KARACHI, 16th September, 2025 (WAM) -- The United Arab Emirates participated in the opening of the 2nd Pakistan International Dates Festival 2025, which kicked off today in Karachi with wide participation from date producers, manufacturers, traders, and palm cultivation experts from several countries.

The event was inaugurated by Saeed Ghani, Minister of Local Government & Housing Town Planning, Sindh Province.

Present at the opening ceremony were Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Alremeithi, Consul General of UAE in Karachi; Dr. Abdelouahhab Alboukhari Zaid, Secretary-General, Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, affiliated with Erth Zayed Philanthropies, UAE Presidential Court; and a number of members of the diplomatic corps, experts, and specialists in date palm cultivation and production in Pakistan.

Saeed Ghani expressed his pleasure at the ongoing cooperation between the two friendly countries across various fields. He also extended his thanks and appreciation to the UAE, for supporting the festival to promote and develop the date palm cultivation and production sector in Pakistan.

He emphasised that the festival has helped strengthen fruitful cooperation between the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan - as the strategic partner - and the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, affiliated with Erth Zayed Philanthropies, with the aim of enhancing food security and achieving sustainable development.

Dr. Abdelouahhab Alboukhari Zaid added that the Award has achieved tangible success in organising a series of date festivals, reaching 63 festivals, across nine date-producing countries: the UAE, Arab Republic of Egypt, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Republic of Sudan, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Kingdom of Morocco, United Mexican States, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

The festival also features an international dates exhibition with wide participation from date growers, producers, processors, exporters, and traders in Pakistan, with a total of 118 exhibitors.