Usman Ahmed assumes PSMA leadership; calls for greater competitiveness, innovation, sustainability and value-added exports

By Gul Nasreen

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The 59th Annual General Meeting, followed by the Annual Dinner 2026, of the Pakistan Soap Manufacturers Association (PSMA) was held at the Marriott Hotel, Karachi, in which Mohammad Yunus Ibrahim, Consul General of Malaysia, was the chief guest, while Dr Ahmad Syofian serves as the Consul for Economic Affairs at the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Karachi, attended as the guest of honour. 

Besides the diplomats, the event was largely attended by prominent representatives of the soap, FMCG, oleochemicals, fragrance and allied industries from across Pakistan. Usman Ahmed, CEO and Managing Director of Gamalux Group, the newly elected chairman of the PSMA for the 2026-2028 term, warmly welcomed the guests and members of the Association. 

He acknowledged the services of the outgoing office-bearers and expressed his appreciation for the confidence reposed in the newly elected leadership. In his address, he highlighted the important role of Pakistan's soap industry in meeting the country's essential hygiene requirements and contributing to manufacturing activity, employment, trade and government revenues. 

He emphasized that soap was not a luxury product, but an essential daily-use commodity directly linked with personal hygiene, public health and sanitation. He noted that the industry was currently operating in a challenging economic environment, facing pressures from international prices of essential raw materials, exchange-rate movements, energy and utility costs, financing requirements, taxation and regulatory compliance. 

He particularly highlighted Pakistan's dependence on imported palm-based and fatty raw materials and stressed on the need for a rational and competitive tariff structure for essential raw materials which are not sufficiently available locally. 

Usman Ahmed observed that the industry's objective should not merely be protection from competition, but the creation of an environment in which Pakistani manufacturers can become more competitive, efficient and capable of serving consumers with quality products at reasonable prices. He also called for a level playing field between compliant manufacturers and businesses operating outside the formal regulatory framework. 

He spoke about the importance of addressing smuggling, under-invoicing and the availability of substandard products while ensuring that legitimate trade and manufacturing remain facilitated. Looking ahead to his two-year tenure, the chairman outlined a broader vision for PSMA based on five key priorities, competitiveness, quality, sustainability, innovation and exports. 

He was of the opinion that Pakistan's soap industry must increasingly focus on modern manufacturing technologies, productivity, energy efficiency, quality standards, research and development and development of skilled human resources. He further elaborated that sustainability and responsible manufacturing should become an integral part of the industry's future, including responsible sourcing, efficient use of energy and water, improved waste management and environmentally responsible production practices. 

The PSMA chairman brought to light the need for Pakistan to move beyond dependence on imported raw materials and develop greater value addition and export-oriented manufacturing. He said that the country's large domestic market, established manufacturing base and access to international raw-material supply chains provide opportunities for the development of higher-value soap, hygiene, oleochemical and allied products for regional and international markets. 

Referring to Pakistan's relations with Malaysia and Indonesia, Usman Ahmed observed that both countries remained important partners in the region's palm-based and oleochemical supply chains. He expressed the hope that cooperation could be expanded beyond conventional trade towards stable supply chains, technology transfer, investment, joint ventures, sustainable sourcing and value-added manufacturing. 

He declared that the PSMA would seek to strengthen structured engagement between industry and government and promote evidence-based policy recommendations for the development of Pakistan's manufacturing sector. 

Addressing the gathering, Consul for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Dr Ahmad Syofian highlighted the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and Indonesia and the strong people-to-people and diplomatic ties between the two countries. He noted the importance of palm-based raw materials, including palm stearin and other palm-derived materials, for the soap manufacturing industry and expressed the importance of further strengthening economic and commercial cooperation between Pakistan and Indonesia. 

The chief guest of the evening, Yunus Ibrahim, Consul General of Malaysia, appreciated the invitation extended by PSMA and highlighted the longstanding and growing economic relationship between Pakistan and Malaysia. He expressed his country's interest in exploring further opportunities for trade and investment and emphasized the potential for greater cooperation between Malaysian suppliers and Pakistani manufacturers. 

He also noted the opportunities for strengthening trade in palm-based raw materials and other products required by Pakistan's manufacturing sector. He was confident that the existing trade relationship between the two countries would continue to expand, and that greater business-to-business cooperation would create new opportunities for both Malaysian and Pakistani enterprises. 

