Pakistan is planning to send more skilled workers, particularly in the IT sector, to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, the Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE.
Tirmizi highlighted the contributions of Pakistanis to the UAE’s growth during a conversation with Pakistani journalists in Dubai.
He emphasized the need to reinforce ties between the two nations and mentioned that many Pakistanis are already making valuable contributions in engineering, aerodynamics, and IT sectors in the UAE. The ambassador voiced the need for more skilled professionals to meet the UAE’s growing demands in these fields.
The UAE is currently the second-largest host of the South Asian diaspora, with a Pakistani community of 1.7 million people.
Tirmizi suggested that Pakistan should benefit from the opportunities in the IT and tourism sectors. He believes there is untapped potential in tourism due to Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage, which includes sacred Buddhist and Hindu sites.
In light of the UAE’s ambition to transition to a knowledge-based economy, the demand for skilled professionals is projected to rise quickly, especially with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, which could make many jobs redundant.
Reflecting on the solid relationship between Pakistan and the UAE, Tirmizi mentioned a recent conversation between the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, and the President of UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In the discussion, Sharif expressed gratitude for a $1 billion support from the UAE, a testament to the strong ties between the two nations.
Additionally, Tirmizi indicated that the UAE and Pakistan are discussing a prisoner exchange agreement, with hopes of finalizing the deal soon.
Speaking about trade relations, the Ambassador revealed substantial progress on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two nations. While there are a few concerns on both sides, Tirmizi is hopeful that these will be resolved soon, potentially leading to the signing of the agreement in the latter half of the year.
