GUJRAT: To avoid the illegal human trafficking and loss of precious lives of youth, Pakistan needs to produce skilled human resource through technical training that certification should be up to the international standards.

By upgrading the standard of it’s technical education up to the international level, Pakistan can export up to 400,000 skilled workers only to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia annually.

These views were expressed by president of Pakistan Investors Forum, Jeddah, Shafqat Mehmood Dhool while speaking to the business fraternity at the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Gtcci) here on Monday.

He said government-level talks between Pakistan and Suadi Arabia have been underway to allow the Pakistani investors in Saudia for bringing their workers from Pakistan as PM Shahbaz Sharif was striving hard to increase the share of Pakistani skilled workers in KSA.

He said major hurdle to the issue was Pakistani institutions like Navtac (National Vocational and Technical Training Commission) and Tevta (Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority) which could not produce the skilled workers up to the international standards.

He said Bangladeshi skilled workers were getting better share in the sector of skilled workers such as electricians, plumbers, machine operators and dozens of such allied sectors as their salaries had also increased from 800 Saudi Riyals to 1800 because the country had improved the standard of it’s technical and skilled education in recent years.

He said the Pakistani investors forum KSA had recently suggested to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and other concerned authorities to either improve standard of technical training and certification or approach a Germany-based company TÜV Rheinland that provides testing, inspection, and certification services across the globe.

Gtcci president Ahmed Hassan Mattu appreciated the role of Pakistani investors forum KSA in promotion of economic ties between both the countries.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2025