- Living in Bahrain offers Pakistani community appreciation, unique and rewarding and reputable education, career prospects
Interview with Muhammad Mohsin Abbasi, a Bahrain-based Pakistani
PAGE: Tell me something about yourself, please:
Muhammad Mohsin Abbasi: I have worked in aviation for more than 24 years. I currently work for Bahrain’s national airline. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering and an MBA in Marketing, which have helped me connect technical work with business strategy throughout my career. I am committed to operational excellence, safety, and customer satisfaction, and I enjoy mentoring my teams to help them grow. Outside of work, I am a family man with two children, who keep me grounded and motivated.
PAGE: How would you describe the life of a Pakistani in Bahrain?
Muhammad Mohsin Abbasi: Living in Bahrain as a Pakistani is both unique and rewarding. It combines professional dedication with a strong sense of cultural connection. After more than 10 years here, I have seen our community become an important part of Bahrain’s society and economy. Here, Pakistanis are employed in a variety of fields. We are well-represented in vital industries like engineering, aviation, healthcare (as physicians and nurses), and finance. Many of our countrymen work as skilled craftsmen, foremen, project managers, and other key positions in the construction and contracting industries. Additionally, a number of people have established careers in marketing, IT, telecommunications, and the hospitality industry, ranging from executive roles to committed operational personnel. This variety demonstrates the Pakistani diaspora’s flexibility and diligent work ethic. Many companies are owned and operated by Pakistani nationals.
Personally, Bahrain is like a second home that perfectly embodies our culture. At community centers, we enthusiastically celebrate Eids and Independence Day to make sure our kids appreciate their history. We take pleasure in the multicultural setting, safety, and stability while forming cross-border friendships. In the end, it’s a life of appreciation—for the career prospects and standard of living Bahrain offers, combined with a lasting sense of pride and emotional connection to Pakistan. While always holding our native country dear to our hearts, we work hard to make a meaningful contribution to our host nation.
PAGE: What are the employment prospects for Pakistanis in Bahrain vis-a-vis other nationals?
Muhammad Mohsin Abbasi: Pakistanis have a strong and long-standing job market in Bahrain, which is distinguished by a unique niche we have built out over many years. Pakistanis have a competitive edge over other citizens in a number of important areas. Our strong educational background, professional competence, and English language proficiency make us direct competitors with Western and Arab expatriates, frequently at a more affordable compensation level. We have a strong reputation in mid-to-senior management, engineering, aviation, finance, and healthcare. Additionally, the vast majority of Pakistani workers, who hold positions ranging from project managers to trained technicians and foremen, form the foundation of Bahrain’s construction, contracting, and infrastructure industries. Our reputation for diligence, dependability, and technological expertise offers us a considerable advantage over other South Asian nations in our field. The Pakistani community is seen by the Bahraini government and private sector as a reliable, competent, and stable labor force. Pakistanis are frequently sought for long-term projects and career jobs, which reflects a partnership based on mutual respect and shown performance, in contrast to some nations that may be linked with temporary labor. Essentially, Pakistani professionals are in a unique position in Bahrain because they are acknowledged for both their white-collar and blue-collar skills, which enables us to successfully compete in a wide range of job markets.
PAGE: Tell me about the standards of education in Bahrain?
Muhammad Mohsin Abbasi: The Kingdom’s strategic commitment to creating a knowledge-based economy as part of its Vision 2030 is reflected in Bahrain’s exceptionally strong and varied educational standards. Public schools, which adhere to the national curriculum and prioritize Arabic, Islamic studies, and STEM, make up the majority of the system.
A thriving commercial sector that provides internationally recognized programs such as the British IGCSE, American systems, and the IB. This dual system guarantees access to high-quality education for both local and foreign communities, including many Pakistani families. The Education and Training Quality Authority (BQA) carefully ensures quality by conducting routine inspections to uphold high standards in instruction, facilities, and learning outcomes. At the postsecondary level, Bahrain is home to respectable public and private universities and colleges that provide courses that meet market demands and international standards. For the professionals who reside here, this translates into a dependable and frequently outstanding learning environment for their kids, fusing academic rigor with a multicultural perspective that equips students for opportunities around the world.
PAGE: Where do you see yourself in next 10 years?
Muhammad Mohsin Abbasi: I envision myself developing into a more strategic, leadership-focused position over the next ten years, utilizing my more than twenty years of aviation experience. However, I am also strategically aware of programs like “Bahrainization,” which can make it more competitive for foreigners looking for senior management roles and appropriately prioritize the development of domestic talent. I have three strategies to deal with this: Initially, I intend to concentrate on positions where my rare combination of technical proficiency (BE Electronics) and business savvy (MBA) offers invaluable value, especially in specialized aviation industries where specialist experience is crucial. Second, I want to integrate my objectives with the national vision by positioning myself not just as an operator but also as a mentor and enabler who actively helps to nurture local talent. Lastly, I will keep concentrating on leaving a legacy of excellence and dependability—qualities that cut beyond national boundaries and are constantly in great demand. Whether in a formal leadership post or as a senior specialist and advisor, my ultimate goal is to be in a position where I can have a long-lasting influence on the strategic direction of an aviation business. My objective is to make sure that my contributions are so essential to knowledge transfer and operational success that they establish a special and important position for me in the organization’s future.