152 mm rear knee room. It combines this with electric rear-wheel drive, mobile app control, voice command, 6.6 kW V2L, six airbags, L2 ADAS with 21 functions, a 540° HD camera, Automatic Parking and a 15.6-inch 2.5K display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Q also changes the running-cost equation. Its 42.7 kWh battery, up to 400 km NEDC range and 9.4 km/kWh efficiency make it particularly relevant for households with solar. At 20,000 km annually, a typical petrol vehicle can cost approximately Rs488,000–569,000 in fuel, compared with approximately Rs30,000 for Q on solar.

The impact extends beyond personal savings. Pakistan’s EV sales increased 257% between FY2024–25 and FY2025–26, while 17 GW of solar PV was imported in 2024. With the petroleum import bill reaching US$16.86 billion in FY2025–26, the transition towards locally generated energy and efficient mobility carries benefits for families, communities, the environment and Pakistan’s energy equation.

Global technology. Master confidence.

At the heart of Chery is family, a philosophy that aligns with Master Group’s relationship with Pakistani families. Chery brings 23 consecutive years as China’s No. 1 automobile exporter, more than 130countries and more than 20 million customers, while Master Group brings more than 60 years of legacy and more than 40 years in automotive, with the trust and love of millions of Pakistanis across generations.

That trust is now being carried into the next generation through high-quality products, advanced technology, ever-ready parts and service support, backed by Chery Master and its dealer partners. With 14 3S dealerships across eight cities and plans for 20 dealerships across 12 cities within six months, the network continues to bring the Chery experience closer to customers.

With Q, Chery Master continues its journey of revolutionizing Pakistan’s NEV landscape, bringing global technology, Master’s trusted local strength and an accessible people’s car together for the families of Pakistan.

The compromises were seen. Hence Q was chosen.

YOUR Q. AN UPGRADE, NOT A SWAP.

This content is an advertorial by Chery Master Pakistan and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

The Pakistan Cricket Board believes that its responsibility goes beyond organising matches and tournaments. A strong cricketing system is built when talented children are identified at an early age, given opportunities to play, provided with the right training to develop their abilities, and offered a clear pathway to progress. This is what makes school cricket so important to the future of Pakistan cricket.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has placed special emphasis on the promotion of school cricket and the identification of new talent in Pakistan. With this objective, a number of new tournaments and programmes have been introduced at the school level. The School Cricket Programme launched last year was an important step in the same direction. During 2025–26, 450 schools from 39 districts participated in the programme, representing the largest participation in school cricket in Pakistan at that time.

Building on that experience, the Pakistan Cricket Board has significantly expanded the programme this year, taking it to a much larger scale across the country. Around 21,000 students from 1,400 schools across 100 districts will participate this year, with a total of 2,895 matches scheduled to be played.

The real significance of these numbers lies not simply in their scale, but in the opportunities they will create for thousands of young players to showcase their abilities, compete and come under the system’s radar. Both government and private schools are participating in the programme, further broadening the reach of school cricket.

PCB has also made a conscious effort to ensure that the search for talent is not limited to traditional cricketing centres, but reaches remote and less-exposed areas of the country. Schools from different regions, from Gilgit to Gwadar, are taking part. The participation of 124 schools from FATA, more than 80 schools from Dera Ismail Khan, as well as young players from Kashmir, Larkana and other areas, demonstrates that Pakistan’s cricketing talent is not confined to any one city or region.

This year, the programme will not be limited to matches alone. Skills development camps are being conducted across the 1,400 schools, focusing on batting, bowling, fielding and fitness. Experienced regional and district coaches, including former and international cricketers, are playing their part in training and developing the young players.

An important aspect of PCB’s school cricket initiative is to ensure that talented players identified through these competitions have a clear pathway to progress. The journey will move from the district level to the divisional, provincial and ultimately national stages. District league pool matches will be held from September to October, followed by a knockout phase involving 100 teams in November, while the national stage will take place from late November through December. The national final will be played on 5 December.

For a young cricketer, the significance of this journey goes beyond winning a trophy. Players who demonstrate outstanding performances will have opportunities to progress into U15, U17 and U19 cricket, as well as gain access to 16 regional academies and regional cricket.

A schoolboy from a remote district of Pakistan may today be playing only for his school team. But if he possesses the ability, this programme can provide him with the opportunity to be seen, assessed and given a pathway to progress.

That is the real strength of school cricket.

This is not simply a tournament. It is a structured effort to reach young Pakistanis who want to play, want to progress and dream of one day wearing the green shirt of Pakistan.

The initiatives under the leadership of Mohsin Naqvi to introduce new tournaments at the school level and continuously expand the reach of school cricket are part of a broader effort to identify Pakistan’s emerging talent at an early stage, provide young players with opportunities for training and competitive cricket, and create a clear pathway towards national cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s objective is to ensure that this opportunity is not limited to the major cities, but reaches every child and young player across the country who has the potential to become part of Pakistan’s cricketing future.

This content is an advertorial by The Pakistan Cricket Board and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

Built around the philosophy “Born to Play,” iCAUR brings together distinctive SUV design, intelligent technology and new-energy mobility. The brand enters Pakistan with two models designed for different lifestyles: the adventurous and commanding V27 REEV and the distinctive, retro style V23 EV.

The official prices are now available following the price reveal.

iCAUR V27 – The Biggest, The Most Powerful

The iCAUR V27 is positioned as the flagship of the launch lineup, bringing together a bold, rugged SUV design with powerful electric performance and range-extended electric technology.

The V27 also features iCAUR’s REEV technology, combining electric driving with a range-extending system designed to provide the benefits of electric mobility while allowing drivers to travel further.

With its commanding road presence and adventure-focused character, the V27 is designed for drivers who want more from an SUV - more power, more capability and more freedom to explore.

The vehicle delivers 449 HP and 505 Nm of motor torque, with a claimed 0–100 km/h acceleration time of just 5.9 seconds. Its intelligent all-wheel-drive system is designed to adapt power delivery according to changing road and terrain conditions.

iCAUR V27 Ex-Factory Price: Rs12,499,000

iCAUR V23 — Distinctive & Retro Style SUV

Alongside V27, NexGen Auto is introducing the iCAUR V23, an SUV that brings iCAUR’s distinctive boxy design language into a more urban and lifestyle-focused package.

The V23 is designed around individuality, flexibility and everyday usability. Its retro-inspired boxy proportions are combined with modern technology and an electric powertrain, creating a vehicle that stands apart from conventional SUVs.

For Pakistan, the V23 will be available in two variants: RWD and AWD, giving customers the choice between two different drivetrain configurations.

iCAUR V23 Luxury (RWD) Ex-Factory Price: Rs9,499,000

iCAUR V23 Premium (AWD) Ex-Factory Price: Rs11,499,000

The availability of both RWD and AWD variants gives customers greater flexibility depending on their driving requirements and lifestyle.

Born to Play

The introduction of iCAUR is not simply about adding another automotive nameplate to the Pakistani market.

The brand has been developed around a different philosophy combining timeless SUV design with intelligent new-energy technology.

iCAUR describes its approach through three key ideas: Iconic Design, Thoughtful Technology and a Sustainable Ecosystem.

Both the V23 and V27 reflect this philosophy in different ways. The V23 focuses on individuality, urban freedom and a distinctive SUV experience, while the V27 takes the same spirit into a larger, more powerful and adventure-oriented package.

NexGen Auto Brings iCAUR to Pakistan

iCAUR is being introduced in Pakistan by NexGen Auto, the automotive venture of Nishat Group.

Nishat Group’s entry into the iCAUR business builds on its growing presence in Pakistan’s automotive sector following the introduction of OMODA & JAECOO.

The launch represents another step in NexGen Auto’s strategy of bringing globally relevant new-energy vehicles and technology to Pakistani customers.

The iCAUR brand was introduced internationally with a focus on electric and range-extended electric SUVs, combining distinctive boxy styling with new-energy powertrains.

With the V27 and V23, iCAUR is entering a market where SUV buyers are increasingly looking beyond conventional choices.

The V23 brings a distinctive design and electric mobility into a lifestyle-oriented package, while the V27 combines a larger SUV footprint with high-output electric performance, intelligent AWD and REEV technology.

Together, the two models establish the foundation for iCAUR’s presence in Pakistan; offering customers two very different interpretations of the same philosophy:

For booking, Visit your nearest dealership: https://icaurpk.com/find-dealer/

Born to Play.

This content is an advertorial by Nishat Group and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

For a market where mobile banking has often trailed behind the branch network in both attention and investment, that is a meaningful change.

