Pakistan gets offers in 100,000-ton white sugar tender, traders say
Pakistan gets offers in 100,000-ton white sugar tender, traders say/node/2617931/pakistan
Pakistan gets offers in 100,000-ton white sugar tender, traders say
Laborers take nap on the sacks of grains and sugar, after offloading from a supply truck, outside shops at the wholesale grain market in Karachi, Pakistan on July 20, 2023. (REUTERS/File)
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Updated 12 min 6 sec ago
Reuters
Pakistan gets offers in 100,000-ton white sugar tender, traders say
Lowest offer in Pakistan’s 100,000-ton sugar tender quoted at $533 per ton, traders say
Import plan part of government’s approved 500,000-ton purchase to stabilize domestic prices
Updated 12 min 6 sec ago
Reuters
HAMBURG: The lowest price offered in the international tender from Pakistan to buy 100,000 metric tons of sugar which closed on Monday was believed to be $533 a metric ton cost and freight included (c&f), European traders said in initial assessments.
Offers in the tender from the state trading agency Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) are still being considered and no purchase has yet been reported, they said.
The TCP can negotiate for several days in tenders before deciding whether to purchase.
The tender seeks small/fine or medium grade sugar and is the latest in a series aimed at increasing supplies to cool local prices, seeking arrival of all the sugar in Pakistan by Nov.15.
The lowest offer was said to have been submitted by trading house ED&F Man for 29,500 tons of small grade sugar. ED&F Man also offered $549 a ton c&f for another 25,000 tons of small grade.
Two other trading houses also participated in the tender.
Dreyfus offered 53,000 tons of small grade at $542.50 a ton c&f and Al Khaleej Sugar offered 30,000 tons of medium grade at $567.5 a ton c&f, traders said.
Reports reflect assessments from traders and further estimate of prices and volumes are still possible later.
TCP’s tender seeks sugar sourced from any worldwide origin excluding India and Israel or what it called any other banned or sanctioned countries, without elaborating.
Pakistan’s government has approved plans to import 500,000 tons of sugar to help to maintain price stability after retail sugar prices in the country rose sharply.
TCP held a series of sugar tenders in the past weeks with the last purchase of 80,000 tons reported on Sept. 29.
Saudi Shoura Council delegation arrives in Islamabad to boost parliamentary cooperation/node/2617926/pakistan
ISLAMABAD: A delegation of the Saudi Shoura Council led by its speaker is arriving in Islamabad today, Monday, to hold talks aimed at enhancing parliamentary cooperation between Ƶ and Pakistan, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
The visit underscores the longstanding strategic and fraternal relationship between the two countries and is expected to open fresh avenues for parliamentary cooperation.
“In a statement, Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Sheikh [speaker] has highlighted the deep-rooted strategic relations between the two countries,” Radio Pakistan said.
“He expressed hope that the visit would contribute to opening new opportunities for cooperation between the council, the National Assembly of Pakistan and the Senate of Pakistan.”
During his stay in Islamabad, Al-Sheikh will hold official talks with National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and meet several senior Pakistani officials to review bilateral relations and discuss ways to further strengthen ties.
The visit comes amid expanding political, economic and defense cooperation between Ƶ and Pakistan, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to deeper institutional and people-to-people engagement.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Monday its embassy in Jordan was working to secure the release “within the next couple of days” of former Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, who was aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla seized by Israeli forces.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, an aid convoy carrying activists from several countries, was intercepted by Israeli naval forces last Wednesday while sailing toward Gaza to deliver humanitarian assistance.
The operation resulted in the detention of hundreds of participants, sparking protests in several countries including Pakistan, and prompting diplomatic appeals for their release.
Several Pakistani nationals were on board the flotilla which departed from European ports carrying medical supplies and food for civilians in Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis has worsened amid months of Israeli bombardment and aid restrictions.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan through its Embassy in Amman is working tirelessly to secure the safe evacuation of former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan,” the FO said in a statement.
