ISLAMABAD: Over 21,000 Pakistani expatriates in the Gulf states have so far lost their jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari told Arab News in an exclusive interview on Friday.
“There were media reports that the United Arab Emirates alone had laid off more than 40,000 Pakistani workers after the COVID-19 outbreak which is completely wrong. In reality, 17,743 Pakistanis were laid off amid the coronavirus crisis in the UAE,” he said, adding that 1,245 Pakistani nationals in Saudi Arabia, 691 in Qatar, 600 in Oman, 500 in Kuwait, 387 in Bahrain and 200 in Iraq had been downsized until this week.
Bukhari hailed Saudi Arabia for ensuring job security for Pakistani nationals since the Kingdom issued a directive preventing companies from sacking Pakistani employees for three months during this difficult period.
“Unlike the UAE, where companies are laying off workers and sending them on forced and unpaid leave, Saudi Arabia is not doing that. Instead, it is giving them full salary,” he said.
The PM’s adviser continued that he had requested measures to support Pakistani workers in the Kingdom during his video call with Saudi Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Development Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser this week, adding that a lot of special measures were also being processed.
“Dr. Nasser informed me that Saudi Arabia had issued a decree through which Saudi companies will not lay off laborers for the next three months and all employees will continue to receive their full salary during the three-month period. The Kingdom also decided to extend the duration of entry and exit visas for Pakistani workers and Pakistani labor force will enjoy free of cost visa extension until December,” he said.
Asked about the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, Bukhari said the government was moving toward regularizing flights to ensure the repatriation of all those people who wanted to come back to Pakistan.
“Majority of those who want to come back to Pakistan are from the Gulf region. Their number is about 90,000 so far. That is the reason we gave 17 flights to the UAE last week, and next week we are expanding flight operation for repatriation from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar along with the UAE where over 71,000 Pakistanis are waiting to come back home,” he said.
Bukhari informed that the government would increase the repatriation capacity from 2,000 people a week to 6,500 people a week before increasing it further to 8,000 in a few weeks.
On the issue of expensive air tickets by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), he said that PIA had reduced the fare of its special flights by 20 to 30 percent in an effort to extend maximum relief to the country’s citizens stranded in the UAE.
“People have uploaded videos on social media, claiming that our embassy in the UAE is giving tickets in black with overcharged rates which is absolutely wrong. No Pakistani embassy is involved in such an activity. However, there can be travel agents who may be overcharging to exploit people who want to return to Pakistan.”
When asked about his role in mismanaging the return of pilgrims from Iran, Bukhari reiterated his stance that he had no role in allowing them back into the country.
“One should simply think about it a little: Do I have the power to open the country’s border which requires five or six different departments to coordinate? Only a prime minister can exercise such authority and order the opening of border,” he clarified.
“I have sued the people who wrongly blamed me and now the case is in court. They played political gimmickry and will now pay the price,” he added.
Asked about a World Health Organization (WHO) report claiming that about 46 percent of Pakistan’s COVID-19 cases had travel history to Iran, Bukhari said: “Zaireen [or pilgrims] who have become the reason for local spread of the virus are those who came back from Iran by air and not those who entered Pakistan through the Taftan border.”
On the number of overseas Pakistanis who lost their lives to the pandemic, he said that his ministry was collecting information but did not have the exact figures.
“Many Pakistanis have died due to the coronavirus but we do not have the exact numbers. We are trying to collect the data but different countries are not providing us the breakdown of the nationalities of COVID-19 victims,” he said, adding that PIA had brought back 17 dead bodies from the UAE during the last few weeks.
“Next week, we will bring back dead bodies from Saudi Arabia as more than 10 bodies are stuck there. We have requests from Italy and other European countries as well, and we will respond to them whenever possible. All of these individuals may not have died due to the coronavirus, but PIA will bring maximum number of dead bodies back without seeking charges,” Bukhari added.