Built around how people actually bank

The app’s dashboard can be arranged by the customer, who can bring the services they use most, transfers, bill payments, mobile top-ups, to where they are easiest to reach, while clearing away the rest. Interactive widgets shorten the distance between opening the app and finishing a transaction.

Watch the Launch Video:

Access is secured through biometric login, using fingerprint or facial recognition, while FPIN authentication protects transactions themselves. A Dark and Light Mode option completes a design approach that pays attention to detail without overcomplicating the experience.

Card control, moved to the phone

Debit card management has been brought fully into the app. Customers can activate, block or unblock a card, reset their PIN and manage transaction limits without a helpline call or a branch visit. For a Bank with 1,354 branches across 550 cities, this changes where a large share of everyday banking now happens.

The change most likely to be felt in daily use, however, is instant fund transfers that do not require registering a payee first, a step that has slowed down mobile payments across Pakistan for years.

A benchmark, not an experiment

Pakistan’s banking app landscape has been due an upgrade. Digital-first banks are entering the market, and a generation of customers accustomed to fast, well-designed apps in every other part of their lives is beginning to expect the same from their bank.

AL Habib Digital does not attempt to be everything at once. It sets out to be a genuinely good banking app, and by most measures, it succeeds.

AL Habib Digital is available now on the App Store, Google Play and Huawei AppGallery.

App Store Link: https://apps.apple.com/pk/app/al-habib-digital/id6738781310

Google Play Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alhabib.digitalapp

Huawei AppGallery Link: https://appgallery.huawei.com/#/app/C117304901

This content is an advertorial by Bank AL Habib and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

YOUR Q is an upgrade, not a swap. Chery Q combines a generous cabin, distinctive urban design and everyday practicality in an all-electric package. At 1,811 mm wide, with a 2,700 mm wheelbase exceeding that of most C-SUVs in Pakistan and 152 mm of rear knee room, Q delivers exceptional interior space within an urban-friendly footprint.

The proposition extends across technology, safety and the driving experience. Q features electric rear-wheel drive, mobile app control, voice command and 6.6 kW V2L, alongside six airbags, L2 ADAS with 21 functions and a 540° high-definition camera. Automatic Parking, three driving modes and a 15.6-inch 2.5K display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay bring advanced functionality into everyday driving.

Q also changes the running-cost equation. Its 42.7 kWh battery, up to 400 km NEDC range and 9.4km/kWh efficiency make it particularly compelling for households with solar. At 20,000 km annually, a typical petrol vehicle can cost approximately Rs488,000–569,000 in fuel, compared with approximately Rs30,000 for Q on solar.

The proposition comes as Pakistan’s EV transition gathers pace. EV sales increased 257 per cent between FY2024–25 and FY2025–26, rising from 1,839 to 6,560 units, while 17 GW of solar PV was imported into Pakistan in 2024, more than twice the previous year’s volume. Globally, electric mobility is also moving rapidly into the mainstream.

The shift has wider implications for Pakistan. The country’s petroleum import bill reached US$16.86 billion in FY2025–26, while cleaner mobility can help reduce dependence on imported fuel and contribute to better urban air quality.

Global technology. Master confidence.

Chery Q combines Chery’s global automotive expertise with Master Group’s deep-rooted automotive and industrial ecosystem in Pakistan.

Chery is China’s No. 1 automobile exporter for 23 consecutive years, with a presence across more than 130 countries and more than 20 million customers. In Pakistan, Chery Master brings the strength of Master Group, with over 60 years of legacy and more than 40 years in automotive. It has established 14 3S dealerships across 8 cities in under 10 months, with plans to expand to 20 dealerships across 12 cities over the next 6 months. Its capabilities span manufacturing, localization and large-scale operational execution.

Through Master Yutong, the Group has achieved approximately 80 per cent market share in Pakistan’s bus segment, while Procon Engineering components are integrated into around 15 per cent of locally assembled vehicles. Its joint venture with Changan has also established itself among Pakistan’s leading automotive players, becoming the country’s 4th largest automobile brand in a short span.

Together, Chery and Master bring global technology, local capability and confidence to the ownership experience, giving customers the confidence to embrace a new generation of mobility.

YOUR Q is a considered choice: electric mobility with the space, technology, safety, comfort and value like no other, bringing together Chery’s global expertise and Master Group’s automotive strength in Pakistan.

Chery Q. An upgrade, not a swap.

This content is an advertorial by Chery Master Pakistan and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

The campaign invited people to see Pakistan through a personal lens, bringing to life the places, traditions, cultures and everyday moments that hold special meaning for communities across the country. The result was a vibrant collection of perspectives that celebrated the many ways Pakistan is experienced and cherished.

Following the close of the campaign, the most creative and inspiring entries were selected as winners based on their originality, storytelling and ability to capture the unique spirit of their hometown and Pakistan.

The winners of the “Dil Se Dekho Sarsabz Pakistan” campaign are Nooorehtsham from Lahore, Ayesha from Multan, Hareera Alvi from Okara, bhatti_brand_1989 from Gujrat and Hum Kissan Hamara Pakistan2 from Bahawalpur.

The winning entries stood out for their creativity and their unique portrayal of the people, places, culture and stories that make Pakistan diverse and vibrant.

Speaking on the occasion, Fatima Fertilizer Director Marketing & Sales Rabel Sadozai said: “The response to ‘Dil Se Dekho Sarsabz Pakistan’ has been truly inspiring. With thousands of entries received across our social media platforms, we saw Pakistan through countless different perspectives, each telling a story of pride, belonging and love for home. From cities and towns, to villages and hidden corners of the country, every participant showed us something worth celebrating. We congratulate the winners and thank everyone who shared their stories and helped bring the spirit of this campaign to life.”

Through “Dil Se Dekho Sarsabz Pakistan,” Sarsabz created a platform for Pakistanis to celebrate their hometowns and showcase the people, culture, traditions and places that make them unique. The campaign brought together voices from across the country, turning individual stories into a collective celebration of Pakistan’s diversity and national spirit.

As the campaign concludes, Sarsabz celebrates the winners and every participant who contributed to making the initiative a nationwide expression of pride and connection.

Because the most inspiring stories of Pakistan are the ones seen Dil Se.

This content is an advertorial by Fatima Fertilizer and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

That is the thinking behind YANA, MoltyFoam’s sleep and wellness partner.

YANA brings together product discovery, sleep and wellness guidance, customer support and post-purchase assistance in one connected experience. Instead of asking customers to navigate through different pages, departments or channels, it gives them a more direct way to find the information they need.

Now live across MoltyFoam and Master Celeste, YANA marks another step in creating a more helpful and connected digital journey across the group’s sleep brands.

Because mattress shopping comes with questions

Buying a mattress is rarely just about choosing a size.

You may be wondering whether you need something firm or medium. You may be thinking about posture, pressure relief or back discomfort. Or perhaps you simply want to understand which product makes the most sense for the way you sleep.

That can be a lot to figure out on your own.

YANA makes the process more conversational. Instead of knowing exactly which page to visit or which product to search for, customers can start with a question and explore their options from there.

In other words, it turns browsing into a more guided experience.

So, what can YANA actually do?

YANA is designed to help across different stages of the customer journey, including:

• Mattress and product selection

• Product discovery and shopping guidance

• Pain, posture and orthopaedic wellness information

• Expert and healthcare connectivity

• Warranty-related assistance

• Product ownership queries

• Complaint resolution

• Customer service support

• Multilingual conversations

Whether customers are just starting to explore the best mattress collection in Pakistan or narrowing down a specific product, YANA helps guide them to the right choice.

These capabilities are available to customers exploring both MoltyFoam and Master Celeste, allowing YANA to support different product journeys while keeping the experience simple and conversational.

That also means YANA is not only there when someone is deciding what to buy. It can remain useful even after the purchase has been made.

Help where customers already are

Convenience today is also about choice.

Some customers prefer to chat. Others are more comfortable using WhatsApp, while some may simply want to speak over a voice call.

YANA is built to work across these touchpoints, allowing people to choose how they want to interact rather than forcing every conversation through the same channel.

That flexibility becomes even more valuable when you consider how fragmented customer journeys can be.

A person might discover a product online, ask a follow-up question on WhatsApp and later need help with a warranty or ownership query. Keeping those needs within a more connected digital ecosystem can make the entire experience feel far simpler.

It does not stop at checkout

This is where YANA becomes particularly interesting.

Most ecommerce journeys are designed to get customers to the point of purchase. Once checkout is complete, the digital experience often becomes secondary.

YANA extends that relationship.

Whether a customer has a question about product ownership, needs warranty information, wants customer service assistance or has a complaint to resolve, the platform continues to provide a point of connection.

