With eye to Vision 2030, Pakistan says working to send skilled workers to Saudi Arabia

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Updated 31 January 2025
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With eye to Vision 2030, Pakistan says working to send skilled workers to Saudi Arabia

  • Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain attends second Global Labour Conference in Riyadh from Jan. 29-30
  • Although 97 percent of Pakistani workers in Kingdom are blue-collar, there is rising demand for skilled workers

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, said on Thursday Islamabad was working to increase the number of skilled Pakistanis going for work to Saudi Arabia which requires innovative project management and well-trained labor as it implements the Vision 2030 economic plan, his office said in a statement. 

Pakistanis are one of the largest migrant communities in Saudi Arabia, with an estimated 2.64 million working there as of 2023. Although 97 percent of them are blue-collar workers, there is a rising demand for skilled workers in the Kingdom as it moves to consolidate its economy on modern lines under the Vision 2030 program, a strategic development framework intended to cut reliance on oil. The plan is aimed at developing public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism.

Islamabad has been working on a new education policy to impart technical and other skills to at least a million youth per annum to export better-trained human resource to Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, according to Pakistan’s education ministry.

“Efforts are being made to further increase the number of skilled workers,” Hussain was quoted as saying in a statement on Thursday after he attended the second Global Labour Market Conference being held in Saudi Arabia from Jan. 29-30. “Saudi Arabia values Pakistani workers and skilled professionals.”

The Global Labor Market Conference brings together policymakers, labor leaders, academics, and business pioneers worldwide to inspire innovative solutions to labor market challenges. As the only platform of its kind, the GLMC fosters high-level discussions on workforce dynamics, skills development, and labor policies shaping the future of work. This year’s conference has over 180 speakers, 5,000 participants and more than 70 international ministers.

“Hussain emphasized that Pakistan is committed to organizing and activating the labor market in collaboration with experts,” the statement from his office added. 

“I believe the biggest benefit of such conferences [Global Labor Market Conference, Riyadh] is that even today, they mentioned that Pakistan is our number one preferred market,” Hussain said in a video shared by his ministry. 

“And god willing, soon Takamul [Saudi company] will further expand its operations in Pakistan, and they will have collaborations with several [Pakistani] universities also. 

“So, I believe it is a very encouraging thing that Saudi Arabia also gives priority to Pakistan and Pakistani workers.”

On Wednesday, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq visited the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) where he said the next two years would be crucial for Pakistan in expanding its presence in Saudi Arabia and capitalizing on “abundant opportunities” in the Kingdom’s construction, information technology, health care and hotels and hospitality sectors.

He stressed the need for Pakistan to impart better skills to its workforce so that they could secure gainful employment in the Kingdom. 

“If we do not claim our share immediately, it will be taken by competitors but to achieve this, Pakistan needs to focus on improving its workforce by imparting training as per Saudi requirements,” Farooq added.


Pakistan Football Federation approves FIFA's proposed amendments to lift suspension 

Updated 16 sec ago
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Pakistan Football Federation approves FIFA's proposed amendments to lift suspension 

  • FIFA suspended Pakistan on Feb. 6 after South Asian country rejected electoral reforms 
  • Pakistan hopes move would pave way for team to play in Asian Cup qualifiers in March 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Thursday unanimously approved FIFA's proposed constitutional amendments in an extraordinary meeting in Lahore, the body said, as it attempts to return to international soccer again.
FIFA hit Pakistan on Feb. 6 with a third international suspension in less than eight years after the federation rejected electoral reforms. 
Attendees at the Extraordinary Congress called by the PFF in Lahore included officials from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.
"The congress members endorsed the FIFA proposed amendments in the best interest of Pakistan football, paving the way for the national team's participation in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers following the expected lifting of FIFA’s suspension,” the PFF said in a statement.
The global football governing body warned the suspension would only be  lifted subject to the PFF Congress "approving the PFF Constitution's version presented by FIFA and the AFC [Asian Football Confederation]."
The PFF said it was hopeful the suspension would be lifted in time for Pakistan to play Syria on Mar. 25 in its first qualifier for the 2027 Asian Cup.


