RIYADH: Pakistani expats considered Saudi Arabia to be “their second home,” Raja Ali Ejaz, Pakistan’s ambassador to the Kingdom, told Tabuk Governor Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz during a meeting in Tabuk on Monday.
Conveying his thanks to King Salman and the governor for the honor and respect shown toward the Pakistani community living in the Kingdom and Tabuk region, the envoy said: “Pakistani expatriates consider the Kingdom as their second home.”
Pakistan Embassy officials told Arab News that during his visit to the region, Ejaz met with members of the Pakistani expat community, assuring them of embassy support and urging them to abide by local laws and regulations.
“You are the ambassadors of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia and your contributions in the development of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are valued by both countries,” he said.
The ambassador added that long-standing relations between the two countries had “stood the test of time” and were “getting stronger with every passing day.”
During their get-together, Prince Fahd noted Saudi Arabia’s appreciation of the contributions made by Pakistanis toward economic development in the Kingdom and the Tabuk region in particular.
The governor also acknowledged the significance of Pakistan’s religious and cultural ties with the Kingdom.
Earlier, commenting on Saudi-Pakistan relations, Ejaz told Arab News that bilateral links between the two countries remained strong.
“We have more than 2.2 million Pakistanis in the Kingdom. Pakistan’s prime minister has visited Saudi Arabia four times in less than a year and the Saudi crown prince also paid a visit to Pakistan last year which shows the strength of our cordial relations.”
Saudi Arabia is ‘second home’ to Pakistani expats – Envoy
https://arab.news/zrb6w
Saudi Arabia is ‘second home’ to Pakistani expats – Envoy
- 2.2 million Pakistanis live in the Kingdom
- Tabuk governor noted Saudi Arabia’s appreciation of the contributions made by Pakistanis to its economic development
Government says Pakistan’s IT exports hit record monthly high in December
- Finance adviser says IT exports crossed $400 million for first time in a month
- Pakistan aims to double exports to $60 billion in four years, with IT a key driver
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information technology exports climbed to a record $437 million in December, crossing the $400 million mark for the first time on a monthly basis, the government’s finance adviser Khurram Schehzad said in a social media post on Monday.
The surge underscores the growing role of the tech sector as Pakistan seeks to boost exports while emerging from a prolonged economic crisis that drained foreign exchange reserves, widened balance-of-payments pressures and weakened the currency.
The government is now aiming for export-led growth as part of broader structural reforms under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program.
“December 2025 exports reached $437 million — crossing $400 million in a month for the first time ever,” Schehzad said in a post on X, adding that this represented 23 percent month-on-month growth from November and 26 percent year-on-year growth compared with December 2024.
For the first half of the current fiscal year, IT exports reached $2.24 billion, up 20 percent from a year earlier, making the sector the largest and most consistent contributor within services exports, he said.
Pakistan has been under pressure to sharply lift exports as it works to stabilize its economy.
Earlier this month, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the country must double its exports to $60 billion within four years or risk returning to the IMF.
Pakistan’s IT exports have been on a steady upward trajectory in recent years. They reached a record $3.8 billion in the 2024–25 financial year, according to official data.
The momentum has carried into the current fiscal year, with IT exports posting 19 percent year-on-year growth during the first five months from July to November.
Exports during the period stood at $1.8 billion, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan.
The government has said it sees the technology sector as a key driver of foreign exchange earnings and job creation as Pakistan seeks to lock in recent macroeconomic gains and attract new investment.