That moves the digital strategy beyond simply making products easier to buy. It also makes the brands easier to reach.

A more connected direction

YANA is ultimately about more than introducing AI into the customer journey.

It reflects a broader shift towards bringing sleep guidance, wellness information, product knowledge and customer care closer together across MoltyFoam and Master Celeste.

For customers, that means less time figuring out where to look and more direct access to useful information. For the brands, it means turning digital touchpoints into something more meaningful than transactions alone.

And perhaps that is what digital transformation should look like: not technology that draws attention to itself, but technology that quietly makes things simpler.

With YANA, MoltyFoam and Master Celeste are moving another step closer to that future.

This content is an advertorial by MoltyFoam and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

In some of Karachi’s most densely populated neighbourhoods, an entire generation has almost forgotten what master-planned community living can look like - landscaped parks, walking tracks, children’s play areas, secure streets and open spaces where families can spend time together.

Meydan Homes by Patel Group Holdings has been conceived to change that for Karachi’s Baldia Town belt.

Located near Baldia Town and Naval Colony, with connectivity through Hub River Road and the RCD Highway, Meydan Homes brings planned, gated community living to a corridor already surrounded by a substantial residential population, employment and industrial activity.

The project offers leased residential plots, grey-structure homes and finished homes, with flexible payment plans designed around the realities facing Pakistan’s middle-income families. Meydan Homes is LDA and SBCA approved, while development work on the project has already commenced.

At its heart is a simple idea: a housing project should be designed for people to live in, not merely for plots to be sold.

Large landscaped parks, a dedicated walking track, children’s play areas, a mosque, open spaces, landscaped roundabouts and a secure gated environment are integral parts of the master plan - amenities that have increasingly become inaccessible to families outside Karachi’s premium residential districts.

Behind Meydan Homes is Patel Group Holdings, whose real estate journey began with Rainbow Centre, Saddar in 1979. Over the decades, the group has delivered dozens of residential, commercial and industrial projects across Karachi, including multiple Patel Industrial Parks, establishing a significant presence in private-sector industrial development for SMEs, manufacturers and businesses.

Meydan Homes has also entered into an Islamic House Financing MOU with Meezan Bank. Following the bank’s preliminary evaluation of the project and its title documentation, eligible buyers can apply for home and construction financing through a dedicated process, subject to Meezan Bank’s eligibility criteria and approval.

For a part of Karachi where population and economic activity have long existed but modern planned housing has remained limited, Meydan Homes represents something straightforward but important: the opportunity to bring organised, secure and amenity-led community living closer to where Karachi already lives and works.

Meydan Homes - reimagining community living for Karachi’s Baldia Town belt.

This content is an advertorial by Meydan Homes and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

The central figure is familiar to anyone who has read a nutrition report in this country. Roughly 40 per cent of Pakistani children under five are stunted,  permanently shorter than they should be for their age, and, more consequentially, carrying cognitive and immune deficits that no later intervention fully reverses. The National Nutrition Survey of 2018, still the most recent nationally representative dataset of its kind, put the figure at 40.2pc across a sample of more than 76,000 children. Nothing published since suggests a meaningful improvement.

Stunting is the headline, but it is not the whole picture. The same survey recorded 17.7pc wasting among under-fives,  children too thin for their height, the highest level ever measured in Pakistan and above the World Health Organisation’s 15pc emergency threshold. More than half of children aged six to 59 months were anaemic. Around 42pc of women of reproductive age were anaemic, and nearly half of pregnant women were iron deficient. Roughly 58pc of household water samples were contaminated with coliform bacteria, which matters enormously: a child with repeated diarrhoeal infection cannot absorb nutrients from food that is otherwise adequate.

The acute layer

Those are the chronic numbers. Layered on top is an acute emergency that has worsened sharply since the 2025 monsoon floods.

An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis covering 45 rural districts across Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan found more than 2.7 million children under five acutely malnourished, with around 706,000 expected to develop severe acute malnutrition — the life-threatening form requiring therapeutic treatment — before the end of September 2026. That represents roughly a 27pc increase in acute malnutrition cases against the 2023-24 analysis. Sindh accounts for the largest share, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where flooding between June and October 2025 killed more than 500 people.

The food security picture behind it is comparably grim. Some 7.5 million people, about a fifth of the analysed rural population, were classified in IPC Phase 3 or worse between December 2025 and March 2026, including 1.25 million in Phase 4 — emergency conditions marked by large food gaps and high malnutrition.

A provincial map, not a national one

Nutrition in Pakistan is a devolved subject, and the aggregate national figure conceals a spread wide enough to make “the national average” close to meaningless.

Organisers of this week’s conference put stunting prevalence in Balochistan at 52ppam, among the highest recorded anywhere in the world, and in Sindh at 50pc, with acute malnutrition reaching 22.7pc in Tharparkar. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s figure is cited at 41.4pc, with 20.7pc of children severely stunted. In Punjab, the most populous province and the country’s agricultural engine, more than 60pc of women of reproductive age are described as anaemic.

That last statistic is the one that should unsettle policymakers most, because it undercuts the comfortable assumption that malnutrition is a problem of poor, arid, remote districts. A province that grows a substantial share of the country’s food cannot feed its own women adequately.

Chief ministers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh are scheduled to present their provincial pictures, with Punjab, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan following. Whether those presentations produce commitments or communiqués is the open question of the week.

What is actually on the table

The conference agenda suggests the organisers understand where the argument has stalled.

One session is devoted to social protection, and specifically to the Benazir Nashonuma Programme, the government’s largest dedicated stunting-prevention effort, run through BISP with support from the World Food Programme, Unicef and WHO. It is the closest thing Pakistan has to a proof of concept. An independent midterm evaluation by the Aga Khan University’s Institute for Global Health and Development found a 6.4 percentage-point lower stunting prevalence among participating children under two, and children enrolled were reported to be around 22pc less likely to be stunted by six months of age. In July 2026 the programme was extended for three years to cover an additional 3.3 million women and children, taking its cumulative reach towards eight million people through 578 facilitation centres and 224 stabilisation centres.

A second session addresses financing, which is where the conversation usually collapses. The most cited estimate, from Nutrition International’s cost-of-inaction modelling, puts the annual economic cost of undernutrition at roughly $17 billion, about 4.6pc of gross national income, driven by lost productivity, healthcare expenditure, and an estimated annual loss of 21 million IQ points and 3.3 million school years. Against that, public health expenditure sits below 1pc of GDP, and nutrition has no dedicated federal budget line at all; spending is scattered across health, agriculture, education and social protection, which makes it nearly impossible to track and correspondingly easy to cut.

A third session, on behaviour-change communication, brings in the federal information minister and provincial information ministers, an acknowledgement that awareness campaigns built around posters and slogans have not shifted feeding practices, and that communication is a delivery function rather than a decorative one.

The conference is scheduled to close on September 3 with the launch of the Pakistan Nutrition Pact, described by organisers as a national framework of time-bound commitments and measurable targets across government, development partners, civil society and the private sector.

The test

Pakistan is not short of nutrition frameworks. It has a Maternal Nutrition Strategy, provincial nutrition cells, multi-sector plans, and three provinces with mandatory food fortification laws already on the statute books. What it has lacked is the machinery to make any of them bite.

The measure of this week, then, will not be the quality of the diagnosis. That work was finished years ago. It will be whether the Pact arrives with a budget line, a named accountable authority, and a date, or whether it joins the shelf.

This content is produced in paid partnership with the Government of Pakistan - a partner of DawnMedia’s Act for Nutrition initiative.

A doctrine, not a gesture

That shift has a name. URAAN Pakistan, the National Economic Transformation Plan launched by the Prime Minister at the end of 2024 and anchored in the 13th Five-Year Plan, is built around five pillars, of which Equity, Ethics and Empowerment is one. The plan directs a substantial share of a multi-trillion-rupee public investment envelope towards the social sectors, a deliberate reweighting away from decades of infrastructure-first budgeting.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has been unusually direct about the reasoning. He has described malnutrition, and stunting in particular, not merely as a health issue but as a matter of national security, and has argued that the coming era will be decided by brain power and capability, which a stunted child cannot supply. He has also spoken of shifting development priorities from conventional brick-and-mortar projects towards investment in people.

This is a meaningful piece of political framing, and it deserves to be recognised as such. Governments in Pakistan have historically found it far easier to inaugurate a building than to fund a supplementation programme, because one produces a photograph and the other produces a statistic ten years later. Choosing the statistic is a harder political decision, and this government has made it in public.

