The new Pakistani ambassador has promised better services for citizens living in the Kingdom including consular outreach programs to remote areas, better schools and resolving challenges over the issue of passports and identity cards.

Manzoor ul Haq made the remarks on his maiden visit to Alkhobar in the Eastern Province recently, accompanied by the Community Welfare Attaché Syed Hammad Abid and Mueenuddin Memon.

Haq and the embassy personnel attended a dinner hosted in their honor by Mohammad Ilyas Khan, vice president of the Tamimi Group of Companies. Khan has over the years assisted the embassy by providing the Tamimi Compound as the camp office for the provision of consular services.

In his address, Haq thanked Khan for hosting the event and providing services to the expatriate community. He said that Pakistan remained a great nation that would overcome its challenges and ensure prosperity and development for all. He said the government has adopted the correct policies to fight terrorism and boost the country’s economy. These measures would “pay dividends soon,” Haq said.

Haq said the government would resolve challenges around the issue of Machine Readable Passports and National Database and Registration Authority identity cards.

He said steps were also being taken to improve conditions at Pakistani schools in the Kingdom. “Young men and women are our future assets and we will do everything in our means to provide them the best possible education facilities,” Haq said.

Haq said he was cognizant of the problems faced by Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia. “We will extend embassy consular services to Pakistanis living and working in far flung areas and regions of the Kingdom,” Haq said.

Haq urged Pakistanis to respect Saudi laws. “I appeal to all Pakistanis to use their energy, time and resources to contribute to the development of the economies of the two countries.” He also thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and the Saudi leadership for helping Pakistan over the years.

Earlier, in his welcome address Khan had praised the positive role played by ambassadors of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia to improve bilateral relations between the two nations. He said more should be done to improve trade and commercial relations, including bringing in more skilled workers from Pakistan.

The notables from the Eastern Province who attended this gathering included Khawaja Ehsan Qadir, Malik Kazim, Kamran Butt, Muhammad Haadi, Maqsood Ahmed Awan, Nayyar Malik, Qayyum Ashraf, Sardar Nadeem Azad, Rizwan Ahmed, Aziz Arshad, Waheed Aslam, Ishtiaq, Nasarullah Malik, Ibrar Hussain, Niaz Ahmed, Pervez Malik, Misbah Babar, Khalil Ahmed Choudhry, Sajid Abbasi, and Bashir Bhatti of the Pakistani Forum.