https://arab.news/29jjp
- The UAE embassy conceived a six-week internship program for young Pakistanis in collaboration with Bank Alfalah, PTCL and Ufone
- Brightening the Future, the paid mentorship program, helped Pakistani students with personal and professional development
ISLAMABAD: Three prominent companies in Pakistan, which have been operated by the United Arab Emirates, said on Saturday they were playing a role in the personal and professional development of young Pakistanis by providing them career advancement opportunities.
The UAE embassy in Pakistan completed its six-week skill development program, Brightening the Future, for Pakistani youth in collaboration with Bank Alfalah, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and Ufone.
“PTCL and Ufone being the subsidiary of the UAE-based Etisalat company participated in this paid internship program to train and motivate young Pakistani students,” Amir Pasha, the spokesperson of the two telecom firms, told Arab News. “The idea was to help them with personal and professional growth which could also be beneficial for them in terms of career development.”
UAE ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi is giving internship completion certificates to Pakistani students in Islamabad, Pakistan, on September 29, 2021. (Photo courtesy: UAE Embassy, Islamabad)
The young Pakistanis who participated in the program were mentored by senior executives and seasoned professionals. They also gained firsthand experience of working with corporate teams at these organizations.
According to a statement issued by the embassy, the UAE-based Etisalat company has invested in Pakistan’s telecommunications sector since 2005, buying “26 percent shares of PTCL and Ufone for $2.6 Billion.”
Bank Alfalah, an investment of Abu Dhabi Group in Pakistan’s banking sector, also said it was interesting in training more young Pakistanis.
In this group photo, UAE ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi can be seen with the participants of an internship program, Brightening the Future, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on September 29, 2021. (Photo courtesy: UAE Embassy, Islamabad)
“Being a UAE-sponsored bank, we collaborated with the embassy that sent us more than 10 students after a rigorous talent hunt exercise in different universities for internship,” Sarmad Ijaz Awan, the bank’s business retail head in the northern region, told Arab News, adding that one of the internees was also employed by the bank.
“Bank Alfalah has made a huge investment in Pakistan since it has more than 800 branches in the country and is part of the prestigious club of banks with one trillion rupees in deposits,” Awan added.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the program, UAE ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi said the internship initiative reflected his country’s commitment to the brighter future of young Pakistanis.
“The UAE cherishes its friendly economic and cultural relations with Pakistan,” Al Zaabi said.