ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have offered to open up their digital labor databases to Pakistan to boost the export of labor from Pakistan to both Gulf countries, Syed Zulifqar Abbas Bukhari, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistan and Human Resource Development, told Arab News from Dubai.
The offer was extended by UAE Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE), Nasser Bin Thani Al Hameli, during a meeting with Bukhari on the sidelines of the 5th ministerial session of Abu Dubai Dialogue held in Dubai last week.
“UAE offered linkage to its ‘virtual labor market database’, and Saudi Arabia has also extended an offer to Pakistan to send domestic workers to the Kingdom through new identity of the electronic home labor program, ‘Musaned,’” Bukhari said and added that the process would be complete in the next three months.
“Pakistan welcomed this, as this would help us in reducing unemployed Pakistanis in both the countries,” he said.
The initiative looks to provide Pakistan with up-to-date information about job opportunities in the labor market in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and gives valuable information regarding demand for different skills overseas.
Bukhari said the Saudi database also included new and other services developed to preserve the rights of the employer and the worker.
“Pakistan has agreed to connect this with its own digital portal,” he added.
Over 2.7 million Pakistanis live in Saudi Arabia and remit nearly $6 billion home every year. Additionally,1.6 million Pakistanis live in the UAE and are the second largest national group there, constituting 12.5% of the country’s total population.
“Pakistan wants to integrate its digital platform with UAE MOHRE to minimize the cost of recruitment and to make it fair, efficient, transparent, as Pakistan is digitally ready for this collaboration,” Bukhari said.
General Secretary of Pakistan Workers Foundation, Zahoor Awan, welcomed the move, saying it would result in “direct access” between workers and employers.
“Digitalization will help workers find jobs as employers will have direct access to them,” Awan told Arab News, and said the database would reduce the exploitation of workers by middle-men.
“The agents used to loot workers through tall claims about jobs in UAE but this step will lessen their troubles. The technology will provide digital information to employers about their availability and skills. They will contact them directly which will reduce fraud and exploitation,” he said.
Saudi, UAE offer Pakistan access to their labor market databases
Saudi, UAE offer Pakistan access to their labor market databases
- The move is aimed to boost the export of the Pakistani workforce to the two Gulf countries
- The initiative will reduce fraud and exploitation of workers by middle-men
Pakistan urges global action on rising ‘Islamophobia’ at UN hate speech event
- The event was organized by Morocco and the UN Office on Genocide Prevention
- Pakistan expresses commitment to inclusion, calls diversity a collective strength
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top diplomat at the United Nations on Monday called for a collective international response to rising “Islamophobia,” warning that unchecked hate speech and extremist narratives were fracturing societies and threatening global peace and stability.
Speaking at a high-level event to mark the International Day for Countering Hate, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said growing intolerance, fueled by politicized media and digital platforms, was targeting not only Muslims but also people of various races, genders and nationalities.
The International Day for Countering Hate is observed each year on June 18, following its institutionalization by the UN in 2023 in response to the global rise in hate-driven violence, incitement and disinformation.
Monday’s event at the UN was hosted by Morocco and the Office on Genocide Prevention.
“The surge in Islamophobia through discriminatory laws, defamation of religious symbols and orchestrated vilification are particularly alarming trends,” Ahmad said. “Media platforms, especially those aligned with dominant political forces, have enabled this hate.”
“Similar tactics now target other marginalized communities,” he continued. “We also observe rising racism and xenophobia fueling division and exclusion. These trends demand urgent collective response.”
Ahmad welcomed the recent appointment of the UN Special Envoy on Combating Islamophobia, an institutional step initiated through a resolution presented by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in March last year.
Muslim countries, in recent years, have collectively raised their voice against acts of desecration such as the public burning of the Qur’an in several European countries.
Many of these incidents have coincided with the political rise of far-right parties, which have capitalized on anti-immigrant sentiment and targeted Islam and Muslim communities.
Muslim states have called for an end to such practices and have advocated for legal measures to prevent the desecration of religious symbols, arguing that such acts have no connection to free speech and must be addressed under international frameworks protecting religious and cultural dignity.
