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Four Decades of Manufacturing for Pakistan’s Farmers Lahore, 16 Apr, 2026 — Al-Ghazi Tractors marked a defining milestone in Pakistan’s industrial history, celebrating the production of its 600,000th tractor at a ceremony held at its manufacturing facility in Dera Ghazi Khan, the same plant where the company first began production over four decades ago. The milestone tractor produced during the ceremony was a Ghazi 640, Al-Ghazi Tractors’ most celebrated model and a name synonymous with reliability among Pakistani farmers for generations. Spanning over 3.9 million square feet, the Dera Ghazi Khan facility has been the backbone of Al-Ghazi Tractors’ operations since 1983. The ceremony brought together company leadership to mark what stands as one of the most significant production achievements in Pakistan’s agricultural machinery sector. Al-Ghazi Tractors manufactures more than 92% of its tractor components locally, a figure that reflects both the depth of its manufacturing infrastructure and its contribution to Pakistan’s industrial base. Established as a subsidiary of the Al-Futtaim Group, with Case New Holland as both a strategic shareholder and technical collaborator, the company has spent 42 years building tractors engineered specifically for Pakistan’s agricultural conditions. “Reaching 600,000 tractors is not just a production number, it is a reflection of the trust millions of Pakistani farmers have placed in us over the decades,” said Yasin Seker, Chief Executive Officer of Al-Ghazi Tractors. “Every tractor that has left our plant represents a commitment to quality, a livelihood supported, and a step forward for Pakistan’s agricultural economy.” Pakistan’s agricultural sector employs nearly 40% of the national workforce and contributes approximately 24% of GDP. Al-Ghazi Tractors’ nationwide distribution network ensures that farmers in even the most remote districts have access to both the machinery and the after-sales support they need. “Our vision is to make Al-Ghazi Tractors a symbol of success, not only for our company and shareholders, but for every farmer we serve and every community we touch,” Mr. Seker added. About Al-Ghazi Tractors Limited: Al-Ghazi Tractors Limited (AGTL) is Pakistan’s leading agricultural tractor manufacturer, a subsidiary of the Al-Futtaim Group, and operates in technical collaboration with Case New Holland. Listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, AGTL has manufactured tractors at its Dera Ghazi Khan facility since 1983.

A delegation from the Pakistan SADC Chamber Trade Federation (PSCTF), led by President Sindh Chapter Mr. Muhammad Shoaib Qadri, visited the North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) on Friday, 10 April 2026. The delegation, including senior vice president Pakistan Chapter Syed Moizuddin and president Balochistan Chapter & Women Wing Ms. Noor Afshan Baloch, held a productive meeting with NKATI President Mr. Faisal Moiz and his team. PSCTF extended an invitation to NKATI and its members to attend the Pak-Africa Trade and Investment Conference, scheduled for 13 May 2026 in Karachi. Both sides also discussed signing an MoU to strengthen trade and investment cooperation between Pakistan and Africa. It was agreed that NKATI’s Africa-focused subcommittee will collaborate closely with PSCTF. NKATI also invited PSCTF to participate in an upcoming seminar, where PSCTF will present its vision, achievements, and future plans, and further engage members for the conference. A draft MoU was shared and will be finalized soon. Mr. Haroon Sikandar has been nominated as NKATI’s focal person, while Ms. Noor Afshan Baloch will represent PSCTF.

