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‘Adornment’ of Eid meals: Meaty celebrations begin with aroma and activity at Quetta spice bazaar

Special ‘Adornment’ of Eid meals: Meaty celebrations begin with aroma and activity at Quetta spice bazaar
In this photo, taken on June 1, 2025, local spice makers prepare spices to stock for an upcoming Eid season in Quetta, during Arab News’ special coverage ahead of Eid Al-Adha. (AN Photo)
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Updated 08 June 2025
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‘Adornment’ of Eid meals: Meaty celebrations begin with aroma and activity at Quetta spice bazaar

‘Adornment’ of Eid meals: Meaty celebrations begin with aroma and activity at Quetta spice bazaar
  • Spice vendors at Sabzi Mandi become unsung heroes, supplying the flavor base for feasts shared by families across the country
  • Merchants say demand peaks from Balochistan’s interior as well as urban hubs in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces
Updated 08 June 2025
SAADULLAH AKHTER
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QUETTA: In the narrow, bustling lanes of a fresh produce market in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, the air is thick with the sharp scent of spices - cardamom, black pepper, cumin, and garlic - heralding the arrival of Eid Al-Adha, a time when food becomes a centerpiece of celebration and sacrifice.

At the heart of the activity is Haji Shair Ali, a 41-year-old spice merchant, carefully measuring out mounds of herbs and seasonings with practiced precision. Armed with a metal scoop and a timeworn grinder, he blends his signature spice mixes for the most anticipated meals of the year: kebabs, rosh, biryani, and stews crafted from the meat of sacrificial animals.

“For us the season lasts all year but during Eid al-Adha, demand for spices increases, particularly for barbecue and Pashtun rosh [slow-cooked mutton or lamb] spices,” Ali told Arab News, smiling through the scent of cumin and cloves at his shop in Quetta's Sabzi Mandi.




Haji Shair Ali operates the spice grinding machine in his shop in Quetta, Pakistan on June 1, 2025, during Arab News’ special coverage ahead of Eid Al-Adha. (AN Photo)

“Spices are the adornment of dining. If you cook meat without spices, it tastes bland. Thus, the dishes all depend on spices.”

In the weeks leading up to Eid, which will be observed in Pakistan on June 7 following the conclusion of the Hajj pilgrimage, Quetta’s spice trade sees a surge in activity. While much of the Sabzi Mandi is known for fresh fruits and vegetables, the spice vendors become the unsung heroes of the culinary celebrations, supplying the flavor base for feasts shared by families across the country.

Ali’s offerings include not just dry rubs and seasoning powders but also freshly made barbecue sauces, including a house specialty crafted with papaya and kachri, a spice made from wild melon that acts as a natural meat tenderizer.

“Along with kachri powder, we add black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, coriander and garlic,” Ali said, listing ingredients like a chemist revealing a secret formula.




In this photo, taken on June 1, 2025, local spice makers prepare spices to stock for an upcoming Eid season in Quetta, during Arab News’ special coverage ahead of Eid Al-Adha. (AN Photo)

While local buyers continue to crowd the stalls, orders now pour in from across the country. Merchants say demand peaks from Balochistan’s interior as well as urban hubs in Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and many spice shops now rely on online sales through social media pages to cater to a national customer base.

As the countdown to Eid continues, Quetta’s spice makers will remain at their grinders late into the night, ensuring every marinade and masala packet makes it to a family kitchen in time for the festival.

“I have prepared different spices for this Eid season, weighing more than 3,000 kgs because we have received many online orders from other cities,” Ali said. “During Eid al-Adha season, we work until midnight, even skipping meals. Ten people work in a single shop to prepare the spice orders in time.”




Haji Shair Ali speaks to a customer, Shaharyar Khan, about a custom spice order at his shop in Quetta, Pakistan on June 1, 2025, during Arab News’ special coverage ahead of Eid Al-Adha. (AN Photo)

Customers like Shaharyar Khan, who was stocking up for a backyard Eid barbecue, said the quality during Eid was noticeably better.

“Normally it’s already good, but for Eid, they make it even better so the taste of the food is enhanced,” he said.

Despite the demand, rising prices have frustrated some buyers. Spice merchants attribute the cost increases to inflation, currency devaluation, and the rising prices of imported ingredients from countries like Vietnam, China, India, and Iran.

At the market this week, a kilo of barbecue spice sold for Rs950 ($3.38), up from Rs900 last year, while biryani spice mix was priced at around Rs1,400 ($4.98). Curry blends were going for approximately Rs1,200 ($4.27) per packet.




This photo, taken on June 1, 2025, shows general view of people gather at the spice market in Quetta, Pakistan, during Arab News’ special coverage ahead of Eid Al-Adha. (AN Photo)

Still, many say the higher cost was worth it for the quality.