The Pakistani envoy said the appointment came at a critical time and urged full implementation of the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.
He also condemned digital platforms and algorithmic systems, saying they reward sensationalism and amplify identity-based hate, warning that truth was being sacrificed in politicized media environments.
Ahmad reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting respect, inclusion and peaceful coexistence, saying that diversity must be seen as a collective strength.
Pakistan, 19 other nations call for nuclear-free Middle East as Israel-Iran war escalates
- The statement stresses the need to refrain from targeting IAEA-monitored nuclear facilities
- It calls for ceasefire, seeks maritime security, freedom of navigation under international law
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and 19 other countries on Tuesday issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s military attacks on Iran as a violation of international law, while calling for a nuclear-free Middle East and a return to diplomacy following a comprehensive ceasefire and de-escalation.
The statement came after Israel launched surprise airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities on Friday, in the middle of Tehran’s ongoing nuclear negotiations with Washington.
Israel and Iran traded missile fire for a fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump warned Tehran residents to “immediately evacuate” and cut short his participation at a G7 summit in Canada.
The US Defense Department confirmed the redeployment of “additional capabilities” to the region, with the USS Nimitz leaving Southeast Asia amid reports of its new Middle East mission. The Chinese embassy in Tel Aviv also urged its citizens to evacuate Israel immediately.
Amid these developments, 20 countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Qatar and Oman, voiced a “categorical rejection” of Israel’s military action and warned of its destabilizing implications.
“[There is an] imperative need to halt Israeli hostilities against Iran, which come during a time of increasing tension in the Middle East, and to work toward de-escalation, to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire and restoration of calm,” the statement said.
It called for “the urgent necessity of establishing a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction, which shall apply to all States in the region without exception in line with relevant international resolutions, as well as the urgent need for all countries of the Middle East to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).”
The statement further stressed the importance of refraining from targeting nuclear facilities safeguarded by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warning that such actions violate international humanitarian law and the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
The signatories also emphasized that negotiations remain the only viable path toward a sustainable resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue and called for a swift return to diplomatic engagement.
All the countries stressed the importance of protecting freedom of navigation and maritime security in accordance with international law, fearing that tensions could spill over into shipping lanes vital to global trade.
“Diplomacy, dialogue, and adherence to the principles of good neighborliness, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter, remain the only viable path to resolving crises in the region,” it continued. “Military means cannot bring about a lasting resolution to the ongoing crisis.”
Pakistan vows more facilities for elderly pilgrims in ‘even better’ Hajj 2026
- Will try to ensure aged pilgrims are not allocated rooms above first floor, says official
- Pakistan sent over 115,000 pilgrims under both government, private Hajj schemes this year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Director General Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro this week vowed that the government would try to ensure next year’s pilgrimage is “even better” for pilgrims, promising more facilities for the elderly ones.
This year’s Hajj took place from June 4 to June 9, drawing millions of pilgrims to the holy cities in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan sent over 115,000 pilgrims under both the government and private schemes.
Speaking at a ceremony held to acknowledge the services of the Pakistani welfare staff during Hajj in Makkah, Soomro said the government introduces new measures every Hajj for its pilgrims and would continue to do so.
“In the next Hajj, we will try to make it even better,” Soomro said on Monday. “We will try to ensure that aged pilgrims, for example, are not allocated a room above the first floor.”
The Pakistani official said the government would also try to ensure that elderly pilgrims are provided accommodations close to the Mashair, or holy sites in Makkah, for their convenience.
“So, these small things that we are adding every year are enriching the overall experience of the pilgrim,” Soomro said.
Dr. Syed Ata ur Rehman, Pakistan’s secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, also spoke at the event. He reminded authorities that the post-Hajj flight operation will continue until the last Pakistani pilgrim and welfare staff return to the country.
“Therefore, the remaining part of the operation should be carried out with the same diligence, attention and caution so that the glory of this success does not diminish,” Rehman told participants.