The Prime Minister set the direction earlier, chairing a high-level meeting with international experts on child malnutrition and directing that a national programme be developed in collaboration with the provinces. That instruction, that this be done federally but with provincial ownership, is the correct architecture for a devolved subject, and it is the architecture the Pakistan Nutrition Pact is now positioned to formalise.

Financing that has actually been delivered

Doctrine is cheap. Money is not, and this is where the government’s record is strongest.

The Benazir Nashonuma Programme, delivered through BISP with technical support from the World Food Programme, Unicef and WHO, is now described as the largest government-funded programme in WFP’s global history. The federal government committed some $194

million to it under the 2024-26 agreement alone, bringing total government investment to close to half a billion dollars. In a period of acute fiscal consolidation, under an IMF programme, with every ministry under pressure to cut, the government protected a nutrition programme and then expanded it.

The results have justified that decision. The independent midterm evaluation by Aga Khan University’s Institute for Global Health and Development recorded stunting prevalence 6.4 percentage points lower among participating children, with those enrolled around 22 per cent less likely to be stunted by six months of age, alongside a 5.6 percentage-point fall in low birth weight in intervention districts. WFP has characterised these as among the strongest results documented globally for a large-scale nutrition programme.

In July this year the programme was extended for a further three years, adding 3.3 million women and children and taking cumulative reach towards eight million people through 578 facilitation centres and 224 stabilisation centres across 158 districts. Very few governments in Pakistan’s income bracket have scaled a nutrition intervention this far on their own resources.

The federal budget for 2026-27 tells a consistent story: Rs53.3 billion for health-related spending, with Rs24.3bn under the PSDP for health and nutrition, against an initial Rs16.5bn the previous year. The trajectory is upward at a time when very little else is.

Credibility abroad, converted into resources

The government’s diplomatic work has translated into money as well. Pakistan secured a ten-year Country Partnership Framework with the World Bank covering FY2026 to FY2035, worth around $20 billion, the Bank’s first partnership of that length with the country.

Reduced child stunting, through clean water, sanitation, basic health, nutrition and family planning, is listed as the first of its six objectives.

That ordering is not incidental. It reflects a negotiating position taken by Pakistani officials, and it means that a decade of concessional financing is now formally hitched to the same indicator the Prime Minister will speak about this week.

The questions worth asking on the floor

A conference is most useful when it converts commitment into design. Four questions would repay the Prime Minister’s attention.

Federal-provincial machinery. Nutrition is devolved, and the federal government’s role is convening rather than commanding. What standing forum will carry the Pact forward between conferences, and how often will it meet in public?

Fortification harmonisation. Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have all legislated mandatory food fortification. Because flour moves across provincial borders, national standards and a supported premix supply chain would let millers compete on level terms. What federal instrument would best deliver that, and what would help Punjab complete its own process?

A traceable nutrition line. Nutrition spending is currently distributed across health, agriculture, education, water and social protection, which reflects the problem’s real shape but makes the total hard to state. Would a consolidated annexure in federal and provincial budgets help ministries demonstrate what they are already spending?

A current baseline. The National Nutrition Survey 2018 remains the backbone of every plan written since, and it has served eight years across two flood cycles. Commissioning the next round would allow this government to measure, and claim, what it has achieved.

The opportunity

Bangladesh, Peru, Senegal and Rwanda all brought stunting down substantially, and none of them did it through a single intervention. They did it through sustained political leadership over a decade, applied to unglamorous delivery. The variable was never technical knowledge. It was whether the head of government kept caring after the launch event.

Pakistan now has the delivery platform in Nashonuma, the legislative base in three provinces, the financing framework with the World Bank, a national plan that names human capital as the objective, and a Prime Minister willing to open a conference on child stunting in person. The Pakistan Nutrition Pact, launched on Wednesday, is the instrument that can tie those together into commitments with dates attached.

The children this will decide for are being born this week. The groundwork has been laid; what remains is to hold the course.

This content is produced in paid partnership with the Government of Pakistan - a partner of DawnMedia’s Act for Nutrition initiative.

The challenge begins even before birth. UNICEF’s Pakistan Maternal Nutrition Strategy describes maternal nutrition as a cornerstone of maternal and child health, linking better nutrition before conception, during pregnancy and after birth to better maternal and child outcomes. Globally, UNICEF estimates that half of stunting in children under two develops during pregnancy and the first six months of life[2].

A challenge too large for one sector

Addressing a problem of this scale requires more than individual interventions. The government can provide policy, standards and national direction while the private sector can contribute manufacturing capacity, quality systems and reliable supply chains.

Pakistan is already demonstrating what such collaboration can achieve. The Benazir Nashonuma Programme, supported by BISP, WFP, WHO and UNICEF, integrates nutrition into the country’s social-protection system. UNICEF reports that children enrolled were 22 per cent less likely to be stunted at six months of age, alongside improvements in maternal nutrition and birth outcomes[3].

For the private sector, the responsibility is increasingly clear: build the manufacturing capabilities and quality systems needed to turn nutrition interventions into reliable, scalable solutions.

Building nutrition solutions in Pakistan

Innovita works with UNICEF and the World Food Programme to provide customised vitamin and mineral premixes for specialised nutrition products, including Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF), Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (LNS-SQ) and Super Cereal. These products support the treatment and prevention of malnutrition.

Maternal nutrition has also been a focus, particularly during the first 1,000 days of life. Within the wider Ismail Industries ecosystem, collaboration with the Gates Foundation led to Wellma, a ready-to-eat balanced energy-protein product for pregnant and lactating women, aimed at supporting maternal nutrition during the critical first 1,000 days of life.

From public health to commercial nutrition

Beyond public-health nutrition, Innovita serves the wider food and nutrition industry through two core verticals. We develop customised vitamin and mineral premixes for early-life nutrition, staple-food fortification, beverages, bakery and confectionery, alongside ready-to-market nutritional products spanning electrolyte powders, GLP-1 muscle support, adult nutrition and functional dietary supplements.

Innovita is one of only 16 GAIN-approved liquid-premix and 28 dry-premix facilities globally. GAIN, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, maintains a network of premix facilities assessed against defined quality standards. Built around Swiss-engineered Bühler technology, Innovita’s manufacturing facility has approximately 6,500 MT in annual production capacity, supported by an in-house analytical laboratory. Our quality framework includes FSSC 22000, ISO certifications and U.S. FDA food-facility registration.

Innovita has built an export footprint across multiple continents, including more than 25 customised premix formulations for infant formula brands in Europe. More recently, our partnership with Barentz has extended our reach across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica.

At Innovita, we believe public-health priorities, responsible partnerships and world-class local manufacturing can make better nutrition more accessible while building solutions for communities around the world.

References

[1] https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/national-nutrition-survey-2018

[2] https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/press-releases/malnutrition-mothers-soars-25-cent-crisis-hit-countries-putting-women-and-newborn

[3] https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/press-releases/bisp-wfp-who-unicef-extend-partnership-protect-33-million-children-and-women

This content is an advertorial by Innovita and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

The well-attended event took place at the Etihad Town Phase - II cricket stadium and was hosted by renowned television personalities Vasay Chaudhry and Waseem Badami. The event also featured prominent journalists and media personalities, including Mansoor Ali Khan, Muhammad Malick and Muneeb Farooq. The ceremony brought together Phase - II customers, Strategic Sales Partners, investors, stakeholders, business representatives and guests from all walks of life, with customers expressing excitement as they received possession of their plots before the committed timeline. The strong participation and enthusiasm of customers reflected the confidence and trust placed in Etihad Town and its commitment to delivering on its promises.

Etihad Town Phase - II now stands as a completely developed and livable community, offering customers the opportunity to experience the development they invested in. The possession ceremony marked an important transition from investment to ownership, with all investors and buyers receiving on-ground possession of their properties during the event, formally becoming part of an established residential community.
The project’s strategic location further strengthens its appeal, as Etihad Town Phase - II sits directly on Pine Avenue in Lahore, providing residents with seamless connectivity to Ferozepur Road, Raiwind Road, and Jia Bagga Road, while also offering convenient access to surrounding residential communities and key destinations across the city. The project is also situated just 2 minutes from Lahore Ring Road providing residents with convenient access to major road networks and public transportation. This strategic positioning makes Phase - II an ideal residential destination for families seeking connectivity, accessibility and a fully developed community.

A defining feature of Etihad Town’s development philosophy has been its commitment to delivering projects before time. The successful completion and possession of Phase - II further reinforces this legacy, reflecting the brand’s focus on quality development, timely execution and fulfilling its commitments to customers. The project’s completion adds another tangible achievement to Etihad Town’s growing portfolio of successfully delivered developments across Pakistan.

