Pakistani startup EduFi wins first prize at LEAP 2025 in Riyadh

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday he would represent Pakistan at the upcoming Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Jeddah on Mar. 7, where the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the Palestinian cause will be discussed. 

The OIC meeting will reportedly take place next month amid backlash and uproar from Arab and OIC countries over US President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to redevelop Gaza into an international beach resort, after resettling Palestinian inhabitants. The US president called on Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians, with the remarks drawing sharp reactions from both countries as well as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and others. 

Dar, who was in New York on a three-day visit to the US to attend a United Nations conference on multilateralism this week, told reporters he had discussed Trump’s proposal with the foreign ministers of Iran, Egypt, Malaysia, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye recently.

“He said reportedly Arab leaders were scheduled to meet on the situation on Feb. 27 and Gulf leaders on Mar. 5 ,which would follow the extraordinary CFM meeting on Mar. 7 in Jeddah in which he would represent Pakistan,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. 

Dar pointed out that Pakistan had also issued a strong statement on proposals to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, saying that they had all the right to their land.

Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, said despite limited resources Pakistan sent several consignments of relief goods to Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. He said Pakistan also hosted around 200 Palestinian medical students, allowing them to complete their medical education in Pakistani medical colleges.

Israel’s war on Gaza, which began after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians and displaced almost all of Gaza’s 2 million population by laying waste to swathes of neighborhoods, schools and hospitals. A six-week uneasy truce announced on Jan. 19 between Hamas and Israel ended 15 months of war. 

Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

The South Asian country regularly sent relief supplies for the people of Gaza during Israel’s 15-month war. 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis sent 727,381 skilled laborers to Middle Eastern and European countries in 2024, state-run media reported on Thursday, saying that the “record number” of workers abroad would help diminish unemployment in the country and boost remittances.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries are key destinations for Pakistan’s skilled and unskilled workers, whose remittances are vital to the national economy as the country suffers a prolonged macroeconomic crisis. 

“According to official data, 727,381 skilled laborers have been sent abroad for employment,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said in a report. 

“The majority of these laborers have been employed in countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman, with a significant number also working in European countries.”

The statement highlighted the role of the Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Ministry in sending a record number of skilled laborers abroad last year, crediting its success to “aggressive marketing strategies, improved facilitation and strengthened ties with international employers.”

It said the move would positively impact Pakistan’s economy as more workers abroad means increased remittances to the country and a reduction in unemployment.

“This landmark achievement was a shining testament to the government’s unwavering commitment to providing Pakistani workers with lucrative employment opportunities abroad,” APP added.

A senior Pakistani official said in February that the government was working to bridge the skills gap and enhance the global competitiveness of Pakistani workers, especially in the Middle East job market.

In January, Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain said Islamabad was focused on boosting the number of skilled Pakistanis heading to Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the need for innovative project management and well-trained labor.

Pakistan sends around one million skilled workers abroad annually to help reduce unemployment and boost foreign exchange reserves through remittances.