1st Issue March  2002

We are going through fire; the sunshine has yet to come…We must sink individualism and petty jealousies…We must have faith, unity and discipline.
Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah December 28, 1947

Ever since my arrival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I have had several opportunities to come in contact with the Pakistani community, estimated at almost a million all over the Kingdom. Similarly, officers of the Pakistan Embassy and the Consulate General in Jeddah are in regular contact with our Pakistani brethren on all possible occasions. I have nevertheless felt that there is a need to strengthen these contacts and provide important information through a newsletter. This Embassy Newsletter will hopefully provide this service.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you well and hope that, through your persistent and exemplary hard work, you would continue to strengthen and advance our brotherly relations with the Government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Lt. Gen (Retd.) M. Asad Durrani

Expatriates remittances show around 64 per cent increase
 Remittances by Overseas Pakistanis recorded 63.85 per cent increase, at US$1163.12, during first seven months of the current fiscal (July 2001-January 2002) as compared to corresponding period last financial year.  DG, Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE), Ibrahim Khan told APP that “Earlier most of the manpower exported to other countries was from the labour class. But this trend has changed and now there is demand for the skilled manpower.” “Bureau ensures that neither anybody is fleeced by the Promoters nor they are sent abroad illegally,” he said. He asked those aspiring to go abroad and the Promoters not to adopt any illegal means or carry drugs or other contraband with them to avoid inconvenience and legal proceedings. To a question regarding benefits to Overseas Pakistanis, Khan said, the government has disbursed Rs. 493 million among 42,000 destitute families as insurance money since 1982.

Economic Issues 

·               Export of meat, meat products and livestock from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia is banned since last year. To review ban on meat and meat products a 4-member Saudi Technical Delegation visited Pakistan from 9 to 15 February 2002 to explore the control procedures followed at farms and slaughter houses and to make sure of the health conditions.  The report of the delegation is expected in first week of April 2002. 

·               Pakistan’s export to the Kingdom during July to December 2001 increased to US$ 146,579 million from US$ 124,906 million for the same period in the previous years. It is an increase of US$ 21.673 million in value and 17.35 in percentage. 

·               Export Promotion Bureau, Government of Pakistan in collaboration with major textile associations is organizing TEXOFAB, Pakistan from 1-4 April 2002 at Karachi Expo Centre. Texofab will be a premium show case of Pakistan’s garment and textile industry. Creativity and fashion in the textile and garment sectors will be displayed in this Exhibition. This Exposition will provide an excellent opportunity to the foreign buyers to personally see the top Pakistani brand names displaying the achievements of Pakistani textile and garment industry. 

·               To exploit the natural resources of the NWFP, Export Promotion Bureau, Government of Pakistan, Peshawar is organizing the 2^nd Exhibition on Arts & Crafts to be held from 13-15 April 2002 at D.I. Khan in collaboration with D.I. Khan Chamber of Commerce & Industry in State Life Building, D.I. Khan. The Export Promotion Bureau will extend the following facilities to foreign buyers during their visit to the subject event:

(a)                 Pick & Drop facilities from Airport to hotel.

(b)                 Local Hospitality 

·               A delegation of Pakistani businessmen organized by the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) will visit the Kingdom ( Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam) from 11 to 22 May 2002 to participate in the meeting of the Pak-Saudi Joint Business Council. The Council was established on 28^th June 2000. 

·               The Government of Sindh in collaboration with E-commerce Gateway Pte Ltd and Commerce Net Singapore is organizing ITCN Asia 2002, International Exhibition & Conference at Karachi from 10-12 August 2002, to highlight the business opportunities in the IT sector of Pakistan. The venue is Karachi, the Regional IT Hub due to its location as a Port City.  

·               The Government of Pakistan has appointed the following as Honorary Investment Counsellors:- 

1.            Mr. Qadeer Mirza, Group Manager, Head Office, Finance & Support Services Group, Saudi French Bank, P.O. Box 56006,Riyadh 11554.
Tel: (01) 4042222 – 4066139  -  Fax No. 4066148  

2.                         Mr. Abdul Rehman Allibhoy,Finance Director,Beverage Service Inc.Al Zaben Bldg, 2^nd Floor,Tahlia Street,P.O. Box 11414,Jeddah 21453.
Tel : (02) 6613316 Ext.2116 - Fax No. (02) 6612544 Mobile Phone : 55615099  

3.                         Mr. Ismet Amin Khawaja, General Manager, Turky Trading and Contracting, Foundation Construction, P.O. Box 31269 Al-Khobar 31952.
Tel : (03) 8646593 – 8645809 – Fax No. (03) 8945869  Mobile Phone : 55880792  

Their job will be to make efforts in coordination with Pakistan missions in Saudi Arabia for the promotion of investment and trade by maintaining close liaison with the business community in Saudi Arabia and authorities in Pakistan.

23rd March Pakistan Day
Members of the Pakistani community in the Kingdom will celebrate Pakistan Day on Saturday 23 March 2002. A flag hoisting ceremony will be held at 0830 on 23 March in the Embassy of Pakistan, Riyadh. The Ambassador of Pakistan will hoist the flag. All community members are cordially invited to attend the ceremony. The Embassy will remain closed for business on 23rd March 2002. 