Abdullah Zaki, the newly elected Senior Vice Chairman of PSMA, thanked the outgoing chairman,  Asif Iqbal Paracha, and the outgoing office bearers for their valuable efforts, contributions and achievements during their tenure. He appreciated their services to the Association and the soap industry and expressed his gratitude to all PSMA members for their participation and presence at the AGM. He conveyed his commitment to working together with the newly elected office bearers and members for the continued progress and development of the Association. 

At the conclusion of the event, Vice Chairman PSMA, Tariq Zakaria congratulated Usman Ahmed and the newly elected office-bearers and presented a vote of thanks to the distinguished guests, sponsors and members of PSMA who attended the event from different parts of Pakistan. The newly elected office-bearers reiterated their commitment to working collectively for the development of Pakistan's soap industry, strengthening industry–government coordination and promoting a competitive, sustainable and export-oriented manufacturing sector.

Jahangir Moghul elected to KCCI managing committee

By Syed Khalid Mahmood 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The popular figure of Jahangir Moghul, a renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist, among others, was elected to the managing committee of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) whose elections for the term 2026–2028 were swept by the Businessmen Group (BMG), spearheaded by its Chairman Zubair Motiwala, on September 26. 

Jahangir Moghul, having held top slots at the Karachi Gymkhana as well as the Rotary International, is a welcome addition to the elite list of the leaders running the show at the biggest business chamber of the country. 

A founding member of the Karachi Festival of Books and Libraries (KFBL), he is credited to have contributed to various social causes. He possesses diverse business experiences across cotton, ginning, textiles, travel and tourism, commodities, finance, steel, oil, and petroleum. 

According to unofficial results made available to PNFS, all 30 BMG candidates emerged victorious against their rivals of the Businessmen Alliance (BMA). The candidates elected for the corporate class, besides Jahangir Moghul, included Shahid Ismail, Zafar Saeed Baghpati, Mubeen Waqar, Aslam Pakhali, Faisal Jahangir, Muzamil Rauf Chaplin, Aslam Parvez, Sheikh Waseem Ahmed, Ahsan Saleem, Syed Atiqur Rehman, Khalid Riaz, Zohaib Fakhruddin Dabba. Wala, Adnan Ahmed Paracha and Sadiq Abdul Razzaq. 

The elected members for the associate class were Talat Mehmood, Muhammad Ibrahim Kasumbi, Muhammad Farooq Afzal, Haji Asif Chamdia, Chaudhry Amir Ali Khan, Atif Jameel-ur-Rehman, Abdul Khaliq Insaf, Aamir Mansha, Muhammad Faheem, Shabbir Ismail, Syed Umeeruddin Hussain, Alamgir Khokhar, Muhammad Usman, Saad Ali Younis and Johar Iqbal. 

There were as many 56 candidates in the field to have contested in the elections, vying for 15 corporate and as many associate seats. 

It was for the first time when separate elections for corporate and associate classes were held in the KCCI. According to the available information, a total of 3,582 voters cast their votes in the polls.

Manhaz Rahman’s memoirs hits stands

By Syed Khalid Mahmood 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Veteran journalist and women’s right activist Mahnaz Rahman’s memoirs titled ‘Love, Life and the Left’ has arrived. It is being acclaimed as an intimate epic about falling in love, making homes and dreaming revolutions. 

In the words of Senator Farhatullah Babar, the book Love, Life and the Left is more than a memoir. He considers it as a vivid journey through the personal and political history of Pakistan, which makes one ponder over the systemic decline of resistance in Pakistani politics, media and society. 

“Mahnaz Rahman recounts her eventful life lived at the intersection of love, politics & endurance and shines new light on the struggle of the Left in the country. With candour matched only by her grace and courage, Mahnaz Rahman traces her life through decades of activism, journalism and human rights advocacy, offering a deeply human portrait of resilience, dissent and hope,” 

Senator Farhatullah Babar, an engineer-turned-politician, wrote. Ammar Ali Jan reckons that Mahnaz Rahman’s life sheds light on the intimate entanglement between the passionate struggle for emancipation and the weight of tradition embodied in everyday norms, cultural practices, and one’s social position. Sifting through multiple identities, political hopes, passionate love and devastating defeats, the book shows what it means to hold onto principles in the midst of repression, strategic compromises, and outright betrayals. 

Shah Mohammad Marri has opined that the career of Mahnaz Rahman was defined by the courage of her writings and the clarity of her convictions and she remains a tireless guardian for women’s rights and the sanctity of the written word. 

