Islamabad, July 19, 2026: Cold storage owners and stakeholders from across Pakistan have announced plans to establish a nationwide representative body after holding the first-ever All Pakistan Cold Storage Convention in Islamabad.
The convention brought together cold storage operators, exporters, farmers’ representatives and other stakeholders from across the country to discuss challenges facing the sector and agree on a unified strategy for engagement with the government.
Participants said the primary objective of the gathering was to establish and register a national association with the Directorate General of Trade Organizations (DGTO), which would serve as an official platform for representing the industry’s interests before policymakers.
Speakers expressed concern that recent policy decisions were adversely affecting the export of fresh and perishable goods. They stressed that industry stakeholders should be consulted before policies affecting the sector are finalized.
Addressing the convention, proposed Chairman Arsalan Javed said the immediate priority was to secure the registration of the association with the DGTO.
“Our immediate priority is to get the organization registered with DGTO. Once registered, we will work to help this industry survive through one of its toughest periods. The cold storage sector plays a vital role in preventing food waste, ensuring food security and supporting Pakistan’s export economy,” he said.
The participants unanimously endorsed the formation of the new body and agreed to adopt a joint strategy for direct engagement with the government. They also decided that, once established, the association would submit policy proposals to the government on issues affecting the cold storage industry.
The proposed office-bearers of the association include Arsalan Javed as Chairman, Anis ur Rehman as Senior Vice Chairman, Arshad Hussain as Punjab Zonal Chairman, Shahid Hussain Solangi as Sindh Zonal Chairman, Ahmed Jamshed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zonal Chairman, Malik Shakeel Ahmed as Islamabad Zonal Chairman, Wahid Agha as Balochistan Zonal Chairman and Waqas Shahid as General Secretary.