Announcements
(Consular Team visits; CW visits; other information)

 CONSULAR VISITS SCHEDULE 2002 

Admission in Cadet College
Interested people can take admission in the following cadet institutions/colleges. They may contact Defence Wing personally or on telephone No. 4887272 Ext - 2204 for getting necessary guidance:

Reserve Seats in Civil Universities for Children of Serving/ Retired Army Personnel
Army has reserved seats in civil universities for children of serving/retired army personnel.  Interested persons to contact Defence Wing personally or on telephone No. 4887272 Ext. 2204. 

Commission in the Army
Application forms, instructions and procedure for applying commission in the army are available with Defence Wing.  Candidates desirous to apply for commission are interviewed by Defence Attaché in June & December and applications are sent to General Headquarters by 10th of January & July every year.

Addresses/Telephone Directory
The Defence Wing of the Embassy is maintaining Address Book/Telephone Directory for all serving and retired Armed Forces Personnel in the Kingdom.  All ranks (serving or retired) are requested to send their addresses alongwith telephone numbers, if any, for updating the said state of Armed Forces personnel on telephone 4887272 Ext. 2204 or can even visit personally to provide the said information. 

Telephone numbers of Defence Attaché and Air & Naval Attaché are as under:- 

a.         Defence Attache-4887932 

b.                   Air & Naval Attache-4887792

Special contacts in the Embassy

 CONSULAR SERVICES
(Timings: 0830-1130 hours; return of documents: 1500-1600 hours)
(Indicated Service  followed by requirements)

  Issuance of new passport 
Form ‘A’ alongwith four latest colour photographs (5 x7 cm;Original ID Card/RG-II alongwith one photocopy;Old/expired passport (in original.

  Issuance of new Passport in lieu of a lost Passport 
Form ‘A’alongwith five photographs;Affidavit about loss of  passport, verified by the sponsor;Police report,local passport office report;Newspaper announcement;National identity card in original and photocopy;Photocopy of lost passport, if available;Photocopy of Saudi Iqama.)

  Addition of  children on passport 
Form ‘C’ alongwith two photographs of each child; Original and copy of birth certificate issued by local authorities;Original and photocopy of ID cards of both parents.

  Change of profession in the Passports 
Form ‘C’ alongwith sponsor’s letter, Degree, Diploma and other supporting documents

  Attestation of Documents/Power of Attorney 
Original documents duly attested by Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Islamabad or Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia; Power of Attorney: The Executant must  appear personally alongwith original identity card and one photocopy thereof, in the Embassy to sign the subject power of Attorney.

  National Identity Card 
Application forms 1&9 (alongwith three latest photographs) duly verified by a person of the applicant's district. Instructions regarding issuance of new computerized identity cards to overseas Pakistanis are awaited.;  presently the new cards are only being issued from Pakistan)  

  Visa 
Application form in duplicate alongwith two latest photographs;Sponsor’s letter;Supporting evidence as demanded by Consular Section

  Fees 

 Passports/Endorsement: 

  Attestation 

  Welfare Wing 

Overseas Pakistanis can contact Welfare Wing regarding the following: -
Death compensation/dues cases, linguistic assistance in cases before labour courts, complaints, NOC for dead bodies of Pakistani nationals dues cases, where-about cases of missing Pakistanis, GOSI/Insurance cases, OPF membership Cards, Jail cases of Pakistan nationals, visit of labour camps and hospitals, issuance of Foreign Exchange Remittance Card etc.

  Procedure for NOC 
In case of death of a Pakistani national, the following documents will be required for issuance of NOC by the Embassy: -Copies of the Passport of deceased person; Copy of Police report; Copy of medical report; Copy of death certificate.

  Procedure for OPF Membership Card 
Any overseas Pakistani can apply for issuance of OPF membership card either on prescribed form (which can be obtained from the Embassy) or on plain paper and will attach the following:-Copies of first two pages and Protector page of the Passport. If an overseas Pakistani is not in a position to provide the proof of Protector then he can deposit an amount equivalent to Pak Rs.1050/- in any bank in favour of OPF and will attach original receipt with application; Two photographs 1”x1” 

  Procedure for complaints 
Any overseas Pakistani can lodge his complaint either relating to their employer in Saudi Arabia or regarding their problems in Pakistan on plain paper with complete address along with telephone and fax number of both parties. 

  Procedure for getting Foreign Exchange Remittance Card 
An overseas Pakistani who has remitted equivalent to US$2,500/- during a year, he is eligible to apply for Silver Remittance Card. An overseas Pakistani who has remitted equivalent to US$10,000/- during a year, he is eligible to apply for Gold Remittance Card provided that encashment in Pakistan is made in Pak. rupees. Remittance would be acknowledged/stamped into the Remittance Book on provision of receipt of remittance/transaction (or encashment certificate from Pakistani bank in case of transaction into foreign currency account) from the authorized Banks. Application forms along with Remittance Book are available in Welfare Wing of the Embassy and with the consular teams visiting different cities as per publicised schedule. Upon verification of the remittance, Welfare Wing would send the application to OPF Islamabad for issuance of Gold/Silver card as the case may be. Gold/silver card holders will be entitled for the following benefits: Separate counters for special handling at arrival and departure lounges at airports in Pakistan; Free issuance and renewal of Passport on an urgent basis; Duty free allowance of personal baggage of a value of US$700 for silver card holders and US$1200/- for Gold card holders in a calendar year; Special preference will be given to the Foreign Exchange Remittance Card holders in OPF schemes such as housing schemes, admissions in professional colleges, universities etc. All transactions which have been made since 1st July, 2001 will be covered under this scheme. 

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Note: The Pakistani community’s suggestions to improve The Pakistan Embassy Newsletter are welcome