“Written with daring honesty and truth it is both endearing and captivating. One can almost feel the pain as she relives the moments of making difficult decisions in life and love. She narrates her story but it is also the story of so many of us who lived and dreamt about the elusive revolution that would bring equality and justice to all individuals and create a peaceful, harmonious society,” Sheema Kirmani complimented. 

Anwer Sen Roy feels that Mehnaz’s memoirs provide solid and highly reliable testimony for the correction of history. “Every word of hers serves as historical evidence. This is because she was not merely a comrade; she was also the partner of a stern, uncompromising comrade, and the mother of a comrade’s children,” he observed. 

Born in Karachi on June 16, 1949, Mahnaz Rahman has been acclaimed as one of the most respected journalists and women's rights activists. She had earned the distinction of being the first female vice president of the Economics Society in the largest department at the University of Karachi. 

She started her professional journey by joining the magazine section of Daily Musawat in Karachi. Following its closure, she worked at Weekly Mahwar and later at Daily Amn. She stayed in China with her family for eight years. She wrote two regular columns, "Letters from China" for Daily Jang and "Letters from Beijing" for Weekly Akhbar-e-Jahan both of which were widely read. She also translated several works of Chinese literature into Urdu. In 1991, the Chinese government honoured her with the Friendship Award for her outstanding contributions to the country's economic and social progress. 

After returning to Pakistan, she worked with various NGOs and served nearly a couple of decades at the Aurat Foundation, including as its Resident Director Sindh. She is also an active member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). 

Mahnaz Rahman had presided over one of the sessions during the 2nd edition of the Karachi Festival of Books and Libraries (KFBL), produced by Jumbo Publishing, at the Habitt City in December 2025.

Miracle-man Moonis Alvi appointed GO Petroleum’s CEO

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The revered figure of Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi, a chartered accountant, has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Gas & Oil Pakistan Limited, also known as GO Petroleum. 

He has carved a niche across the power sector, infrastructure, capital markets, governance, and diversified industrial businesses during his illustrious career, spanning over 35 years. 

Moonis Alvi is credited to have spearheaded large-scale transformation, turnaround, regulatory, and growth mandates in some of Pakistan’s most challenging environments. He holds the distinction of being the K-Electric’s longest-serving CEO from 2018 to 2026. 

His journey at KE was centered on leading its post-privatization transformation across the full power value chain, generation, transmission, distribution, customer operations, regulation, finance, people, systems, and governance. 

The scale of this transformation included oversight of a workforce of approximately 13,000 people, monthly cash flows of over USD 150M, and major strategic initiatives including a USD 650M, 900 MW power plant, a USD 120M 500 KV to 220 KV grid and transmission line. 

Starting his professional career with KPMG, he later became a Fellow Chartered Accountant. Prior to his stint at KE, he worked as Group Director at Dewan Mushtaq Group, where he oversaw financing, restructuring, M&A, capital-market, and cross-border transaction initiatives across cement, automotive, textiles, sugar, and synthetic fibers.

His vast leadership experience of over three decades besides his visionary approach will certainly add value to his new employers, GO Petroleum, could capture bigger market share in his presence.

Usman Ahmed elected PSMA chairman

By Gul Nasreen

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Usman Ahmed of Gamalux Oleochemicals Limited, Karachi, has been elected as the chairman of the Pakistan Soap Manufacturers Association (PSMA) while Abdullah Zaki of Zaki Industrial Corporation, Karachi, and Muhammad Aneeq of Yaqub Soap Factory (Pvt.) Ltd, Multan, have been elected as its Senior Vice Chairman and as Vice Chairman respectively. 

According to the information made avalable by the Association’s Secretary General, Syed Aijaz Ahmed, on September 21, the elections of the PSMA were held in accordance with the Trade Organization Rules 2013, as a result of which a new team of office-bearers and Managing Committee members has assumed charge for the next term of two years (2026-2028). 