“Last year I bought one kilogram of barbecue spice for Rs900 and this year, it is for Rs950,” said Haji Ajmal, a customer from Kuchlak city near Quetta.

“It’s not a big difference if you compare it to the flavor you get.”

Topics: Eid Al-Adha 2025 Quetta

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Pakistan calls militant presence in Afghanistan a ‘challenge’ amid renewed diplomatic engagement

Pakistan calls militant presence in Afghanistan a ‘challenge’ amid renewed diplomatic engagement
Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan calls militant presence in Afghanistan a ‘challenge’ amid renewed diplomatic engagement

Pakistan calls militant presence in Afghanistan a ‘challenge’ amid renewed diplomatic engagement
  • Islamabad says cross-border militancy remains key obstacle to improved ties, regional integration
  • The two sides have sought to reset relations after a tripartite meeting with China earlier this year
Updated 11 July 2025
Muhammad Ibrahim

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan described the presence of militant outfits in Afghanistan as a “challenge” on Friday, calling it a critical hurdle in improving bilateral ties and advancing regional cooperation, even as both countries have tried to re-engage diplomatically in recent months.

Ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained since 2023, when Islamabad launched a crackdown on undocumented migrants, mostly Afghans, citing security concerns.

Pakistan has long said militant groups staging attacks in its western border provinces operate from Afghan territory, a claim denied by Taliban officials.

However, the two sides have sought to reset relations recently, agreeing to appoint ambassadors following a tripartite meeting with China and holding additional secretary-level talks in Islamabad earlier this month.

“About the question of sanctuaries in Afghanistan, as I mentioned it remains a challenge, and we are trying to address it in the context of bilateral relations with Afghanistan,” foreign office spokesperson, Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, said during his weekly news briefing.

“This remains a critical impediment in preventing the relations to reach their full potential, and further impeding the full development of regional cooperation, particularly when other regions are moving toward greater regional integration involving businesses, investment, road and rail network,” he added.

Khan said the “issue of sanctuaries” was also discussed by the Afghan authorities in the recent talks.

“We stay engaged with the Afghan authorities and approach the dialogue with good faith,” he continued. “In terms of the commonalities between the two countries, two cultures, it should be the best of relationships. But the core point which you flagged remains sanctuaries enjoyed by the terrorists inside the Afghan territory.”

Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to take action against groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it says uses Afghan soil to plan and launch attacks.

The Afghan Taliban, however, have always denied allowing any armed outfits to use their territory to target other countries.

Topics: Pakistan Afghanistan Ties Pakistan Afghanistan border

Pakistan’s top judicial body sets up committee to examine enforced disappearances

Pakistan’s top judicial body sets up committee to examine enforced disappearances
Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan’s top judicial body sets up committee to examine enforced disappearances

Pakistan’s top judicial body sets up committee to examine enforced disappearances
  • The National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee discusses issues to ensure ‘citizen-centric justice delivery’
  • The forum also looks into the ethical and policy implications of using generative AI in judicial functions
Updated 11 July 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan’s top judicial policy-making forum has set up a body to examine the issue of enforced disappearances, an official statement said on Friday, in a move to address one of the country’s most persistent human rights challenges.

The decision came during the 53rd meeting of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC), chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and attended by top judges of all high courts and the additional attorney general in Islamabad.

Enforced disappearances have long been a contentious issue in Pakistan, particularly in regions like Balochistan, where families of missing persons and human rights groups accuse state institutions of arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial killings.

Pakistani authorities have frequently rejected these claims as “baseless allegations.”

“The NJPMC took serious notice of the enforced disappearances and unanimously resolved that the judiciary would not compromise on its constitutional duty to safeguard fundamental rights,” said the statement circulated by the Supreme Court after the meeting.

“A dedicated committee was constituted to formulate an institutional response, after taking into consideration concerns of the Executive, to be communicated through the Attorney General for Pakistan,” it added.

The statement said the forum deliberated on “key policy issues and adopted several significant measures to improve judicial performance, technology integration in judicial processes and citizen-centric justice delivery.”

Successive Pakistani governments have promised to look into the issue of enforced disappearances in the country and even set up a commission in 2011 to trace missing persons and fix responsibility for any wrongdoing.

However, rights groups and activists say the issue continues to persist.

The top judicial forum also acknowledged the growing presence of artificial intelligence in legal systems during the meeting and initiated work on a framework for its responsible use.

“The ethical and policy implications of using generative AI in judicial functions were discussed,” the statement said, adding the National Judicial Automation Committee (NJAC) had been tasked to “finalize a comprehensive charter on ethical use of AI in this regard.”

While several judicial systems around the world — including in the United States and the European Union — have begun exploring AI for research and case management, concerns persist over transparency, bias, and the potential erosion of human judgment in legal decision-making.

