ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday highlighted the need for a secure shipping environment in a message marking World Maritime Day, while reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting the country’s maritime ecosystem.
Earlier this month, Pakistan hosted UN maritime chief Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco, who attended an international conference and emphasized the country’s expanding role in the global maritime sector and commitment to sustainable shipping.
Pakistan is also actively enhancing its trade through sea routes and upgrading port infrastructure in Karachi and Gwadar, aiming to position itself as a key transit hub for landlocked Central Asian countries like Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.
World Maritime Day, instituted by the International Maritime Organization in 1978, highlights the importance of international shipping and maritime safety each year.
“The maritime sector serves as the backbone of global trade, playing a key role in economic growth, creating employment opportunities, and facilitating international cooperation,” the Pakistani president said in a statement circulated by his office.
“The day highlights the need for a more efficient and secure shipping environment to ensure the uninterrupted flow of international maritime trade,” he continued.
Zardari expressed Pakistan’s resolve to protect its maritime ecosystem and coastal areas by addressing key challenges such as marine pollution and climate change.
“Pakistan is actively working to strengthen its regulatory framework to tackle marine pollution, improve maritime waste management, and expand community-driven projects,” he added.
Pakistan is an active member of the International Maritime Organization and has signed various conventions related to safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships.
It has also collaborated in this area with international organizations to mitigate the environmental damage faced by the maritime ecosystem.
Pakistan president stresses secure shipping environment on World Maritime Day
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Pakistan president stresses secure shipping environment on World Maritime Day
- Asif Ali Zardari calls maritime sector backbone of global economy, seeks uninterrupted flow of trade
- He says Pakistan is actively working to tackle marine pollution and issues related to climate change
Pakistan to send over 10,000 workers to Italy over three years after securing employment quota
- Government says Italy will admit 3,500 workers annually under seasonal and non-seasonal labor schemes
- It calls the deal a 'milestone' as Italy becomes the first European country to allocate job quota for Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has secured a quota of 10,500 jobs from Italy over the next three years, an official statement said on Saturday, opening legal employment pathways for Pakistani workers in Europe under Italy’s seasonal and non-seasonal labor programs.
Under the arrangement, 3,500 Pakistani workers will be employed in Italy each year, including 1,500 seasonal workers hired for time-bound roles, and 2,000 non-seasonal workers for longer-term employment across sectors.
The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development said Italy is the first European country to allocate a dedicated labor quota to Pakistan, describing the move as a milestone in Pakistan’s efforts to expand overseas employment opportunities beyond traditional labor markets in the Middle East.
“After prolonged efforts, doors to employment for the Pakistani workforce in Italy are about to open,” Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain said, calling the quota allocation a “historic milestone.”
The jobs will be available across multiple sectors, including shipbreaking, hospitality, healthcare and agriculture, with opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled workers in professions such as welding, technical trades, food services, housekeeping, nursing, medical technology and farming.
The agreement comes as Pakistan seeks to diversify overseas employment destinations for its workforce and increase remittance inflows, which remain a key source of foreign exchange for the country’s economy.
The ministry said a second meeting of the Pakistan-Italy Joint Working Group on labor cooperation is scheduled to be held in Islamabad in February 2026, where implementation and future cooperation are expected to be discussed.