Over 21,000 Pakistani expats from Gulf region laid off amid COVID-19 – Zulfi Bukhari
https://arab.news/yh54f
Over 21,000 Pakistani expats from Gulf region laid off amid COVID-19 – Zulfi Bukhari
- Hails Saudi Arabia for asking companies not to sack Pakistani expats and pay full salaries for three months
- Denies involvement in Taftan border mismanagement, saying only PM can order authorities to open border
Pakistan’s finance chief stresses apolitical funding approach in meeting with World Bank officials
- Aurangzeb’s statement comes after India lobbied the IMF to halt a $1 billion disbursement in recent weeks
- Minister meets the incoming World Bank country director, commends her predecessor in Islamabad
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday called for a merit-based approach to global development financing, urging international lenders to rise above political considerations during a meeting with incoming and outgoing World Bank country directors in Islamabad.
The meeting followed weeks of diplomatic friction between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan, which escalated into a four-day military standoff involving fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery fire.
Amid the tensions, Indian authorities lobbied the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to halt the disbursement of a $1 billion tranche to Pakistan, saying the funds could finance Islamabad’s military activities.
IMF officials later dismissed the concerns, emphasizing the disbursement mechanisms ensured transparency and that IMF support was intended to stabilize developing economies’ balance of payments, with the funds directed to central banks rather than governments.
“The Minister ... highlighted the recent successful completion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) review and the subsequent $1 billion disbursement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), along with additional resources made available through the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF),” said a statement circulated by the finance ministry after the meeting.
“He noted that development finance must be guided by merit and objective assessment, rising above political considerations to ensure sustainable progress,” it added.
Aurangzeb also praised the World Bank’s longstanding support for Pakistan’s economy, especially in times of fiscal stress, and reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the institution.
He extended a warm welcome to Bolormaa Amgaabazar, the new World Bank Country Director for Pakistan, while commending her predecessor, Najy Benhassine, for his contributions during his tenure.
A key point of discussion was the World Bank’s 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF), a strategic agreement designed to guide development cooperation through targeted investments in Pakistan’s critical sectors.
The CPF, finalized during Benhassine’s tenure, will now be overseen by Amgaabazar and aims to unlock $20 billion for the country.
Aurangzeb highlighted the importance of effective implementation of the framework to fully leverage the Bank’s institutional, technical and financial support.
The meeting reaffirmed mutual commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s economic resilience and advancing inclusive development through strategic partnerships, the finance ministry said.
‘Everything came crashing down’: US visa freeze shatters hopes of young Pakistani students
- Washington has temporarily suspended student and exchange visa appointments to expand social media vetting
- Pakistani students say the move threatens their academic year and could cause them significant financial losses
ISLAMABAD: For many in Pakistan, the US visa freeze has felt like a devastating setback after years of academic effort and ambition, affected applicants and an education consultant said on Friday.
The suspension, ordered by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this week, halts new student and exchange visa appointments worldwide and is part of a broader policy under President Donald Trump’s administration to intensify screening of foreign nationals, including expanded social media vetting.
US embassies have been instructed to pause interviews while new guidelines are being finalized, as officials in Washington say the goal is to identify potential security risks amid a rise in campus activism following Israel’s war in Gaza, which has sharply polarized student opinion.
Trump’s critics argue, however, the measures are discriminatory and risk undermining access to American higher education for bright students from developing countries — long considered a cornerstone of the US advantage in global research and innovation.
“I had always dreamed of pursuing higher education in the United States and after months of preparation, hard work and dedication, I finally got accepted into New York University,” Mohammad Ibrahim, a student from Lahore, told Arab News over the phone.
“But just as I was preparing for the next big chapter of my life, everything came crashing down,” he continued, adding that due to the sudden visa ban imposed by the Trump administration, his plans have been put on hold.
Ibrahim said despite getting admission after meeting all the university requirements, he was now stuck in an uncertain situation, with nothing to do but wait, hope and keep trying to move forward, even when everything had suddenly gone beyond his control.
“It’s disappointing,” he said. “An entire year of my life feels like being wasted.”