Topics: missing persons Supreme Court of Pakistan chief justice Yahya Afridi

Pakistan rejects Indian NSA’s claim of ‘zero damage’ in military standoff

Pakistan rejects Indian NSA’s claim of ‘zero damage’ in military standoff
Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan rejects Indian NSA’s claim of ‘zero damage’ in military standoff

Pakistan rejects Indian NSA’s claim of ‘zero damage’ in military standoff
  • The two nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged missile, drone and artillery strikes in May 2025
  • Pakistan says Ajit Doval’s statement is a ‘distortion and misrepresentation’ of actual facts
Updated 11 July 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday dismissed Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Kumar Doval’s remarks claiming “zero damage” to military targets inside his country during the four-day military standoff between the two South Asian nuclear states, calling it a “distortion and misrepresentation” that violated established norms of statecraft.

The remarks follow Doval’s comments at a university convocation in India, where he highlighted the precision and success of the Indian military operation against Pakistan, saying New Delhi did not suffer any collateral damage during Pakistan’s retaliation.

In May 2025, the most intense India–Pakistan military confrontation in decades erupted, with both states exchanging missile, drone and artillery strikes following an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people.

India blamed Pakistan without providing evidence as the administration in Islamabad denied the charge and called for an impartial international probe.

“The remarks of the Indian NSA are replete with distortions and misrepresentations,” foreign office spokesperson, Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, said during his weekly news briefing. “They not only reflect a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, but also violate the norms of responsible statecraft.”

“Boasting of military aggression against a sovereign nation is a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law,” he continued.

Khan urged India to acknowledge the downing of six fighter jets including three Rafales, as well as the damage inflicted on Indian military targets instead of peddling “fictitious narratives.”

He said that glorification of a conflict did not benefit anyone, highlighting that the path to a lasting peace was in “dialogue, mutual respect and adherence to international law.”

Doval said New Delhi’s initial operation against Pakistan had lasted for “23 minutes.”

“We hit nine terrorist targets deep inside Pakistan — not near the border, but across its crisscrossed terrain with pinpoint accuracy,” he told the students. “We missed none and we hit nothing else.”

He also criticized the international media for highlighting Pakistan’s strikes inside his country, saying there was no evidence that “even a glass pane was broken.”

After four days of intense conflict between India and Pakistan, a US-mediated ceasefire was agreed on May 10, halting the confrontation amid global alarm over the risk of escalation.

Pakistan aims to finish digital currency pilot within this fiscal year — central bank

Pakistan aims to finish digital currency pilot within this fiscal year — central bank
Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan aims to finish digital currency pilot within this fiscal year — central bank

Pakistan aims to finish digital currency pilot within this fiscal year — central bank
  • The development follows establishment of Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority that will regulate the country’s virtual economy
  • Analysts expect the regularization of digital currencies will help expand the country’s tax net by an estimated $25 billion in virtual assets
Updated 11 July 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank plans to complete a pilot project for a digital currency within the current fiscal year ending June 2026, its spokesperson said on Friday, as the country cautiously moves toward adopting blockchain-based payments and strengthening oversight of its virtual asset economy.

The pilot announcement follows the establishment of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) through a presidential ordinance earlier this week.

The law empowers the authority to regulate the country’s growing crypto market, crack down on money laundering and terror financing, and promote responsible innovation — a move analysts say could bring an estimated $25 billion in virtual assets into the tax net.

“We hope to complete the pilot within the current fiscal year,” Noor Ahmed of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) told Arab News when asked about the rollout timeline. “Tech partner and other details will be announced in due course.”

Shankar Talreja, head of research at Topline Securities, said it was too early to say who would use the digital currency, since a pilot was still being launched, though he said it could benefit most bank account holders.

“Since this would be backed up [by the] central bank, so existing digital payment users can use this for payments,” he said. “The challenge would be if merchants accept this initially.”

The South Asian nation had long remained under scrutiny for weak financial controls and was only removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) “grey list” in 2022. The creation of PVARA is seen as part of Islamabad’s broader effort to cautiously formalize the virtual asset space.

“The legality of digital assets has been a grey area in Pakistan in the recent past from a practical standpoint,” said Nayab Babar, the chief investment officer at the Prime Minister’s Pakistan Startup Fund.

“Creation of the crypto council is an extremely important development which gives confidence to consumers and corporates alike, that there is a way forward to legally participate in this booming asset class without fear of losing money,” he added.

Farrukh H. Khan, the chief financial officer at Jazz, Pakistan’s largest digital operator and a unit of global telecom giant VEON, also welcomed the new regulatory measures.

“It is the right approach that we pilot it and cautiously move forward,” he said while pointing out the government’s decision would help document Pakistan’s “very large” base of crypto investors.

