Karachi, Pakistan, 16^th of September 2025

The Second Pakistan International Date Palm Festival, was inaugurated on Tuesday, 16^th of September 2025, in Karachi, by H.E. Saeed Ghani, Chief Guest, Provincial Minister of Sindh, and H.E. Mr. Faiz Ahmad, Chief Executive, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, and H.E. Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Al Remethi, Consul General, Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates, Karachi, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, H.E. Dr. Abdelouahhab Alboukhari Zaid, Secretary General, Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, Erth Zayed Philanthropies Foundation, UAE Presidential Court, and a number of members of the diplomatic corps, experts, and specialists in date palm cultivation and production in Pakistan.

H.E. Saeed Ghani, Chief Guest, Provincial Minister of Sindh, expressed his pleasure at the ongoing cooperation between the two friendly countries, the United Arab Emirates, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, across various fields. H.E. also extended his thanks and appreciation to the United Arab Emirates Presidential Court, for supporting the festival to promote and develop the date palm cultivation and production sector, in Pakistan. Where H.E. emphasized that this festival has contributed to strengthening 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 Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, affiliated with Erth Zayed Philanthropies Foundation, UAE Presidential Court, in order to enhance food security and achieve sustainable development.

H.E. Mr. Faiz Ahmad, Chief Executive, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, added that the success of the first session of the festival, held last year, showcased Pakistan’s potential, attracted international buyers, and strengthened our agricultural ties with the United Arab Emirates. Today, with more exhibitors, international pavilions, and knowledge sessions, this second session builds on that success to open new avenues of trade, technology, and investment. H.E. also extended his sincere gratitude to the Government of the United Arab Emirates, and Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, for their strong partnership and consistent support to Pakistan’s date palm sector.

From his side, H.E. Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Al Remethi, Consul General, Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates, Karachi, pointed out that the Second Pakistan International Date Palm Festival, serves to reaffirm the depth of the bilateral relations between the two countries, and the close cooperation linking their people and governments.

H.E. also highlighted the efforts of the Award General Secretariat, through which it fulfills the vision of the wise leadership in developing the date palm cultivation and production sector, at the national, regional, and international levels, and which contributes to strengthening the UAE’s leading position in this sector. H.E. also noted that the role played by the Award over eighteen years of continuous success, through organizing a series of international date conferences and festivals, in a number of date-producing, and exporting countries, under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates “May God protect him”.

H.E. Dr. Abdelouahhab Alboukhari Zaid, Secretary General, Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, Erth Zayed Philanthropies Foundation, UAE Presidential Court, added that the Award has achieved tangible success in organizing a series of date festivals, reaching 63 festivals, across nine date-producing countries: the United Arab Emirates, 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.

This sheds light on the international standing of the Award, and its ongoing role as a platform for building partnerships in the development, cultivation, production, processing, and marketing of dates. This is achievedwith thanks to the close attention of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE “May God protect him”, the support of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the guidance of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees, the supervision of H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Erth Zayed Philanthropies foundation.

H.E. Dr. Zaid, then added that, following the model of other festivals organized by the Award, the festival includes a competition for Pakistani dates, in which 65 date growers, and date producers, from across the Islamic Republic of Pakistan participated. 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, representing the following countries: the United Arab Emirates, Arab Republic of Egypt, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Syrian Arab Republic, Kingdom of Morocco, United Mexican States, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Republic of Turkey, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In addition, the festival is accompanied by a scientific symposium, attended by 12 researchers and international experts, specialized in date palm cultivation and production.

Honoring the Winners of the Competition

The winners of the Pakistan Dates Competition, were celebrated in a joyful ceremony, attended by all participants, where the results were as follows:

1. Category One: The Best Dates of “Aseel” variety,

Won by: Mr. Abdul Basit Memon

1. Category Two: The best Dates of “Dhakki” variety,

Won by: Mr. Irfan Ulllah

1. Category Three: The best Dates of “Muzawati” variety,

Won by: Mr. Sagheer Ahmed

1. Category Four: Traditional Byproduct from Date Palm Derivatives,

Won by: Ms. Marvi Suhrab Chadar

1. Category Five: The Best Date Palm Farm in Pakistan,

Equally Won by:

1. Mr. Mureed Hussain
2. Mr. Mian M Mohsin Qureshi
3. Category Six: The Best food product from Pakistani Dates,

Won by: Mr. Muhammed Iftikhar Khan

1. Category Seven: The best Dates Processing factory in Pakistan,

Won by: Mr. Muhammad Ali

1. Category Eight: The Best Applied Scientific Research (Paper) on Date Palm in Pakistan,

Won by: Dr. Waqas Wakil

While, the best three individuals who have contributed to the development of the date palm cultivation, and production sector in Pakistan, were honored:

1. Mr. Athar Hussain Khokhar, Director General, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan / CEO- Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Company.
2. Dr. Attaullah Khan, Director General, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council – Southern Agricultural Research Center, Karachi.
3. Mr. Rizwan Hayat Khan, Agriculture Production Specialist, Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO), Baluchistan.