ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Consulate General in Jeddah on Thursday launched a WhatsApp service to facilitate the expatriate community in Saudi Arabia amid coronavirus restrictions.
Saudi government has restricted public movement to and from different cities with limited curfew in certain areas in order to contain the spread of novel coronavirus pandemic, the consulate said.
“In these circumstances, in order to facilitate Pakistani community in getting NOC (no objection certificate) for local burial of their loved ones in the western region of the Kingdom, Pakistan Consulate in Jeddah has started WhatsApp service during the restrictions period,” a statement issued by the consulate read.
Officials have been appointed by the consulate to facilitate the Pakistani expat community in this regard.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Consul General in Jeddah, Khalid Majid, urged the Pakistani community to “strictly comply” with the precautionary measures put in place by Saudi authorities to curb virus spread.
The number of coronavirus victims in Saudi Arabia reached 1,720 on Thursday, with 16 reported deaths.
The Kingdom has instructed its citizens to adhere to social distancing measures by staying at home during the partial curfew applied in different parts of the country while the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah were placed under 24 hour curfew on Thursday.
Pakistan consulate in Jeddah launches WhatsApp service to help expats
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Pakistan consulate in Jeddah launches WhatsApp service to help expats
- Kingdom has barred inter-city movement to combat virus spread
- Service helps Pakistani community in obtaining no objection certificate for local burial amid travel restrictions
Pakistan bank enables Shariah-compliant digital payment facility for passengers at Islamabad airport
Pakistan bank enables Shariah-compliant digital payment facility for passengers at Islamabad airport
- Pakistan is a cash-dominated market where a significant portion of transactions in the informal sector are made without any taxes, officials say
- The move comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to introduce a cashless model at airports under which only digital service providers can provide services
KARACHI: Aik, Pakistan’s first Islamic digital bank, has enabled fully digital payments at Islamabad International Airport to offer travelers and passengers secure, Shariah compliant digital transaction facility.
The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to introduce a cashless model at airports across the country, under which only digital service providers can provide services to customers.
Aik, a subsidiary of Bank Islami, said it has onboarded merchants across the Islamabad airport and integrated QR code deployments at key touchpoints to allow passengers and visitors to make secure, seamless, and Shariah-compliant digital transactions at all counters, retail outlets, and service points.
It said the implementation complies with the regulations and framework set by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and is a working model for a large-scale adoption of cashless systems in public infrastructure.
“This deployment reflects our commitment to building practical digital infrastructure that improves everyday transactions,” Aik Chief Officer Ashfaque Ahmed said in a statement.
“By enabling a fully cashless environment at a major national gateway, we are supporting efficiency, transparency, and financial inclusion at scale. This is not only a project; it is a foundation for Pakistan’s cashless future.”
Pakistan is a cash-dominated market where a significant portion of transactions, particularly in the informal sector, are conducted in cash. Officials say many of these transactions are aimed at avoiding taxes.
In recent years, the SBP has taken steps to ensure a transition toward a more cashless economy so that transactions are more traceable, reducing chances of tax evasion and corruption.
By digitizing Islamabad airport, aik said it continues to invest in secure and accessible financial solutions that “expand digital participation and support national economic modernization.”
