Imran Khan expresses displeasure over operations of Pakistan embassies abroad, says Indian counterparts ‘more proactive’

File Photo (Credits: PTI)

Islamabad: Drawing a comparison between the Indian and Pakistan embassies abroad, Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked the country’s ambassadors serving abroad to abandon colonial-era attitudes and treat their diaspora with compassion.

PM Khan on Wednesday (May 5) rebuked his diplomats while addressing his envoys posted around the world virtually, for their failure to serve overseas Pakistanis and bring in investment into the country, Dawn reported.

"We cannot continue like this. The way our embassies are running, this could work in an old colonial system but not in today’s Pakistan. Embassies’ foremost work is to service the diaspora and then they should work to bring investment into the country that is going through very bad financial conditions right now," the Pakistan PM said and noting that Indian embassies abroad were "very proactive" in bringing investment to India as compared to Pakistan.

This statement comes as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government initiated a formal inquiry into the matter pertaining to the workers’ complaints filed in Riyadh about their mistreatment by embassy staff in the Saudi capital, Arab News reports.

This follows the government's decision to recall their ambassador and six other officers over complaints by the Pakistani labour community in the kingdom.

An adviser to the Pakistan PM told the media that the complaints had been made by a number of expat labourers over recent months.

"The former ambassador to (the) KSA, Raja Ali Ejaz, has been suspended, while all staff who dealt with the public at the Pakistani Embassy and consulates in (the) KSA, (are) to be recalled and the process for their replacement initiated immediately by the concerned ministries," the letter from the PM's office read.

Last Thursday, the Foreign Office’s statement had said the six officers who were issued recall orders worked in the diplomatic, community welfare, and consular wings of the embassy.

The statement added that Imran Khan had tasked the Prime Minister's Inspection Commission to inquire into the matter and submit its report within 15 days.