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KARACHI: Pakistan’s National Food Security ministry on Wednesday hoped its proposed collaboration with the UAE would result in establishing modern processing plants and increasing value addition to boost the country’s date exports.

Pakistan’s National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain held a virtual meeting with a UAE delegation to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the date sector, the food ministry said in a statement. Both sides reviewed potential areas of collaboration and investment to boost Pakistan’s date exports. 

Hussain shared during the meeting that Pakistan’s annual production of dates has reached over half a million tons, which is cultivated on more than 100,000 hectares of land. He stressed that major date producing regions include Balochistan and Sindh, where popular varieties such as Aseel, Muzawati, Dhakki, Rabbi, Begum Jangi, Karbala and Khudri are grown.

“The Federal Secretary, Ameer Muhyuddin, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to translating this cooperation into tangible results,” the statement said.

“He emphasized that the proposed collaboration with the UAE would help in establishing modern date processing plants, improving value addition, and enhancing Pakistan’s competitiveness in the global market.”

Hussain pointed out that Pakistan’s date exports, valued at over $50 million, have shown “remarkable expansion,” while shipment data reflects a significant rise in export volumes and diversification of international buyers.

He also spoke about the challenges confronting the date industry, including Pakistan’s earlier dependence on a single export market, limited value addition, quality and SPS compliance issues.

Simisola Nicola Abere, representing the UAE delegation, appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in developing the date sector and announced the UAE would expedite the process for the establishment of three processing plants in Pakistan. 

“She added that both sides would formalize their collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of National Food Security and Research and relevant UAE authorities,” the food security ministry said.

“This MoU would serve as the foundation for joint projects in value addition, technology transfer, and export enhancement.”

Hussain said that through such partnerships, Pakistan could enhance its export earnings, create new employment opportunities and improve farmers’ livelihoods.

“The minister concluded the meeting by expressing his optimism that the upcoming collaboration with the UAE would serve as a milestone in promoting agricultural trade and investment between the two brotherly countries,” the statement said. 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Meta have launched Instagram “Teen Accounts” to enhance online safety for users below the age of 16 by filtering sensitive content, the telecom regulator said on Wednesday. 

The safety feature entails automatically placing users under the age of 16 into Teen Accounts, restricting unwanted contact and filtering sensitive content while allowing “safe digital exploration,” the PTA said in a press release. 

It said the latest initiative reflects PTA’s “proactive engagement” with digital platforms to advance child safety, digital literacy and responsible online behavior across Pakistan. Pakistani teenagers, especially girls, have reported online harassment such as cyberbullying, stalking and various forms of exploitation. 

“The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in collaboration with Meta, inaugurated Instagram’s new safety feature “Teen Accounts” designed to enhance online protection for young users in Pakistan,” the PTA said. 

It said the launch event featured awareness sessions and live demonstrations on online safety tools, complaint mechanisms and best practices to promote the digital well-being of young users.

The event was attended by representatives from Meta, UNICEF/NCRC, and key child protection stakeholders. 

“PTA’s commitment to building a safer digital ecosystem, emphasizing that the launch of Teen Accounts marks a major step toward protecting Pakistan’s youth online,” PTA Chairman Maj. Gen. Hafeez ur Rehman said. 

Dr. Priyanka Bhalla, the head of safety policy for South Asia at Meta, said the company’s global safety initiatives empower millions of teenagers worldwide, including in Pakistan, to enjoy a secure online experience.