Highlighting the achievement, the management credited the strategic vision of Chairman Chaudhary Munir and Executive Directors Ch Raheel Munir, Ch Faisal Munir, and Ch Sohail Munir and project sponsors Malik Saif Ul Malook Khokhar, Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Bilawal Khokhar and Nabeel Khokhar for consistently driving quality development and timely delivery, further strengthening Etihad Town’s reputation nationwide.

Speaking on the occasion, Etihad Town COO Sheikh Shujaullah Khan, said, “The possession of Phase - II is a significant milestone for Etihad Town and our customers who placed their trust in us. We remain committed to delivering quality developments before time, and Phase - II is another reflection of that promise. He also announced on stage that Etihad Town will deliver two more projects before their committed timelines in 2026, reaffirming the company’s commitment to delivering ahead of schedule.”

The possession ceremony concluded on a celebratory note, marking another important milestone in Etihad Town’s journey and reinforcing its commitment to delivering before time. With Phase - II now fully developed and livable, the project stands as another testament to Etihad Town’s focus on quality, timely delivery, and creating long-term value for its customers.

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LinkedIn: etihadrealestate, sheikh-shujaullah-khan.

This content is an advertorial by Etihad Town and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

It is an image that is not wrong. It is simply incomplete.

A child can eat every day and still be malnourished. The food may lack essential nutrients. A mother may enter pregnancy anaemic or undernourished. A newborn may miss the earliest benefits of breastfeeding. A family may have food, but no clean water. A child may survive repeated infections and still fail to grow.

Malnutrition is therefore not only about what is on the plate.

It is about everything around it.

That distinction is beginning to shape the way Khyber Pakhtunkhwa approaches one of Pakistan’s most persistent development challenges.

The province continues to face a serious burden. According to the National Nutrition Survey 2018, 40 per cent of children under five in KP were stunted and 15 per cent were wasted. In the newly merged districts, the figures were significantly higher, at 48.3 per cent for stunting and 23.1 per cent for wasting.

These numbers are sobering.

But there is another story worth examining: the effort to change not only nutrition outcomes, but the way nutrition is built into government itself.

KP has increasingly moved towards a model in which nutrition is considered in development planning, professional education, research, maternal and child health, social protection, food systems and emergency preparedness.

That may be its most consequential innovation.

When nutrition enters the planning room

One of the province’s most unusual interventions began not in a hospital but in the development-planning process.

KP became the first province to develop nutrition markers for tracking nutrition-sensitive interventions in Annual Development Programme schemes.

The principle behind the initiative is simple: development spending can influence nutrition even when a project has nothing explicitly to do with food.

A water-supply scheme can reduce exposure to disease. An agricultural programme can affect dietary diversity. A road can determine how easily a pregnant woman reaches a health facility. Education can influence health and feeding practices. Social protection can determine whether a household can afford nutritious food.

The child experiences these interventions as one environment.

Government, however, often experiences them as separate departments.

Nutrition markers attempt to narrow that gap.

The idea is important because it shifts nutrition from being a specialised concern of health officials to becoming a consideration in the decisions that shape communities.

It is a small change in administrative procedure with potentially large consequences.

The battle against malnutrition begins before birth

The province’s health interventions continue to focus on the first 1,000 days—from conception until a child’s second birthday.

This period receives enormous attention in nutrition science because growth and development during these early years can influence a child’s health and potential for years to come.

KP’s Nutrition Cell at the Directorate General Health Services has been working across this window through maternal and child nutrition interventions, breastfeeding promotion, supplementation and treatment of acute malnutrition.

The province has introduced multi-micronutrient supplementation for mothers and weekly iron and folic acid supplementation for adolescent girls.

The latter is especially significant.

The nutrition of a future mother is not determined on the day she becomes pregnant. It is shaped during the years before pregnancy.

If nutrition policy begins only when a woman enters an antenatal clinic, it has already missed part of the story.

Making breastfeeding a community responsibility

KP has also invested in making breastfeeding support more accessible.

With UNICEF support, 27 breastfeeding rooms and day-care centres have been established in hospitals and educational institutions.

The province is also implementing the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative and moving towards the Baby-Friendly Community Initiative, with the stated ambition of becoming the first province in Pakistan—and among the first in the region—to introduce the community-based model.

The distinction matters.

A mother can receive excellent advice inside a hospital and still struggle to follow it once she returns home.

Breastfeeding is influenced by family practices, workplace conditions, social expectations and the availability of support. Taking the initiative into communities acknowledges that healthy behaviour cannot be created by medical advice alone.

It has to be supported by the environment in which people live.

Building nutrition into the health workforce

A policy can only be as strong as the people who deliver it.

KP has therefore worked with academia and UNICEF to harmonise nutrition curricula across BS/MS and allied health sciences programmes.

The effort seeks to ensure that nutrition is not treated as a narrow specialisation, but becomes part of the professional knowledge of doctors, nurses and allied health workers.

The province has also established a Centre of Excellence for Nutrition and Child Development at Khyber Medical University, creating a platform for research and evidence generation.

This could prove particularly valuable.

Pakistan does not need only more nutrition campaigns. It needs more answers to practical questions: Which interventions work best in which communities? What reaches mothers in remote areas? Which approaches are affordable at scale? What survives a flood, an economic shock or a disruption in health services?

Local research can turn those questions into evidence.

From programmes to learning

That principle is visible in KP’s operational research on multi-micronutrient supplementation in Swabi, undertaken with support from Nutrition International.

The importance of such research goes beyond one district or one supplement.

Public policy improves when governments are willing to test their assumptions.

A programme that looks effective on paper may encounter very different realities in the field. Mothers may face transport problems. Health workers may be overstretched. Supplies may arrive late. Families may have concerns about a particular intervention.

Research allows policymakers to see those gaps—and, ideally, fix them.

The food people already eat matters

Not every nutrition problem can be solved by asking families to change their diets.

For millions of households, affordability is part of the equation.

That makes food fortification an important part of KP’s strategy.

The province’s programmes include Universal Salt Iodisation, wheat flour fortification and oil fortification, targeting micronutrient deficiencies through foods already consumed by large sections of the population.

It is a different kind of intervention: instead of asking every household to acquire a new product or adopt an entirely new habit, essential nutrients can be delivered through commonly consumed foods.

The principle is particularly relevant in a province where poverty and food insecurity can limit the choices available to families.

Nutrition beyond the health department

KP’s approach has also moved into schools and social protection.

The province is pursuing school-age deworming for children aged 5 to 14, while nutrition has been incorporated into the Integrated Health Project.

Through SUN-KP, the Scaling Up Nutrition platform, and the province’s Multi-Sectoral Integrated Nutrition Strategy, nutrition is being connected with sectors beyond health.

The logic is straightforward.

A health department can treat a malnourished child. It cannot, by itself, determine the price of food.

A doctor can recommend handwashing. A doctor cannot build a water system.

An agriculture department can increase food production. It cannot guarantee that a poor family can afford a diverse diet.

Nutrition sits at the intersection of all three.

That is why the province’s KP-SPRING—Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Stunting Reduction Integrated Nutrition Gain—and other nutrition-sensitive initiatives are significant not simply as programmes, but as attempts to make different parts of government work towards a common outcome.

Protecting children when crisis strikes

For KP, emergency preparedness cannot be separated from nutrition policy.

The province has developed a Nutrition Emergency Response Plan and maintains an Emergency Nutrition Cluster Coordination mechanism.

It has been activated during major emergencies, including COVID-19 and the floods of 2022 and 2024.

This matters because disasters rarely affect all families equally.

A household already struggling with food insecurity can be pushed into severe nutritional vulnerability by a flood, displacement, disease outbreak or sudden loss of income.

For children, deterioration can happen quickly.

A nutrition response therefore cannot begin after a crisis has already disrupted food supplies and health services. It has to be designed before the emergency arrives.

Where social protection meets nutrition

There is perhaps no clearer example of the connection between household economics and nutrition than the BISP Nashonuma Programme.

The programme links conditional cash transfers with maternal and child nutrition, targeting vulnerable BISP-registered pregnant and lactating women and children under two.

Its significance lies in the connection it makes between two issues that governments have often treated separately: poverty alleviation and human development.

Cash support can help a family meet immediate needs. When that support is linked to maternal and child health and nutrition, it can also become an investment in the next generation.

The idea deserves attention well beyond nutrition policy.

The real test is reach

There is, however, a point at which innovation must give way to implementation.

KP has developed a substantial architecture around nutrition. But a programme established in Peshawar is only as successful as its ability to reach a mother in a remote district.