Pakistan began its post-Hajj flight operation with the arrival of the Pakistan International Airline flight PK-732 in Islamabad on June 11, carrying 307 pilgrims. The country is expected to conclude the operation on July 10.
Over 11,400 pilgrims, including around 3,000 from Madinah, have returned to Pakistan so far, as per figures provided by Pakistan’s religious affairs minister.
The government has announced it has begun preparations for Hajj 2026 as it has received the Saudi Hajj policy and timeline for next year’s pilgrimage.
Pakistan, UAE ink agreement to share knowledge and expertise in various sectors
- Both countries agree to share expertise in public sector reforms, science and technology, human resource development
- UAE is one of Pakistan’s most important partners, with cooperation spanning trade, investment, defense and other fields
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday signed an agreement to share knowledge and expertise in diverse fields such as public sector reforms, science and technology, urban planning and human resource development, state-run media said.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries as a high-level UAE delegation, led by Deputy Minister For Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange Abdulla Nasser Lootah, arrived in Pakistan to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation.
The UAE is one of Pakistan’s most important regional partners, with cooperation spanning trade, investment, defense, energy, and diaspora affairs. Roughly 1.5 million Pakistanis live in the UAE, making it the second-largest overseas Pakistani population after Saudi Arabia.
“Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for exchanging knowledge and expertise in diverse spheres of development,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
The MoU was signed by Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Lootah. The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“The fields identified for sharing knowledge and guidance include good governance, development planning, public sector reforms, human resource development, urban planning and science and technology,” the state broadcaster said.
Earlier, the UAE delegation met Sharif during which the Pakistani prime minister spoke about steps taken by his government to promote digitization, a paperless economy, a faceless customs system and data-based decision-making in the country.
Sharif said Pakistan wanted to benefit from the UAE’s experiences to make its initiatives more effective, the state-run media reported.
Lootah appreciated the Pakistani community’s role in the UAE’s development, the state broadcaster said.
“He said the UAE is happy to share knowledge and experiences with Pakistan,” Radio Pakistan said.
Bilateral ties between Pakistan and the UAE have deepened in recent years, especially in areas like infrastructure, renewable energy and logistics. In May 2024, the UAE pledged to invest $10 billion in Pakistan’s key economic sectors as part of its long-term regional economic strategy.
Pakistan needs foreign investment to boost its economy and shore up its currency reserves to meet rising external repayment obligations as it treads a tricky path to economic recovery under a $7 billion IMF bailout deal.
WWF alarmed after blue whale found dead in southwestern Pakistan bay
- Whale likely died a few days earlier after getting entangled in gillnets, says WWF
- Blue whale is the largest animal on the planet, weighing as much as 200 tons
KARACHI: The World Wide Fund For Nature-Pakistan has expressed alarm over the mortality of the blue whale in the country, saying that one was found dead near a remote bay area between Pakistan and Iran on Monday.
Whales are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. This animal is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List of Species, and there are around 10,000 to 25,000 specimens worldwide. Blue whale is the largest animal on the planet weighing as much as 200 tons. Its stomach can hold one ton of krill, and it needs to eat around four tons of krill each day.
In a press release, WWF-Pakistan said a 35-foot-long blue whale was found dead in the remote Gwater Bay area between Pakistan and Iran by a local fisherman on Monday. The international nature conservation organization said it is likely that the whale may have died a few days back in the open seawater and while the cause of death is not known yet, it seemed it might have died after getting entangled in gillnets used for catching fish.
“Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Adviser, WWF-Pakistan, expressed concerns over the mortality of the blue whale and termed it sad news for the conservation community around the world,” the press release said.
Khan said all cetaceans, including whales and dolphins, are protected under the wildlife and fisheries legislations of Pakistan’s Sindh and Balochistan provinces.
“He also stressed to enact federal legislation for the protection of cetaceans, including whales, in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan,” the statement added.
WWF-Pakistan noted that there are many records of blue whales being spotted in Pakistan. It said the last blue whale was spotted off Gaddani town in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Apr. 8, 2024.
WWF-Pakistan has said in the past that major dangers to blue whales include entanglement in fishing nets, ship strikes, water pollution, and climate change.
