Pakistan, Azerbaijan aim to strengthen partnership in infrastructure, energy and trade

KARACHI: Degradation of wetlands in Pakistan have put the survival of diverse species like the Indus River dolphin, freshwater turtles and migratory birds at risk, the World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan said on Saturday.
Wetlands are defined as both freshwater and coastal and marine ecosystems, and include all lakes and rivers, swamps, marshes, peatlands, estuaries, deltas, tidal flats, mangroves, coral reefs, and underground aquifers.
These areas are vital to human well-being and sustainable development but despite their critical role, wetlands are among the ecosystems with the highest rates of decline, loss and degradation, according to environmental experts.
Pakistan is home to more than 240 significant wetlands, covering an estimated 10 percent of the country’s land. These wetlands offer essential ecosystem services, including water filtration, carbon storage, flood control, and habitat for countless species.
“The health of wetlands has been severely impacted by water stress, untreated industrial waste, land reclamation, and agricultural runoff,” WWF-Pakistan said, underscoring the need to protect and restore Pakistan’s wetlands.
“These factors continue to shrink wetland areas, diminishing their ecological value.”
Muhammad Jamshed Iqbal Chaudhry, a WWF-Pakistan senior manager for research and conservation, called wetlands a “lifeline for millions of Pakistanis,” especially communities relying on fisheries, agriculture, and tourism.

Pakistani wetlands like Keenjhar Lake, Haleji Lake, Chashma Barrage and Jiwani Coastal Wetlands are critical breeding and feeding grounds for migratory birds, including white-headed ducks, flamingos, cranes, and the critically endangered Siberian crane, according to the WWF-Pakistan official. Wetlands also serve as nature’s buffer against climate change, absorbing excess floodwaters and reducing the impact of extreme weather events.
“Conserving wetlands is, therefore, not just an environmental imperative but a social and economic necessity,” Chaudhry urged.
WWF-Pakistan said it was actively working to conserve and restore wetlands through various initiatives, including the implementation of community-based conservation projects in the Indus Delta, Punjab’s wetlands, and Balochistan’s coastal ecosystems. The initiatives demonstrate the use of nature-based solutions (NbS) to address the challenges to wetlands.
It has improved engagement with policymakers to strengthen wetland protection laws and promote sustainable water management practices, according to the statement. Various initiatives are underway to train local communities in sustainable fishing, eco-tourism, and alternative livelihoods to reduce pressure on wetland resources.
WWF-Pakistan urged government agencies, civil society, businesses, and local communities to take collective action for the conservation of wetlands as they support local livelihoods and offer ecosystem services.
“Simple actions such as reducing water wastage, preventing plastic pollution, promoting sustainable agriculture, and participating in wetland clean-up activities can contribute to preserving these invaluable ecosystems,” it said.

KARACHI: Flyadeal, a low-cost Saudi airline, has commenced its operations in Pakistan with an inaugural flight from Riyadh to Karachi, an airline official said on Saturday.
Headquartered in Jeddah, Flyadeal is a subsidiary of Saudi national flag carrier, Saudia, and was launched on Sept. 23, 2017. Initially, it flew to destinations within the Kingdom, but expanded its network by launching flights from Dammam to Cairo in Jun. 2022.
Flyadeal’s move to expand operations to Pakistan comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to boost its tourism sector under the Vision 2030 program, which aims to attract over 150 million domestic and international tourists annually to the Kingdom by the end of the decade.
The inaugural Flyadeal flight, F3-661, arrived at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport at 8:04am on Saturday, according to a Pakistani Airport Authority (PAA) spokesperson. It was followed by the departure of another flight from Karachi to Riyadh.
“We are very proud that today was the first departure from Karachi to Riyadh of our flight,” Farooq S. Ahmad, Flyadeal’s head of sales told Arab News on Saturday.
“The capacity of the aircraft is 186 seats and the aircraft went full. In fact, [for] the next one week, all our flights are full to Jeddah and to Riyadh.”
The official said a ceremony was held at the Karachi’s Jinnah International airport to mark the occasion, with passengers receiving gifts by the airline. He said consumers inevitably benefit whenever a new airline enters the market and competition increases.
Ahmad highlighted an existing strong demand for travel between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, driven by religious tourism, the presence of a large Pakistani diaspora in the Kingdom, and general travel between the two countries.
“In the Pakistani market, Saudi Arabia is probably the number one destination,” Ahmad said. “There is, of course, the biggest attraction of Haramain Sharifain. So, people go for Hajj and Umrah there. Also, there’s a large diaspora of Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia. So, there’s a lot of home return and, blue-collar, white-collar traffic going to Saudi Arabia.”
Flyadeal’s competitive fares are expected to appeal to a broad range of travelers, according to the airline official. While the airline operates on a low-cost model, it caters to all passenger segments.
“We are a low-cost airline, but it’s not that we are targeting people only on a budget. We have more than 200 flights per day out of Jeddah, Riyadh and Damam. And our clientele is of all categories,” Ahmad said.
“So, it’s not that we are only targeting a specific class of people or specific group of people. What it is that it’s just another option in the market. We are very competitive.”
Following immense response in Pakistan, Flyadeal has already decided to double its weekly flights between Karachi and Jeddah from two to four. With two weekly flights operated between Riyadh and Karachi, it will bring the total number of flights to six from March 1, according to Ahmad. 
The airline also has ambitious plans to expand its network within Pakistan.
“We have already increased our flights,” he shared. “We also have a complete plan of going to various parts of Pakistan and northern Pakistan. Eventually, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, hopefully Multan and Sialkot. We have a very comprehensive plan for Pakistan.”
Flyadeal has established an office in Karachi and currently, it is partnering with Matchless Global Group as its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Pakistan, leveraging their existing network of offices, according to the official.
The airline’s expansion into Pakistan is also expected to create employment opportunities in the South Asia country.
“Any business opportunity to any country opens up opportunities for employment,” Ahmad added.