The newly elected unopposed members of the Managing Committee for the term of 2026-2028 are M. Aneeq, Yaqub Soap Factory (Pvt.) Limited, Multan, Syed Shiblee Abdullah, ZIL Limited, Karachi, Sh. M. Ilyas Khurshid Soap & Chemicals Industries (Pvt.) Ltd., Hattar, Usman Ahmed, Gamalux Oleochemicals Limited, Karachi, M. Ali Zia, Mukhtar Soap & Oleo Chemicals, Karachi, Abdullah Zaki, Zaki Industrial Corporation, Karachi, Raza Naseem, Fine Daily (Pvt.) Limited, Karachi, Mian M. Adrees, Sitara Chemical Industries Limited, Faisalabad, Abdul Samad Punjani, S. S. Detergents Industries, Hyderabad, Tariq Amin Safdar, Pears (Pvt.) Limited, Karachi, M. Ahmad Yasin, Nawab & Sons, Faisalabad, and Wasim Ahmed, Daily Chemicals (SMC-Pvt) Limited, Multan.

Aziz Memon’s felicitations on Malaysia Day

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Aziz Memon, a renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist from Pakistan, has felicitated the Malaysians on the occasion of Malaysia Day 2026, being celebrated September 16 to mark the 63rd anniversary of their federation's establishment. 

“Today, we celebrate unity, diversity and shared hopes for a stronger Malaysia. Merdeka, Malaysia!” Aziz Memon, who also happens to be the Honorary Consul General of Suriname in Karachi, declared in his official message. 

“I have had fond memories of Malaysia. They have proved to be good friends and worthy businesses partners,” Aziz Memon, Co-founder of Karachi Festival of Books and Libraries (KFBL), remarked in a brief conversation with PNFS. 

It may be mentioned here that the Malaysia Day became nationwide public holiday on September 16 in 2010 while their Independence Day (Hari Merdeka) is celebrated on August 31.

Aziz Memon heading newly launched WHO Pakistan Council for partnership with public, private sectors

By Dr Beenish Khalid

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The globally respected figure of Aziz Memon has been entrusted with yet other key responsibility to head the newly launched World Health Organization (WHO) Pakistan Council for partnership with public and private sectors. 

The council was launched jointly by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Larry Lunsford, President-Elect, Rotary International, Dr Dapeng Luo, WHO Representative in Pakistan, and Aziz Memon himself in Karachi on July 29. 

The presence of such high-profile personalities reflected the significance attached to the Council, at the highest levels of WHO and of the global Rotary movement, as a pioneering model of national leadership for health. The launch marked its formal establishment and the beginning of their collective work, anchored in Pakistan's own national health priorities and guided by sound governance and the standards that WHO brings as a partner.

“Let me tell you something I have learned over a lifetime. I have spent decades in business, building, competing, succeeding, and failing, and learning. But I want to speak to you about a different ledger, the one I have kept through Rotary for most of my life. Over these decades, I have given what I could: my money, yes, but more than that, my time, my voice, and my name. To the fight against polio, and well beyond it: to the health of mothers and children, to clean water, to education, and to communities in need across this country,” Aziz Memon remarked in his speech on the occasion. 

“And let me tell you plainly what that ledger shows. Nothing I have built in business has returned to me what this work has. I have watched children walk who would not have walked. I have seen mothers weep with relief at a doorstep. I have seen what a well, a school, or a clinic does to a village. This is the best investment of my life, and I say that as a businessman who knows his numbers,” he added. 

“These years also taught me what partnership really means. I have watched the WHO teams at work not only against polio, where this country has come back from thousands of cases a year to a handful, but in flood-hit districts, in nutrition wards, in immunization drives, and in the quiet work of building health systems that last,” Aziz Memon, who is also the National Chair of Pakistan PolioPlus Committee, acknowledged. 

“This Council will stand on that same breadth. Polio may be our proudest fight, but our canvas is the whole of health: safe motherhood, well-fed children, protected communities, and hospitals and clinics this nation can rely on. That is the spirit I bring to this chair,” he declared. 

“So, when Dr Luo and Mohamed came to Karachi last year with an idea, they thought they would need to convince me. They did not. The idea was right, and the moment was right: a platform where Pakistan's business leadership takes its rightful place in the health of its own people, with the WHO as our trusted partner. I said yes before they finished,” Aziz Memon disclosed. 

“And then I began to call you. My friends, my peers, even my competitors. Here is what moved me most: not one of you asked what you would get. You asked what was needed. Within days, you answered. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the leadership Pakistan is capable of. Look at who sits in this room: leaders from industry, banking, pharmaceuticals, textiles, technology, and philanthropy, from every corner of this economy. Each of you built something from conviction and discipline. This Council asks you to build with those same tools, one more time, for something no balance sheet can hold,” he concluded.