Pakistan, UAE agree to boost cooperation in higher education, human resources

Pakistan’s Ambassador to UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi gestures during a meeting with UAE Minister of Human Resources Dr. Abdulrahman Bin Abdulmanan Al Awar in Abu Dhabi on July 5, 2025. (Photo courtesy: X/@PakinUAE_)
Short Url
Updated 05 July 2025
Follow

Pakistan, UAE agree to boost cooperation in higher education, human resources

  • The UAE is home to over 1.5 million Pakistanis who send more than $5 billion in remittances annually
  • Both countries resolve to work on initiatives to benefit students, academic institutions and professionals

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in higher education and human resource development, the Pakistani embassy said on Saturday.

The statement came after a meeting between Pakistan’s Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi and Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmanan Al-Awar, the UAE minister of human resources, higher education and scientific research.

The UAE is home to more than 1.5 million Pakistani expatriates who live and work in the Gulf country and send back more than $5 billion in remittances to the South Asian country annually.

During the meeting, Ambassador Tirmizi highlighted the contributions of the Pakistani community to the UAE’s development and appreciated the Gulf country for fostering an inclusive and enabling environment for expatriates.

“Both sides reviewed ongoing collaboration and explored avenues to further enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of higher education and human resource development,” the Pakistani embassy said.

“The discussions reflected a shared resolve to work closely on initiatives that benefit students, academic institutions, and professionals from both countries.”

Ambassador Tirmizi reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening institutional linkages and advancing cooperation in skill development and workforce preparedness.

“Minister Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Awar lauded the longstanding and brotherly relations between the two countries and expressed the UAE’s keen interest in expanding its partnership with Pakistan in mutually beneficial areas,” the Pakistani embassy said.

“He welcomed sustained dialogue and coordination between the relevant authorities of both nations.”


Pakistan arrests suspect arriving from Cambodia amid crackdown on human smuggling

Updated 14 December 2025
Follow

Pakistan arrests suspect arriving from Cambodia amid crackdown on human smuggling

  • Suspect worked at an “online fraud company” in Cambodia, later started smuggling people from Pakistan, says FIA
  • Pakistan has intensified crackdown against human smugglers after hundreds of migrants drowned near Pylos in 2023

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Sunday said it had arrested a key suspect involved in smuggling humans who had arrived from Cambodia, alleging he was also part of an international fraud network. 

The suspect, identified as Zainullah, was arrested by FIA officials when he arrived in the southern port city of Karachi from Cambodia. 

Zainullah had traveled from Pakistan to Cambodia in September 2024, a press release issued by the agency said. 

“He worked at an online fraud company in Cambodia and later became involved as an agent in recruiting individuals from Pakistan,” the FIA said. 

The FIA said it recovered images of multiple individuals’ passports, payment receipts and bank transaction records after extracting data from Zainullah’s phone. 

It said the suspect received money through personal bank accounts and a cryptocurrency account.

“The suspect has been handed over to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle, Karachi, for further legal proceedings,” the FIA said. 

“Further investigation is underway.”

Pakistan intensified action against illegal migration in 2023 after hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel sank off the Greek town of Pylos, one of the deadliest boat disasters in the Mediterranean. 

Authorities say they continue to target networks sending citizens abroad through dangerous routes, following heightened scrutiny at airports and a series of arrests involving forged documents.

Pakistan’s interior ministry said this week illegal migration to Europe has declined by 47 percent this year after its nationwide crackdown, saying that more than 1,700 human smugglers have been arrested in 2025.