The province’s burden also remains high, particularly in the newly merged districts.

This is where the next chapter becomes more difficult.

Can these interventions be sustained?

Can district-level health systems deliver them consistently?

Can nutrition remain a priority when fiscal pressures increase?

Can data tell policymakers not only what has been achieved, but who is still being left behind?

And can successful experiments move from pilots and projects into routine government systems?

These questions are more important than another announcement.

A different way of thinking

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not the first place to discover that malnutrition is complex.

What is noteworthy is the range of mechanisms it is putting together to address that complexity.

Nutrition markers in development planning.

Nutrition in professional curricula.

A research centre focused on nutrition and child development.

Breastfeeding support in hospitals and communities.

Maternal and adolescent supplementation.

Community management of acute malnutrition.

Food fortification.

School-age deworming.

Social protection linked to nutrition.

Emergency nutrition planning.

And a multi-sectoral structure that attempts to bring different departments into the same conversation.

Taken individually, none of these measures can transform a province’s nutritional profile.

Together, they suggest a more ambitious proposition: that nutrition should not be treated as a programme sitting inside government, but as an outcome that government as a whole must help produce.

That may be the lesson KP can offer the rest of Pakistan.

The province should not claim victory. The numbers do not permit it, and the unfinished work is too large.

But there is value in demonstrating that a different approach is possible.

The ultimate measure will not be the number of strategies written, centres opened or initiatives announced.

It will be whether a girl enters adulthood better nourished.

Whether a mother enters pregnancy healthier.

Whether a newborn receives the right start.

Whether a child grows without the invisible burden of chronic undernutrition.

And whether the institutions around that child are strong enough to protect those gains when the next crisis comes.

Malnutrition may begin before a child can speak.

The response, therefore, has to begin before the problem becomes visible.

That is the real promise—and the real test—of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s nutrition experiment.

This content is produced in paid partnership with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government - a partner of DawnMedia’s Act for Nutrition initiative.

The collaboration is designed to enable Resecurity to leverage Sky47’s in-country data center and cloud infrastructure for customers requiring localised data hosting, stronger control over sensitive information and secure deployment of cybersecurity platforms within Pakistan.

Sky47 is building sovereign digital infrastructure designed to support enterprise, government, and mission-critical workloads, including high-density cloud environments and AI-ready compute capabilities. Its cloud and AI infrastructure platform was launched in January 2026 and has been positioned to support secure, scalable and locally hosted digital infrastructure for organisations operating within Pakistan.

“Cyber threat intelligence, data residency and secure AI infrastructure are becoming increasingly connected as governments and enterprises modernise their digital operations,” said Resecurity CEO Gene Yoo. “Our partnership with Sky47 allows us to align Resecurity’s intelligence-driven cybersecurity capabilities with sovereign infrastructure in Pakistan, helping customers strengthen cyber resilience while supporting local hosting and compliance requirements.”

Through the partnership, Resecurity and Sky47 intend to explore secure deployment models for cyber threat intelligence, fraud prevention, digital risk monitoring, identity protection and AI-powered cybersecurity workloads. The companies will also evaluate AI-ready and GPU-enabled infrastructure to support advanced analytics, automation, and next-generation intelligence workflows.

“Pakistan’s digital ecosystem requires secure, scalable and locally hosted infrastructure capable of supporting advanced cloud and AI workloads,” said Sky47 Chief Executive Officer Hassan Abbas. “By working with Resecurity, we are strengthening our ability to support cybersecurity, data residency and AI-driven workloads within Pakistan through sovereign digital infrastructure.”

The partnership is further supported by Resecurity’s regional leadership in Pakistan.

“Organisations across Pakistan are increasingly focused on strengthening cybersecurity while ensuring that sensitive data remains within national boundaries,” said Sharafat Khan, the managing director of Pakistan at Resecurity. “This partnership brings together advanced cyber threat intelligence and local infrastructure capabilities to help customers address both priorities with greater confidence.”

The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to supporting secure digital transformation, strengthening cyber resilience and enabling the responsible adoption of AI-powered cybersecurity capabilities across Pakistan’s public and private sectors.

About Resecurity

Resecurity® is a cybersecurity company that delivers a unified platform for endpoint protection, fraud prevention, risk management and cyber threat intelligence. Known for providing best-of-breed data-driven intelligence solutions, Resecurity’s services and platforms focus on early-warning identification of data breaches and comprehensive protection against cybersecurity risks. Founded in 2016, it has been globally recognised as one of the world’s most innovative cybersecurity companies with the sole mission of enabling organisations to combat cyber threats regardless of how sophisticated they are. Most recently, Resecurity was named as one of the Top 10 fastest-growing private cybersecurity companies in Los Angeles, California by Inc. Magazine. An Official Partner of the Cybercrime Atlas by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Member of InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA), AFCEA, NDIA, SIA, FS-ISAC and the American Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia (AmChamKSA), Singapore (AmChamSG), Korea (AmChamKorea), Mexico (AmChamMX), Thailand (AmChamThailand), and UAE (AmChamDubai). To learn more about Resecurity, visit https://resecurity.com.

About Sky47

Sky47 Limited is a Pakistan-based digital infrastructure company focused on building sovereign cloud, data center and AI-ready infrastructure to support enterprise, government and mission-critical workloads within Pakistan. The company provides secure, scalable, and locally hosted infrastructure designed to support data sovereignty, cloud adoption, AI workloads and digital transformation.

This content is an advertorial by Resecurity® and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

In Pakistan, a child may eat every day and still lack the protein, micronutrients, clean water and healthcare needed for healthy growth. A mother may have enough food but enter pregnancy already anaemic or undernourished. A family may have food on the table but not enough money to make that food nutritious.

That is the quieter face of Pakistan’s malnutrition crisis.

Around four in ten children under five are stunted. The consequences are not confined to childhood. Poor nutrition can affect learning, productivity, household incomes and the country’s economic future.

But there is an important question hidden inside Pakistan’s national numbers: What can we learn from the places where progress has been made?

One answer comes from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2025 found that KP recorded the largest decline in stunting among Pakistan’s provinces between 2011 and 2018. The improvement was associated with wider socioeconomic changes, social protection and investments in health and nutrition — not with a single miracle programme.

That distinction may be the most important part of the story.

KP has not solved malnutrition. But it has shown that the trajectory can change.

The first 1,000 days

At the centre of the province’s approach is the first 1,000 days — from conception through a child’s second birthday.

It is a narrow window, but one with consequences that can last a lifetime. Maternal nutrition, antenatal care, breastfeeding, complementary feeding, immunisation, sanitation and protection from infection all shape a child’s development during this period.

KP has established a Nutrition Cell at the Directorate General Health Services to coordinate nutrition interventions.

Its programmes include breastfeeding promotion through the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and Baby Friendly Community Initiative, with 27 breastfeeding rooms and day-care centres established in hospitals and other institutions.

The province is also providing multi-micronutrient supplementation for mothers, weekly iron and folic acid supplementation for adolescent girls, and treatment for children with severe acute malnutrition through Community Management of Acute Malnutrition.

Kangaroo Mother Care, nutrition training for Lady Health Workers and the integration of nutrition into medical, nursing and allied health curricula are also part of the approach.

The significance is bigger than the list itself.

It reflects a recognition that a child’s nutritional health begins long before that child arrives at a hospital.

Nutrition is not just a health problem

A doctor can treat a malnourished child.

But a doctor cannot lower the price of food.

A health department can advise families about hygiene, but it cannot provide clean water to every household.

An agricultural programme can increase food production, but if the food is unaffordable or lacks nutritional diversity, production alone will not solve the problem.

This is why nutrition is ultimately a test of government coordination.

Health, agriculture, education, food, social protection, water and sanitation may be separate departments on paper. For a child, they are part of the same environment.

KP’s Multi-Sectoral Integrated Nutrition Strategy, Scaling Up Nutrition initiatives and KP-SPRING — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Stunting Reduction Integrated Nutrition Gain reflect this broader approach.

The province has also integrated nutrition into wider health planning through the Integrated Health Project.

When nutrition meets social protection

The connection between poverty and nutrition is impossible to ignore.

It is difficult to tell a mother to provide a more diverse diet when the household cannot afford it.

This is where the BISP Nashonuma Programme becomes important. The programme provides conditional cash transfers to vulnerable BISP-registered pregnant and lactating women and children under two, linking financial support with maternal and child nutrition.

The idea is simple but powerful: social protection can do more than put money into a household. It can be designed to improve the health and development of the next generation.

The hardest problem is reaching everyone

There is, however, a danger in celebrating provincial averages.

