ISLAMABAD: Pakistan-origin fintech Abhi Saudi hosted a workforce-focused workshop in Riyadh, the company said in a statement on Thursday, bringing together senior business leaders to discuss employee financial well-being and flexible pay solutions as Saudi Arabia advances reforms under Vision 2030.
Abhi, a financial technology firm founded in Pakistan and operating in the Gulf through Alraedah Digital Solutions, provides earned wage access (EWA) and small and medium enterprise (SME) financing solutions.
EWA allows employees to withdraw a portion of their already-earned salary before the official payday, helping them manage short-term liquidity needs without relying on traditional credit.
Abhi partners with thousands of firms across the region, offering payroll-linked financial services to employers and their staff.
“The event focused on modern workforce strategies and flexible pay solutions, highlighting how financial well-being initiatives such as Earned Wage Access (EWA) are supporting improved employee engagement, retention, and productivity while aligning with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030,” the company said.
The “Wages Well-being Workshop” brought together professionals from sectors including telecommunications, banking, consulting and human resources to examine how changing workforce expectations are influencing compensation models and employer responsibilities amid the Kingdom’s broader economic transformation.
According to Abhi, discussions centered on the organizational impact of rigid salary structures, the link between financial stress and workplace performance and how flexible pay models could enhance financial stability without adding operational costs for employers.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform agenda seeks to diversify the economy, strengthen private-sector participation and modernize labor market practices, with financial inclusion and workforce productivity forming key pillars of the strategy.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Qatar on Tuesday agreed to deepen their strategic and economic cooperation during high-level talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sharif’s office said.
Sharif visited Qatar along with a high-level delegation on the invitation of Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Pakistani premier also held meetings with Qatar’s trade and defense ministers to discuss cooperation in various domains.
The visit came at a time when Pakistan is seeking closer economic engagement with Gulf partners amid its broader push to stabilize the economy and attract investment, while maintaining security and defense cooperation with key regional states.
During their meeting in Doha, PM Sharif and Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international developments, according to the Pakistan prime minister’s office.
“They reaffirmed the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and Qatar and expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in political, economic and institutional ties,” Sharif’s office said.
“Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture, with both sides stressing the importance of their task force to accelerate cooperation in all these areas.”
Pakistan and Qatar maintain strong trade and investment ties. In 2022, the office of Qatar’s emir said the Qatar Investment Authority planned to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, targeting sectors including transport, aviation, education, health, media, technology and labor.
Nearly 300,000 Pakistanis live and work in Qatar, according to Pakistan’s foreign office, with many employed in health, education, engineering and public services, as well as construction and transport. The two countries engage through forums such as the Bilateral Political Consultations and the Joint Ministerial Commission.
Sharif said he had productive discussions with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on how the two sides could transform their brotherly ties into mutually beneficial economic relationships.
“We also took stock of the regional situation,” he said on X. “Pakistan and Qatar will continue to work together for peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (second right) meets the Qatari Emir Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (left) in Doha, Qatar, on February 24, 2026. (PID)
DIALOGUE WITH AFGHANISTAN
Earlier, Sharif and Qatar’s Deputy PM Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani discussed the situation in Afghanistan and called for dialogue to support regional stability.
The meeting took place amid renewed tensions after Islamabad carried out airstrikes last week on what it described as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) targets inside Afghanistan. Kabul said the strikes killed civilians and vowed to respond to what it called a violation of its sovereignty.
“Regional developments were also discussed, in particular the situation in Iran and Afghanistan,” Sharif’s office said in a statement. “Both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue, de-escalation and collective efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.”
This was the second time in less than six months that Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan. The last strikes triggered heavy, weeklong clashes between the neighbors along their border before Qatar and Turkiye mediated a ceasefire between them in Oct. last year.
Separately, Sharif held meetings with Qatar’s State Minister for Trade Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed and a delegation of the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA), highlighting Pakistan’s investment-friendly reforms.
He invited QBA members to explore opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, energy, agriculture, technology and export-oriented manufacturing, his office said.