“According to Binance, which is one of the largest [digital] trading platforms, about 15 million Pakistanis are registered on their platform,” he said.

To integrate digital assets into the economy, the government earlier launched the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) in March and later appointed Binance founder Changpeng Zhao as a strategic adviser.

The move has been welcomed by retail traders like Muhammad Huzaifa, who said the lack of legal cover had previously left crypto investors vulnerable.

“Sometimes few government institutions like the FIA [Federal Investigation Agency] freeze the bank accounts of traders,” said the 33-year-old.

“These laws will lend more freedom and space for traders as they can buy, sell and invest in crypto easily without any fear,” he added.
Asked about his digital holdings, he said he was managing multiple accounts “between $50,000 to $100,000.”

Farhan Hassan, the chief digital officer at easypaisa Digital Bank (eDB) with over 50 million users, praised the creation of PVARA as a key step toward safer adoption.

“Pakistan has long been poised for broader crypto and blockchain adoption, but it lacked the regulatory clarity to unlock its full potential,” he said.

“This landmark development sets the foundation for a secure, transparent and regulated framework to guide the growth of virtual assets in Pakistan.”

Hassan added that eDB was “uniquely positioned” to collaborate with regulators in piloting, testing, and scaling financial solutions aligned with both global standards and local needs.

CHALLENGES

Still, analysts caution that implementation could be challenging due to the government’s institutional capacity.

“The regulators may lack technical capacity and real-time monitoring tools to fully oversee crypto markets,” said Muhammad Waqas Ghani, head of research at Karachi-based JS Global Capital.

He maintained that Pakistan’s stock market was a more regulated and secure investment option, offering greater protection against fraud and manipulation compared to the still-evolving crypto space.

Pakistan may also require the International Monetary Fund’s approval if it plans to subsidize electricity for future crypto mining and AI data centers.

“[The IMF] staff reiterated the importance of maintaining a level playing field for all private sector participants and will continue to engage with the authorities on this as appropriate as plans develop further,” Mahir Binici, the IMF’s resident representative in Pakistan, said this week.

Talal Ahmad, an official from the office of State Minister on Blockchain and Crypto Bilal Bin Saqib, did not provide any details in response to Arab News queries.

“A lot of these questions don’t have answers at the moment. Could you wait until we pass the regulation law [from parliament]?” he said.

Asked who would be the first users of Pakistan’s digital currency, SBP’s Ahmed said the central bank would share such details at a later stage.

Pakistan’s push follows the example of countries like India, which launched a pilot e-rupee in 2022.

The Reserve Bank of India initially allowed selected banks to use it for settling secondary-market transactions in government securities before extending it to the retail sector.

Topics: digital currency State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) FATF Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority

Pakistan launches vehicle emissions testing in Islamabad to combat air pollution

Pakistan launches vehicle emissions testing in Islamabad to combat air pollution
Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan launches vehicle emissions testing in Islamabad to combat air pollution

Pakistan launches vehicle emissions testing in Islamabad to combat air pollution
  • Smoke-emitting vehicles entering the federal capital to face fines or be impounded
  • Pakistan aims for 30 percent of new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030 under EV policy
Updated 11 July 2025
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has launched emissions testing for vehicles entering the federal capital, Islamabad, in a bid to reduce air pollution and improve air quality, State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Friday.

The move follows the launch of the emission testing system in the country’s most populous Punjab province in May, the first initiative of its kind ever taken in the country.

Emissions testing for vehicles is a process that measures the pollutants released from a vehicle’s exhaust to ensure compliance with environmental standards. It evaluates the levels of harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides.

“The greatest damage caused to the environment is through vehicle emissions,” Chaudhry said while speaking to the media.

“Such testing has never been conducted before in Islamabad, but it has been initiated now,” he continued, adding that every car would be checked according to international standards before being certified.

Chaudhry announced the government would first inspect official vehicles before expanding the initiative to private vehicles.

“No smoke emitting vehicle will be allowed to enter Islamabad,” he added. “If it enters, there will be a fine, cars will be impounded and it will be dealt according to law.”

Earlier this year in June, Pakistan unveiled its Electric Vehicle Policy 2025–2030, setting a target for 30 percent of all new vehicle sales to be electric by the end of the decade.

The policy, which covers cars, buses, motorcycles and rickshaws, aims to accelerate Pakistan’s transition to sustainable transport, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and curb climate-warming emissions.

Pakistan imports the majority of its energy, and its urban centers rank among the most polluted in the world, primarily due to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions.

This severe air pollution poses a serious threat to public health, undermines economic productivity and diminishes the quality of life for millions of residents.

Topics: carbon emissions electric vehicles in Pakistan Islamabad emissions testing for vehicles

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