KP’s progress has not been uniform. District-level differences remain substantial, and newly merged districts and other underserved areas can face much greater challenges than provincial figures suggest.

The real test is therefore not whether the province’s average improves.

It is whether improvement reaches the child living far from a functioning health facility.

Whether it reaches the mother with the least purchasing power.

Whether it reaches families least able to withstand another flood, drought or economic shock.

That is why equity must become the next measure of progress.

KP has already developed many of the building blocks: nutrition services, breastfeeding support, maternal supplementation, treatment of acute malnutrition, social protection, food fortification and multi-sectoral planning.

Its food fortification programmes include Universal Salt Iodisation, wheat flour fortification and oil fortification to address micronutrient deficiencies.

The province is also pursuing school-age deworming and has established an Emergency Nutrition Cluster Coordination mechanism that was activated during COVID-19 and the floods of 2022 and 2024.

The challenge now is not simply to create more programmes.

It is to make existing ones work better — and reach further.

From announcements to outcomes

Pakistan has no shortage of nutrition strategies, campaigns and commitments.

The harder task is turning them into measurable change.

A mother needs more than a message telling her to “eat better.” She needs access to affordable nutritious food.

A family needs more than advice about hygiene. It needs clean water.

A malnourished child needs more than a clinic. That child needs a home, a diet and an environment that make healthy growth possible.

For policymakers, the question is therefore becoming increasingly direct:

Are we treating malnutrition after it appears, or are we changing the conditions that produce it?

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has made progress. It has also built a broad network of interventions that reaches from pregnancy and breastfeeding to schools, food fortification, social protection and emergency response.

But the province should not claim victory.

The more useful message is that progress is possible — and that the work is unfinished.

The real measure of success will not be another strategy document or another announcement.

It will be a child who grows normally.

A mother who enters pregnancy healthier.

A family that can afford nutritious food.

A community with clean water.

And, years later, a generation better prepared to learn, work and build the future.

That is the real nutrition test for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — and ultimately, for Pakistan.

This content is produced in paid partnership with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government - a partner of DawnMedia’s Act for Nutrition initiative.

And these are the same opportunities that can be turned into climate assets.

But there is an important distinction also: not all low carbon emission projects are carbon creditable also. Installing solar panels, planting trees or capturing methane does not automatically generate carbon credits. A project must demonstrate that its emission reductions or removals are additional, measurable and consistent with an accepted carbon-market methodology. It must also establish who owns the reductions, how they will be monitored and whether the expected revenue justifies the cost of registration and verification.

For corporate leaders, the first question should be: “can this project credibly produce saleable carbon credits?”

Carbon credits explained: What is actually being sold?

A carbon credit represents one metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent, or tCO₂e, that has been reduced, avoided or removed from the atmosphere and verified under an accepted standard.

Credits can be generated by different activities. A landfill may capture methane that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere. A clean-cooking program may reduce the amount of fuel consumed by households. A biochar facility may convert agricultural residues into a stable form of stored carbon. Forestry and agroforestry projects may increase carbon stored in trees and soil.

Readers seeking a more detailed introduction can consult Resources Future’s guide to carbon credits, project types and market standards.

Two carbon markets, one demand for high-integrity

Carbon markets broadly operate through two channels.

In voluntary carbon markets, companies purchase credits as part of climate, sustainability or net-zero strategies. Participation is generally not imposed by law, although buyers are increasingly expected to explain what they purchased, why they purchased it and how the credits relate to their wider decarbonisation plans.

Compliance markets operate under government or international rules. Regulated entities may be required to surrender eligible units against their emissions, while international transfers under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement require national authorisation and careful accounting.

For project developers, the route chosen affects methodology, documentation, buyers, price expectations and regulatory approvals. A credit that is acceptable to one buyer or program may not necessarily qualify for another.

Across both markets, however, the direction of travel is clear: buyers increasingly differentiate between credits on the basis of high-integrity. Carbon markets are becoming less tolerant of weak baselines and unsupported claims.

Pakistan now has a national policy framework

Pakistan’s carbon-market opportunity gained a clearer institutional foundation with the federal government’s approval of the Pakistan Policy Guidelines for Trading in Carbon Markets 2024. The framework recognises voluntary and compliance carbon markets and is intended to align carbon trading with Pakistan’s climate commitments and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination is designated as the National Designated Authority. The policy outlines a pathway beginning with a Project Idea Note, followed by a Letter of Intent, development and registration of a Project Design Document and, where applicable, a No Objection Certificate for the transfer of mitigation outcomes or corresponding adjustments.

The framework also envisages a Carbon Market Working Group, a National Carbon Registry and domestic MRV infrastructure. These systems are important because buyers need assurance that a reduction has not been issued, sold or claimed more than once.

Pakistan’s framework also has direct financial implications for developers. It provides for a five per cent deduction of generated credits, a Corresponding Adjustment Fee calculated at 12 per cent of net revenues where applicable and an administrative charge equal to one per cent of gross carbon-credit revenues. These deductions need to be reflected in project economics from the beginning.

Resources Future has provided a detailed analysis of Pakistan’s 2024 carbon-credit policy and its implications for developers. The underlying provisions can also be reviewed in the government’s official policy guidelines.

The policy creates a pathway, but it does not make every climate activity eligible. An approval pathway is not a guarantee of registration, credit issuance or revenue. That is why feasibility is the critical first investment gate.

The 11 questions to answer before spending on carbon credit registration in Pakistan

Carbon project development can require specialised studies, baseline surveys, stakeholder consultations, legal documentation, validation fees and years of monitoring. Developers that move directly from an attractive idea to registration risk investing heavily before establishing whether the fundamentals work.

Resources Future has an 11-Parameter Carbon Feasibility Study to give companies, developers and investors an early Go/No-Go assessment. Rather than beginning with a promise of how many credits a project might sell, the study tests the conditions that must be present for those credits to become credible.

In practical terms, an effective screening needs to examine 11 decision areas:

1. Project eligibility: Does the proposed activity qualify under an accepted carbon-crediting program?
2. Project boundary and ownership: Which activities, locations and emission sources are included and who holds the legal rights to the resulting credits?
3. Additionality: Would the emission reduction or removal occur without carbon finance?
4. Baseline: What would reasonably happen in the absence of the project and is there sufficient evidence to support that scenario?
5. Methodology and standards: Is there an applicable methodology under a recognised program or Article 6 pathway?
6. Credit potential: How many credits could the project realistically generate under conservative assumptions?
7. Data and MRV readiness: Can the necessary information be measured, recorded and independently verified over the project’s life?
8. Integrity risks: How will leakage, reversal, double counting and underperformance be addressed?
9. Safeguards and co-benefits: How will communities, workers, landholders and the environment be protected—and how will benefits be shared?
10. Regulatory pathway: What national, provincial and international approvals will be required?
11. Financial and market viability: After development costs, verification expenses, policy deductions and price risk, does the investment case still work?

This assessment is particularly valuable for boards and investment committees. It converts an abstract climate opportunity into a structured decision: proceed, redesign, collect more evidence or stop before committing further capital.

RF’s overview of carbon credits in Pakistan and the 11-Parameter Carbon Feasibility Study explains how the initial screen connects with full feasibility, registration and MRV support.

Where could Pakistan generate carbon credits?

Pakistan’s opportunity is not confined to forestry. Potential project categories include methane capture from livestock and waste, clean cooking, agricultural practices, biochar, industrial efficiency, transport, distributed energy and selected nature-based solutions.

For instance, a large plantation may appear attractive but become difficult to certify if land rights are fragmented, the baseline is weak or long-term permanence cannot be protected. Conversely, a methane-reduction project with strong operating data may offer more predictable monitoring and issuance.

RF’s research on the top carbon-credit opportunities in Pakistan assesses sectors against methodological maturity, MRV feasibility, additionality and commercial potential. Its specialist work on agriculture, forestry and land-use carbon projects also illustrates why land eligibility, permanence, leakage and community safeguards must be tested early.

From feasibility to registration and issuance

A positive screening result is the beginning.

The next stage is a full feasibility assessment. This establishes the baseline in greater detail, selects the methodology, calculates expected emission reductions, designs the monitoring system, assesses safeguards and models financial outcomes under different price and issuance scenarios.

The project can then proceed through national approvals and preparation of the Project Design Document. Depending on the chosen pathway, it may also require listing under an international standard, independent validation, registration, monitoring and verification before credits are issued.

Each stage depends on the quality of the previous one. Poor baseline work creates problems during validation. Weak monitoring design creates problems during verification. Overstated credit estimates create problems with investors and buyers.