Nearly weeklong closure of Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing disrupts trade, traffic

Updated 27 February 2025
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Nearly weeklong closure of Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing disrupts trade, traffic

  • Pakistan shut down over dispute concerning Afghanistan’s construction of border post on Feb. 21
  • Since then 5,000 trucks and vehicles carrying perishable goods have been stranded on both sides

PESHAWAR, Pakistan: A nearly weeklong closure of a key crossing on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border has disrupted bilateral trade and the movement of people, causing financial losses to traders and leaving people stranded in harsh winter conditions, officials said Thursday.

The Torkham border crossing has remained closed since Feb. 21 after Pakistan shut it down over a dispute concerning Afghanistan’s construction of a border post.

Since then, more than 5,000 trucks and vehicles carrying goods, including fruits and vegetables, have been stranded on both sides, awaiting the reopening of the trade route, according to Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Torkham also serves as a vital corridor for transporting goods between Pakistan and Central Asian countries, and Sarhadi urged both countries to resolve their dispute so that bilateral trade and movement of people could resume.

At Torkham, truck driver Najeeb Ullah said that he was forced to sleep in his vehicle because he can’t leave it unguarded on the road.

“We request Pakistan and Afghanistan to have mercy on us, as we are suffering without any reason,” he told reporters.

Another driver, Mustafa Khan, said that he was hoping to return to his northwestern city of Peshawar after delivering a supply of cement in Afghan city Jalalabad, but “I am stuck here since Friday, and I have no idea for how many days we will have to face this trouble.”

Farhad Nusrat, an Afghan citizen, said that he was returning home with his mother and children, and the closure of the border crossing has forced them to spend their days and nights in the open area. He appealed to Pakistani authorities to reopen the border.

Authorities said that hundreds of Pakistanis were also stranded on the other side of the border.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan. However, Abdul Jabbar Hikmat, the commissioner on the Afghan side of the border, confirmed the closure by Pakistan.

“Whenever Pakistani authorities conduct construction on their side, we say nothing. But whenever we do something, they close the border,” Hikmat said.

Border closures at Torkham are common because of disputes over new posts along the porous Durand Line, which Afghanistan has never officially recognized. Pakistan, meanwhile, has nearly completed a border fence to strengthen control.

The Torkham crossing is located on the edge of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where Pakistani Taliban militants frequently target security forces.


Pakistan to host summit in April to seek investments in $6 trillion minerals sector 

Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan to host summit in April to seek investments in $6 trillion minerals sector 

  • Government’s National Minerals Harmonization Framework 2025 to be unveiled at summit 
  • Reko Diq mine is considered one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will host a minerals summit in April this year, state media reported on Thursday, as the cash-strapped South Asian nation seeks investments in its vast natural reserves estimated to be worth $6 trillion.

Pakistan has enormous reserves of minerals and natural resources, which the government hopes can become a key source of economic development in the future. The country has one of the world’s largest porphyry copper-gold mineral zones. The Reko Diq mine in southwestern Balochistan has an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore. Barrick Gold, which owns a 50 percent stake in the Reko Diq mines, considers them one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas, and their development is expected to have a significant impact on Pakistan’s struggling economy. The Kalabagh iron ore deposits are the largest known deposits in the country.

Pakistan also has vast, untapped reserves of rare earth elements, industrial minerals, non-metallic resources, and gemstones. Northern regions like Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are believed to harbor lithium reserves as well.

State-run APP news agency said on Thursday the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan’s leading exploration and production (E&P) company, in collaboration with the government of Pakistan and strategic partners, would organize the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25) on April 8-9, 2025, in Islamabad. 

“The forum will serve as a premier platform for global stakeholders to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s emerging minerals sector and unlock the country’s vast mineral potential,” the media outlet reported. 

“During the event, the federal government will formally unveil Pakistan’s newly developed, investor-friendly National Minerals Harmonization Framework 2025 which aims to attract investment in the country’s mineral sector.”

Partners for the event include Barrick, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), Government Holdings (Private) Limited (GHPL), Pakistan Minerals Private Limited (PMPL), Frontier Works Organization (FWO), Mari Energies, and the Reko Diq Mining Company (RDMC).

PMIF25 will bring together high-level government representatives, foreign and local investors, leading corporations, policymakers, international diplomats, financial organizations, and industry experts to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s mining sector. 