Inayah Murtaza, an exchange program candidate from the same city, said the new US policy had led to delays in visa interviews and a ban on the exchange student program, leaving her and many others devastated.
“American higher education system provides excellent opportunities. However, the recent policies by the Trump administration are extremely devastating,” she said, adding the ban had hurt her both emotionally and financially.
For Malik Zalaid Hassan, from Sheikhupura, who had secured admission to study artificial intelligence at the University of California, the visa suspension was a huge setback.
“I won’t get my money back… I just lost a ton of money,” he told Arab News, emphasizing he had already paid thousands of dollars in tuition and housing fees.
“I really hope America does something about this and I really hope it changes because this has an impact on a lot of people,” he continued.
Mohammad Ayyan Akhtar, a counselor at UniGrad, an education consultancy firm in Lahore, said the visa appointments ban had placed many students in a heart-wrenching situation.
“It includes their financial losses, and on top of everything, their academic loss is a big concern,” he said.
“The Trump administration should lift [the ban] as early as possible to save the loss of hundreds of Pakistani students [of their] academic year,” he added.
Trump says Pakistani representatives coming to US next week for trade talks
- Pakistan faces a potential 29% tariff on its exports to the United States due to a $3 billion trade surplus with world’s biggest economy
- Trump said he would have no interest in making a deal with the South Asian country or its neighbor, India, if they were to engage in war
ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump said on Friday representatives from Pakistan are coming to the United States next week for trade talks, following a conversation between Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer to launch the process.
The talks come after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on a number of countries earlier this year, a move widely viewed as a setback for the global economy still recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.
Pakistan faces a potential 29% tariff, currently under a 90-day pause announced in April, on its exports to the United States due to a $3 billion trade surplus with the world’s biggest economy.
“As you know, we’re very close making a deal with India,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews after departing Air Force One.
The US is Pakistan’s largest export destination and the new duties threatened to undermine Islamabad’s fragile economic recovery.
Finance Minister Aurangzeb described the beginning of trade talks with the US as both a challenge and an opportunity to reset trade ties, according to his ministry.
“Pakistan’s formal negotiations on US reciprocal tariffs kick-started between Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan’s Finance Minister, and Ambassador Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative through a telephonic/conference call on 30th May, 2025,” it said.
“The two sides exchanged their viewpoint through a constructive engagement with the understanding that technical level detailed discussions would follow in the coming few weeks.”
According to Pakistan’s central bank, the country exported $5.44 billion worth of goods to the US in 2024. From July to February of the current fiscal year, exports to the US reached $4 billion, up 10 percent from the same period last year.
Nearly 90 percent of those exports are textiles, which analysts say will be hardest hit.
Experts have also warned previously the tariffs could reduce Pakistan’s competitiveness, especially if regional exporters such as China, Bangladesh and Vietnam redirect more goods to Europe, intensifying competition in alternative markets.
With additional input from Reuters
Police in Islamabad briefly detain senior rights activists protesting Israel’s war in Gaza
- Tahira Abdullah and Samina Khan were detained by police outside the Islamabad Press Club
- No charges were specified, and both rights activists were released by the police later in the day
ISLAMABAD: Two senior human rights activists, Tahira Abdullah and Samina Khan, were briefly detained by police on Friday outside the Islamabad Press Club for ostensibly protesting against Israel’s war in Gaza before their release later in the day.
A video purportedly showing their arrest depicts them wearing Palestinian flags and keffiyeh scarves as they are escorted away by women police personnel, along with a man and three youths.
Abdullah can be seen asking a policeman why they are being taken away. She then tells the female police personnel not to push her and Khan, and requests that they be moved to a separate car instead of the police truck.
“They [Abdullah and Khan] were illegally picked up from outside the Islamabad Press Club premises and taken away to the women police station in G-7,” lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha told Arab News.
“They aren’t allowed to meet their counsel to discuss options,” he continued. “Station House Officer (SHO) Misbah Waqas is refusing to let their families and counsel meet them.”
