JEDDAH, 31 January 2008 — A media campaign to improve Pakistan’s image is the need of the hour, said Pakistan’s Consul General Zaigham Uddin Azam at a Pakistani Community Forum meeting here on Tuesday night.
The meeting was called to discuss problems and issues faced by the community in the Western Province and for people to suggest ways and means for their solution. Highlighting his objectives, the consul general said his motto was “The Community Comes First” and that he aimed to provide proper services and guidance to the community.
He also said that the Pakistani Consulate General had launched a website, www.pakconsulatejeddah.com, where people can access information. The consul general asked people to visit the website and make suggestions.
“Education is necessary for a nation’s progress and the consulate is working on a proposal to set up Pakistani schools in Makkah and Madinah,” he said.
He appreciated the Jeddah community for their generosity in collecting money for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims in Balochistan and Sindh. The community contributed SR400,000, which was deposited in the bank account meant for such donations.
Being the ambassadors of their country, Pakistani expatriates should abide by the laws of the land, he said, adding that they should observe the highest standard of morality and avoid illegal means of earning. He urged the community to refrain from politics and live in harmony and asked the media to portray a positive image of their country and clarify issues that have a negative perception in people’s mind.
Kashmir Solidarity Day will be observed on Feb. 6 at his residence, the consul general said, adding that Saudi dignitaries, including officials from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), would attend the meeting.
In order to apprise the Saudi leadership of the problems of Pakistani community, the consul general said he met with the governors of Makkah, Madinah and Asir regions, and received positive response from them.
An expert committee will be visiting Jeddah on Feb. 3 to give the green signal for the construction of a new consulate building, the consul general said. He hoped that work on the project would begin soon.
On the question of the registration of Pakistani workers at the consulate, he said a proforma had been prepared for the registration of expatriates and would soon be available at the consulate, on the website and with the visiting consular teams.
Keeping in view the role of the middlemen/promoters who take a major chunk of workers’ salaries in the Kingdom, a committee has been set up to look into the matter and suggest ways and means to the Ministry of Labor to minimize their role, the consul general said. A large number of Pakistanis have been contributing toward the Kingdom’s development, he said, adding that efforts will be made to import skilled and highly qualified manpower including engineers and doctors.
