Ufone 5G has won two honours at the Dragons of Asia Awards 2026 for campaigns featuring Pakistani cricket stars. The wins recognise its ‘Super 5’ and ‘Babar Azam’s Lost Phone’ campaigns. Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML), which operates Ufone, secured a Gold Dragon in the ‘Best in Media’ category for Super 5. Babar Azam’s Lost Phone earned a Black Dragon in ‘Marketing Discipline’. Ufone said it was the only Pakistani telecom brand to win Gold at this year’s regional awards. Associated Press of Pakistan also reported the distinction. Super 5 turns cricket speculation into a reveal The Super 5 campaign promoted a package allowing customers to share data, calls and SMS with four friends or family members. It featured comedian and television host Tabish Hashmi alongside Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq and Saeed Ajmal. All four cricketers belonged to Pakistan’s 2009 ICC T20 World Cup-winning squad. The campaign launched in February 2026 with social media teasers featuring the former players discussing a mysterious “selection”. Their hints prompted speculation about a possible cricket comeback. The advertisement then revealed a different contest: the players wanted places in Hashmi’s Super 5 group. Ufone ran the campaign across Pakistani television channels and digital platforms. According to the company, it attracted coverage from multiple digital outlets and generated millions of online views. Babar’s lost phone draws international attention The second campaign promoted Ufone’s Weekly Grand Offer and launched in February 2025. It began with Babar announcing on social media that he had lost his phone and contacts. A subsequent reveal showed the announcement formed part of a Ufone advertisement. The campaign followed Babar searching for his phone alongside fans before introducing the offer. Ufone said it attracted international interest and exceeded 10 million views. Both campaigns encouraged audiences to speculate, react and share from their opening day, according to the company. They used humour, familiar personalities and staged reveals to turn product promotions into stories audiences followed. Recognition for locally developed ideas Dragons of Asia recognises results-focused marketing communications. Its judging framework assesses strategy, concept, execution and results, with four judges reviewing each entry. Syed Atif Raza, Chief Commercial Officer, PTML, said: “We wanted our campaigns to be something people would talk about, not just watch. Our approach is to understand consumer behavior, challenge conventional thinking and back ideas that stand out. Having this work recognized at the Dragons of Asia is a proud moment for us, and it is encouraging to see locally developed ideas earn international recognition. It strengthens our ambition to take our work beyond Pakistan’s borders. I commend the Brands and Media teams, and our agency partners, whose strategic thinking, creativity and execution brought these ideas to life.”
Four DAP Fertilizer Vessels Berth at Karachi Port
Four vessels carrying diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer berthed at Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose Limited (KGTML), supporting agricultural supplies as Pakistan enters the Rabi season. Karachi Port Trust (KPT) identified the vessels in an accompanying graphic as HSL Mexico, Happy Founder, Akson Adam and Zhong Chang Hong Sheng. The authority said their berthing reflected the scale, efficiency and continuity of its operations. KPT linked the timely handling of these vessels to the movement of essential agricultural inputs and Pakistan’s food security. “DAP fertilizer is essential for supporting Pakistan’s Rabi-Season Crops,” the authority said in its statement. The announcement did not disclose the vessels’ combined fertilizer cargo, shipment origins or unloading schedules. It also provided no breakdown of quantities destined for individual agricultural markets. DAP supplies arrive during key cropping period The four vessels bring fertilizer supplies into the port at a significant point in Pakistan’s agricultural calendar. Wheat dominates the Rabi season, making access to crop nutrients particularly important during land preparation and sowing. DAP provides nitrogen and phosphorus, which support crop growth. Timely delivery helps farmers access these nutrients when they prepare fields and establish their crops. Read More: Karachi Port Businesses Could Soon Get Key Services Under One Roof The Food and Agriculture Organization’s guidance for Pakistan recommends incorporating phosphorus into the soil before wheat sowing. Farmers can also apply it at the first irrigation if they miss application at sowing. This makes delivery timing relevant beyond the port itself. However, the arrival of fertilizer vessels does not establish retail availability or prices. Inland transport, distribution and farmers’ purchasing power also influence access. Earlier this year, a government fertilizer review highlighted affordability concerns, particularly for DAP. Officials warned that rising input costs could reduce fertilizer application and affect agricultural productivity. KGTML provides bulk cargo handling facilities KGTML operates Karachi Port’s bulk and general cargo terminal at berths 11 to 17 on the East Wharf. According to its official profile, the facility has seven berths and a 1,500-metre quay wall. It accommodates vessel arrivals and departures around the clock and offers onsite rail links to upcountry destinations. Read More: Karachi Port Achieves a Milestone Not Seen in Nearly 8 Years AD Ports Group and KPT signed the terminal’s 25-year concession agreement in February 2024. KGTML brings together majority shareholder AD Ports Group and UAE-based Kaheel Terminals. These facilities form part of the infrastructure connecting incoming bulk cargo with Pakistan’s inland markets. Port pursues further bulk terminal development The fertilizer arrivals come alongside KGTML’s wider development programme. In February 2026, the company signed a construction agreement with AMCORP Engineering & Construction for a new bulk terminal project. KPT said the development would include automated, enclosed conveying, storage and handling systems for clean bulk cargo. Plans also cover specialised loaders for gearless vessels and measures to reduce dust during operations. At the time, KPT expected completion within 15 months. The project outlines planned improvements to bulk handling, while the four named vessels demonstrate the terminal’s current role in agricultural supply movements.