Police did not specify any charges against the two rights activists. Islamabad police spokesperson Dr. Taqi Javed also did not respond to a query from Arab News in this regard.
Last year in May, Abdullah was among the protesters who staged a demonstration at Islamabad’s D-Chowk in support of the Palestinians. She had urged everyone to come out in large numbers, saying the Pakistani government would not pay heed to their demands otherwise.
The Islamabad Press Club is a key venue in Pakistan’s capital where journalists and activists hold press conferences and protests. It serves as a platform for raising awareness and drawing media attention to political and social issues. Protesters use it to voice demands and push for government action.
A video of Abdullah and Khan that was later shared by lawyer Chattha shows them stepping out of the police precinct after being released, chanting the slogan, “Free, free Palestine.”
Pakistan does not recognize Israel and supports an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital.
Farhan and Abrar star as resurgent Pakistan win Bangladesh series
- This is Pakistan’s first Twenty20 home series win since December 2021
- Pakistan also won the first match against Bangladesh by 37 runs in Lahore
LAHORE: Opener Sahibzada Farhan notched his maiden half century and spinner Abrar Ahmed grabbed three wickets to guide Pakistan to another convincing 57-run win over Bangladesh in Lahore on Friday.
Farhan smashed a 41-ball 74 and Hasan Nawaz unbeaten 51 off 26 balls to help the home team post 201-6 before Abrar grabbed 3-19 to keep Bangladesh to 144-9 in 19 overs, with the last man Shoriful Islama unable to bat due to injury.
Pakistan, who won the first match by 37 runs at the same venue, take an unassailable 2-0 lead with the final match on Sunday, also in Lahore.
The win also gives a kickstart to Pakistan’s new white-ball head coach Mike Hesson appointed earlier this month to stem a slide which saw them win just three of their last 13 T20s before this series.
Bangladesh raced to 32 in the first two overs but openers Parvez Hossain (eight) and Tanzid Hasan (19-ball 33 with five boundaries and a six) fell within two runs of each other.
From 46-2, Bangladesh slumped to 56-5 with Abrar dismissing Tohid Hridoy (five) and Jaker Ali (nought) off successive deliveries while pacer Hasan Ali had skipper Litton Das for six.
Tanzim Hasan, who topscored with a career best 31-ball 50, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 23 off 17 balls, added 33 for the eighth wicket but it was too late, too little.
Pakistan’s first T20 home series win since December 2021 delighted skipper Salman Agha.
“It feels good, I didn’t know it was three and a half years ago that we won a series at home,” said Agha of Pakistan’s last win over the West Indies at home.
“This is what I want, we should always have players who can come in and replace anyone, any captain would love that,” said Agha, praising the new coach.
“It’s been a few days and we are loving the environment, credit to Hesson. He has managed to gel the team really well and built a nice environment, he has done that very quickly.”
Bangladesh skipper Litton Das rued loss of wickets in cluster.
“There were back-to-back wickets and in cricket you have to follow basics, sometimes you don’t follow the basics that cost you,” said Das. “We still have a game to comeback strongly.”
Earlier, Pakistan posted a consecutive 200-plus total with Farhan and Nawaz ably supported by Mohammad Haris whose 41 came off 25 balls after the home team won the toss and batted.
After losing fellow opener Saim Ayub to a run out for four, Farhan put the innings on a solid footing with a 103-run second wicket stand of 54 balls with Haris.
The Farhan-Haris duo smashed Bangladesh bowlers to all corners, with Farhan hitting six sixes and four boundaries while Haris’s knock had two sixes and four boundaries.
Farhan was finally caught by Litton Das off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain in the 12th over. His previous best of 39 was against Australia in Dubai in 2018.
Nawaz gave a final polish to the innings by hitting three sixes and two boundaries as Pakistan added 40 in the last five overs.
Agha fell for 19 and Shadab Khan made seven.
For Bangladesh Tanzim finished with 2-36 and Hasan Mahmud took 2-47.
