Initiative taken to train human resources for export

Under NRP project, govt plans to set up medical city, Kissan bank

LAHORE:

National Coordinator for Non-Resident Pakistani (NRP) Project Qurratul Ain has highlighted that the main objective of this initiative is to develop the critical infrastructure in Pakistan as well as promote cooperation with international universities and train Pakistani human resources for their export to foreign countries.

Speaking at the First International Summit on Agro-Tourism Development, organised by the NRP project at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on the occasion of World Tourism Day, she called NRP a pilot project, undertaken in association with the UAF.

"NRP will help us to export veterinary doctors to the international market. There is a need for 30,000 veterinary doctors in the US. On the other hand, tourism has demand for half a million people," she said.

Qurratul Ain, also the vice president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), revealed that the non-resident Pakistanis living in America, Canada and the United Kingdom would work in three sectors in Pakistan.

In healthcare, the first medical city and a health bank will be established in Karachi. In tourism, they will set up the Tourism Development Finance Corporation while a Kissan microfinance bank will be introduced in the agriculture sector. "NRP is seeking partnerships and investments in Pakistan."

At the summit, UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that despite being an agricultural country, Pakistan was facing the problem of food insecurity. In that regard, international participation in the value addition of goods was discussed.

He said that the theme of tourism this year was "Tourism and Peace". If there was a peaceful and green economy, the problems of climate change and food insecurity would be solved, which was also in line with the goals of the United Nations.