30 September 2004	Thursday	14 Shaban 1425

ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis Ghulam Sarwar Khan held a meeting in Dubai with his UAE counterpart Matar Huamid Al Tayer.

The two ministers discussed bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on increasing supply of professional and skilled manpower to the UAE from Pakistan, says a statement issued here on Wednesday.

The minister had a busy schedule during his three-day visit to the UAE. He addressed members of Pakistani community in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. He informed the community members about the measures being taken by his ministry for the welfare of overseas Pakistanis.

The labour minister assured the Pakistanis that his ministry would strive to secure a quota in professional educational institutions for the children of overseas Pakistanis.

He said that a proposal to establish a university for the children of overseas Pakistanis was being considered and the ministry was also planning to upgrade one of the OPF educational institutions into a full-fledged university exclusively for overseas Pakistanis.

The minister assured that he would take up the matter with the ministry of defence and PIA for resumption of flights from the UAE to Turbat. "I assure you, I will do my best to solve the problems particularly those related to the national identity card," he added. Sarwar Khan said two housing sectors in Islamabad were being restored for overseas Pakistanis which were earlier surrendered to the CDA.

Addressing the community members in Dubai, Ghulam Sarwar Khan declared that the OPF would adopt one school in Dubai for provision of O and A level classes for the children of Pakistanis working in the UAE.

Sarwar Khan also visited a local hospital in Dubai to enquire about the health and well-being of the Pakistani workers who were injured in an accidental wall collapse of a part of an under-construction portion of the Dubai Airport. -APP