KARACHI: Chairman Businessmen Group (BMG) Zubair Motiwala, while terming the US-Iran ceasefire as the biggest achievement after Pakistan’s independence, said that the development had brought immense pride and prestige to Pakistan because it was Pakistan which had effectively saved the world from the possibility of a much larger conflict. Speaking at an urgent meeting held on Wednesday, Zubair Motiwala stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar deserved the highest level of national and international appreciation for their exceptional statesmanship, visionary leadership and extraordinary diplomatic efforts in securing the ceasefire. He said that at a time when the world was moving dangerously close to a catastrophic conflict, Pakistan’s leadership displayed remarkable wisdom, courage and maturity by taking the initiative to bridge differences between the two sides and pave the way for peace. On behalf of Karachi and the entire business community of Pakistan, he extended heartfelt congratulations and paid glowing tribute to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar for bringing immense pride, prestige and honor to Pakistan on the global stage. He remarked that although many countries had been attempting to find a solution, it was Pakistan that ultimately took the lead, emerged as the most credible mediator and succeeded in accomplishing what many considered impossible. He observed that the entire world was now taking Pakistan more seriously because the country had demonstrated its ability not only to deal with internal challenges but also to play a meaningful role in resolving major international crises. He expressed optimism that the 15-day ceasefire would continue beyond the initial period and gradually evolve into a durable peace arrangement, opening up opportunities for regional economic integration, relaxation of sanctions on Iran and stronger trade ties between neighboring countries. Referring to the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, Zubair Motiwala stressed that the United States should now permit Pakistan to move forward with this essential energy corridor because Pakistan’s long-term growth and industrial competitiveness depended heavily on affordable and uninterrupted energy supplies. He said that if Pakistan was able to import gas and electricity from Iran, energy prices in the country could become regionally competitive, possibly even lower than those in Bangladesh, thereby creating far-reaching positive impacts on industrial production, exports and the overall economy. Referring to the difficulties faced by industries during the past month due to geopolitical tensions, high freight costs, shipping disruptions and rising energy prices, he said that the business community was now in a position to present practical proposals for economic and industrial recovery. Zubair Motiwala stressed that the government must focus on reducing the cost of doing business to levels comparable with competing countries because Pakistani industries would not be able to compete internationally if domestic production costs remained significantly higher. He pointed out that the world was passing through an intense price war and Pakistan had no option but to rationalize taxes, utility tariffs and regulatory costs in order to protect exports and industrial activity. In this regard, he emphasized the urgent need to reinstate the zero-rated sales tax mechanism at the input stage for export-oriented sectors including textiles, leather, surgical instruments, carpets and sports goods, noting that these sectors account for nearly 80 to 85 percent of Pakistan’s exports. He said that replacing zero-rating with a refund-based system had created severe liquidity problems for exporters due to long delays in refund payments and the heavy financial burden of blocked working capital. Restoring zero-rating, he said, would improve liquidity, reduce financing costs and strengthen the international competitiveness of Pakistani products. Zubair Motiwala also proposed that customs duties and taxes should be assessed on Ex-Works value instead of the prevailing Cost and Freight basis. Referring to electricity tariffs, he said that Pakistan’s industrial electricity rates remained highly uncompetitive at approximately 14 to 16 US cents per kilowatt hour, which significantly increased production costs. He pointed out that although the federal government had introduced the Incremental Consumption Package and released around Rs7 billion for Karachi under the scheme, the benefit had not yet reached industrial consumers, while the total pending relief was estimated at approximately Rs33 billion. He urged the government to immediately disburse the pending relief and establish a transparent mechanism to ensure direct transfer of benefits to consumers. He further noted that industrial gas tariffs had risen substantially while supply inconsistencies continued to disrupt production. Gas, he said, was a critical input for export-oriented industries and the current pricing structure was seriously undermining competitiveness. He clarified that the business community was not demanding subsidized gas, but only that gas should be supplied strictly on a cost-of-service basis and should not be treated as a revenue-generation tool. Zubair Motiwala also highlighted that rising global shipping costs and insurance premiums had sharply increased logistics expenses for exporters. He stressed the need to reintroduce freight subsidy schemes so that exporters could continue to maintain market access, competitive pricing and contractual commitments in international markets. Chairman BMG assured that Karachi Chamber’s business community stood fully united with the government of Pakistan and would continue to support every national effort in the larger interest of the country. He reiterated that the business community was not seeking subsidies because it understood the government’s fiscal limitations, but was merely demanding corrective measures that could make Pakistani exports competitive in international markets and help re-energize the national economy. Vice Chairman BMG Anjum Nisar, in his remarks, said that the same national spirit witnessed during the Pakistan-India conflict had once again emerged in the wake of the US-Iran ceasefire. He stated that it was a matter of immense pride that media across the world had acknowledged Pakistan’s role in achieving the ceasefire and no country could be found which was not appreciating Pakistan for this historic accomplishment. He added that Pakistan had not only helped save one country but had contributed to saving humanity and civilization from a devastating war. Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani stressed that Pakistan must learn from this