“With the invaluable assistance of the Jordanian government, we are hopeful that the process can be successfully concluded within the next couple of days.”
Islamabad thanked Jordan for their “exemplary cooperation and generous support” in this regard.
Pakistan had already coordinated the safe return of several citizens who disembarked earlier, expressing gratitude to “brotherly countries” for assistance.
The flotilla incident has drawn international condemnation, with rights groups calling for the immediate release of detainees and renewed access for humanitarian aid to Gaza.
On Sunday, thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore to protest Israel’s interception of the flotilla, condemning threats to Palestinian land and rights.
The flotilla consisted of 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
ISLAMABAD: The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Monday issued a fresh flood alert, warning of rising river levels across the province that has already suffered weeks of rain-related damage and repeated flooding this monsoon season.
This year’s monsoon season, stretching from late June through September, has been one of the deadliest in recent years, killing at least 1,006 people nationwide and displacing tens of thousands, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The downpours have damaged hundreds of thousands of homes and large stretches of roads, while washing away livestock and destroying key crops — including cotton, rice, and maize — across the country’s agricultural heartland.
Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous and agriculturally vital province, has been hit by repeated flooding since August, with nearly 2.5 million acres of farmland destroyed.
“Flows in River Jhelum at Mangla upstream are likely to rise, with a possibility of reaching medium flood level within the next 24 hours,” a PDMA spokesperson said. “There is also a likelihood of low flood conditions in River Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala, depending on water releases from India.”
The PDMA said it had alerted all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to remain vigilant and ensure round-the-clock staffing in District Emergency Operation Centers (DEOCs). Departments of irrigation, health, livestock, communication and works and local government have been directed to mobilize resources for flood preparedness.
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia instructed officials to pre-position heavy machinery, strengthen embankments, and clear drainage channels to prevent breaches.
“District administrations have been directed to stay alert as river flows and nullahs may rise due to ongoing rainfall,” he said.
Citizens were urged to exercise caution and follow safety adviseries during the wet spell. The PDMA said the wet spell is likely to subside within 36 hours, but monitoring and early warning systems would remain active.
Pakistan witnessed its most devastating monsoon season in 2022 when floods killed 1,739 people and caused an estimated $30 billion in damage.
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government has constituted a high-level committee to steer bilateral economic engagements and negotiations with Ƶ (KSA), according to an official notification issued by the prime minister’s office on Sunday.
It is widely believed that Islamabad and Riyadh will sign a wide-ranging economic pact as early as this month, weeks after they inked a mutual defense pact, significantly strengthening a decades-old security partnership.
Pakistan’s alliance with Ƶ — the site of Islam’s holiest sites — is rooted in shared faith, strategic interests and economic interdependence. Nearly 2.6 million Pakistanis live and work in Ƶ and are also the largest source of remittances to the South Asian nation.
Pakistan has pushed in recent months to strengthen trade and investment ties with friendly nations, particularly the Kingdom, which has promised a $5 billion investment package that cash-strapped Pakistan desperately needs to shore up foreign reserves and fight a chronic balance of payment crisis.
According to the PM office notification, the committee will be co-chaired by Minister for Climate Change Musadik Masood Malik and Lt Gen Sarfraz Ahmad, National Coordinator of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military body that oversees foreign investments.
“The Co-Chairs shall constitute Core/Negotiation Teams for negotiations with the Saudi counterparts. These teams shall be responsible for implementing and executing the assigned tasks on fast-track basis,” the notification said.
It further noted that all members and representatives would ensure availability from Oct. 6 onwards and that the PM has directed the SIFC to process members’ travel approvals “within one hour the same working day.”
The committee has been tasked to submit progress reports to the Prime Minister on a fortnightly basis, with the SIFC Secretariat providing administrative support.
Other members of the committee include Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Power Awais Leghari, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for National Food Security & Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister for Information Technology & Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries & Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, among others.
Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Ƶ remains highly imbalanced, with Saudi exports to Pakistan vastly exceeding Pakistani exports in recent years. In 2023, Ƶ’s exports to Pakistan were estimated at approximately $4.65 billion, while Pakistan’s exports to Ƶ were much smaller, such as about $138 million in rice among other goods.
In 2024, Pakistan’s total exports to Ƶ stood at around $734 million, with major items including cereals and meat, while Saudi exports to Pakistan included refined petroleum and chemical products.
Last October, Pakistani and Saudi business communities signed 34 MoUs worth about $2.8 billion during a visit by a Saudi investment delegation. It is unclear how many of those MoUs have been converted into active projects or contracts in a year.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Malaysia on Monday announced a new $200 million halal meat trade quota and pledged to deepen cooperation in the digital economy, agriculture and education as part of a renewed effort to expand economic and strategic ties between the two Muslim nations.
The announcement came during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s three-day visit to Malaysia, where he held wide-ranging talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Addressing a joint press conference with Sharif, Ibrahim said Kuala Lumpur had already increased rice imports from Pakistan and was now prepared to facilitate beef and meat imports under a new halal trade framework.
Anwar added that the decision followed discussions with Sharif, who had proposed expanding agricultural exports to Malaysia, including up to $200 million worth of meat. He said both governments had also agreed to explore new areas of collaboration in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), innovation, digital industries, and semiconductors, noting Pakistan’s strong early performance in these sectors among Muslim nations and Malaysia’s readiness to build on that potential.
“This quota of exporting meat to Malaysia will be regulated by market price mechanisms and all halal certification required by Malaysian authorities,” Sharif assured Ibrahim as he addressed the joint press conference in Putrajaya.
“We will make all possible efforts to meet your conditionalities so that this cooperation expands further in the years ahead.”
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inspects the honour guard as he arrives before a meeting with Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (not pictured) in Putrajaya on October 6, 2025. (AFP)
Ibrahim said Malaysia welcomed Pakistan’s growing role in halal production and would facilitate increased imports of beef and meat products.
“There is an interest to export beef, meat, into Malaysia. We will facilitate this, of course,” he said.
Beyond agricultural trade, both leaders discussed expanding partnerships in AI, digital innovation, and vocational and technical training, with Sharif calling for joint ventures that combine Malaysian expertise and Pakistani talent.
The two sides also reaffirmed commitments under the Malaysia-Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA), which provides preferential access for goods and services.
On global and regional issues, Ibrahim praised Pakistan’s stance on counterterrorism and its support for peace in South Asia, while both leaders backed US President Donald Trump-led efforts for a ceasefire and humanitarian access in Gaza.
Cultural diplomacy also featured in the visit, with Sharif launching the Urdu translation of Ibrahim’s book “SCRIPT,” calling it a bridge between Islamabad and Kuala Lumpur.
Sharif, on his first official visit to Malaysia as prime minister, said Pakistan aimed to learn from Malaysia’s advances in technology, skills development and economic management.
Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Malaysia currently stands at around $1.4 billion annually, according to official data from both governments. Pakistan exported goods worth about $515 million to Malaysia in 2024, while imports from Malaysia were valued at nearly $960 million, leaving Islamabad with a trade deficit of roughly $445 million, according to the State Bank of Pakistan and the Malaysian external trade statistics.
Malaysia’s exports to Pakistan are dominated by palm oil and other vegetable fats, as well as machinery, rubber products, and organic chemicals, while Pakistan’s main exports to Malaysia include rice, textiles, seafood, and minerals. Officials say there is growing interest in diversifying the trade basket beyond commodities toward IT services, halal certification and higher-value manufactured goods.
The two countries have traded under the Malaysia-Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA) since 2008, which provides preferential market access for goods and services.
In October 2024, they signed four new memorandums of understanding to boost cooperation in trade, investment, and industrial collaboration, and later agreed to renegotiate and modernize their bilateral free trade framework to reflect emerging opportunities in digital and sustainable sectors.