Resources Future’s carbon-credit project development guide describes the wider journey from feasibility and methodology selection to registration, verification and market access.

This is also where early commercial planning matters. Developers need to understand not only how credits will be created, but who might buy them, what quality attributes those buyers value and whether an offtake or forward-purchase arrangement could support financing.

Turning estimated credits into an investment case

Even a technically eligible project may not be financially viable.

Carbon revenues depend on credit volume, price, issuance frequency and other factors. A project generating credits every year will have a different cash-flow profile from one verified every three or five years. An investor holding credits over the full project life will face different risks from one planning an early sale of future credit rights.

To help decision-makers test these variables, Resources Future has developed a free Carbon Credit Investment Screening Tool. The tool models indicative revenue, costs, NPV, IRR, payback period and hold-versus-exit scenarios.

It does not replace a full carbon feasibility study, legal due diligence or independent investment appraisal. Its value is in helping C-suite decision-makers challenge headline revenue assumptions before approving deeper expenditure.

A credible model should also use scenarios rather than a single carbon price. Conservative, base and upside cases make it easier to see whether the project remains viable when credit issuance is delayed, costs increase or market prices disappoint.

What should corporate leaders do now?

Companies may participate in carbon markets in several ways.

An asset owner may discover that an existing waste, energy or agricultural program has the potential to generate credits. A project developer may use carbon revenue to improve the viability of new infrastructure. An investor may finance a portfolio in return for a share of future credits. A corporate buyer may purchase and retire high-quality carbon offsets for residual emissions.

Each role requires different capabilities, but the first actions are similar: identify potential activities, establish data ownership, screen eligibility, test financial viability and select the correct regulatory and certification pathway.

Resources Future supports this process from initial screening through full feasibility, Project Idea Note and Project Design Document preparation, MRV design, validation and verification coordination, registration, issuance strategy and buyer engagement.

That is the opportunity for Pakistan’s corporate sector: not simply to trade carbon, but to develop credible climate assets capable of attracting investment, generating revenue and delivering measurable benefits.

The market will reward proactiveness. The right place to begin is a solid carbon credit feasibility.

Resources Future is a climate finance mobilisation firm with a focus on carbon-market advisory and accessing green climate funds. To explore whether a project could qualify for carbon-credit development, visit Resources Future or contact info@resourcesfuture.com.

This content is an advertorial by Resources Future and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

Working with McDonald’s recognisable colours, symbols and cultural relevance, the students developed collections that balanced brand familiarity with individual expression. Every interpretation brought something different to the runway, from bold graphic treatments and experimental forms to subtle references inspired by the brand’s products and personality. The project encouraged students to think like professional designers: understanding a brand, responding to a brief and creating work that remained both relevant and original.

McDonald’s Pakistan’s involvement reflects a wider vision of creating meaningful opportunities for young people through creative partnerships. By giving students access to a professional platform and an authentic industry experience, the initiative helped bridge the gap between academic learning and commercial practice, showing what can happen when established brands invest in the ideas of the next generation.

This content is an advertorial by McDonald’s Pakistan and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

The improvement in profitability was supported by strong balance sheet expansion, higher earning assets, increased deposit mobilisation, improved recoveries and continued focus on risk management and operational discipline. The bank’s total assets crossed the Rs100 billion milestone, reaching Rs101.55 billion as of June 30, 2026, representing approximately 32 per cent growth from Rs76.80 billion on Dec 31, 2025. Gross advances increased to Rs50.07 billion, compared to Rs38.16 billion at year-end 2025.

The bank’s funding base also recorded significant growth during the period, with deposits increasing to Rs86.19 billion from Rs69.09 billion on Dec 31, 2025, representing approximately 25 per cent growth. The increase reflects continued deposit mobilisation and strengthening of the bank’s customer franchise.

The bank’s revenue profile strengthened significantly during the first half of 2026, with revenue increasing to Rs10.52 billion from Rs5.84 billion during the corresponding period of 2025, representing a robust 80.1 per cent growth year-on-year. Notably, the revenue generated during the first six months of 2026 has already reached approximately 74 per cent of the Rs14.25 billion revenue recorded for the entire year of 2025, reflecting the strong momentum in the Bank’s financial performance.

Asset quality and credit risk management remained key areas of focus during the period. The bank’s capital position also improved materially during the first half of 2026. Shareholders’ equity increased to Rs3.11 billion as of June 30, 2026, compared to a negative equity position of Rs397 million at Dec 31, 2025. The improvement was driven by strong profitability together with the recognition of Rs2.0 billion as Advance Against Issuance of Shares.

The period also saw continued investment in technology, infrastructure, digital capabilities, people and control functions to support the bank’s growth.

The bank’s financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2026, received an unmodified audit opinion from its independent auditors, Baker Tilly Mehmood Idrees Qamar, Chartered Accountants. The auditors stated that the financial statements give a true and fair view of the bank’s financial position and performance and conform with the applicable accounting and reporting standards in Pakistan, the Companies Act, 2017, the Microfinance Institutions Ordinance, 2001 and directives issued by the State Bank of Pakistan.

With stronger profitability, a balance sheet exceeding Rs100 billion, a growing deposit base, expanded lending portfolio, strengthened equity position and continued investment in digital and operational capabilities, ABHI Microfinance Bank enters the second half of 2026 with a stronger foundation for sustainable growth. Having already surpassed its full-year 2025 profit in the first six months of 2026, the bank remains focused on building on this momentum and delivering an even stronger performance by year-end.

This content is an advertorial by ABHI Microfinance Bank and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.

For as long as Pakistan has been trading with the world, its exports have needed something physical to move: cotton bound for a mill, rice bound for a market, mangoes bound for a shelf before they spoil. Each shipment carried a cost before it earned a cent raw material sourced, freight booked, a supply chain vulnerable to weather, war, or a blocked strait. This past fiscal year, Pakistan quietly built a second export economy that runs on none of that. It runs on people and it doesn’t wait for a ship.

In FY2025-26, software houses, BPOs, export companies and independent freelancers together earned Pakistan US$4.6 billion in IT and IT-enabled services exports the largest figure the sector has ever posted, up 20.6 percent from US$3.8 billion the year before. June alone brought in US$416 million, nearly 23 percent higher than the same month a year earlier. Nothing here is a forecast. It is money already earned, by Pakistanis, from Pakistani soil.

What sets it apart from almost every other line in the country’s export ledger is what it didn’t need to buy first. The sector runs an 85 percent trade surplus, meaning it generates foreign exchange without importing the raw material to produce it no ore, no cotton, no commodity priced somewhere else. A developer writes code. A designer delivers a brand. A consultant solves a problem for a client she has never met in person. The value is created here, stays here and compounds, because the person who earned it is still here still working, still improving, still the asset.

That is a different kind of sovereignty than the one measured in territory. It’s built on people rather than resources and it doesn’t depend on what lies beneath Pakistani soil so much as who is sitting at a keyboard on top of it.

None of this happened by accident. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif made technology exports a national priority, chairing high-level reviews that cleared bottlenecks and setting a target of a US$25 billion digital economy by 2030. Federal Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, at the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, turned that priority into terms businesses could actually work with: the 0.25 percent final tax regime extended to 2029, foreign currency retention raised to 50 percent and easier cross-border payments for exporters and freelancers alike, alongside fresh incentives pulling investment into AI infrastructure.

The government has also placed a bet on what comes after software services. A National AI Policy is now in place, backed by a planned US$1 billion investment in AI by 2030. Nationwide fibre expansion and a 5G rollout are strengthening the digital backbone the whole sector depends on and the Islamabad IT Park is set to open soon alongside a wider expansion of software technology parks. Underneath all of it is a simple bet on people: government-supported programs have now delivered over 1 million trainings across advanced digital disciplines, feeding skilled talent into an economy built to run on it.

PSEB’s own programs are building that pipeline in real time. A two-day national AI training bootcamp reached over 2,000 students in February 2026, delivered with global partners including IBM, Huawei and Google. A new national semiconductor workforce program barely a year old has already enrolled 475 graduate engineers on the way to a target of 7,200 professionals, for an industry Pakistan has only just begun to enter. And through Tech Destination Pakistan, PSEB has been carrying that talent to the world’s largest technology platforms, opening doors in markets Pakistani companies are only starting to reach.

There is no port that can move a line of code and there doesn’t need to be one. Every contract signed from Lahore, every deal closed from Faisalabad, every dollar earned without a single import behind it, is proof of an economy that no longer needs the sea to reach the world. Seventy-nine years in, Pakistan’s technology sector isn’t asking to be noticed anymore. It has already been paid.

This content is an advertorial by Government of Pakistan and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.