The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has urgently called on the government to form an emergency task force to tackle escalating bottlenecks at ports and customs, which are severely hampering the textile industry’s operations and export performance. Read More: https://theboardroompk.com/foreign-office-rebuts-claims-pakistan-could-threaten-us-territory/ In a letter to Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr. Syed Tauqeer Hussain Shah, APTMA Chairman Kamran Arshad described the situation as “deeply alarming and rapidly deteriorating,” warning that daily delays are causing exporters to lose orders, workers to face job risks, and the nation to forfeit valuable foreign exchange. Systemic Delays and Inefficiencies Highlighted APTMA pointed to prolonged clearance times averaging 10 days—far exceeding the global standard of 2-3 days—due to excessive scanning under the National Logistics Cell regime, multi-step examinations, and grounding of containers. Issues include indiscriminate scrutiny without risk-based targeting, overlapping checks by multiple agencies like Customs Intelligence and Post Clearance Audit, and failures in the faceless assessment system, leading to arbitrary valuations, disputes, and technical glitches in WeBOC. Terminal congestion at facilities like KICT and SAPT, equipment shortages, and delays from the Plant Protection Department for key inputs such as cotton and jute further compound the problems, resulting in demurrage, detention charges, and supply chain disruptions. Call for Immediate Task Force Intervention The association proposed an emergency task force involving the Federal Board of Revenue, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Finance, APTMA, and trade representatives to resolve these issues within 30 days. It emphasized the need for mandatory service timelines at terminals with penalties for non-compliance, WTO-compliant risk-based processes, and elimination of overlapping regulations to restore efficiency. APTMA stressed that the textile sector, contributing around 60% of national exports and employing over 15 million directly, faces irreversible damage if delays persist, risking permanent order losses to competitors like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Turkey. These challenges come amid broader pressures on exporters, with cumulative monthly losses in millions from penalties, production halts, and higher costs. The plea underscores the critical role of timely customs and port facilitation in sustaining Pakistan’s export growth trajectory and industrial competitiveness.

LONDON/CHICAGO/SYDNEY: The airline and tourism sectors are grappling with massive disruptions from the intensifying U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which have triggered widespread airspace closures and flight cancellations across the Middle East. Read More: https://theboardroompk.com/ccp-clears-way-for-institutional-real-estate-investment-ise-towers-restructuring-gets-green-signal/ Major hubs like Dubai—the world’s busiest international airport—Doha, and Abu Dhabi remain closed or heavily restricted for a fourth consecutive day. Massive Flight Cancellations Reported Flightradar24 data shows over 21,300 flights canceled at seven key airports since the strikes began. Tens of thousands of passengers are stranded in the Gulf, rushing to secure limited repatriation flights amid ongoing explosions in Tehran and Beirut. Governments, including the UAE and U.S., have launched emergency operations: the UAE plans over 80 repatriation flights, while the U.S. facilitates charters for nearly 3,000 citizens. Airline Responses and Stock Impacts Emirates, flydubai, and Etihad operate only limited repatriation services. Delta Air Lines paused New York-Tel Aviv flights through March 22, issuing rebooking options and waivers through March 31. Virgin Atlantic resumed Heathrow-Dubai and Riyadh routes. Global airline stocks tumbled: Southwest down ~1%, Alaska Air ~2%, European carriers like Wizz Air, IAG, Lufthansa, and Air France-KLM down 5-8%, Ryanair 2.2%, Qantas 1.8%, and Asian airlines like Japan Airlines 6.4% and Korean Air 10.3%. Fuel Costs and Economic Strain Oil prices have surged about 30% year-to-date, raising jet fuel expenses. Analysts note a 10% fuel cost hike could add $1 billion to Delta’s 2026 bill. Cargo disruptions, including FedEx contingency measures, may cost billions. Travel consultant Paul Charles called it “the biggest shutdown since COVID,” with tourism losses potentially reaching billions if prolonged. Broader Travel Fallout Demand surges for alternative routes, like Hong Kong-London, driving up prices. Stranded travelers face uncertainty, with some unable to return home, work, or school. The conflict narrows slim Europe-Asia corridors, complicating global connectivity. Analysts highlight varying carrier impacts based on hedging, cargo exposure, and rerouting capabilities. As the situation evolves, the industry braces for prolonged challenges, with governments urging caution and airlines adapting amid security concerns.

Lahore – MCB Islamic Bank Limited has appointed Mr. Hammad Khalid as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. The Board of Directors of MCB Islamic Bank has approved Mr. Khalid’s appointment in line with its strategic vision and governance framework. His appointment reflects the Bank’s commitment to strengthening leadership and driving sustainable growth in an evolving financial landscape. Mr. Khalid has been associated with MCB Islamic Bank as a Director on the Board since June 2022, during which time he contributed to the Bank’s strategic planning and governance oversight. Mr. Khalid is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) and brings over 16 years of experience with MCB Bank Limited. Most recently, he served as Chief Financial Officer, where he led strategic decision-making, capital management and regulatory compliance, while representing the Bank at national and international forums. His expertise in financial governance, risk management and banking operations has been instrumental in driving sustainable growth and institutional resilience. In addition to his executive experience, Mr. Khalid holds board positions at 1LINK (Pvt.) Limited, MCB NBCO Azerbaijan and MCB Exchange, reflecting his broad leadership experience across the financial services industry.