“The event will highlight recent policy reforms, large-scale mining potential, and the country’s commitment to sustainable resource development, reinforcing its ambition to become a global mining hub,” APP said, calling the event a “transformative opportunity” for Pakistan’s mining sector that will help foster local and international partnerships and promote responsible mining practices. 


Pakistan opposition alliance demands transparent polls, release of political prisoners at Islamabad conference

Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan opposition alliance demands transparent polls, release of political prisoners at Islamabad conference

  • Alliance continues to hold two-day conference demanding “supremacy of constitution” in Islamabad hotel 
  • Says current parliament does not have any legal, moral or political status, demands rule of law in country

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s multi-party opposition alliance on Thursday rejected the results of the February 2024 election and demanded transparent polls be held across the country, calling on the government to release all political prisoners and ensure rule of law. 

The Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) — or the Movement for the Protection of the Constitution of Pakistan— kicked off its two-day conference on Wednesday to demand “supremacy of the constitution” at a local hotel in Islamabad. The alliance claimed on Wednesday that the government was pressurizing the administration of the hotel to cancel the event. The government strongly rejected the allegations. 

As per local media reports, Islamabad authorities sealed the Legend Hotel where the conference is being held on Thursday morning. Opposition parties’ members forcibly entered the premises after some of them climbed the gate and opened it from inside, allowing others to enter. Subsequently, opposition leaders announced that they would hold the conference in the hotel lobby while police personnel and the paramilitary Frontier Corps personnel remained stationed outside.

Pakistan’s leading opposition parties accuse the ruling coalition government of cracking down on their supporters, resorting to rights abuses, interfering in judicial matters and passing legislation to stifle dissent. The government rejects these allegations and accuses the opposition of creating hurdles in its mission to reform Pakistan’s economy. 

“The results of the rigged elections of Feb. 8, 2024, are responsible for the current political, economic and social crisis in the country,” a joint statement from the TTAP said. 

“Our constitution does not allow any Pakistani citizen to be harassed, arrested or imprisoned for participating in political activity and all political prisoners should be released immediately,” it added. 

The opposition alliance said Pakistan’s current parliament does not have any moral, political or legal status, demanding the government abolish the recently approved amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) act as they aim to stifle dissent. 

“The only solution to the current crisis in the country is the holding of free, transparent and fair elections,” the statement read. 

The alliance called on Pakistan’s political leaders to formulate a unified strategy to ensure stability and put the country on the path to development through a “national dialogue.”

“The opposition parties of Pakistan pledge to continue the collective practical struggle to implement the provisions of this agreement and this struggle will continue until the problems of Pakistan are resolved and the welfare of the people is ensured,” the statement said. 

Leaders from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by former prime minister Imran Khan, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Awam Pakistan, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) parties as well as lawyers, journalists and members of the civil society are attending the conference.

Pakistan has been plagued with political turmoil since Khan was ousted as prime minister via a parliamentary vote in April 2022. He was later convicted in a slew of charges and sent to jail in August 2023. 

Khan denies the charges and says they are politically motivated to keep him and his party away from power. He accuses the country’s powerful military of orchestrating his removal from office and backing his political rivals in the government. 

The military denies Khan’s allegations and insists it does not interfere in political matters. 


Pakistan-Bangladesh match washed out as hosts make meek exit

Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan-Bangladesh match washed out as hosts make meek exit

  • Pakistan crashed out of Champions Trophy after losses to New Zealand, India
  • India and New Zealand progress to Champions Trophy semifinals from Group A

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s last Champions Trophy group match with Bangladesh on Thursday was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Rawalpindi because of rain, ensuring the host country’s title defense ended with a wet whimper.
Pakistan, who won the 50-over tournament in 2017, lost to New Zealand and India and finish bottom of Group A.
Their last match had only pride at stake for both teams, with Bangladesh similarly out of the running for the semifinals.
Pakistan’s failure to advance beyond the group phase or even win a game was a huge letdown for a country hosting its first major tournament in three decades.
Pakistan finished fourth and last with one point in three matches, a position below Bangladesh, who also have one point in as many games but a better net run-rate.
Overnight rain in Rawalpindi continued on and off and despite several inspections by the umpires, no play was possible.
India and New Zealand progressed to the semifinals from Group A.
In Group B, South Africa, Australia and Afghanistan compete for the other two semifinal spots. England are out of contention.