On Friday, 04th of October, 2024, in Karachi, His Excellency Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, inaugurated the First Pakistan International Date Palm Festival, in the presence H.E. Kamran Tessori, Governor of Sindh and H.E. Mr. Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al Zaabi, United Arab Emirates Ambassador in Islamabad, and Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Prof., Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, and a number of members of the diplomatic corps, experts and specialists in field of date palm cultivation and production in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
His Excellency Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh, expressed his happiness for the existing cooperation between the two countries, the UAE and Pakistan, at various levels. His Excellency also extended his thanks and appreciation to H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, for his support to organize such festival, in order to develop the date palm cultivation and production sector in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. His Excellency also expressed his hope that this Festival would be the beginning of a fruitful cooperation between the Ministry of National Food Security and Research in Pakistan and the General Secretariat of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, to enhance food security and achieve sustainable development.
From his side, H.E. Mr. Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al Zaabi, highlighted the fact that the First Pakistan International Date Palm Festival, confirms the depth of the bilateral ties between the two brotherly countries, under the wise leadership of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, “May God Protect him”, and his brother, Shahba Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
His Excellency also referred to the efforts of the Award’s General Secretariat in fulfilling the vision of the wise leadership in developing the date palm cultivation and production sector at the national, regional and international levels, which contributed to strengthening the UAE’s leading position in this sector. While highlighting the vital role played by the Award over seventeen years of continuous success through organizing a series of international date conferences and a series of date festivals in a number of date-producing countries.
Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, pointed out that the Award has achieved tangible success in organizing the series of date festivals exceeding fifty-six festivals in 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, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This confirms the international standing of the Award and its ongoing important role as a platform for building partnerships in the development, production, processing and marketing of dates, while ensuring the development of this sector, thanks to the wise directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab emirates, “May God protect him”, and the continuous support of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and the close follow-up of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees.
Dr. A. Zaid also added that the festival, like other festivals organized by the Award, includes a Pakistani dates competition in which 85 date farmers and producers representing all regions of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan participated. The festival also includes an international dates exhibition with wide participation from farmers, producers, manufacturers, exporters and traders of dates in Pakistan, where their number reached 145 exhibitors, representing the following countries: United Arab Emirates, Arab Republic of Egypt, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Kingdom of Morocco, United Mexican States, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in addition to a scientific symposium accompanying the festival in which 17 international researchers and experts specialized in date palm cultivation and production.
Winners of the Dates Competition
The winners honoring ceremony of the Pakistani Dates Competition, took place amidst the joy of all participants. Where the results were as follows:
Category 1:
Mr. Abdul Haleem Memon
Best Production of “Aseel” variety in Pakistan
Category 2:
The Best Production of “Dhakki” variety in Pakistan
Mr. Shams Ud Din
Category 3:
The Best Production of “Muzawati” variety in Pakistan
Mr. Mohammad Jan
Category 4:
The Best Production of “Begum Jangi” variety in Pakistan
Mr. Ishaq Saleh Murad
Category 5:
Best Date Palm Farm in Pakistan
Mr. Ali Ahmed Katohar
Category 6:
Best Food Product from Pakistani Dates
Mr. Maqbool Alam Noori
Category 7:
Best Date Palm Processing Factory in Pakistan
Mr. Kaleemullah Abbasi
Category 8:
Best Applied Scientific Research (Paper) on Date Palm in Pakistan
Mr. Gul Rehman
While the three honored personalities who contributed to serving the date palm cultivation and production sector in Pakistan were the following:
1- His Excellency Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh
2- H.E. Kamran Tessori, Governor of Sindh
3- H.E. Rana Tanveer Hussain, The Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research.