Gulf Country Considers Ending Ban on Pakistani Workers

Oman has tentatively agreed to discuss easing restrictions on the entry of skilled Pakistani workers, following a meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Omani officials in Muscat. The Omani minister highlighted the ongoing demand for skilled labor in Oman and expressed his confidence in the capabilities of Pakistani youth.

He assured Maryam Nawaz that Pakistani workers would be welcomed in various sectors, including construction, aquaculture, and agriculture, and pledged to share sector-specific demand information.

Maryam Nawaz proposed measures to lift restrictions on skilled workers from Punjab and suggested that Oman assist in setting up the province's first shrimp center. The chief minister emphasized Punjab's readiness to export high-quality meat and increase livestock exports, particularly milk and meat production. She highlighted the province's ongoing pilot shrimp-farming projects in Shah Garh and Ali Wala areas, as well as plans to establish a state-of-the-art aquaculture mall and shrimp diagnostic laboratory in Shah Garh, employing modern techniques and machinery imported from various countries.

Maryam Nawaz also proposed requesting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to facilitate the export of live livestock from Punjab to Oman. The chief minister stressed the value of Pakistan's youth and the ongoing training programs designed to meet the needs of both local and international job markets.